diff --git a/man/rc_service.3 b/man/rc_service.3
index a716857f..9a48db8d 100644
--- a/man/rc_service.3
+++ b/man/rc_service.3
@@ -31,11 +31,10 @@
 .Nm rc_service_mark , rc_service_extra_commands , rc_service_plugable ,
 .Nm rc_service_resolve , rc_service_schedule_start , rc_services_scheduled_by ,
 .Nm rc_service_schedule_clear , rc_service_state ,
-.Nm rc_service_start , rc_service_stop ,
 .Nm rc_service_started_daemon , rc_service_value_get , rc_service_value_set ,
 .Nm rc_services_in_runlevel , rc_services_in_state , rc_services_scheduled ,
 .Nm rc_service_daemons_crashed
-.Nd functions to start, stop and query OpenRC services
+.Nd functions to query OpenRC services
 .Sh LIBRARY
 Run Command library (librc, -lrc)
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
@@ -66,8 +65,6 @@ Run Command library (librc, -lrc)
 .Ft "RC_STRINGLIST *" Fn rc_services_scheduled_by "const char *service"
 .Ft bool Fn rc_service_schedule_clear "const char *service"
 .Ft RC_SERVICE Fn rc_service_state "const char *service"
-.Ft pid_t Fn rc_service_start "const char *service"
-.Ft pid_t Fn rc_service_stop "const char *service"
 .Ft bool Fo rc_service_started_daemon
 .Fa "const char *service"
 .Fa "const char *exec"
@@ -176,16 +173,6 @@ clears these scheduled services for
 .Fa service .
 The return value is a bitmask, where more than one state can apply.
 .Pp
-.Fn rc_service_start
-starts
-.Fa service ,
-returning the pid of new process.
-.Pp
-.Fn rc_service_stop
-stops
-.Fa service ,
-returning the pid of new process.
-.Pp
 .Fn rc_service_started_daemon
 checks to see if
 .Fa service
diff --git a/src/includes/rc-misc.h b/src/includes/rc-misc.h
index 0906e3ea..70850161 100644
--- a/src/includes/rc-misc.h
+++ b/src/includes/rc-misc.h
@@ -196,6 +196,10 @@ void env_filter(void);
 void env_config(void);
 bool service_plugable(const char *service);
 int signal_setup(int sig, void (*handler)(int));
+pid_t exec_service(const char *, const char *);
+
+#define service_start(service) exec_service(service, "start");
+#define service_stop(service)  exec_service(service, "stop");
 
 /* basename_c never modifies the argument. As such, if there is a trailing
  * slash then an empty string is returned. */
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.c b/src/librc/librc.c
index 5d4826c9..13220d2f 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc.c
@@ -673,95 +673,6 @@ bool rc_service_value_set(const char *service, const char *option,
 }
 librc_hidden_def(rc_service_value_set)
 
-static pid_t _exec_service(const char *service, const char *arg)
-{
-	char *file;
-	char fifo[PATH_MAX];
-	pid_t pid = -1;
-	sigset_t full;
-	sigset_t old;
-	struct sigaction sa;
-
-	file = rc_service_resolve(service);
-	if (! exists(file)) {
-		rc_service_mark(service, RC_SERVICE_STOPPED);
-		free(file);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	/* We create a fifo so that other services can wait until we complete */
-	snprintf(fifo, sizeof(fifo), RC_SVCDIR "/exclusive/%s",
-		 basename_c(service));
-	if (mkfifo(fifo, 0600) != 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
-		free(file);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	/* We need to block signals until we have forked */
-	memset(&sa, 0, sizeof (sa));
-	sa.sa_handler = SIG_DFL;
-	sigemptyset(&sa.sa_mask);
-	sigfillset(&full);
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &full, &old);
-
-	if ((pid = fork()) == 0) {
-		/* Restore default handlers */
-		sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGHUP, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGINT, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGQUIT, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGTERM, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGUSR1, &sa, NULL);
-		sigaction(SIGWINCH, &sa, NULL);
-
-		/* Unmask signals */
-		sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &old, NULL);
-
-		/* Safe to run now */
-		execl(file, file, arg, (char *) NULL);
-		fprintf(stderr, "unable to exec `%s': %s\n",
-			file, strerror(errno));
-		unlink(fifo);
-		_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
-
-	if (pid == -1)
-		fprintf(stderr, "fork: %s\n",strerror (errno));
-
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &old, NULL);
-
-	free(file);
-
-	return pid;
-}
-
-pid_t rc_service_stop(const char *service)
-{
-	RC_SERVICE state = rc_service_state(service);
-
-	if (state & RC_SERVICE_FAILED)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
-		return 0;
-
-	return _exec_service(service, "stop");
-}
-librc_hidden_def(rc_service_stop)
-
-pid_t rc_service_start(const char *service)
-{
-	RC_SERVICE state = rc_service_state(service);
-
-	if (state & RC_SERVICE_FAILED)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (! state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
-		return 0;
-
-	return _exec_service(service, "start");
-}
-librc_hidden_def(rc_service_start)
 
 bool rc_service_schedule_start(const char *service,
 			       const char *service_to_start)
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.h b/src/librc/librc.h
index b5e9cabd..353b5923 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.h
+++ b/src/librc/librc.h
@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@ librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_mark)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_resolve)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_schedule_clear)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_schedule_start)
-librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_start)
-librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_stop)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_in_runlevel)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_in_state)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_scheduled)
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.h b/src/librc/rc.h
index 415963b4..04cdba4d 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.h
+++ b/src/librc/rc.h
@@ -172,16 +172,6 @@ bool rc_service_schedule_clear(const char *);
  * @return state of the service */
 RC_SERVICE rc_service_state(const char *);
 
-/*! Start a service
- * @param service to start
- * @return pid of the service starting process */
-pid_t rc_service_start(const char *);
-
-/*! Stop a service
- * @param service to stop
- * @return pid of service stopping process */
-pid_t rc_service_stop(const char *);
-
 /*! Check if the service started the daemon
  * @param service to check
  * @param exec to check
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.map b/src/librc/rc.map
index 845ae946..8a803f3d 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.map
+++ b/src/librc/rc.map
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ global:
 	rc_service_resolve;
 	rc_service_schedule_clear;
 	rc_service_schedule_start;
-	rc_service_start;
-	rc_service_stop;
 	rc_services_in_runlevel;
 	rc_services_in_state;
 	rc_services_scheduled;
diff --git a/src/rc/rc-misc.c b/src/rc/rc-misc.c
index 32fe50e3..afe7893c 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc-misc.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc-misc.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "einfo.h"
 #include "rc.h"
@@ -310,3 +311,65 @@ int signal_setup(int sig, void (*handler)(int))
 	sa.sa_handler = handler;
 	return sigaction(sig, &sa, NULL);
 }
+
+pid_t exec_service(const char *service, const char *arg)
+{
+	char *file;
+	char fifo[PATH_MAX];
+	pid_t pid = -1;
+	sigset_t full;
+	sigset_t old;
+	struct sigaction sa;
+
+	file = rc_service_resolve(service);
+	if (! exists(file)) {
+		rc_service_mark(service, RC_SERVICE_STOPPED);
+		free(file);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* We create a fifo so that other services can wait until we complete */
+	snprintf(fifo, sizeof(fifo), RC_SVCDIR "/exclusive/%s",
+		 basename_c(service));
+	if (mkfifo(fifo, 0600) != 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
+		free(file);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* We need to block signals until we have forked */
+	memset(&sa, 0, sizeof (sa));
+	sa.sa_handler = SIG_DFL;
+	sigemptyset(&sa.sa_mask);
+	sigfillset(&full);
+	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &full, &old);
+
+	if ((pid = fork()) == 0) {
+		/* Restore default handlers */
+		sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGHUP, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGINT, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGQUIT, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGTERM, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGUSR1, &sa, NULL);
+		sigaction(SIGWINCH, &sa, NULL);
+
+		/* Unmask signals */
+		sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &old, NULL);
+
+		/* Safe to run now */
+		execl(file, file, arg, (char *) NULL);
+		fprintf(stderr, "unable to exec `%s': %s\n",
+			file, strerror(errno));
+		unlink(fifo);
+		_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	if (pid == -1)
+		fprintf(stderr, "fork: %s\n",strerror (errno));
+
+	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &old, NULL);
+
+	free(file);
+
+	return pid;
+}
diff --git a/src/rc/rc.c b/src/rc/rc.c
index a6f58b4f..43bcb48e 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc.c
@@ -771,6 +771,7 @@ static void do_stop_services(const char *newlevel, bool going_down, bool paralle
 	pid_t pid;
 	RC_STRING *service, *svc1, *svc2;
 	RC_STRINGLIST *deporder, *tmplist;
+	RC_SERVICE state;
 
 	if (! types_n) {
 		types_n = rc_stringlist_new();
@@ -779,12 +780,13 @@ static void do_stop_services(const char *newlevel, bool going_down, bool paralle
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE(service, stop_services, rc_stringlist, entries)
 	{
-		if (rc_service_state(service->value) & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
+		state = rc_service_state(service->value);
+		if (state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED || state & RC_SERVICE_FAILED)
 			continue;
 
 		/* We always stop the service when in these runlevels */
 		if (going_down || ! start_services) {
-			pid = rc_service_stop(service->value);
+			pid = service_stop(service->value);
 			if (pid > 0 && ! parallel)
 				rc_waitpid(pid);
 			continue;
@@ -832,7 +834,7 @@ static void do_stop_services(const char *newlevel, bool going_down, bool paralle
 		}
 
 		/* After all that we can finally stop the blighter! */
-		pid = rc_service_stop(service->value);
+		pid = service_stop(service->value);
 		if (pid > 0) {
 			add_pid(pid);
 			if (! parallel) {
@@ -848,44 +850,47 @@ static void do_start_services(bool parallel)
 	RC_STRING *service;
 	pid_t pid;
 	bool interactive = false;
+	RC_SERVICE state;
 
 	if (! rc_yesno(getenv("EINFO_QUIET")))
 		interactive = exists(INTERACTIVE);
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(service, start_services, entries) {
-		if (rc_service_state(service->value) & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED) {
-			if (! interactive)
-				interactive = want_interactive();
+		state = rc_service_state(service->value);
+		if (!(state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED) || state & RC_SERVICE_FAILED)
+			continue;
 
-			if (interactive) {
+		if (! interactive)
+			interactive = want_interactive();
+
+		if (interactive) {
 interactive_retry:
-				printf("\n");
-				einfo("About to start the service %s",
-				      service->value);
-				eindent();
-				einfo("1) Start the service\t\t2) Skip the service");
-				einfo("3) Continue boot process\t\t4) Exit to shell");
-				eoutdent();
+			printf("\n");
+			einfo("About to start the service %s",
+			      service->value);
+			eindent();
+			einfo("1) Start the service\t\t2) Skip the service");
+			einfo("3) Continue boot process\t\t4) Exit to shell");
+			eoutdent();
 interactive_option:
-				switch (read_key(true)) {
+			switch (read_key(true)) {
 				case '1': break;
 				case '2': continue;
 				case '3': interactive = false; break;
 				case '4': sulogin(true); goto interactive_retry;
 				default: goto interactive_option;
-				}
 			}
+		}
 
-			pid = rc_service_start(service->value);
-			
-			/* Remember the pid if we're running in parallel */
-			if (pid > 0) {
-				add_pid(pid);
+		pid = service_start(service->value);
 
-				if (! parallel) {
-					rc_waitpid(pid);
-					remove_pid(pid);
-				}
+		/* Remember the pid if we're running in parallel */
+		if (pid > 0) {
+			add_pid(pid);
+
+			if (! parallel) {
+				rc_waitpid(pid);
+				remove_pid(pid);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/rc/runscript.c b/src/rc/runscript.c
index 8720c02f..421f432f 100644
--- a/src/rc/runscript.c
+++ b/src/rc/runscript.c
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ static void start_services(RC_STRINGLIST *list) {
 					      " when %s has started",
 					       svc->value, applet);
 				} else
-					rc_service_start(svc->value);
+					service_start(svc->value);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ static void svc_start(bool deps)
 		if (! rc_runlevel_starting() && use_services)
 			TAILQ_FOREACH(svc, use_services, entries)
 				if (rc_service_state(svc->value) & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED) {
-					pid_t pid = rc_service_start(svc->value);
+					pid_t pid = service_start(svc->value);
 					if (! rc_conf_yesno("rc_parallel"))
 						rc_waitpid(pid);
 				}
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ static void svc_start(bool deps)
 	if (services) {
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(svc, services, entries)
 			if (rc_service_state(svc->value) & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
-				rc_service_start(svc->value);
+				service_start(svc->value);
 		rc_stringlist_free(services);
 		services = NULL;
 	}
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ static void svc_start(bool deps)
 			if (services) {
 				TAILQ_FOREACH(svc2, services, entries)
 					if (rc_service_state(svc2->value) & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
-						rc_service_start(svc2->value);
+						service_start(svc2->value);
 				rc_stringlist_free(services);
 				services = NULL;
 			}
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ static void svc_stop(bool deps)
 					if (svcs & RC_SERVICE_STARTED ||
 							svcs & RC_SERVICE_INACTIVE)
 					{
-						pid_t pid = rc_service_stop(svc->value);
+						pid_t pid = service_stop(svc->value);
 						if (! rc_conf_yesno("rc_parallel"))
 							rc_waitpid(pid);
 						if (! tmplist)
diff --git a/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list b/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
index a21e21e3..2ece066d 100644
--- a/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
+++ b/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@ rc_service_mark
 rc_service_resolve
 rc_service_schedule_clear
 rc_service_schedule_start
-rc_service_start
 rc_service_started_daemon
 rc_service_state
-rc_service_stop
 rc_service_value_get
 rc_service_value_set
 rc_services_in_runlevel
diff --git a/src/test/rc.funcs.list b/src/test/rc.funcs.list
index 59dc215e..a10afc04 100644
--- a/src/test/rc.funcs.list
+++ b/src/test/rc.funcs.list
@@ -58,14 +58,10 @@ rc_service_schedule_clear
 rc_service_schedule_clear@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_schedule_start
 rc_service_schedule_start@@RC_1.0
-rc_service_start
-rc_service_start@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_started_daemon
 rc_service_started_daemon@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_state
 rc_service_state@@RC_1.0
-rc_service_stop
-rc_service_stop@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_value_get
 rc_service_value_get@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_value_set