diff --git a/nfs-utils.changes b/nfs-utils.changes
index bfd0b52..3993772 100644
--- a/nfs-utils.changes
+++ b/nfs-utils.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Tue Jan 25 09:01:37 UTC 2011 - lnussel@suse.de
+
+- give user a hint if portmap isn't running as statd can't be started in that
+  case.
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Wed Jan 12 12:15:31 UTC 2011 - lnussel@suse.de
 
diff --git a/start-statd b/start-statd
index 9026b09..ff3e07c 100644
--- a/start-statd
+++ b/start-statd
@@ -5,9 +5,22 @@
 # It should run run statd with whatever flags are apropriate for this
 # site.
 PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
+checkproc /usr/sbin/rpc.statd && exit 0
+. /etc/rc.status
 . /etc/sysconfig/nfs
-rpc.statd --no-notify $STATD_OPTIONS
-# in case firewall needs to punch a hole for the
-# statd port...
-/etc/init.d/SuSEfirewall2_setup try-restart > /dev/null 2>&1
+rc_reset
+echo -n "Starting rpc.statd ..."
+if ! rpcinfo -p localhost >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then
+	echo -n " ${extd}portmapper not running${norm}"
+	rc_failed 1
+	rc_status -v
+	rc_exit
+fi
+# TODO: write init script and call that one via /sbin/service instead
+start_daemon /usr/sbin/rpc.statd --no-notify $STATD_OPTIONS
+if rc_status -v; then
+	# in case firewall needs to punch a hole for the
+	# statd port...
+	/etc/init.d/SuSEfirewall2_setup try-restart
+fi