diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.subr b/libexec/rc/rc.subr
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.subr
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.subr
@@ -1059,12 +1059,12 @@
 			if [ -n "$_env" ]; then
 				eval "export -- $_env"
 			fi
-			_run_rc_precmd || return 1
 			# service can redefine all so check for valid targets
 			if [ "$rc_arg" = 'start' -o "$rc_arg" = 'restart' -o \
 			    "$rc_arg" = 'reload' ]; then
 				_run_rc_setup || warn "failed to setup ${name}"
 			fi
+			_run_rc_precmd || return 1
 			_run_rc_doit "$_cmd $rc_extra_args" || return 1
 			_run_rc_postcmd
 			return $_return
@@ -1124,14 +1124,16 @@
 				return 1
 			fi
 
+			_run_rc_setup || warn "failed to setup ${name}"
+
 			if ! _run_rc_precmd; then
 				warn "failed precmd routine for ${name}"
 				return 1
 			fi
 
-					# setup the full command to run
-					#
-			startmsg "Starting ${name}."
+			# setup the full command to run
+			#
+			check_startmsgs && echo "Starting ${name}."
 			if [ -n "$_chroot" ]; then
 				_cd=
 				_doit="\
@@ -1160,8 +1162,6 @@
 				fi
 			fi
 
-			_run_rc_setup || warn "failed to setup ${name}"
-
 			# Prepend default limits
 			_doit="$_cd limits -C $_login_class $_limits $_doit"
 
@@ -1205,10 +1205,10 @@
 				return 1
 			fi
 
-			_run_rc_precmd || return 1
-
 			_run_rc_setup || warn "failed to setup ${name}"
 
+			_run_rc_precmd || return 1
+
 			_doit=$(_run_rc_killcmd "${sig_reload:-HUP}")
 			_run_rc_doit "$_doit" || return 1