diff --git a/sh/runscript.sh.in b/sh/runscript.sh.in
index 4e8e2158..947c2f73 100644
--- a/sh/runscript.sh.in
+++ b/sh/runscript.sh.in
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ _status()
 		return 0
 	else
 		einfo "status: stopped"
-		return 1
+		return 3
 	fi
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rc/runscript.c b/src/rc/runscript.c
index f3f0517e..1c60c249 100644
--- a/src/rc/runscript.c
+++ b/src/rc/runscript.c
@@ -596,8 +596,10 @@ svc_start_check(void)
 	fcntl(exclusive_fd, F_SETFD,
 	    fcntl(exclusive_fd, F_GETFD, 0) | FD_CLOEXEC);
 
-	if (state & RC_SERVICE_STARTED)
-		ewarnx("WARNING: %s has already been started", applet);
+	if (state & RC_SERVICE_STARTED) {
+		ewarn("WARNING: %s has already been started", applet);
+		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+	}
 	else if (state & RC_SERVICE_INACTIVE && !in_background)
 		ewarnx("WARNING: %s has already started, but is inactive",
 		    applet);
@@ -845,8 +847,10 @@ svc_stop_check(RC_SERVICE *state)
 	fcntl(exclusive_fd, F_SETFD,
 	    fcntl(exclusive_fd, F_GETFD, 0) | FD_CLOEXEC);
 
-	if (*state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED)
-		ewarnx("WARNING: %s is already stopped", applet);
+	if (*state & RC_SERVICE_STOPPED) {
+		ewarn("WARNING: %s is already stopped", applet);
+		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+	}
 
 	rc_service_mark(service, RC_SERVICE_STOPPING);
 	hook_out = RC_HOOK_SERVICE_STOP_OUT;