diff --git a/Shorewall-common/diff-3.4-shorewall b/Shorewall-common/diff-3.4-shorewall
index 7c1f930cd..1ab7030f6 100644
--- a/Shorewall-common/diff-3.4-shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall-common/diff-3.4-shorewall
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
---- /home/teastep/shorewall/branches/3.4/Shorewall/shorewall	2007-06-17 07:10:53.000000000 -0700
-+++ shorewall	2007-06-17 07:15:13.000000000 -0700
-@@ -1297,7 +1297,7 @@
+--- /home/teastep/shorewall/branches/3.4/Shorewall/shorewall	2007-06-18 10:56:27.000000000 -0700
++++ shorewall	2007-06-18 10:54:54.000000000 -0700
+@@ -1305,7 +1305,7 @@
      echo "   stop"
      echo "   status"
      echo "   try [ -C {shell|perl} ] <directory> [ <timeout> ]"
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
      echo "   safe-start [ -C {shell|perl} ] [ <directory> ]"
      echo "   safe-restart [ -C {shell|perl} ] [ <directory> ]"
      echo
-@@ -1441,6 +1441,10 @@
+@@ -1449,6 +1449,10 @@
      echo $version
  
      if [ -n "$all" ]; then
diff --git a/Shorewall-common/shorewall b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
index f3ecb7489..5e14f484c 100755
--- a/Shorewall-common/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
@@ -274,19 +274,15 @@ compiler() {
     # We've now set SHOREWALL_DIR so recalculate CONFIG_PATH
     #
     ensure_config_path
-    #
-    # Run the appropriate params file
-    #
-    [ -d /usr/share/shorewall-perl ] && set -a; 
-    
-    run_user_exit params
 
-    set +a
+    compiler=
 
     if [ -n "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" ]; then
-	compiler="$SHOREWALL_COMPILER"
+	compiler="$SHOREWALL_COMPILER"              #Compiler specified in /etc/shorewall/shorewall.conf or on the run-line
     elif [ -x $sc ]; then
-	compiler=shell
+	if [ ! -x $pc ]; then
+	    compiler=shell
+	fi
     elif [ -x $pc ]; then
 	compiler=perl
     else
@@ -312,7 +308,13 @@ compiler() {
         #
         # And initiate the appropriate compiler
         #
-	[ -n "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" ] && compiler="$SHOREWALL_COMPILER"
+	if [ -n "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" ]; then
+	    compiler="$SHOREWALL_COMPILER"
+	elif [ -x $sc ]; then
+	    compiler=shell
+	else
+	    compiler=perl
+	fi
     fi
 
     [ $command = exec ] || command=
@@ -334,6 +336,12 @@ compiler() {
 	    [ -n "$SHOREWALL_DIR" ] && options="$options --directory $SHOREWALL_DIR ";
 	    [ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && options="$options --timestamp" ;
 	    [ -x $pc ] || startup_error "SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl requires the shorewall-perl package which is not installed"
+	    #
+	    # Run the appropriate params file
+	    #
+	    set -a; 
+	    run_user_exit params
+	    set +a
 
 	    $command perl $debugflags $pc $options $@
 	    ;;