diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
index 429d825dd..3bf0afcde 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.debian.sh
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ not_configured () {
 #
 . /usr/share/shorewall/shorewallrc
 
+vardir=$VARDIR
+
 # check if shorewall-init is configured or not
 if [ -f "$SYSCONFDIR/shorewall-init" ]
 then
@@ -81,24 +83,27 @@ fi
 
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
-  local product
+  local PRODUCT
+  local VARDIR
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
-  for product in $PRODUCTS; do
+  for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
 
-      if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall ]; then
-	  if [ $product = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
-	      ${SBINDIR}/$product compile
+      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 ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
 	  #
 	  # Run in a sub-shell to avoid name collisions
 	  #
 	  ( 
-	      if ! ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall status > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-		  ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall stop || echo_notdone
+	      if ! ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall status > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+		  ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall stop || echo_notdone
 	      fi
 	  )
       fi
@@ -111,18 +116,22 @@ shorewall_start () {
 
 # Clear the firewall
 shorewall_stop () {
-  local product
+  local PRODUCT
+  local VARDIR
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
-  for product in $PRODUCTS; do
-      if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall ]; then
-	  if [ $product = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
-	      ${SBINDIR}/$product compile
+  for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
+      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 || echo_notdone
+      if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
+	  ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall clear || echo_notdone
       fi
   done
 
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
index 70dffa638..dea92fecc 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.fedora.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ lockfile="/var/lock/subsys/shorewall-init"
 # Source function library.
 . /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions
 
+vardir=$VARDIR
+
 # Get startup options (override default)
 OPTIONS=
 
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ fi
 
 # Initialize the firewall
 start () {
-    local product
+    local PRODUCT
     local vardir
 
     if [ -z "$PRODUCTS" ]; then
@@ -47,15 +49,18 @@ start () {
     fi
 
     echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
-    for product in $PRODUCTS; do
+    for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+	[ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+	[ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
 	if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
-	    if [ $product = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
-		${SBINDIR}/$product compile
+	    if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+		${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
 	    fi
 	fi
 
-	if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall ]; then
-	    ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall stop 2>&1 | $logger
+	if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
+	    ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall stop 2>&1 | $logger
 	    retval=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
 	    [ $retval -ne 0 ] && break
 	fi
@@ -73,19 +78,22 @@ start () {
 
 # Clear the firewall
 stop () {
-    local product
+    local PRODUCT
     local vardir
 
     echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
-    for product in $PRODUCTS; do
+    for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+	[ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+	[ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
 	if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
-	    if [ $product = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
-		${SBINDIR}/$product compile
+	    if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
+		${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
 	    fi
 	fi
 
-	if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall ]; then
-	    ${VARDIR}/$product/firewall clear 2>&1 | $logger
+	if [ -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
+	    ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall clear 2>&1 | $logger
 	    retval=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
 	    [ $retval -ne 0 ] && break
 	fi
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.sh
index 5298eb3d4..c48d70294 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.sh
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ fi
 #
 . /usr/share/shorewall/shorewallrc
 
+vardir=${VARDIR}
+
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
   local PRODUCT
@@ -65,6 +67,9 @@ shorewall_start () {
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
 	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
@@ -92,6 +97,9 @@ shorewall_stop () {
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $product = shorewall6 ]; then
 	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh b/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
index d4c724d74..82f754f74 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/init.suse.sh
@@ -57,12 +57,18 @@ fi
 #
 . /usr/share/shorewall/shorewallrc
 
+vardir=$VARDIR
+
 # Initialize the firewall
 shorewall_start () {
   local PRODUCT
+  local VARDIR
 
   echo -n "Initializing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
 	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile
@@ -86,9 +92,13 @@ shorewall_start () {
 # Clear the firewall
 shorewall_stop () {
   local PRODUCT
+  local VARDIR
 
   echo -n "Clearing \"Shorewall-based firewalls\": "
   for PRODUCT in $PRODUCTS; do
+      [ -f ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir ] && . ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT/vardir
+      [ -n ${VARDIR:=${vardir}/$PRODUCT} ]
+
       if [ ! -x ${VARDIR}/$PRODUCT/firewall ]; then
 	  if [ $PRODUCT = shorewall -o $PRODUCT = shorewall6 ]; then
 	      ${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT compile