3 files changed, 12 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/config/deploy.rb b/config/deploy.rb
index c1954d058..f4a0b536a 100644
--- a/config/deploy.rb
+++ b/config/deploy.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ set :deploy_to, configuration['deploy_to']
 set :user, configuration['user']
 set :use_sudo, false
 set :rails_env, configuration['rails_env']
+set :daemon_name, configuration.fetch('daemon_name', 'alaveteli')
 
 server configuration['server'], :app, :web, :db, :primary => true
 
@@ -35,9 +36,9 @@ end
 namespace :deploy do
 
   [:start, :stop, :restart].each do |t|
-    desc "#{t.to_s.capitalize} Alaveteli service defined in /etc/init.d/alaveteli"
+    desc "#{t.to_s.capitalize} Alaveteli service defined in /etc/init.d/"
     task t, :roles => :app, :except => { :no_release => true } do
-      run "/etc/init.d/alaveteli #{t}"
+      run "service #{ daemon_name } #{ t }"
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/config/deploy.yml.example b/config/deploy.yml.example
index a20eb3c22..93aba439a 100644
--- a/config/deploy.yml.example
+++ b/config/deploy.yml.example
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ production:
   user: deploy
   rails_env: production
   deploy_to: /srv/www/alaveteli_production
+  daemon_name: alaveteli
 staging:
   repository: git://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli.git
   branch: develop
@@ -13,3 +14,4 @@ staging:
   user: deploy
   rails_env: production
   deploy_to: /srv/www/alaveteli_staging
+  daemon_name: alaveteli_staging
diff --git a/config/sysvinit-thin.ugly b/config/sysvinit-thin.ugly
index b333f3738..0155ff8c3 100755
--- a/config/sysvinit-thin.ugly
+++ b/config/sysvinit-thin.ugly
@@ -22,7 +22,13 @@ RAILS_ENV=!!(*= $rails_env *)!!
 set -e
 
 # Check that the Daemon can be run
-su -l -c "cd $SITE_HOME && bundle exec thin --version &> /dev/null || exit 0" $USER
+CURRENT_USER=$(whoami)
+if [ "$CURRENT_USER" = "$USER" ]
+  then
+    cd $SITE_HOME && bundle exec thin --version > /dev/null 2>&1 || exit 0
+  else
+    su -l -c "cd $SITE_HOME && bundle exec thin --version &> /dev/null || exit 0" $USER
+fi
 
 start_daemon() {
   echo -n "Starting $DESC: "