diff --git a/siahsd-init-script b/siahsd-init-script
index 6c416ac..9a7454e 100755
--- a/siahsd-init-script
+++ b/siahsd-init-script
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ PIDFILE=/var/run/siahsd.pid
 
 start() {
         echo -n "Starting SIA-HS Daemon: "
-        if start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile $PIDFILE --chuid $USER --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_ARGS; then
+	touch "$PIDFILE"
+	chown "$USER": "$PIDFILE"
+        if start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --chuid "$USER" --exec "$DAEMON" -- $DAEMON_ARGS; then
             echo "siahsd."
         else
             echo "FAILED."
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ start() {
 
 stop() {
         echo -n "Stopping SIA-HS Daemon: "
-        if start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --chuid $USER --retry=TERM/30/KILL/5 --pidfile $PIDFILE --exec $DAEMON; then
+        if start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --chuid "$USER" --retry=TERM/30/KILL/5 --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --exec "$DAEMON"; then
             echo "siahsd."
         else
             echo "FAILED."