diff --git a/finit-alt.c b/finit-alt.c
index 92904d55..29f5e08e 100644
--- a/finit-alt.c
+++ b/finit-alt.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void signal_handler(int);
 void chld_handler(int);
 
 static int debug = 0;
-
+static char sdown[CMD_SIZE];
 
 static void build_cmd(char *cmd, char *x, int len)
 {
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ int main()
 				build_cmd(hostname, x, HOSTNAME_SIZE);
 				continue;
 			}
+			if (MATCH_CMD(line, "shutdown ", x)) {
+				*sdown = 0;
+				build_cmd(sdown, x, CMD_SIZE);
+				continue;
+			}
 			if (MATCH_CMD(line, "module ", x)) {
 				strcpy(cmd, "/sbin/modprobe ");
 				build_cmd(cmd, x, CMD_SIZE);
@@ -574,6 +579,9 @@ int main()
 void shutdown(int sig)
 {
 	touch("/tmp/shutdown");
+	if (sdown) {
+		system(sdown);
+	}
 
 	kill(-1, SIGTERM);