diff --git a/net/keepalived/Makefile b/net/keepalived/Makefile
index f020e11f82..21ec9f73da 100644
--- a/net/keepalived/Makefile
+++ b/net/keepalived/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=keepalived
 PKG_VERSION:=2.2.8
-PKG_RELEASE:=7
+PKG_RELEASE:=8
 
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=https://www.keepalived.org/software
diff --git a/net/keepalived/files/etc/hotplug.d/keepalived/511-firewall b/net/keepalived/files/etc/hotplug.d/keepalived/511-firewall
index d8619e9f18..b85a703819 100644
--- a/net/keepalived/files/etc/hotplug.d/keepalived/511-firewall
+++ b/net/keepalived/files/etc/hotplug.d/keepalived/511-firewall
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 set_service_name firewall
 
+set_skip_running_check
 set_reload_if_sync
 
 add_sync_file /etc/config/firewall
diff --git a/net/keepalived/files/lib/functions/keepalived/hotplug.sh b/net/keepalived/files/lib/functions/keepalived/hotplug.sh
index 8691872c6d..57db374e28 100644
--- a/net/keepalived/files/lib/functions/keepalived/hotplug.sh
+++ b/net/keepalived/files/lib/functions/keepalived/hotplug.sh
@@ -31,17 +31,17 @@ _service() {
 	[ ! -x "$rc" ] && return
 
 	case $1 in
-		start) $rc running || $rc start ;;
-		stop) $rc running && $rc stop ;;
+		start) _service_running_check "$rc" || $rc start ;;
+		stop) _service_running_check "$rc" && $rc stop ;;
 		reload)
-			if $rc running; then
+			if _service_running_check "$rc"; then
 				$rc reload
 			else
 				$rc start
 			fi
 			;;
 		restart)
-			if $rc running; then
+			if _service_running_check "$rc"; then
 				$rc restart
 			else
 				$rc start
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ _service() {
 	esac
 }
 
+_service_running_check() {
+	skip_running_check || "$1" running
+}
+
 _start_service() {
 	_service start
 }
@@ -158,6 +162,14 @@ backup_and_stop() {
 	get_var_flag NOTIFY_BACKUP_STOP 1
 }
 
+set_skip_running_check() {
+	set_var NOTIFY_SKIP_RUNNING 1
+}
+
+skip_running_check() {
+	get_var_flag NOTIFY_SKIP_RUNNING
+}
+
 set_reload_if_sync() {
 	set_var NOTIFY_SYNC_RELOAD "${1:-1}"
 }