diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
index 6663fd94a..9faa13ba1 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
@@ -354,6 +354,8 @@ sub process_action1 ( $$ ) {
    
 sub process_actions1() {
 
+    progress_message2 "Preprocessing Action Files...";
+
     for my $act ( grep $targets{$_} & ACTION , keys %targets ) {
 	new_action $act;
     }
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
index 139dfa889..06e6cf20d 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ sub reinitialize() {
 #    Generate the various user-exit jacket functions.
 #    Generate the 'initialize()' function.
 #
+#    Note: This function is not called when $command eq 'check'. So it must have no side effects other
+#          than those related to writing to the object file.
 
 sub generate_script_1() {
 
@@ -489,6 +491,9 @@ EOF
 #    distribution's tools have configured IP without any Shorewall
 #    modifications.
 #
+#    Note: This function is not called when $command eq 'check'. So it must have no side effects other
+#          than those related to writing to the object file.
+#
 sub generate_script_2 () {
 
     copy $globals{SHAREDIRPL} . 'prog.functions';
@@ -584,6 +589,9 @@ sub generate_script_2 () {
 #    Generate the 'setup_netfilter()' function that runs iptables-restore.
 #    Generate the 'define_firewall()' function.
 #
+#    Note: This function is not called when $command eq 'check'. So it must have no side effects other
+#          than those related to writing to the object file.
+#
 sub generate_script_3() {
 
     emit 'cat > ${VARDIR}/proxyarp << __EOF__';
@@ -715,7 +723,7 @@ sub compiler( $$$$ ) {
 
     initialize_chain_table;
 
-    if ( $command eq 'compile' ) {
+    unless ( $command eq 'check' ) {
 	create_temp_object( $objectfile );
 	generate_script_1;
     }
@@ -735,12 +743,10 @@ sub compiler( $$$$ ) {
     #
     # Report zone contents
     #
-    progress_message2 "Determining Hosts in Zones...";
     zone_report;
     #
     # Do action pre-processing.
     #
-    progress_message2 "Preprocessing Action Files...";
     process_actions1;
     #
     # Process the Policy File.
@@ -793,7 +799,6 @@ sub compiler( $$$$ ) {
     #
     # MACLIST Filtration
     #
-    progress_message2 "$doing MAC Filtration -- Phase 1...";
     setup_mac_lists 1;
     #
     # Process the rules file.
@@ -811,12 +816,10 @@ sub compiler( $$$$ ) {
     #
     # MACLIST Filtration again
     #
-    progress_message2 "$doing MAC Filtration -- Phase 2...";
     setup_mac_lists 2;
     #
     # Apply Policies
     #
-    progress_message2 'Applying Policies...';
     apply_policy_rules;
     #
     # TCRules and Traffic Shaping
@@ -834,8 +837,10 @@ sub compiler( $$$$ ) {
     # Accounting.
     #
     setup_accounting;
-
-    progress_message2 'Generating Rule Matrix...';
+    #
+    # We generate the matrix even though we don't write out the rules. That way, we insure that
+    # a compile of the script won't blow up during that step.
+    #
     generate_matrix;
 
     if ( $command eq 'check' ) {
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Policy.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Policy.pm
index 02634b9ff..1d5109067 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Policy.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Policy.pm
@@ -301,6 +301,8 @@ sub default_policy( $$$ ) {
 }
 
 sub apply_policy_rules() {
+    progress_message2 'Applying Policies...';
+
     for my $chainref ( @policy_chains ) {
 	my $policy = $chainref->{policy};
 	my $loglevel = $chainref->{loglevel};
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
index c3e8e8bfa..724ddd402 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
@@ -694,6 +694,8 @@ sub setup_mac_lists( $ ) {
     my $disposition = $config{MACLIST_DISPOSITION};
     my $ttl         = $config{MACLIST_TTL};
     
+    progress_message2 "$doing MAC Filtration -- Phase $phase...";
+
     for my $hostref ( @$maclist_hosts ) {
 	$maclist_interfaces{ $hostref->[0] } = 1;
     }
@@ -1415,6 +1417,7 @@ sub generate_matrix() {
     # Set a breakpoint in this function if you want to step through generate_matrix(). 
     #
     sub start_matrix() {
+	progress_message2 'Generating Rule Matrix...';
     }
 
     #
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
index 8807efb16..9480a6cb9 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
@@ -328,6 +328,8 @@ sub validate_tc_device( $$$ ) {
     $tcdevices{$device}{out_bandwidth} = $outband;
 
     push @tcdevices, $device;
+
+    progress_message "   Tcdevice \"$currentline\" $done.";
 }
 
 sub convert_rate( $$ ) {
@@ -395,6 +397,7 @@ sub validate_tc_class( $$$$$$ ) {
     }
 
     push @tcclasses, "$device:$markval";
+    progress_message "   Tcclass \"$currentline\" $done.";
 }
 
 sub setup_traffic_shaping() {
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
index 4cec6482b..2597026c9 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
@@ -304,6 +304,8 @@ sub haveipseczones() {
 #
 sub zone_report()
 {
+    progress_message2 "Determining Hosts in Zones...";
+
     for my $zone ( @zones )
     {
 	my $zoneref   = $zones{$zone};