diff --git a/usr.sbin/periodic/etc/daily/150.clean-hoststat b/usr.sbin/periodic/etc/daily/150.clean-hoststat
index 460d1a267908..54d4d4c21dab 100755
--- a/usr.sbin/periodic/etc/daily/150.clean-hoststat
+++ b/usr.sbin/periodic/etc/daily/150.clean-hoststat
@@ -1,29 +1,31 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 #
-# Remove stale persistent host status files
+# Remove stale persistent host status files if the mailer supports it.
 #
 
 # If there is a global system configuration file, suck it in.
 #
 if [ -r /etc/defaults/periodic.conf ]; then
     . /etc/defaults/periodic.conf
     source_periodic_confs
 fi
 
 case "$daily_clean_hoststat_enable" in
     [Yy][Ee][Ss])
-	if [ -z "$(hoststat 2>&1)" ]; then
+	if ! grep -q '^purgestat' /etc/mail/mailer.conf; then
+	    rc=3
+	elif [ -z "$(hoststat 2>&1)" ]; then
 	    rc=2
 	else
 	    echo ""
 	    echo "Removing stale entries from sendmail host status cache:"
 	    rc=0
 	    purgestat || rc=1
 	fi;;
 
     *)  rc=0;;
 esac
 
 exit $rc