diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 4b80e0c8..f910107a 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 #define VERSION "1.3.2"
 
-#define BUILD 983
+#define BUILD 985
 
 #define HOSTID "mailarchiver"
 
diff --git a/src/errmsg.h b/src/errmsg.h
index 860f6676..cb9df8b3 100644
--- a/src/errmsg.h
+++ b/src/errmsg.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #define ERR_TIMED_OUT "ERR: timed out"
 #define ERR_FORK_FAILED "ERR: cannot fork()"
 #define ERR_OPEN_DEDUP_FILE "ERR: cannot open dedup file"
+#define ERR_PID_FILE_EXISTS "ERR: pidfile exists. If piler daemon is not running, and the pidfile exists (unclean shutdown?) then remove it, and start piler again"
 
 #define ERR_MYSQL_CONNECT "Cannot connect to mysql server"
 #define ERR_PSQL_CONNECT "Cannot connect to PSql server"
diff --git a/src/piler.c b/src/piler.c
index 617c6053..534403a3 100644
--- a/src/piler.c
+++ b/src/piler.c
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ void initialise_configuration(){
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv){
    int i, daemonise=0, dedupfd;
+   struct stat st;
 
 
    while((i = getopt(argc, argv, "c:dvVh")) > 0){
@@ -509,6 +510,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv){
 
    if(drop_privileges(pwd)) fatal(ERR_SETUID);
 
+   if(stat(cfg.pidfile, &st) == 0) fatal(ERR_PID_FILE_EXISTS);
+
    if(cfg.mmap_dedup_test == 1){
       dedupfd = open(MESSAGE_ID_DEDUP_FILE, O_RDWR);
       if(dedupfd == -1) fatal(ERR_OPEN_DEDUP_FILE);