diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.subr b/libexec/rc/rc.subr
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.subr
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.subr
@@ -806,7 +806,8 @@
 #
 #	${name}_prepend	n	Command added before ${command}.
 #
-#	${name}_setup	n	Command executed before ${command}.
+#	${name}_setup	n	Command executed during start, restart and
+#				reload before ${rc_arg}_precmd
 #
 #	${name}_login_class n	Login class to use, else "daemon".
 #
@@ -1047,9 +1048,9 @@
 			return 1
 		fi
 
-					# if there's a custom ${XXX_cmd},
-					# run that instead of the default
-					#
+		# if there's a custom ${XXX_cmd},
+		# run that instead of the default
+		#
 		eval _cmd=\$${rc_arg}_cmd \
 		     _precmd=\$${rc_arg}_precmd \
 		     _postcmd=\$${rc_arg}_postcmd
@@ -1058,6 +1059,11 @@
 			if [ -n "$_env" ]; then
 				eval "export -- $_env"
 			fi
+			# service can redefine all so check for valid targets
+			if [ "$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
@@ -1118,13 +1124,15 @@
 				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
-					#
+			# setup the full command to run
+			#
 			startmsg "Starting ${name}."
 			if [ -n "$_chroot" ]; then
 				_cd=
@@ -1154,24 +1162,18 @@
 				fi
 			fi
 
-			if [ -n "$_setup" ]; then
-				if ! _run_rc_doit "$_setup"; then
-					warn "failed to setup ${name}"
-				fi
-			fi
-
-					# Prepend default limits
+			# Prepend default limits
 			_doit="$_cd limits -C $_login_class $_limits $_doit"
 
-					# run the full command
-					#
+			# run the full command
+			#
 			if ! _run_rc_doit "$_doit"; then
 				warn "failed to start ${name}"
 				return 1
 			fi
 
-					# finally, run postcmd
-					#
+			# finally, run postcmd
+			#
 			_run_rc_postcmd
 			;;
 
@@ -1203,6 +1205,8 @@
 				return 1
 			fi
 
+			_run_rc_setup || warn "failed to setup ${name}"
+
 			_run_rc_precmd || return 1
 
 			_doit=$(_run_rc_killcmd "${sig_reload:-HUP}")
@@ -1327,6 +1331,7 @@
 #	_precmd		R
 #	_postcmd	R
 #	_return		W
+#	_setup		R
 #
 _run_rc_precmd()
 {
@@ -1358,6 +1363,19 @@
 	return 0
 }
 
+_run_rc_setup()
+{
+	if [ -n "$_setup" ]; then
+		debug "run_rc_command: ${rc_arg}_setup: $_setup"
+		eval "$_setup"
+		_return=$?
+		if [ $_return -ne 0 ]; then
+			return 1
+		fi
+	fi
+	return 0
+}
+
 _run_rc_doit()
 {
 	local _m
diff --git a/share/man/man8/rc.subr.8 b/share/man/man8/rc.subr.8
--- a/share/man/man8/rc.subr.8
+++ b/share/man/man8/rc.subr.8
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd August 16, 2022
+.Dd December 14, 2022
 .Dt RC.SUBR 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -686,8 +686,24 @@
 or
 .Va ${name}_nice .
 .It Va ${name}_setup
-Command to be run prior to
-.Va command .
+Optional command to be run during
+.Cm start ,
+.Cm restart ,
+and
+.Cm reload
+prior to the respective
+.Ar argument Ns Va _precmd .
+If the command fails for any reason it will output a warning,
+but execution will continue.
+Please note that
+.Cm restart
+is implicit through
+.Cm start
+so a failure of
+.Ar restart Ns Va _precmd
+will prevent its execution unless
+.Ar restart Ns Va _cmd
+was defined.
 .It Ar argument Ns Va _cmd
 Shell commands which override the default method for
 .Ar argument .