diff --git a/etc/rc.d/sendmail b/etc/rc.d/sendmail
index 3164857c9f08..33b11dd1fc1c 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/sendmail
+++ b/etc/rc.d/sendmail
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 name="sendmail"
 rcvar=`set_rcvar`
 required_files="/etc/mail/${name}.cf"
+start_precmd="sendmail_precmd"
 
 load_rc_config $name
 command=${sendmail_program:-/usr/sbin/sendmail}