diff --git a/etc/rc.d/ntpdate b/etc/rc.d/ntpdate
index b2f4055e3427..1ef9b614755f 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/ntpdate
+++ b/etc/rc.d/ntpdate
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ start_cmd="ntpdate_start"
 
 ntpdate_start()
 {
-	if [ -z "$ntpdate_hosts" ]; then
+	if [ -z "$ntpdate_hosts" -a -f /etc/ntp.conf ]; then
 		ntpdate_hosts=`awk '
 			/^server[ \t]*127.127/      {next}
 			/^(server|peer)/            {print $2}
 		' </etc/ntp.conf`
 	fi
-	if [ -n "$ntpdate_hosts"  ]; then
+	if [ -n "$ntpdate_hosts" -o -n "$rc_flags" ]; then
 		echo "Setting date via ntp."
 		${ntpdate_command:-ntpdate} $rc_flags $ntpdate_hosts
 	fi