diff --git a/etc/rc b/etc/rc
index a8c137b9e..74d45912b 100755
--- a/etc/rc
+++ b/etc/rc
@@ -189,10 +189,41 @@ start)
 	cp /usr/lib/em* /usr/lib/cpp* /lib
     esac
 
+    echo -n "Starting hotplugging infrastructure... "
+    service up /sbin/devman
+    if [ ! -d /sys ]
+    then
+        mkdir /sys
+    fi
+    mount -e -t devman none /sys
+    rm -f /var/tmp/devmand_control
+    rm -f /var/run/devmand.pid
+    devmand -d /etc/devmand -d /usr/pkg/etc/devmand &
+    echo "done."
+
     # Things should be alright now.
     ;;
 down|stop)
     sync
+    if [ -f /var/run/devmand.pid ]
+    then
+    	kill -INT `cat /var/run/devmand.pid`
+        # without this delay the following will 
+        # be printed in the console
+        # RS: devman not running?
+        sleep 1
+    fi
+    #
+    # usbd needs to be stopped exactly 
+    # at this stage(before stopping devman
+    # and after stopping the services
+    # stated by devmand)
+    if [ -x /usr/pkg/etc/rc.d/usbd ]
+    then 
+    	/usr/pkg/etc/rc.d/usbd stop
+    fi
+    umount -e /sys
+    service down devman
     # Tell RS server we're going down.
     service shutdown
     ;;