diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index c6a39d872..1773cc775 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ ver. 0.8.4 (2008/??/??) - stable
 - Added/improved filters and date formats.
 - Added actions to report abuse to ISP, DShield and
   myNetWatchman. Thanks to Russell Odom.
+- Suse init script. Remove socket file on startup is fail2ban
+  crashed. Thanks to Detlef Reichelt.
 
 ver. 0.8.3 (2008/07/17) - stable
 ----------
diff --git a/files/suse-initd b/files/suse-initd
index ecd55d9a1..1dec63e20 100755
--- a/files/suse-initd
+++ b/files/suse-initd
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ rc_reset
 case "$1" in
     start)
         echo -n "Starting Fail2Ban "
+        # a cleanup workaround, since /etc/init.d/boot.local removes only. 
+        # regular files, and not sockets 
+        if test -e $FAIL2BAN_SOCKET; then
+            if ! lsof -n $FAIL2BAN_SOCKET &>/dev/null; then
+                rm $FAIL2BAN_SOCKET
+            fi
+        fi
         /sbin/startproc $FAIL2BAN_BIN start &>/dev/null
         rc_status -v
         ;;