diff --git a/koji.spec b/koji.spec
index 38b2c55a..a1caabf8 100644
--- a/koji.spec
+++ b/koji.spec
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ fi
 
 %post vm
 /sbin/chkconfig --add kojivmd
-/sbin/service kojivmd condrestart &> /dev/null || :
 
 %preun vm
 if [ $1 = 0 ]; then
diff --git a/vm/kojivmd b/vm/kojivmd
index f014b4be..1659246d 100755
--- a/vm/kojivmd
+++ b/vm/kojivmd
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 import koji
 import koji.util
 from koji.daemon import SCM, TaskManager
-from koji.tasks import ServerExit, BaseTaskHandler, MultiPlatformTask
+from koji.tasks import ServerExit, ServerRestart, BaseTaskHandler, MultiPlatformTask
+from koji.tasks import RestartTask, RestartVerifyTask
 import sys
 import logging
 import os
@@ -181,7 +182,11 @@ def main(options, session):
             tm.scanPlugin(pt.load(name))
     def shutdown(*args):
         raise SystemExit
+    def restart(*args):
+        logger.warn("Initiating graceful restart")
+        tm.restart_pending = True
     signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM,shutdown)
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1,restart)
     taken = False
     tm.cleanupAllVMs()
     while True:
@@ -192,6 +197,9 @@ def main(options, session):
         except (SystemExit,ServerExit,KeyboardInterrupt):
             logger.warn("Exiting")
             break
+        except ServerRestart:
+            logger.warn("Restarting")
+            os.execv(sys.argv[0], sys.argv)
         except koji.AuthExpired:
             logger.error('Session expired')
             break
diff --git a/vm/kojivmd.init b/vm/kojivmd.init
index 1013c6b9..b0a6408d 100755
--- a/vm/kojivmd.init
+++ b/vm/kojivmd.init
@@ -54,6 +54,17 @@ restart() {
     start
 }
 
+graceful() {
+    #SIGUSR1 initiates a graceful restart
+    pid=$(pidofproc kojivmd)
+    if test -z "$pid"
+    then
+        echo $"$prog not running"
+    else
+        kill -10 $pid
+    fi
+}
+
 # See how we were called.
 case "$1" in
   start)
@@ -71,8 +82,11 @@ case "$1" in
   condrestart|try-restart)
         [ -f /var/lock/subsys/kojivmd ] && restart || :
         ;;
+  graceful)
+        graceful
+        ;;
   *)
-	echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|try-restart|reload|force-reload}"
+	echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|try-restart|reload|force-reload|graceful}"
         exit 1
 esac