diff --git a/mcp/pacemaker.combined.upstart.in b/mcp/pacemaker.combined.upstart.in
index df055f799a..8342f38e2b 100644
--- a/mcp/pacemaker.combined.upstart.in
+++ b/mcp/pacemaker.combined.upstart.in
@@ -1,57 +1,59 @@
 # pacemaker-corosync - High-Availability cluster
 #
 # Starts Corosync cluster engine and Pacemaker cluster manager.
 
 kill timeout 3600
+respawn
 
 env prog=pacemakerd
 env rpm_sysconf=@sysconfdir@/sysconfig/pacemaker
 env rpm_lockfile=@localstatedir@/lock/subsys/pacemaker
 env deb_sysconf=@sysconfdir@/default/pacemaker
 env deb_lockfile=@localstatedir@/lock/pacemaker
 
 script
     [ -f "$rpm_sysconf" ] && . $rpm_sysconf
     [ -f "$deb_sysconf" ] && . $deb_sysconf
     exec $prog
 end script
 
 pre-start script
-    # setup the software watchdog which corosync uses in post-stop.
+    # setup the software watchdog which corosync uses.
     # rewrite according to environment.
     modprobe softdog soft_margin=60
-    start corosync
+    pidof corosync || start corosync
 
     # if you use corosync-notifyd, uncomment the line below.
     #start corosync-notifyd
 
     # give it time to fail.
     sleep 2
     pidof corosync || { exit 1; }
 end script
 
 post-start script
     [ -f "$rpm_sysconf" ] && . $rpm_sysconf
     [ -f "$deb_sysconf" ] && . $deb_sysconf
     [ -z "$LOCK_FILE" -a -d @sysconfdir@/sysconfig ] && LOCK_FILE="$rpm_lockfile"
     [ -z "$LOCK_FILE" -a -d @sysconfdir@/default ] && LOCK_FILE="$deb_lockfile"
     touch $LOCK_FILE
     pidof $prog > @localstatedir@/run/$prog.pid
 end script
 
 post-stop script
     [ -f "$rpm_sysconf" ] && . $rpm_sysconf
     [ -f "$deb_sysconf" ] && . $deb_sysconf
     [ -z "$LOCK_FILE" -a -d @sysconfdir@/sysconfig ] && LOCK_FILE="$rpm_lockfile"
     [ -z "$LOCK_FILE" -a -d @sysconfdir@/default ] && LOCK_FILE="$deb_lockfile"
     rm -f $LOCK_FILE
     rm -f @localstatedir@/run/$prog.pid
+    pidof crmd || stop corosync
 
-    # when pacemakerd disappeared unexpectedly, a machine is rebooted
-    # by the watchdog of corosync.
-    pidof crmd && killall -q -9 corosync
-    stop corosync || true
+    # if you want to reboot a machine by watchdog of corosync when
+    # pacemakerd disappeared unexpectedly, uncomment the line below
+    # and invalidate above "respawn" stanza.
+    #pidof crmd && killall -q -9 corosync
 
     # if you use corosync-notifyd, uncomment the line below.
     #stop corosync-notifyd || true
 end script