diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py b/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
index d8895d6e..1e8b3795 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 # It implement unix and tls sockets
 # 
 
+import atexit
 import os
 import pwd
 import stat
@@ -222,6 +223,11 @@ def _tlsstartup(cnn):
                           server_side=True)
     sessionhdl(cnn, authname)
 
+def removesocket():
+    try:
+        os.remove("/var/run/confluent/api.sock")
+    except OSError:
+        pass
 
 def _unixdomainhandler():
     unixsocket = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
@@ -233,6 +239,7 @@ def _unixdomainhandler():
     os.chmod("/var/run/confluent/api.sock",
              stat.S_IWOTH | stat.S_IROTH | stat.S_IWGRP |
              stat.S_IRGRP | stat.S_IWUSR | stat.S_IRUSR)
+    atexit.register(removesocket)
     unixsocket.listen(5)
     while True:
         cnn, addr = unixsocket.accept()
diff --git a/confluent_server/sysvinit/confluent b/confluent_server/sysvinit/confluent
index 8423e313..6661a308 100755
--- a/confluent_server/sysvinit/confluent
+++ b/confluent_server/sysvinit/confluent
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ fi
 
 case $1 in
 	restart)
-		echo -n 'Stopping Confluent '
-		/opt/confluent/bin/confetty shutdown /
+	    if [ -S /var/run/confluent/api.sock ]; then
+		    echo -n 'Stopping Confluent '
+		    /opt/confluent/bin/confetty shutdown /
+		fi
 		echo -n 'Starting Confluent '
 		/opt/confluent/bin/confluent
 		$LOG_SUCCESS
@@ -34,7 +36,9 @@ case $1 in
 		;;
 	stop)
 		echo -n 'Stopping Confluent '
-		/opt/confluent/bin/confetty shutdown /
+		if [ -S /var/run/confluent/api.sock ]; then
+		    /opt/confluent/bin/confetty shutdown /
+		fi
 		$LOG_SUCCESS
 		;;
 esac