--- mysqld	2009-03-13 15:32:45.000000000 -0400
+++ mysqld.stokes	2009-03-13 15:36:56.000000000 -0400
@@ -41,8 +41,15 @@
         stat_fail
         exit 1
       else
+          timeo=30
+          while [ $timeo -gt 0 ]; do
+              response=`/usr/bin/mysqladmin -uUNKNOWN_USER ping 2>&1` && break
+              echo "$response" | grep -q "mysqld is alive" && break
+              sleep 1
+              let timeo=${timeo}-1
+          done
         sleep 1 # wait on children
-        if [ -z "$(getPID)" ]; then
+        if [ $timeo -eq 0 ]; then
           stat_fail
           exit 1
         else
@@ -60,7 +67,7 @@
   stop)
     stat_busy "Stopping MySQL"
     if [ ! -z "$(getPID)" ]; then
-      kill $(getPID) &> /dev/null      
+      kill $(getPID) &> /dev/null
       if [ $? -gt 0 ]; then
         stat_fail
         exit 1
@@ -81,6 +88,6 @@
     $0 start
     ;;
   *)
-    echo "usage: $0 {start|stop|restart}"  
+    echo "usage: $0 {start|stop|restart}"
 esac
 exit 0