diff --git a/man/rc-update.8 b/man/rc-update.8
index 6cad29e5..6fad02c4 100644
--- a/man/rc-update.8
+++ b/man/rc-update.8
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.\" Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Roy Marples
+4.\" Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Roy Marples
 .\" All rights reserved
 .\"
 .\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd Jan 10, 2009
+.Dd May 2, 2009
 .Dt RC-UPDATE 8 SMM
 .Os OpenRC
 .Sh NAME
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@
 .Nd add and remove services to and from a runlevel 
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
+.Op Fl s , -stack
 .Ar add
 .Ar service
 .Op Ar runlevel ...
 .Nm
+.Op Fl s , -stack
 .Ar delete
 .Ar service
 .Op Ar runlevel ...
@@ -51,7 +53,8 @@ All services must reside in the
 .Pa /etc/init.d
 or
 .Pa /usr/local/etc/init.d
-directories. They must also conform to the OpenRC runscript standard.
+directories.
+They must also conform to the OpenRC runscript standard.
 .Pp
 .Bl -tag -width "Fl a , -delete service"
 .It Ar add Ar service
@@ -78,6 +81,11 @@ Forces an update of the dependency tree cache.
 This may be needed in the event of clock skew (a file in /etc is newer than the
 system clock).
 .El
+.Pp
+If the
+.Fl s , -stack
+option is given then we either add or remove the runlevel from the runlevel.
+This allows inheritance of runlevels.
 .Sh SEE ALSO
 .Xr rc 8 ,
 .Xr rc-status 8
diff --git a/man/rc.8 b/man/rc.8
index 1e97762b..ab161fe7 100644
--- a/man/rc.8
+++ b/man/rc.8
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd January 13, 2009
+.Dd May 2, 2009
 .Dt RC 8 SMM
 .Os OpenRC
 .Sh NAME
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Nm
 first stops any services that are not for the runlevel and then starts any
-services added by
+services in the runlevel and from stacked runlevels added by
 .Nm rc-update
-that are not currently started. If no runlevel is specified then we use the
-current runlevel the system is currently in.
+that are not currently started.
+If no runlevel is specified then we use the current runlevel the system
+is currently in.
 .Pp
 There are some special runlevels that you should be aware of:
 .Bl -tag -width "shutdown"
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.c b/src/librc/librc.c
index 05c1c3d0..f73936d9 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.c
+++ b/src/librc/librc.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static const rc_service_state_name_t rc_service_state_names[] = {
 };
 
 #define LS_INITD	0x01
-#define LS_DIR   0x02
+#define LS_DIR		0x02
 static RC_STRINGLIST *
 ls_dir(const char *dir, int options)
 {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ ls_dir(const char *dir, int options)
 			}
 			if (options & LS_DIR) {
 				if (stat(d->d_name, &buf) == 0 &&
-				    ! S_ISDIR(buf.st_mode))
+				    !S_ISDIR(buf.st_mode))
 					continue;
 			}
 			rc_stringlist_add(list, d->d_name);
@@ -330,6 +330,51 @@ rc_runlevel_exists(const char *runlevel)
 }
 librc_hidden_def(rc_runlevel_exists)
 
+bool
+rc_runlevel_stack(const char *dst, const char *src)
+{
+	char d[PATH_MAX], s[PATH_MAX];
+	
+	if (!rc_runlevel_exists(dst) || !rc_runlevel_exists(src))
+		return false;
+	snprintf(s, sizeof(s), "../%s", src);
+	snprintf(d, sizeof(s), "%s/%s/%s", RC_RUNLEVELDIR, dst, src);
+	return (symlink(s, d) == 0 ? true : false);
+}
+librc_hidden_def(rc_runlevel_stack)
+
+bool
+rc_runlevel_unstack(const char *dst, const char *src)
+{
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s/%s", RC_RUNLEVELDIR, dst, src);
+	return (unlink(path) == 0 ? true : false);
+}
+librc_hidden_def(rc_runlevel_unstack)
+
+RC_STRINGLIST *
+rc_runlevel_stacks(const char *runlevel)
+{
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	RC_STRINGLIST *dirs;
+	RC_STRING *d, *dn;
+
+	if (!runlevel)
+		return false;
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", RC_RUNLEVELDIR, runlevel);
+	dirs = ls_dir(path, LS_DIR);
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(d, dirs, entries, dn) {
+		if (!rc_runlevel_exists(d->value)) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(dirs, d, entries);
+			free(d->value);
+			free(d);
+		}
+	}
+	return dirs;
+}
+librc_hidden_def(rc_runlevel_stacks)
+
 /* Resolve a service name to it's full path */
 char *
 rc_service_resolve(const char *service)
@@ -780,6 +825,27 @@ rc_services_in_runlevel(const char *runlevel)
 }
 librc_hidden_def(rc_services_in_runlevel)
 
+RC_STRINGLIST *
+rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked(const char *runlevel)
+{
+	RC_STRINGLIST *list, *stacks, *sl;
+	RC_STRING *stack;
+
+	list = rc_services_in_runlevel(runlevel);
+	stacks = rc_runlevel_stacks(runlevel);
+	TAILQ_FOREACH (stack, stacks, entries) {
+		sl = rc_services_in_runlevel(stack->value);
+		if (list != NULL) {
+			TAILQ_CONCAT(list, sl, entries);
+			free(sl);
+		} else
+			list = sl;
+	}
+	return list;
+}
+librc_hidden_def(rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked)
+
+
 RC_STRINGLIST *
 rc_services_in_state(RC_SERVICE state)
 {
diff --git a/src/librc/librc.h b/src/librc/librc.h
index ba7da315..d2501c06 100644
--- a/src/librc/librc.h
+++ b/src/librc/librc.h
@@ -91,8 +91,11 @@ librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_exists)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_get)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_list)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_set)
+librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_stack)
+librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_stacks)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_starting)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_stopping)
+librc_hidden_proto(rc_runlevel_unstack)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_add)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_daemons_crashed)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_daemon_set)
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_resolve)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_schedule_clear)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_service_schedule_start)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_in_runlevel)
+librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_in_state)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_scheduled)
 librc_hidden_proto(rc_services_scheduled_by)
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.h.in b/src/librc/rc.h.in
index 82874156..cb5258c5 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.h.in
+++ b/src/librc/rc.h.in
@@ -80,6 +80,22 @@ char *rc_runlevel_get(void);
  * @return true if the runlevel exists, otherwise false */
 bool rc_runlevel_exists(const char *);
 
+/*! Stack a runlevel onto another
+ * @param runlevel to stack onto
+ * @param runlevel being stacked
+ * @return true if successful, otherwise false */
+bool rc_runlevel_stack(const char *, const char *);
+
+/*! Unstack a runlevel from another
+ * @param runlevel to unstack from
+ * @param runlevel being unstacked
+ * @return true if successful, otherwise false */
+bool rc_runlevel_unstack(const char *, const char *);
+
+/*! Return a NULL terminated list of runlevel stacks in the runlevels
+ * @return a NULL terminated list of runlevels */
+RC_STRINGLIST *rc_runlevel_stacks(const char *);
+
 /*! Return a NULL terminated list of runlevels
  * @return a NULL terminated list of runlevels */
 RC_STRINGLIST *rc_runlevel_list(void);
@@ -225,6 +241,11 @@ bool rc_service_value_set(const char *, const char *, const char *);
  * @return NULL terminated list of services */
 RC_STRINGLIST *rc_services_in_runlevel(const char *);
 
+/*! List the stacked services in a runlevel
+ * @param runlevel to list
+ * @return NULL terminated list of services */
+RC_STRINGLIST *rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked(const char *);
+
 /*! List the services in a state
  * @param state to list
  * @return NULL terminated list of services */
diff --git a/src/librc/rc.map b/src/librc/rc.map
index e9fed69b..7cfbfabc 100644
--- a/src/librc/rc.map
+++ b/src/librc/rc.map
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ global:
 	rc_runlevel_get;
 	rc_runlevel_list;
 	rc_runlevel_set;
+	rc_runlevel_stack;
+	rc_runlevel_stacks;
 	rc_runlevel_starting;
 	rc_runlevel_stopping;
+	rc_runlevel_unstack;
 	rc_service_add;
 	rc_service_daemons_crashed;
 	rc_service_daemon_set;
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ global:
 	rc_service_schedule_clear;
 	rc_service_schedule_start;
 	rc_services_in_runlevel;
+	rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked;
 	rc_services_in_state;
 	rc_services_scheduled;
 	rc_services_scheduled_by;
diff --git a/src/rc/rc-status.c b/src/rc/rc-status.c
index 4c6e5129..0a232777 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc-status.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc-status.c
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ _rc_can_find_pids(void)
 }
 
 static void
-print_level(const char *level)
+print_level(const char *prefix, const char *level)
 {
+	if (prefix)
+		printf("%s ", prefix);
 	printf ("Runlevel: ");
 	if (isatty(fileno(stdout)))
 		printf("%s%s%s\n",
@@ -274,16 +276,28 @@ rc_status(int argc, char **argv)
 	deptree = _rc_deptree_load(0, NULL);
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(l, levels, entries) {
-		print_level(l->value);
+		print_level(NULL, l->value);
 		services = rc_services_in_runlevel(l->value);
 		print_services(l->value, services);
+		nservices = rc_runlevel_stacks(l->value);
+		TAILQ_FOREACH(s, nservices, entries) {
+			if (rc_stringlist_find(levels, s->value) != NULL)
+				continue;
+			print_level("Stacked", s->value);
+			sservices = rc_services_in_runlevel(s->value);
+			print_services(s->value, sservices);
+			rc_stringlist_free(sservices);
+		}
+		sservices = NULL;
+		rc_stringlist_free(nservices);
+		nservices = NULL;
 		rc_stringlist_free(services);
 		services = NULL;
 	}
 
 	if (aflag || argc < 2) {
 		/* Show hotplugged services */
-		print_level("hotplugged");
+		print_level("Dynamic", "hotplugged");
 		services = rc_services_in_state(RC_SERVICE_HOTPLUGGED);
 		print_services(NULL, services);
 		rc_stringlist_free(services);
@@ -336,9 +350,9 @@ rc_status(int argc, char **argv)
 			rc_stringlist_free(tmp);
 		}
 		l->value = p;
-		print_level("needed");
+		print_level("Dynamic", "needed");
 		print_services(NULL, nservices);
-		print_level("manual");
+		print_level("Dynamic", "manual");
 		print_services(NULL, services);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/rc/rc-update.c b/src/rc/rc-update.c
index f37f6f02..46adc635 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc-update.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc-update.c
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ add(const char *runlevel, const char *service)
 			eerror("%s: service `%s' does not exist",
 			    applet, service);
 	} else if (rc_service_in_runlevel(service, runlevel)) {
-		ewarn ("%s: %s already installed in runlevel `%s'; skipping",
+		ewarn("%s: %s already installed in runlevel `%s'; skipping",
 		    applet, service, runlevel);
 		retval = 0;
 	} else if (rc_service_add(runlevel, service)) {
-		einfo ("%s added to runlevel %s", service, runlevel);
+		einfo("service %s added to runlevel %s", service, runlevel);
 		retval = 1;
 	} else
 		eerror("%s: failed to add service `%s' to runlevel `%s': %s",
@@ -83,20 +83,76 @@ delete(const char *runlevel, const char *service)
 
 	errno = 0;
 	if (rc_service_delete(runlevel, service)) {
-		einfo("%s removed from runlevel %s", service, runlevel);
+		einfo("service %s removed from runlevel %s",
+		    service, runlevel);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
 	if (errno == ENOENT)
-		eerror ("%s: service `%s' is not in the runlevel `%s'",
+		eerror("%s: service `%s' is not in the runlevel `%s'",
 		    applet, service, runlevel);
 	else
-		eerror ("%s: failed to remove service `%s' from runlevel `%s': %s",
+		eerror("%s: failed to remove service `%s' from runlevel `%s': %s",
 		    applet, service, runlevel, strerror (errno));
 
 	return retval;
 }
 
+static int
+addstack(const char *runlevel, const char *stack)
+{
+	if (!rc_runlevel_exists(runlevel)) {
+		eerror("%s: runlevel `%s' does not exist", applet, runlevel);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (!rc_runlevel_exists(stack)) {
+		eerror("%s: runlevel `%s' does not exist", applet, stack);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (strcmp(runlevel, stack) == 0) {
+		eerror("%s: cannot stack `%s' onto itself", applet, stack);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (strcmp(runlevel, RC_LEVEL_SYSINIT) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(stack, RC_LEVEL_SYSINIT) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(runlevel, RC_LEVEL_BOOT) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(stack, RC_LEVEL_BOOT) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(runlevel, RC_LEVEL_SINGLE) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(stack, RC_LEVEL_SINGLE) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(runlevel, RC_LEVEL_SHUTDOWN) == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(stack, RC_LEVEL_SHUTDOWN) == 0)
+	{
+		eerror("%s: cannot stack the %s runlevel",
+		    applet, RC_LEVEL_SYSINIT);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (!rc_runlevel_stack(runlevel, stack)) {
+		eerror("%s: failed to stack `%s' to `%s': %s",
+		    applet, stack, runlevel, strerror(errno));
+		return -1;
+	}
+	einfo("runlevel %s added to runlevel %s", stack, runlevel);
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static int
+delstack(const char *runlevel, const char *stack)
+{
+	if (rc_runlevel_unstack(runlevel, stack)) {
+		einfo("runlevel %s removed from runlevel %s", stack, runlevel);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	if (errno == ENOENT)
+		eerror("%s: runlevel `%s' is not in the runlevel `%s'",
+		    applet, stack, runlevel);
+	else
+		eerror("%s: failed to remove runlevel `%s' from runlevel `%s': %s",
+		    applet, stack, runlevel, strerror (errno));
+
+	return -1;
+}
+
 static void
 show(RC_STRINGLIST *runlevels, bool verbose)
 {
@@ -143,12 +199,14 @@ show(RC_STRINGLIST *runlevels, bool verbose)
 	"Usage: rc-update [options] add service <runlevel>\n"		      \
 	"       rc-update [options] del service <runlevel>\n"		      \
 	"       rc-update [options] show"
-#define getoptstring "u" getoptstring_COMMON
+#define getoptstring "su" getoptstring_COMMON
 static const struct option longopts[] = {
+	{ "stack",           0, NULL, 's' },
 	{ "update",          0, NULL, 'u' },
 	longopts_COMMON
 };
 static const char * const longopts_help[] = {
+	"Stack a runlevel instead of a service",
 	"Force an update of the dependency tree",
 	longopts_help_COMMON
 };
@@ -166,7 +224,7 @@ rc_update(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *service = NULL;
 	char *p;
 	int action = 0;
-	bool verbose = false;
+	bool verbose = false, stack = false;
 	int opt;
 	int retval = EXIT_FAILURE;
 	int num_updated = 0;
@@ -176,11 +234,14 @@ rc_update(int argc, char **argv)
 	while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, getoptstring,
 		    longopts, (int *)0)) != -1)
 		switch (opt) {
+		case 's':
+		    stack = true;
+		break;
 		case 'u':
 			_rc_deptree_load(-1, &ret);
 			return ret;
-			case_RC_COMMON_GETOPT
-			    }
+			case_RC_COMMON_GETOPT;
+		}
 
 	verbose = rc_yesno(getenv ("EINFO_VERBOSE"));
 
@@ -241,9 +302,9 @@ rc_update(int argc, char **argv)
 			eerror ("%s: no service specified", applet);
 		else {
 			if (action & DOADD) {
-				actfunc = add;
+				actfunc = stack ? addstack : add;
 			} else if (action & DODELETE) {
-				actfunc = delete;
+				actfunc = stack ? delstack : delete;
 			} else {
 				rc_stringlist_free(runlevels);
 				eerrorx("%s: invalid action", applet);
diff --git a/src/rc/rc.c b/src/rc/rc.c
index 78cfcae4..8e40e1d9 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc.c
@@ -1037,7 +1037,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* Load our list of start services */
 	hotplugged_services = rc_services_in_state(RC_SERVICE_HOTPLUGGED);
-	start_services = rc_services_in_runlevel(newlevel ?
+	start_services = rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked(newlevel ?
 	    newlevel : runlevel);
 	if (strcmp(newlevel ? newlevel : runlevel, RC_LEVEL_SHUTDOWN) != 0 &&
 	    strcmp(newlevel ? newlevel : runlevel, RC_LEVEL_SYSINIT) != 0)
diff --git a/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list b/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
index 2416a0c2..121bfcf0 100644
--- a/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
+++ b/src/test/librc.funcs.hidden.list
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@ rc_runlevel_exists
 rc_runlevel_get
 rc_runlevel_list
 rc_runlevel_set
+rc_runlevel_stack
+rc_runlevel_stacks
 rc_runlevel_starting
 rc_runlevel_stopping
+rc_runlevel_unstack
 rc_service_add
 rc_service_daemon_set
 rc_service_daemons_crashed
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ rc_service_state
 rc_service_value_get
 rc_service_value_set
 rc_services_in_runlevel
+rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked
 rc_services_in_state
 rc_services_scheduled
 rc_services_scheduled_by
diff --git a/src/test/rc.funcs.list b/src/test/rc.funcs.list
index f6324741..409ede0d 100644
--- a/src/test/rc.funcs.list
+++ b/src/test/rc.funcs.list
@@ -32,10 +32,16 @@ rc_runlevel_list
 rc_runlevel_list@@RC_1.0
 rc_runlevel_set
 rc_runlevel_set@@RC_1.0
+rc_runlevel_stack
+rc_runlevel_stack@@RC_1.0
+rc_runlevel_stacks
+rc_runlevel_stacks@@RC_1.0
 rc_runlevel_starting
 rc_runlevel_starting@@RC_1.0
 rc_runlevel_stopping
 rc_runlevel_stopping@@RC_1.0
+rc_runlevel_unstack
+rc_runlevel_unstack@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_add
 rc_service_add@@RC_1.0
 rc_service_daemon_set
@@ -70,6 +76,8 @@ rc_service_value_set
 rc_service_value_set@@RC_1.0
 rc_services_in_runlevel
 rc_services_in_runlevel@@RC_1.0
+rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked
+rc_services_in_runlevel_stacked@@RC_1.0
 rc_services_in_state
 rc_services_in_state@@RC_1.0
 rc_services_scheduled