diff --git a/Shorewall-core/lib.common b/Shorewall-core/lib.common
index b05a2db78..1388c02d3 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/lib.common
+++ b/Shorewall-core/lib.common
@@ -751,6 +751,8 @@ mutex_on()
     lockf=${LOCKFILE:=${VARDIR}/lock}
     local lockpid
     local lockd
+    local lockbin
+    local openwrt
 
     MUTEX_TIMEOUT=${MUTEX_TIMEOUT:-60}
 
@@ -760,28 +762,33 @@ mutex_on()
 
 	[ -d "$lockd" ] || mkdir -p "$lockd"
 
+	lockbin=$(mywhich lock)
+	[ -n "$lockbin" -a -h "$lockbin" ] && openwrt=Yes
+
 	if [ -f $lockf ]; then
 	    lockpid=`cat ${lockf} 2> /dev/null`
 	    if [ -z "$lockpid" ] || [ $lockpid = 0 ]; then
 		rm -f ${lockf}
 		error_message "WARNING: Stale lockfile ${lockf} removed"
-	    elif [ $lockpid -eq $$ ]; then
-                fatal_error "Mutex_on confusion"
-	    elif ! qt ps --pid ${lockpid}; then
-		rm -f ${lockf}
-		error_message "WARNING: Stale lockfile ${lockf} from pid ${lockpid} removed"
+	    elif [ -z "$openwrt" ]; then
+		if [ $lockpid -eq $$ ]; then
+                    fatal_error "Mutex_on confusion"
+		elif ! qt ps --pid ${lockpid}; then
+		    rm -f ${lockf}
+		    error_message "WARNING: Stale lockfile ${lockf} from pid ${lockpid} removed"
+		fi
 	    fi
 	fi
 
-	if qt mywhich lockfile; then
+	if [ -n "$openwrt" ]; then
+	    lock ${lockf} || fatal_error "Can't lock ${lockf}"
+	    g_havemutex="lock -u ${lockf}"
+	elif qt mywhich lockfile; then
 	    lockfile -${MUTEX_TIMEOUT} -r1 ${lockf} || fatal_error "Can't lock ${lockf}"
 	    g_havemutex="rm -f ${lockf}"
 	    chmod u+w ${lockf}
 	    echo $$ > ${lockf}
 	    chmod u-w ${lockf}
-	elif qt mywhich lock; then
-	    lock ${lockf} || fatal_error "Can't lock ${lockf}"
-	    g_havemutex="lock -u ${lockf}"
 	else
 	    while [ -f ${lockf} -a ${try} -lt ${MUTEX_TIMEOUT} ] ; do
 		sleep 1