diff -aupr initscripts-2009.07-3/functions initscripts-2009.07-3.new/functions
--- initscripts-2009.07-3/functions	2009-07-19 22:54:32.000000000 -0400
+++ initscripts-2009.07-3.new/functions	2009-08-05 08:54:23.205528631 -0400
@@ -3,17 +3,24 @@
 #
 
 # width:
-
-STAT_COL=$(/bin/stty size)
-# strip the rows number, we just want columns
-STAT_COL=${STAT_COL##* }
-if [ "$STAT_COL" = "0" ]; then
-	# if output was 0 (serial console), set default width to 80
-	STAT_COL=80
-elif [ ! -t 1 ]; then
-	# disable color on output to non-tty
-	STAT_COL=80
-	USECOLOR=""
+if [ -t 1 ]; then
+  # stty will fail when stdin isn't a terminal (but we're in this block, so stdout is)
+  if [ -t 0 ]; then
+    STAT_COL="$(/bin/stty size)"
+    # stty gives "rows cols"; strip the rows number, we just want columns
+    STAT_COL="${STAT_COL##* }"
+  else
+    # tput will fail at boot time if /usr/share/terminfo isn't yet mounted
+    # or TERM is otherwise unrecognized
+    STAT_COL="$(/bin/tput cols 2>/dev/null)"
+  fi
+  if [ "0$STAT_COL" -eq 0 ]; then
+    # if output was 0 (serial console), set default width to 80
+    STAT_COL=80
+  fi
+else
+  STAT_COL=80
+  USECOLOR=""
 fi
 # we use 13 characters for our own stuff
 STAT_COL=$(($STAT_COL - 13))
@@ -60,6 +67,10 @@ if [ -t 1 ]; then
 	SAVE_POSITION="\033[s"
 	RESTORE_POSITION="\033[u"
 	DEL_TEXT="\033[$(($STAT_COL+4))G"
+else
+	SAVE_POSITION=""
+	RESTORE_POSITION=""
+	DEL_TEXT=""
 fi
 
 # prefixes: