diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
index 4ac273891..547fe1dd6 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
@@ -1661,6 +1661,10 @@ sub insert_rule($$$) {
 sub insert_irule( $$$$;@ ) {
     my ( $chainref, $jump, $target, $number, @matches ) = @_;
 
+    my $rulesref = $chainref->{rules};
+
+    return add_irule( $chainref, $jump, $target, @matches ) if $number >= @$rulesref;
+
     my $ruleref = {};
 
     $ruleref->{mode} = ( $ruleref->{cmdlevel} = $chainref->{cmdlevel} ) ? CMD_MODE : CAT_MODE;
@@ -1680,7 +1684,7 @@ sub insert_irule( $$$$;@ ) {
     
     $ruleref->{comment} = shortlineinfo( $chainref->{origin} ) || $ruleref->{comment} || $comment;
 
-    splice( @{$chainref->{rules}}, $number, 0, $ruleref );
+    splice( @$rulesref, $number, 0, $ruleref );
 
     trace( $chainref, 'I', ++$number, format_rule( $chainref, $ruleref ) ) if $debug;
 
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
index e654e6181..d03e31566 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
@@ -977,8 +977,7 @@ sub compiler {
 	    # compile_stop_firewall() also validates the routestopped file. Since we don't
 	    # call that function during normal 'check', we must validate routestopped here.
 	    #
-	    process_routestopped;
-	    process_stoppedrules;
+	    process_routestopped unless process_stoppedrules;
 	}
 	#
 	# Report used/required capabilities
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
index 1aa308d83..981e58a2b 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
@@ -690,11 +690,10 @@ sub process_stoppedrules() {
     my $result;
 
     if ( my $fn = open_file 'stoppedrules' , 1, 1 ) {
-	first_entry sub() {
-	    progress_message2("$doing $fn...");
+	first_entry sub () {
+	    progress_message2( "$doing $fn..." );
 	    unless ( $config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} ) {
-		warning_message("Entries in the stoppedrules file are processed as if ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes");
-		$config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} = 'Yes';
+		insert_ijump $filter_table ->{$_}, j => 'ACCEPT', 0, state_imatch 'ESTABLISHED,RELATED' for qw/INPUT FORWARD/;
 	    }
 	};
 
diff --git a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
index 9ea48cad8..07df996ee 100644
--- a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
@@ -309,17 +309,22 @@
               <term>stoppedrules</term>
 
               <listitem>
-                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, a warning message is issued
-                and the setting is ignored.</para>
-
-                <para>In addition to connections matching entries in
-                <filename>stoppedrules</filename>, existing connections
-                continue to work and all new connections from the firewall
-                system itself are allowed. To sever all existing connections
-                when the firewall is stopped, install the conntrack utility
-                and place the command <command>conntrack -F</command> in the
-                stopped user exit
+                <para>All existing connections continue to work. To sever all
+                existing connections when the firewall is stopped, install the
+                conntrack utility and place the command <command>conntrack
+                -F</command> in the stopped user exit
                 (<filename>/etc/shorewall/stopped</filename>).</para>
+
+                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only new connections matching
+                entries in <filename>stoppedrules</filename> are accepted when
+                Shorewall is stopped. Response packets and related connections
+                are automatically accepted.</para>
+
+                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes, in addition to connections
+                matching entries in <filename>stoppedrules</filename>, all new
+                connections from the firewall system itself are allowed when
+                the firewall is stopped. Response packets and related
+                connections are automatically accepted.</para>
               </listitem>
             </varlistentry>
           </variablelist>
diff --git a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
index efa878911..c9dd8c199 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
@@ -220,9 +220,9 @@
         <listitem>
           <para>The value of this variable affects Shorewall's stopped state.
           The behavior differs depending on whether <ulink
-          url="shorewall-routestopped.html">shorewall6-routestopped</ulink>(5)
+          url="shorewall-routestopped.html">shorewall-routestopped</ulink>(5)
           or <ulink
-          url="shorewall-stoppedrules.html">shorewall6-stoppedrules</ulink>(5)
+          url="shorewall-stoppedrules.html">shorewall-stoppedrules</ulink>(5)
           is used:</para>
 
           <variablelist>
@@ -245,17 +245,22 @@
               <term>stoppedrules</term>
 
               <listitem>
-                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, a warning message is issued
-                and the setting is ignored.</para>
-
-                <para>In addition to connections matching entries in
-                <filename>stoppedrules</filename>, existing connections
-                continue to work and all new connections from the firewall
-                system itself are allowed. To sever all existing connections
-                when the firewall is stopped, install the conntrack utility
-                and place the command <command>conntrack -F</command> in the
-                stopped user exit
+                <para>All existing connections continue to work. To sever all
+                existing connections when the firewall is stopped, install the
+                conntrack utility and place the command <command>conntrack
+                -F</command> in the stopped user exit
                 (<filename>/etc/shorewall6/stopped</filename>).</para>
+
+                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only new connections matching
+                entries in <filename>stoppedrules</filename> are accepted when
+                Shorewall is stopped. Response packets and related connections
+                are automatically accepted.</para>
+
+                <para>If ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes, in addition to connections
+                matching entries in <filename>stoppedrules</filename>, all new
+                connections from the firewall system itself are allowed when
+                the firewall is stopped. Response packets and related
+                connections are automatically accepted.</para>
               </listitem>
             </varlistentry>
           </variablelist>