diff --git a/sh/runscript.sh.in b/sh/runscript.sh.in
index f48d0f8d..aaac4330 100644
--- a/sh/runscript.sh.in
+++ b/sh/runscript.sh.in
@@ -45,6 +45,31 @@ describe()
 	done
 }
 
+# Report status
+status()
+{
+	if service_stopping; then
+		ewarn "status: stopping"
+		return 4
+	elif service_starting; then
+		ewarn "status: starting"
+		return 8
+	elif service_inactive; then
+		ewarn "status: inactive"
+		return 16
+	elif service_started; then
+		if service_crashed; then
+			eerror "status: crashed"
+			return 32
+		fi
+		einfo "status: started"
+		return 0
+	else
+		einfo "status: stopped"
+		return 1
+	fi
+}
+
 # Template start / stop functions
 start()
 {
@@ -134,7 +159,7 @@ unset _f
 
 while [ -n "$1" ]; do
 	# See if we have the required function and run it
-	for _cmd in describe start stop ${extra_commands:-${opts}} \
+	for _cmd in describe start stop status ${extra_commands:-${opts}} \
 		${extra_started_commands}; do
 		if [ "${_cmd}" = "$1" ]; then
 			if [ "$(command -v "$1")" = "$1" ]; then
diff --git a/src/rc/Makefile b/src/rc/Makefile
index 5bca5eb6..ff2f1958 100644
--- a/src/rc/Makefile
+++ b/src/rc/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ RC_BINLINKS=	einfon einfo ewarnn ewarn eerrorn eerror ebegin eend ewend \
 		service_starting service_started \
 		service_stopping service_stopped \
 		service_inactive service_wasinactive \
-		service_hotplugged service_started_daemon \
+		service_hotplugged service_started_daemon service_crashed \
 		checkpath fstabinfo mountinfo rc-depend \
 		service_get_value service_set_value get_options save_options \
 		shell_var is_newer_than is_older_than
diff --git a/src/rc/rc-applets.c b/src/rc/rc-applets.c
index 3d6ce90c..bffc9385 100644
--- a/src/rc/rc-applets.c
+++ b/src/rc/rc-applets.c
@@ -295,6 +295,10 @@ static int do_service(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 		ok = rc_service_started_daemon(service, exec, NULL, idx);
 			
+	} else if (strcmp(applet, "service_crashed") == 0) {
+		ok = (_rc_can_find_pids() &&
+		      rc_service_daemons_crashed(service) &&
+		      errno != EACCES);
 	} else
 		eerrorx("%s: unknown applet", applet);
 
diff --git a/src/rc/runscript.c b/src/rc/runscript.c
index 8475633b..1fd9e9ab 100644
--- a/src/rc/runscript.c
+++ b/src/rc/runscript.c
@@ -352,11 +352,10 @@ write_prefix(const char *buffer, size_t bytes, bool *prefixed)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static bool
+static int
 svc_exec(const char *arg1, const char *arg2)
 {
-	bool execok;
-	int fdout = fileno(stdout);
+	int ret, fdout = fileno(stdout);
 	struct termios tt;
 	struct winsize ws;
 	int i;
@@ -467,13 +466,13 @@ svc_exec(const char *arg1, const char *arg2)
 		master_tty = -1;
 	}
 
-	execok = rc_waitpid(service_pid) == 0 ? true : false;
-	if (!execok && errno == ECHILD)
+	ret = WEXITSTATUS(rc_waitpid(service_pid));
+	if (ret != 0 && errno == ECHILD)
 		/* killall5 -9 could cause this */
-		execok = true;
+		ret = 0;
 	service_pid = 0;
 
-	return execok;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static bool
@@ -788,7 +787,7 @@ svc_start(bool deps)
 		setenv("IN_BACKGROUND", ibsave, 1);
 	hook_out = RC_HOOK_SERVICE_START_DONE;
 	rc_plugin_run(RC_HOOK_SERVICE_START_NOW, applet);
-	started = svc_exec("start", NULL);
+	started = (svc_exec("start", NULL) == 0);
 	if (ibsave)
 		unsetenv("IN_BACKGROUND");
 
@@ -961,7 +960,7 @@ svc_stop(bool deps)
 		setenv("IN_BACKGROUND", ibsave, 1);
 	hook_out = RC_HOOK_SERVICE_STOP_DONE;
 	rc_plugin_run(RC_HOOK_SERVICE_STOP_NOW, applet);
-	stopped = svc_exec("stop", NULL);
+	stopped = (svc_exec("stop", NULL) == 0);
 	if (ibsave)
 		unsetenv("IN_BACKGROUND");
 
@@ -1286,10 +1285,10 @@ runscript(int argc, char **argv)
 			rc_stringlist_free(services);
 			services = NULL;
 		} else if (strcmp (optarg, "status") == 0) {
-			RC_SERVICE r = svc_status();
-			retval = (int) r;
-			if (retval & RC_SERVICE_STARTED)
-				retval = 0;
+			save = prefix;
+			eprefix(NULL);
+			prefix = NULL;
+			retval = svc_exec("status", NULL);
 		} else {
 			if (strcmp(optarg, "conditionalrestart") == 0 ||
 			    strcmp(optarg, "condrestart") == 0)