diff --git a/files/gentoo-initd b/files/gentoo-initd
index cd13b2d1..af4d8c34 100755
--- a/files/gentoo-initd
+++ b/files/gentoo-initd
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ depend() {
 
 start() {
 	ebegin "Starting fail2ban"
+	if [ ! -d /var/run/fail2ban ]; then
+		mkdir /var/run/fail2ban || return 1
+	fi
+	if [ -e /var/run/fail2ban/fail2ban.sock ]; then
+		# remove stalled sock file after system crash
+		# bug 347477
+		rm -rf /var/run/fail2ban/fail2ban.sock || return 1
+	fi
 	${FAIL2BAN} start &> /dev/null
 	eend $? "Failed to start fail2ban"
 }