diff --git a/etc/rc.d/mountcritlocal b/etc/rc.d/mountcritlocal
index 3fba393fdc19..0020b31c982e 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/mountcritlocal
+++ b/etc/rc.d/mountcritlocal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-# $NetBSD: mountcritlocal,v 1.3 2000/07/26 00:11:49 lukem Exp $
+# $NetBSD: mountcritlocal,v 1.4 2000/07/27 13:58:49 lukem Exp $
 #
 
 # PROVIDE: mountcritlocal
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ mountcritlocal_start()
 	#	this could include the cleanup of lock files and /var/run, etc.
 	#
 	rm -f /etc/nologin /var/spool/lock/LCK.* /var/spool/uucp/STST/*
-	(cd /var/run && {
-		rm -rf -- *; install -c -m 664 -g utmp /dev/null utmp;
-	})
+	(cd /var/run && rm -rf -- *)
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/sysdb b/etc/rc.d/sysdb
index c7eca40e2638..ff843ef92ce2 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/sysdb
+++ b/etc/rc.d/sysdb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-# $NetBSD: sysdb,v 1.3 2000/07/26 00:11:49 lukem Exp $
+# $NetBSD: sysdb,v 1.4 2000/07/27 13:58:49 lukem Exp $
 #
 
 # PROVIDE: databases
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ sysdb_start()
 		kvm_mkdb /netbsd
 	fi
 	dev_mkdb
+
+	#	Re-create /var/run/utmp, which is deleted by mountcritlocal
+	#	but can't be recreated by it because install and chown may
+	#	not be available then (possibly no /usr).
+	#
+	install -c -m 664 -g utmp /dev/null /var/run/utmp
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name