diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b5626382..736ef7c1 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 ngIRCd HEAD
 
+  - Do not exit on SIGHUP or /REHASH if the config file cannot opened.
   - Add IPv6 support.
   - Install a LaunchDaemon script to start/stop ngIRCd on Mac OS X.
   - Implemented IRC commands INFO, SUMMON (dummy), and USERS (dummy) and
@@ -759,4 +760,4 @@ ngIRCd 0.0.1, 31.12.2001
 
 
 -- 
-$Id: ChangeLog,v 1.344 2008/02/26 22:05:42 fw Exp $
+$Id: ChangeLog,v 1.345 2008/03/18 20:12:47 fw Exp $
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.c b/src/ngircd/conf.c
index 3239dd14..0f668622 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 #include "portab.h"
 
-static char UNUSED id[] = "$Id: conf.c,v 1.104 2008/02/26 22:04:17 fw Exp $";
+static char UNUSED id[] = "$Id: conf.c,v 1.105 2008/03/18 20:12:47 fw Exp $";
 
 #include "imp.h"
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ static int New_Server_Idx;
 
 
 static void Set_Defaults PARAMS(( bool InitServers ));
-static void Read_Config PARAMS(( void ));
+static bool Read_Config PARAMS(( bool ngircd_starting ));
 static void Validate_Config PARAMS(( bool TestOnly, bool Rehash ));
 
 static void Handle_GLOBAL PARAMS(( int Line, char *Var, char *Arg ));
@@ -134,21 +134,21 @@ ports_parse(array *a, int Line, char *Arg)
 GLOBAL void
 Conf_Init( void )
 {
-	Set_Defaults( true );
-	Read_Config( );
+	Read_Config( true );
 	Validate_Config(false, false);
 } /* Config_Init */
 
 
-GLOBAL void
+GLOBAL bool
 Conf_Rehash( void )
 {
-	Set_Defaults( false );
-	Read_Config( );
+	if (!Read_Config(false))
+		return false;
 	Validate_Config(false, true);
 
 	/* Update CLIENT structure of local server */
 	Client_SetInfo(Client_ThisServer(), Conf_ServerInfo);
+	return true;
 } /* Config_Rehash */
 
 
@@ -163,9 +163,8 @@ Conf_Test( void )
 	char *topic;
 
 	Use_Log = false;
-	Set_Defaults( true );
 
-	Read_Config( );
+	Read_Config( true );
 	Validate_Config(true, false);
 
 	/* If stdin and stdout ("you can read our nice message and we can
@@ -460,8 +459,8 @@ Set_Defaults( bool InitServers )
 } /* Set_Defaults */
 
 
-static void
-Read_Config( void )
+static bool
+Read_Config( bool ngircd_starting )
 {
 	/* Read configuration file. */
 
@@ -476,10 +475,14 @@ Read_Config( void )
 		/* No configuration file found! */
 		Config_Error( LOG_ALERT, "Can't read configuration \"%s\": %s",
 					NGIRCd_ConfFile, strerror( errno ));
+		if (!ngircd_starting)
+			return false;
 		Config_Error( LOG_ALERT, "%s exiting due to fatal errors!", PACKAGE_NAME );
 		exit( 1 );
 	}
 
+	Set_Defaults( ngircd_starting );
+
 	Config_Error( LOG_INFO, "Reading configuration from \"%s\" ...", NGIRCd_ConfFile );
 
 	/* Clean up server configuration structure: mark all already
@@ -626,6 +629,7 @@ Read_Config( void )
 			exit( 1 );
 		}
 	}
+	return true;
 } /* Read_Config */
 
 
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.h b/src/ngircd/conf.h
index b6a5a2ac..d505f339 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.h
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  * (at your option) any later version.
  * Please read the file COPYING, README and AUTHORS for more information.
  *
- * $Id: conf.h,v 1.48 2008/02/26 22:04:17 fw Exp $
+ * $Id: conf.h,v 1.49 2008/03/18 20:12:47 fw Exp $
  *
  * Configuration management (header)
  */
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ GLOBAL int Conf_MaxConnectionsIP;
 GLOBAL unsigned int Conf_MaxNickLength;
 
 GLOBAL void Conf_Init PARAMS((void));
-GLOBAL void Conf_Rehash PARAMS((void));
+GLOBAL bool Conf_Rehash PARAMS((void));
 GLOBAL int Conf_Test PARAMS((void));
 
 GLOBAL void Conf_UnsetServer PARAMS(( CONN_ID Idx ));
diff --git a/src/ngircd/ngircd.c b/src/ngircd/ngircd.c
index 73c9a151..bb88b3b9 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/ngircd.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/ngircd.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "portab.h"
 
-static char UNUSED id[] = "$Id: ngircd.c,v 1.118 2008/02/26 22:04:17 fw Exp $";
+static char UNUSED id[] = "$Id: ngircd.c,v 1.119 2008/03/18 20:12:47 fw Exp $";
 
 /**
  * @file
@@ -432,15 +432,16 @@ NGIRCd_Rehash( void )
 	Log( LOG_NOTICE|LOG_snotice, "Re-reading configuration NOW!" );
 	NGIRCd_SignalRehash = false;
 
-	/* Close down all listening sockets */
-	Conn_ExitListeners( );
-
 	/* Remember old server name and nick name length */
 	strlcpy( old_name, Conf_ServerName, sizeof old_name );
 	old_nicklen = Conf_MaxNickLength;
 
 	/* Re-read configuration ... */
-	Conf_Rehash( );
+	if (!Conf_Rehash( ))
+		return;
+
+	/* Close down all listening sockets */
+	Conn_ExitListeners( );
 
 	/* Recover old server name and nick name length: these values can't
 	 * be changed during run-time */