diff --git a/Shorewall/shorewall b/Shorewall/shorewall
index 213971b98..e42799c6b 100755
--- a/Shorewall/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall/shorewall
@@ -243,7 +243,16 @@ get_config() {
     case $STARTUP_ENABLED in
 	[Nn][Oo])
             echo "   WARNING: Shorewall startup is disabled. To enable startup, set STARTUP_ENABLED=Yes in /etc/shorewall/shorewall.conf" >&2
+            STARTUP_ENABLED=
 	    ;;
+	[Yy][Ee][Ss])
+	    ;;
+	*)
+	    if [ -n "$STARTUP_ENABLED" ]; then
+		echo "   ERROR: Invalid Value for STARTUP_ENABLE: $STARTUP_ENABLED" >&2
+		exit 2
+	    fi
+	    ;;;
     esac
 
     case ${TC_ENABLED:=Internal} in
@@ -514,6 +523,11 @@ start_command() {
 	exit 1
     fi
 
+    if [ -z "$STARTUP_ENABLED" ]; then
+	error_message "ERROR: Startup is disabled"
+	exit 2
+    fi
+
     while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	option=$1
 	case $option in
@@ -803,6 +817,11 @@ restart_command() {
 	    ;;
     esac
 
+    if [ -z "$STARTUP_ENABLED" ]; then
+	error_message "ERROR: Startup is disabled"
+	exit 2
+    fi
+
     export NOROUTES
 
     [ -n "$nolock" ] || mutex_on
@@ -1114,6 +1133,11 @@ safe_commands() {
 
     [ $# -eq 0 ] || usage 2
 
+    if [ -z "$STARTUP_ENABLED" ]; then
+	error_message "ERROR: Startup is disabled"
+	exit 2
+    fi
+
     mutex_on
 
     if shorewall_is_started; then
@@ -1228,6 +1252,11 @@ restore_command() {
 	;;
     esac
 
+    if [ -z "$STARTUP_ENABLED" ]; then
+	error_message "ERROR: Startup is disabled"
+	exit 2
+    fi
+
     RESTOREPATH=/var/lib/shorewall/$RESTOREFILE
 
     export NOROUTES