diff --git a/distribution/rpm/src/main/packaging/init.d/elasticsearch b/distribution/rpm/src/main/packaging/init.d/elasticsearch
index c68a5b65f3f49..51aed5f6326d8 100644
--- a/distribution/rpm/src/main/packaging/init.d/elasticsearch
+++ b/distribution/rpm/src/main/packaging/init.d/elasticsearch
@@ -16,19 +16,20 @@
 # Description: Elasticsearch is a very scalable, schema-free and high-performance search solution supporting multi-tenancy and near realtime search.
 ### END INIT INFO
 
-#
 # init.d / servicectl compatibility (openSUSE)
-#
 if [ -f /etc/rc.status ]; then
+	SUSE=1
     . /etc/rc.status
     rc_reset
-fi
 
-#
 # Source function library.
-#
-if [ -f /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions ]; then
+elif [ -f /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions ]; then
     . /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions
+
+# Unknown distribution or service manager found, exit
+else
+	echo "Unknown distribution or service manager"
+	exit 1
 fi
 
 # Sets the default values for elasticsearch variables used in this script
@@ -68,8 +69,6 @@ export ES_STARTUP_SLEEP_TIME
 export JAVA_HOME
 export ES_INCLUDE
 
-lockfile=/var/lock/subsys/$prog
-
 # backwards compatibility for old config sysconfig files, pre 0.90.1
 if [ -n $USER ] && [ -z $ES_USER ] ; then
    ES_USER=$USER
@@ -116,22 +115,38 @@ start() {
 
     cd $ES_HOME
     echo -n $"Starting $prog: "
-    # if not running, start it up here, usually something like "daemon $exec"
-    daemon --user $ES_USER --pidfile $pidfile $exec -p $pidfile -d -Ees.default.path.home=$ES_HOME -Ees.default.path.logs=$LOG_DIR -Ees.default.path.data=$DATA_DIR -Ees.default.path.conf=$CONF_DIR
-    retval=$?
-    echo
-    [ $retval -eq 0 ] && touch $lockfile
-    return $retval
+    # if not running, start it up here.
+
+    retval=''
+    if [ $SUSE ]; then
+        # SLES uses startproc
+        startproc -u $ES_USER $exec -p $pidfile -d -Ees.default.path.home=$ES_HOME -Ees.default.path.logs=$LOG_DIR -Ees.default.path.data=$DATA_DIR -Ees.default.path.conf=$CONF_DIR &
+        retval=$?
+        rc_status -v
+    else
+        # For non-SLES usually something like "daemon $exec"
+        daemon --user $ES_USER --pidfile $pidfile $exec -p $pidfile -d -Ees.default.path.home=$ES_HOME -Ees.default.path.logs=$LOG_DIR -Ees.default.path.data=$DATA_DIR -Ees.default.path.conf=$CONF_DIR
+        retval=$?
+    fi
+
 }
 
 stop() {
     echo -n $"Stopping $prog: "
     # stop it here, often "killproc $prog"
-    killproc -p $pidfile -d ${stopping.timeout} $prog
-    retval=$?
-    echo
-    [ $retval -eq 0 ] && rm -f $lockfile
-    return $retval
+
+    if [ $SUSE ]; then
+        checkJava
+        #SLES uses a differnt version of killproc
+        killproc -p $pidfile -HUP $JAVA
+        rc_status -v
+    else
+        # stop it here, often "killproc $prog"
+        killproc -p $pidfile -d ${stopping.timeout} $prog
+        retval=$?
+        echo
+        return $retval
+    fi
 }
 
 restart() {
@@ -149,7 +164,13 @@ force_reload() {
 
 rh_status() {
     # run checks to determine if the service is running or use generic status
-    status -p $pidfile $prog
+    if [ $SUSE ]; then
+        checkJava
+        checkproc -p $pidfile $JAVA
+        rc_status -v
+    else
+        status -p $pidfile $prog
+    fi
 }
 
 rh_status_q() {