diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 8b072f45..82740a98 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST		+= cond-start-task.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= failing-sysv.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= global-envs.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= pre-post-serv.sh
+EXTRA_DIST		+= restart-self.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= runlevel.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= start-stop-service.sh
 EXTRA_DIST		+= start-stop-service-sub-config.sh
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ TESTS			+= cond-start-task.sh
 TESTS			+= failing-sysv.sh
 TESTS			+= global-envs.sh
 TESTS			+= pre-post-serv.sh
+TESTS			+= restart-self.sh
 TESTS			+= runlevel.sh
 TESTS			+= start-stop-service.sh
 TESTS			+= start-stop-service-sub-config.sh
diff --git a/test/common/serv.c b/test/common/serv.c
index ba7057b1..4d033609 100644
--- a/test/common/serv.c
+++ b/test/common/serv.c
@@ -47,6 +47,28 @@ static void verify_noenv(char *key)
 		errx(1, "Error, key %s is set in environment to '%s'", key, val);
 }
 
+static void inc_restarts(void)
+{
+	char buf[10];
+	int cnt = 0;
+	FILE *fp;
+
+	fp = fopen("/tmp/serv-restart.cnt", "r+");
+	if (!fp) {
+		fp = fopen("/tmp/serv-restart.cnt", "w");
+		if (!fp)
+			err(1, "failed creating restart counter file");
+	} else {
+		if (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), fp))
+			cnt = atoi(buf);
+	}
+	cnt++;
+
+	fseek(fp, SEEK_SET, 0);
+	fprintf(fp, "%d", cnt);
+	fclose(fp);
+}
+
 static void sig(int signo)
 {
 	warnx("We got signal %d ...", signo);
@@ -86,6 +108,7 @@ static int usage(int rc)
 		" -n       Run in foreground\n"
 		" -p       Create PID file despite running in foreground\n"
 		" -P FILE  Create PID file using FILE\n"
+		" -r SVC   Call initctl to restart service SVC (self)\n"
 		"\n"
 		"By default this program daemonizes itself to the background, and,\n"
 		"when it's done setting up its signal handler(s), creates a PID file\n"
@@ -100,10 +123,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	int do_background = 1;
 	int do_pidfile = 1;
+	int do_restart = 0;
 	char *pidfn = NULL;
+	char cmd[80];
 	int c;
 
-	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "e:E:hnpP:")) != EOF) {
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "e:E:hnpP:r:")) != EOF) {
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'h':
 			return usage(0);
@@ -123,6 +148,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'P':
 			pidfn = optarg;
 			break;
+		case 'r':
+			snprintf(cmd, sizeof(cmd), "initctl restart %s", optarg);
+			do_restart = 1;
+			break;
 		default:
 			return usage(1);
 		}
@@ -142,8 +171,15 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		pidfile(pidfn);
 
 	warnx("Entering while(1) loop");
-	while (1)
+	while (1) {
 		sleep(1);
+		if (do_restart) {
+			inc_restarts();
+			if (system(cmd))
+				return 1;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
 
 	warnx("Leaving ...");
 	return 0;
diff --git a/test/restart-self.sh b/test/restart-self.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..fef8f010
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/restart-self.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Verify that a service can restart itself, issue #280
+set -eu
+
+TEST_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
+
+test_setup()
+{
+	say "Test start $(date)"
+	texec sh -c "mkdir -p /etc/default"
+}
+
+test_teardown()
+{
+	say "Test done $(date)"
+	say "Running test teardown."
+
+	texec rm -f "$FINIT_CONF"
+}
+
+check_restarts()
+{
+	assert "serv restarts" "$(texec cat "$1" | awk '{print $1;}')" -ge "$2"
+}
+
+
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+. "$TEST_DIR/tenv/lib.sh"
+
+say "Add stanza to $FINIT_CONF"
+texec sh -c "echo 'service serv -np -r serv -- Restart self' > $FINIT_CONF"
+
+say 'Reload Finit'
+texec sh -c "initctl reload"
+
+sleep 2
+texec sh -c "initctl status serv"
+texec sh -c "ps"
+
+sleep 2
+texec sh -c "initctl status serv"
+texec sh -c "ps"
+
+say 'Pending restarts by itself ...'
+retry 'check_restarts /tmp/serv-restart.cnt 3' 20 1
+
+return 0