diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
index c64369b1d..21ed51f2d 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Misc.pm
@@ -679,7 +679,13 @@ sub process_stoppedrules() {
     my $result;
 
     if ( my $fn = open_file 'stoppedrules' , 1, 1 ) {
-	first_entry "$doing $fn...";
+	first_entry sub() {
+	    progress_message2("$doing $fn...");
+	    unless ( $config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} ) {
+		warning_message("Entries in the routestopped file are processed as if ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes");
+		$config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} = 'Yes';
+	    }
+	};
 
 	while ( read_a_line( NORMAL_READ ) ) {
 
@@ -2512,9 +2518,9 @@ EOF
 	  "restore_default_route $config{USE_DEFAULT_RT}"
 	  );
 
-    my @chains = $config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} ? qw/INPUT FORWARD/ : qw/INPUT OUTPUT FORWARD/;
-
-    add_ijump $filter_table ->{$_}, j => 'ACCEPT', state_imatch 'ESTABLISHED,RELATED' for @chains;
+    if ( $config{ADMINISABSENTMINDED} ) {
+	add_ijump $filter_table ->{$_}, j => 'ACCEPT', state_imatch 'ESTABLISHED,RELATED' for qw/INPUT FORWARD/;
+    }
 
     if ( $family == F_IPV6 ) {
 	add_ijump $input, j => 'ACCEPT', s => IPv6_LINKLOCAL;
diff --git a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
index 7ea1541a3..1ccaca148 100644
--- a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
@@ -281,15 +281,48 @@
 
         <listitem>
           <para>The value of this variable affects Shorewall's stopped state.
-          When ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only traffic to/from those addresses
-          listed in <ulink
+          The behavior differs depending on whether <ulink
           url="shorewall-routestopped.html">shorewall-routestopped</ulink>(5)
-          is accepted when Shorewall is stopped. When ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes,
-          in addition to traffic to/from addresses in <ulink
-          url="shorewall-routestopped.html">shorewall-routestopped</ulink>(5),
-          connections that were active when Shorewall stopped continue to work
-          and all new connections from the firewall system itself are allowed.
-          If this variable is not set or is given the empty value then
+          or <ulink
+          url="shorewall-stoppedrules.html">shorewall-stoppedrules</ulink>(5)
+          is used:</para>
+
+          <variablelist>
+            <varlistentry>
+              <term>routestopped</term>
+
+              <listitem>
+                <para>When ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only traffic to/from those
+                addresses listed in <filename>routestopped</filename> is
+                accepted when Shorewall is stopped. When
+                ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes, in addition to traffic to/from
+                addresses in <filename>routestopped</filename>, connections
+                that were active when Shorewall stopped continue to work and
+                all new connections from the firewall system itself are
+                allowed.</para>
+              </listitem>
+            </varlistentry>
+
+            <varlistentry>
+              <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
+                (<filename>/etc/shorewall/stopped</filename>).</para>
+              </listitem>
+            </varlistentry>
+          </variablelist>
+
+          <para> If this variable is not set or is given the empty value then
           ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No is assumed.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
diff --git a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
index f10ebf973..0515bcaa4 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
+++ b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.conf.xml
@@ -216,18 +216,50 @@
         role="bold">Yes</emphasis>|<emphasis role="bold">No</emphasis>]</term>
 
         <listitem>
-          <para>The value of this variable affects Shorewall6's stopped state.
-          When ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only traffic to/from those addresses
-          listed in <ulink
-          url="shorewall6-routestopped.html">shorewall6-routestopped</ulink>(5)
-          is accepted when Shorewall6 is stopped. When
-          ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes, in addition to traffic to/from addresses in
-          <ulink
-          url="shorewall6-routestopped.html">shorewall6-routestopped</ulink>(5),
-          connections that were active when Shorewall6 stopped continue to
-          work and all new connections from the firewall system itself are
-          allowed. If this variable is not set or is given the empty value
-          then ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No is assumed.</para>
+          <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)
+          or <ulink
+          url="shorewall-stoppedrules.html">shorewall6-stoppedrules</ulink>(5)
+          is used:</para>
+
+          <variablelist>
+            <varlistentry>
+              <term>routestopped</term>
+
+              <listitem>
+                <para>When ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No, only traffic to/from those
+                addresses listed in <filename>routestopped</filename> is
+                accepted when Shorewall is stopped. When
+                ADMINISABSENTMINDED=Yes, in addition to traffic to/from
+                addresses in <filename>routestopped</filename>, connections
+                that were active when Shorewall stopped continue to work and
+                all new connections from the firewall system itself are
+                allowed.</para>
+              </listitem>
+            </varlistentry>
+
+            <varlistentry>
+              <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
+                (<filename>/etc/shorewall6/stopped</filename>).</para>
+              </listitem>
+            </varlistentry>
+          </variablelist>
+
+          <para>If this variable is not set or is given the empty value then
+          ADMINISABSENTMINDED=No is assumed.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>