diff --git a/squid.init b/squid.init
index d1ce853..9d02a8e 100644
--- a/squid.init
+++ b/squid.init
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ export PATH
 
 if [ -f /etc/sysconfig/squid ]; then
   . /etc/sysconfig/squid
-else
-  SQUID_OPTS="-D"
-  SQUID_PIDFILE_TIMEOUT=20
-  SQUID_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT=100
 fi
 
+# don't raise an error if the config file is incomplete 
+# set defaults instead:
+SQUID_OPTS=${SQUID_OPTS:-"-D"}
+SQUID_PIDFILE_TIMEOUT=${SQUID_PIDFILE_TIMEOUT:-20}
+SQUID_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT=${SQUID_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT:-100}
+
 # determine the name of the squid binary
 [ -f /usr/sbin/squid ] && SQUID=squid
 [ -z "$SQUID" ] && exit 0
diff --git a/squid.spec b/squid.spec
index 6c6edc7..d142470 100644
--- a/squid.spec
+++ b/squid.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Summary: The Squid proxy caching server.
 Name: squid
 Version: 2.4.STABLE7
-Release: 2
+Release: 3
 Serial: 7
 License: GPL
 Group: System Environment/Daemons
@@ -242,6 +242,10 @@ if [ "$1" -ge "1" ] ; then
 fi
 
 %changelog
+* Wed Jul 31 2002 Karsten Hopp <karsten@redhat.de>
+- don't raise an error if the config file is incomplete
+  set defaults instead (#69322, #70065)
+
 * Thu Jul 18 2002 Bill Nottingham <notting@redhat.com> 2.4.STABLE7-2
 - don't strip binaries