diff --git a/init.d.misc/avahi-dnsconfd.in b/init.d.misc/avahi-dnsconfd.in
index 8153f0c4..257f7606 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/avahi-dnsconfd.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/avahi-dnsconfd.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/avahi-dnsconfd
-command_args="${avahi_dnsconfd_args} -D"
+command_args="$avahi_dnsconfd_args -D"
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/avahi-dnsconfd.pid
 name="Avahi DNS Configuration Daemon"
 
diff --git a/init.d.misc/avahid.in b/init.d.misc/avahid.in
index 458fc0bc..b035d594 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/avahid.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/avahid.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/avahi-daemon
-command_args="${avahid_args} -D"
+command_args="$avahid_args -D"
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/avahi-daemon/pid
 name="Avahi Service Advertisement Daemon"
 
diff --git a/init.d.misc/dhcpcd.in b/init.d.misc/dhcpcd.in
index 40234cfe..91f0110c 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/dhcpcd.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/dhcpcd.in
@@ -14,4 +14,5 @@ depend()
 	use logger
 	after bootmisc modules
 	before dns
+	keyword noshutdown
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/dnsmasq.in b/init.d.misc/dnsmasq.in
index 02e146c1..8b11de86 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/dnsmasq.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/dnsmasq.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/dnsmasq
-command_args=${dnsmasq_args}
+command_args=$dnsmasq_args
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/dnsmasq.pid
 required_files=/etc/dnsmasq.conf
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ depend()
 
 reload()
 {
-	ebegin "Reloading ${RC_SVCNAME}"
-	start-stop-daemon --signal SIGHUP --pidfile "${pidfile}"
+	ebegin "Reloading $RC_SVCNAME"
+	start-stop-daemon --signal SIGHUP --pidfile "$pidfile"
 	eend $?
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/hald.in b/init.d.misc/hald.in
index dd7802d1..25c03a84 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/hald.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/hald.in
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/hald
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/hald/hald.pid
-command_args="${hald_args}"
+command_args=$hald_args
 name="Hardware Abstraction Layer Daemon"
 
 depend()
diff --git a/init.d.misc/named.in b/init.d.misc/named.in
index 3674442d..6088f43f 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/named.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/named.in
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
 command=/usr/sbin/named
-command_args=${named_args}
+command_args=$named_args
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/named.pid
 name="Domain Name server"
 extra_started_commands="reload"
 
 namedb=/etc/namedb
 uid=named
-case "${RC_UNAME}" in
+case "$RC_UNAME" in
 	FreeBSD)
 		uid=bind
 		pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/named/pid
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ case "${RC_UNAME}" in
 		uid=bind
 		;;
 esac
-named_uid=${named_uid:-${uid}}
+: ${named_uid:=${uid}}
 
 depend()
 {
@@ -30,68 +30,71 @@ depend()
 
 start_pre()
 {
-	if [ -n "${named_chroot}" ]; then
+	if [ -n "$named_chroot" ]; then
 		# Create (or update) the chroot directory structure
 		if [ -r /etc/mtree/BIND.chroot.dist ]; then
-			mtree -deU -f /etc/mtree/BIND.chroot.dist -p "${named_chroot}"
+			mtree -deU -f /etc/mtree/BIND.chroot.dist -p "$named_chroot"
 		else
 			ewarn "/etc/mtree/BIND.chroot.dist missing,"
 			ewarn "chroot directory structure not updated"
 		fi
 
-		if [ ! -d "${named_chroot}"/. ]; then
-			eerror "chroot directory ${named_chroot} missing"
+		if [ ! -d "$named_chroot"/. ]; then
+			eerror "chroot directory $named_chroot missing"
 			exit 1
 		fi
 
 		# Create /etc/namedb symlink
-		if [ ! -L "${namedb}" ]; then
-			if [ -d "${namedb}" ]; then
-				ewarn "named chroot: ${namedb} is a directory!"
-			elif [ -e "${namedb}" ]; then
-				ewarn "named chroot: ${namedb} exists!"
+		if [ ! -L "$namedb" ]; then
+			if [ -d "$namedb" ]; then
+				ewarn "named chroot: $namedb is a directory!"
+			elif [ -e "$namedb" ]; then
+				ewarn "named chroot: $namedb exists!"
 			else
-				ln -s "${named_chroot}${namedb}" "${namedb}"
+				ln -s "$named_chroot$namedb" "$namedb"
 			fi
 		else
 			# Make sure it points to the right place.
-			ln -shf "${named_chroot}${namedb}" "${namedb}"
+			ln -shf "$named_chroot$namedb" "$namedb"
 		fi
 
-		case "${RC_UNAME}" in
+		case "$RC_UNAME" in
 			*BSD|DragonFly)
 				# Mount a devfs in the chroot directory if needed
-				umount "${named_chroot}"/dev 2>/dev/null
-				mount -t devfs dev "${named_chroot}"/dev
-				devfs -m "${named_chroot}"/dev ruleset devfsrules_hide_all
-				devfs -m "${named_chroot}"/dev rule apply path null unhide
-				devfs -m "${named_chroot}"/dev rule apply path random unhide
+				umount "$named_chroot"/dev 2>/dev/null
+				mount -t devfs dev "$named_chroot"/dev
+				devfs -m "$named_chroot"/dev \
+					ruleset devfsrules_hide_all
+				devfs -m "$named_chroot"/dev \
+					rule apply path null unhide
+				devfs -m "$named_chroot"/dev \
+					rule apply path random unhide
 				;;
 		esac
 
 		# Copy local timezone information if it is not up to date.
 		if [ -r /etc/localtime ]; then
-			cmp -s /etc/localtime "${named_chroot}/etc/localtime" ||
-			cp -p /etc/localtime "${named_chroot}/etc/localtime"
+			cmp -s /etc/localtime "$named_chroot/etc/localtime" ||
+			cp -p /etc/localtime "$named_chroot/etc/localtime"
 		fi
 
-		command_args="${command_args} -t ${named_chroot}"
+		command_args="$command_args -t $named_chroot"
 
-		ln -fs "${named_chroot}${pidfile}" "${pidfile}"
+		ln -fs "$named_chroot$pidfile" "$pidfile"
 	fi
 
-	if [ ! -s "${named_chroot}${namedb}/rndc.conf" ]; then
-		local confgen="${command%/named}/rndc-confgen -a -b256 -u ${named_uid} \
-			-c ${named_chrootdir}/etc/namedb/rndc.key"
-		if [ -s "${named_chroot}${namedb}/rndc.key" ]; then
+	if [ ! -s "$named_chroot$namedb/rndc.conf" ]; then
+		local confgen="${command%/named}/rndc-confgen -a -b256 -u $named_uid \
+			-c $named_chrootdir/etc/namedb/rndc.key"
+		if [ -s "$named_chroot$namedb/rndc.key" ]; then
 			local getuser="stat -f%Su"
-			[ "${RC_UNAME}" = "Linux" ] && getuser="stat -c%U"
-			case $(${getuser} "${named_chroot}${namedb}"/rndc.key) in
-				root|"${named_uid}");;
-				*) ${confgen};;
+			[ "$RC_UNAME" = Linux ] && getuser="stat -c%U"
+			case $(${getuser} "$named_chroot$namedb"/rndc.key) in
+				root|"$named_uid");;
+				*) $confgen;;
 			esac
 		else
-			${confgen}
+			$confgen
 		fi
 	fi
 }
@@ -103,7 +106,7 @@ reload()
 
 stop_post()
 {
-	if [ -n "${named_chroot}" -a -c "${named_chroot}"/dev/null ]; then
-		umount "${named_chroot}"/dev 2>/dev/null || true
+	if [ -n "$named_chroot" -a -c "$named_chroot"/dev/null ]; then
+		umount "$named_chroot"/dev 2>/dev/null || true
 	fi
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/ntpd.in b/init.d.misc/ntpd.in
index 70393239..aec0b67e 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/ntpd.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/ntpd.in
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 #!@PREFIX@/sbin/runscript
-# Copyright 2007-2008 Roy Marples <roy@marples.name>
+# Copyright 2007-2009 Roy Marples <roy@marples.name>
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
-ntpd_config=${ntpd_config:-/etc/ntp.conf}
-ntpd_drift=${ntpd_drift:-/var/db/ntpd.drift}
+: ${ntpd_config:=/etc/ntp.conf}
+: ${ntpd_drift:=/var/db/ntpd.drift}
 
 command=/usr/sbin/ntpd
+required_files=$ntpd_config
 pidfile=/var/run/ntpd.pid
-command_args="${ntpd_args} -c ${ntpd_config} -f ${ntpd_drift} -p ${pidfile}"
+command_args="$ntpd_args -c $ntpd_config -f $ntpd_drift -p $pidfile"
 name="Network Time Protocol Daemon"
 
 depend()
@@ -19,22 +20,18 @@ depend()
 
 start_pre()
 {
-	if [ ! -r "${ntpd_config}" ]; then
-		eerror "${ntpd_config} is not readable"
-		return 1
-	fi
-
-	if [ -n "${ntpd_chroot}" ]; then
-		case "${RC_UNAME}" in
+	if [ -n "$ntpd_chroot" ]; then
+		case "$RC_UNAME" in
 			*BSD|DragonFly)
-				if [ ! -c "${ntpd_chroot}/dev/clockctl" ]; then
-					rm -f "${ntpd_chroot}/dev/clockctl"
-					(cd /dev; /bin/pax -rw -pe clockctl "${ntpd_chroot}/dev")
+				if [ ! -c "$ntpd_chroot/dev/clockctl" ]; then
+					rm -f "$ntpd_chroot/dev/clockctl"
+					(cd /dev; /bin/pax -rw -pe clockctl \
+					 "$ntpd_chroot/dev")
 				fi
 				;;
 		esac
-		ln -fs "${ntpd_chroot}${ntpd_drift}" "${ntpd_drift}"
+		ln -fs "$ntpd_chroot$ntpd_drift" "$ntpd_drift"
 
-		command_args="${command_args} -u ntpd:ntpd -i ${ntpd_chroot}"
+		command_args="$command_args -u ntpd:ntpd -i $ntpd_chroot"
 	fi
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/openvpn.in b/init.d.misc/openvpn.in
index 4f60b83a..55ff1f76 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/openvpn.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/openvpn.in
@@ -4,28 +4,29 @@
 
 vpn=${RC_SVCNAME#*.}
 name="OpenVPN"
-[ "${vpn}" != "openvpn" ] && name="${name} (${vpn})"
+[ "$vpn" != openvpn ] && name="$name ($vpn)"
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/openvpn
 
-pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/"${RC_SVCNAME}".pid
-openvpn_dir=${openvpn_dir:-@PKG_PREFIX@/etc/openvpn}
-openvpn_config=${openvpn_config:-${openvpn_dir}/${vpn}.conf}
-command_args="${openvpn_args} --daemon --config ${openvpn_config} --writepid ${pidfile}"
-required_dirs="${openvpn_dir}"
-required_files="${openvpn_config}"
+pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/"$RC_SVCNAME".pid
+: ${openvpn_dir:=@PKG_PREFIX@/etc/openvpn}
+: ${openvpn_config:=$openvpn_dir/$vpn.conf}
+command_args="$openvpn_args --daemon --config $openvpn_config"
+command_args="$command_args --writepid $pidfile"
+required_dirs=$openvpn_dir
+required_files=$openvpn_config
 
 # If we're an openvpn client, then supply a nice default config
 # You can find sample up/down scripts in the OpenRC support/openvpn dir
-if yesno "${openvpn_client}"; then
-	openvpn_up=${openvpn_up:-${openvpn_dir}/up.sh}
-	openvpn_down=${openvpn_down:-${openvpn_dir}/down.sh}
-	command_args="${command_args} --nobind --up-delay --up-restart --down-pre"
-	command_args="${command_args} --up ${openvpn_up}"
-	command_args="${command_args} --down ${openvpn_down}"
-	required_files="${required_files} ${openvpn_up} ${openvpn_down}"
+if yesno $openvpn_client; then
+	: ${openvpn_up:=${openvpn_dir}/up.sh}
+	: ${openvpn_down:=${openvpn_dir}/down.sh}
+	command_args="$command_args --nobind --up-delay --up-restart --down-pre"
+	command_args="$command_args --up $openvpn_up"
+	command_args="$command_args --down $openvpn_down"
+	required_files="$required_files $openvpn_up $openvpn_down"
 	
 	in_background_fake="start stop"
-	start_inactive="YES"
+	start_inactive=YES
 fi
 
 depend()
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ depend()
 start_pre()
 {
 	# Linux has good dynamic tun/tap creation
-	if [ "${RC_UNAME}" = "Linux" ]; then
+	if [ "$RC_UNAME" = Linux ]; then
 		if [ ! -e /dev/net/tun ]; then
 			if ! modprobe tun; then
 				eerror "TUN/TAP support is not available in this kernel"
@@ -60,8 +61,7 @@ start_pre()
 	fi
 	
 	# If the config file does not specify the cd option, we do
-	# But if we specify it, we override the config option which we do not want
-	if ! grep -q "^[ \t]*cd[ \t].*" "${openvpn_config}"; then
-		command_args="${command_args} --cd ${openvpn_dir}"
+	if ! grep -q "^[ \t]*cd[ \t].*" "$openvpn_config"; then
+		command_args="$command_args --cd $openvpn_dir"
 	fi
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/polkitd.in b/init.d.misc/polkitd.in
index a1736a98..13415f23 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/polkitd.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/polkitd.in
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 command=@PKG_PREFIX@/sbin/polkitd
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/polkitd/polkitd.pid
-command_args="${polkitd_args}"
+command_args="$polkitd_args"
 name="PolicyKit Daemon"
 
 depend()
diff --git a/init.d.misc/sshd.in b/init.d.misc/sshd.in
index 8c5c8b35..a3722528 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/sshd.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/sshd.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # All rights reserved. Released under the 2-clause BSD license.
 
 command=/usr/sbin/sshd
-command_args=${sshd_args}
+command_args=$sshd_args
 pidfile=@VARBASE@/run/sshd.pid
 required_files=/etc/ssh/sshd_config
 
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ start_pre()
 		eend $? || return 1
 	fi
 
-	${command} -t	
+	$command -t	
 }
diff --git a/init.d.misc/wpa_supplicant.in b/init.d.misc/wpa_supplicant.in
index 951d82f6..7b337ffb 100644
--- a/init.d.misc/wpa_supplicant.in
+++ b/init.d.misc/wpa_supplicant.in
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
 command=/usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant
 wpa_supplicant_conf=/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
-wpa_supplicant_if=${wpa_supplicant_if:+-i}${wpa_supplicant_if}
-command_args="-B -c${wpa_supplicant_conf} ${wpa_supplicant_if}"
+wpa_supplicant_if=${wpa_supplicant_if:+-i}$wpa_supplicant_if
+command_args="-B -c$wpa_supplicant_conf $wpa_supplicant_if"
 name="WPA Supplicant Daemon"
 
 depend()
@@ -14,16 +14,17 @@ depend()
 	use logger
 	after bootmisc modules
 	before dns dhcpcd net
+	keyword noshutdown
 }
 
 find_wireless()
 {
 	local iface=
 
-	case "${RC_UNAME}" in
+	case "$RC_UNAME" in
 	Linux)
 		for iface in /sys/class/net/*; do
-			if [ -e "${iface}"/wireless ]; then
+			if [ -e "$iface"/wireless ]; then
 				echo "${iface##*/}"
 				return 0
 			fi
@@ -49,8 +50,8 @@ append_wireless()
 	local iface=
 
 	iface=$(find_wireless)
-	if [ -n "${iface}" ]; then
-		command_args="${command_args} -i${iface}"
+	if [ -n "$iface" ]; then
+		command_args="$command_args -i$iface"
 	else
 		eerror "Could not find a wireless interface"
 	fi
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ append_wireless()
 
 start_pre()
 {
-	case " ${command_args}" in
+	case " $command_args" in
 	*" -i"*) ;;
 	*) append_wireless;;
 	esac