diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/var_run b/libexec/rc/rc.d/var_run
index eb9cdbd59305..71f84d23cb3d 100755
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/var_run
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/var_run
@@ -1,48 +1,52 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 # PROVIDE: var_run
 # REQUIRE: mountcritlocal
 # BEFORE: cleanvar
 # KEYWORD: shutdown
 
 . /etc/rc.subr
 
 name=var_run
 rcvar=var_run_enable
 extra_commands="load save"
 start_cmd="_var_run_start"
 load_cmd="_var_run_load"
 save_cmd="_var_run_save"
 stop_cmd="_var_run_stop"
 
 load_rc_config $name
 
 # Set defaults
 : ${var_run_enable:="NO"}
 : ${var_run_mtree:="/var/db/mtree/BSD.var-run.mtree"}
 : ${var_run_autosave:="YES"}
 
 _var_run_load() {
-	test -f ${var_run_mtree} &&
-		mtree -U -i -q -f ${var_run_mtree} -p /var/run > /dev/null
+	if [ -f "${var_run_mtree}" ] ; then
+		mtree -U -i -q -f "${var_run_mtree}" -p /var/run > /dev/null
+	fi
 }
 
 _var_run_save() {
-	if [ ! -d $(dirname ${var_run_mtree}) ]; then
-		mkdir -p $(dirname ${var_run_mtree})
+	if ! [ -d "${var_run_mtree%/*}" ]; then
+		mkdir -p "${var_run_mtree%/*}"
 	fi
-	mtree -dcbj -p /var/run > ${var_run_mtree}
+	mtree -dcbj -p /var/run > "${var_run_mtree}"
 }
 
 _var_run_start() {
-	df -ttmpfs /var/run > /dev/null 2>&1 &&
+	if df -ttmpfs /var/run > /dev/null 2>&1; then
 		_var_run_load
+	fi
 }
 
 _var_run_stop() {
-	df -ttmpfs /var/run > /dev/null 2>&1 &&
-		checkyesno var_run_autosave &&
+	if checkyesno var_run_autosave; then
+		if df -ttmpfs /var/run > /dev/null 2>&1; then
 			_var_run_save
+		fi
+	fi
 }
 
 run_rc_command "$1"