diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
index 3bf0afcde..dd4b10b17 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,22 @@ not_configured () {
 	exit 0
 }
 
+# set the STATEDIR variable
+setstatedir() {
+    local statedir
+    if [ -f ${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir ]; then
+	statedir=$( . /${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir && echo $VARDIR )
+    fi
+    
+    [ -n "$statedir" ] && STATEDIR=${statedir} || STATEDIR=${VARDIR}/${g_program}
+
+    if [ ! -x $STATEDIR/firewall ]; then
+	if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+	    ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
+	fi
+    fi
+}
+
 #
 # The installer may alter this
 #
@@ -84,12 +100,11 @@ fi
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
   local PRODUCT
-  local VARDIR
+  local STATEDIR
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
@@ -121,8 +136,7 @@ shorewall_stop () {
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
index dea92fecc..88fe81f71 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
@@ -37,6 +37,22 @@ else
     exit 6
 fi
 
+# set the STATEDIR variable
+setstatedir() {
+    local statedir
+    if [ -f ${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir ]; then
+	statedir=$( . /${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir && echo $VARDIR )
+    fi
+    
+    [ -n "$statedir" ] && STATEDIR=${statedir} || STATEDIR=${VARDIR}/${g_program}
+
+    if [ ! -x $STATEDIR/firewall ]; then
+	if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+	    ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
+	fi
+    fi
+}
+
 # Initialize the firewall
 start () {
     local PRODUCT
@@ -50,8 +66,7 @@ start () {
 
     echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
     for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-	[ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-	[ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+	setstatedir
 
 	if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	    if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
@@ -83,8 +98,7 @@ stop () {
 
     echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
     for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-	[ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-	[ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+	setstatedir
 
 	if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	    if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.sh
index c48d70294..12eeb15c2 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@
 #                    prior to bringing up the network.  
 ### END INIT INFO
 
+setstatedir() {
+    local statedir
+    if [ -f ${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir ]; then
+	statedir=$( . /${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir && echo $VARDIR )
+    fi
+    
+    [ -n "$statedir" ] && STATEDIR=${statedir} || STATEDIR=${VARDIR}/${g_program}
+
+    if [ ! -x $STATEDIR/firewall ]; then
+	if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+	    ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
+	fi
+    fi
+}
+
 if [ "$(id -u)" != "0" ]
 then
   echo "You must be root to start, stop or restart \"Shorewall \"."
@@ -63,22 +78,15 @@ vardir=${VARDIR}
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
   local PRODUCT
-  local VARDIR
+  local STATEDIR
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
-      if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
-	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
-	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
-	  fi
-      fi
-
-      if [ -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
+      if [ -x ${STATEDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	  if ! ${SBIN}/$PRODUCT status > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-	      ${VARDIR}/firewall stop || echo_notdone
+	      ${STATEDIR}/firewall stop || echo_notdone
 	  fi
       fi
   done
@@ -97,8 +105,7 @@ shorewall_stop () {
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
index 82f754f74..bedf38c11 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
@@ -57,27 +57,34 @@ fi
 #
 . /usr/share/shorewall/shorewallrc
 
-vardir=$VARDIR
+# set the STATEDIR variable
+setstatedir() {
+    local statedir
+    if [ -f ${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir ]; then
+	statedir=$( . /${CONFDIR}/${g_program}/vardir && echo $VARDIR )
+    fi
+    
+    [ -n "$statedir" ] && STATEDIR=${statedir} || STATEDIR=${VARDIR}/${g_program}
+
+    if [ ! -x $STATEDIR/firewall ]; then
+	if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+	    ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
+	fi
+    fi
+}
 
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
   local PRODUCT
-  local VARDIR
+  local STATEDIR
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
-      if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
-	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
-	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
-	  fi
-      fi
-
-      if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
+      if [ -x $STATEDIR/firewall ]; then
 	  if ! ${SBIN}/$PRODUCT status > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-	      ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall stop || echo_notdone
+	      $STATEDIR/$PRODUCT/firewall stop || echo_notdone
 	  fi
       fi
   done
@@ -92,21 +99,14 @@ shorewall_start () {
 # Clear the firewall
 shorewall_stop () {
   local PRODUCT
-  local VARDIR
+  local STATEDIR
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
-      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
-      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+      setstatedir
 
-      if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
-	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
-	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
-	  fi
-      fi
-
-      if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
-	  ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall clear || exit 1
+      if [ -x ${STATEDIR}/firewall ]; then
+	  ${STATEDIR}/firewall clear || exit 1
       fi
   done