diff --git a/debian/mogilefsd.default b/debian/mogilefsd.default
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..831d1135
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/mogilefsd.default
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Defaults for mogilefsd - sourced by /etc/init.d/mogilefsd
+
+# Start mogilefsd on boot?
+START=yes
+
+# Startup options
+DAEMON_OPTS=""
+
+MOGILEFSD_RUNASUSER=mogile
diff --git a/debian/mogilefsd.init b/debian/mogilefsd.init
index b17a70e0..a3edeb54 100755
--- a/debian/mogilefsd.init
+++ b/debian/mogilefsd.init
@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@
 
 # PATH should only include /usr/* if it runs after the mountnfs.sh script
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-DAEMON=/usr/bin/mogilefsd
+DAEMON=/usr/local/bin/mogilefsd
 NAME=mogilefsd
 DESC=mogilefsd
 DEFAULTS=/etc/default/$NAME
-PIDDIR=/var/run/$NAME
-PIDFILE=$PIDDIR/$NAME.pid
+PIDFILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
 SCRIPTNAME=/etc/init.d/$NAME
 
 # Exit if the package is not installed
@@ -48,13 +47,6 @@ set -e
 #
 do_start()
 {
-
-	if ! test -d ${PIDDIR}
-	then
-		mkdir ${PIDDIR}
-		chown ${MOGILEFSD_RUNASUSER} ${PIDDIR}
-	fi
-
 	if [ -e $PIDFILE ]
 		then
 
@@ -69,7 +61,7 @@ do_start()
 
 	fi
 
-	start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec $DAEMON -b --name $NAME --chuid $MOGILEFSD_RUNASUSER -- $MOGILEFSD_EXTRA_OPTS
+	start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec $DAEMON --pidfile $PIDFILE -b -m --name $NAME --chuid $MOGILEFSD_RUNASUSER
 }
 
 #
@@ -81,6 +73,16 @@ do_stop()
 	rm -f $PIDFILE
 }
 
+do_status()
+{
+	if [ -f ${PIDFILE} ]; then
+		echo $NAME: running.
+	else
+		echo $NAME: not running.
+		exit 5
+	fi
+}
+
 case "$1" in
   start)
 	echo -n "Starting $DESC: "
@@ -105,11 +107,14 @@ case "$1" in
 	do_start
 	echo "$NAME."
 	;;
+  status)
+        do_status
+        ;;
   *)
-	#echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload}" >&2
-	echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|force-reload}" >&2
+	#echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload|status}" >&2
+	echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|force-reload|status}" >&2
 	exit 3
 	;;
 esac
 
-:
+:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/debian/mogstored.default b/debian/mogstored.default
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5af2569
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/mogstored.default
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Defaults for mogstored - sourced by /etc/init.d/mogstored
+
+# Start mogstored on boot?
+START=yes
+
+# Startup options
+DAEMON_OPTS=""
+
+MOGSTORED_RUNASUSER=mogile
diff --git a/debian/mogstored.init b/debian/mogstored.init
index 06c5ec76..2800f24a 100755
--- a/debian/mogstored.init
+++ b/debian/mogstored.init
@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@
 
 # PATH should only include /usr/* if it runs after the mountnfs.sh script
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-DAEMON=/usr/bin/mogstored
+DAEMON=/usr/local/bin/mogstored
 NAME=mogstored
 DESC=mogstored
 DEFAULTS=/etc/default/$NAME
-PIDDIR=/var/run/$NAME
-PIDFILE=$PIDDIR/$NAME.pid
+PIDFILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
 SCRIPTNAME=/etc/init.d/$NAME
 
 # Exit if the package is not installed
@@ -48,12 +47,6 @@ set -e
 #
 do_start()
 {
-	if ! test -d ${PIDDIR}
-	then
-		mkdir ${PIDDIR}
-		chown ${MOGSTORED_RUNASUSER} ${PIDDIR}
-	fi
-
 	if [ -e $PIDFILE ]
 		then
 
@@ -80,6 +73,16 @@ do_stop()
 	rm -f $PIDFILE
 }
 
+do_status()
+{
+	if [ -f ${PIDFILE} ]; then
+		echo $NAME: running.
+	else
+		echo $NAME: not running.
+		exit 5
+	fi
+}
+
 case "$1" in
   start)
 	echo -n "Starting $DESC: "
@@ -91,7 +94,9 @@ case "$1" in
 	do_stop
 	echo "$NAME."
 	;;
-
+  status)
+	do_status
+	;;
   restart|force-reload)
 	#
 	#	If the "reload" option is implemented, move the "force-reload"
@@ -105,10 +110,10 @@ case "$1" in
 	echo "$NAME."
 	;;
   *)
-	#echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload}" >&2
-	echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|force-reload}" >&2
+	#echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|reload|force-reload|status}" >&2
+	echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|restart|force-reload|status}" >&2
 	exit 3
 	;;
 esac
 
-:
+:
\ No newline at end of file