diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmon.h b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmon.h
index 69fbc24e..c7a03a14 100755
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmon.h
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmon.h
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@ typedef enum
    PMOND_RECOVERY_METHOD__SYSTEMD  = 1,
 } recovery_method_type ;
 
+#define SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR1  ((const char *)"/etc/systemd/system")
+#define SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR2  ((const char *)"/usr/lib/systemd/system")
+
 /*
  * Used to mark a configured process
  * This aids in freeing duped memory over a process re-config
@@ -267,7 +270,7 @@ int setup_signal_handler ( int rt_signal_num );
 
 /* Monitored Process Config Bit Mask */
 #define CONF_PROCESS    (0x0001)
-#define CONF_SCRIPT     (0x0002)
+#define CONF_RECOVERY   (0x0002)
 #define CONF_STYLE      (0x0004)
 #define CONF_PIDFILE    (0x0008)
 #define CONF_RESTARTS   (0x0010)
@@ -286,8 +289,8 @@ int setup_signal_handler ( int rt_signal_num );
 
 /* Monitored Passive Process Config Mask */
 #define CONF_MASK        (CONF_PROCESS   | \
-                          CONF_SCRIPT    | \
                           CONF_STYLE     | \
+                          CONF_RECOVERY  | \
                           CONF_PIDFILE   | \
                           CONF_SEVERITY  | \
                           CONF_RESTARTS  | \
@@ -302,8 +305,8 @@ int setup_signal_handler ( int rt_signal_num );
 
 /* Monitored Status Process Config Mask */
 #define CONF_STATUS_MON_MASK (CONF_PROCESS   | \
-                              CONF_SCRIPT    | \
                               CONF_STYLE     | \
+                              CONF_RECOVERY  | \
                               CONF_SEVERITY  | \
                               CONF_RESTARTS  | \
                               CONF_INTERVAL  | \
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
index eb1b56a1..daf31540 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
@@ -524,6 +524,43 @@ void pmon_timer_handler ( int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *uc)
     }
 }
 
+/****************************************************************************
+ *
+ * Name       : service_file_exists
+ *
+ * Description: Look in some well known places for the specified service file.
+ *
+ * Returns    : Return true if the specified service file is found.
+ *
+ * Updates    : If the service file is found then update the supplied
+ *              character string buffer with the full path/name of that
+ *              service file.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+bool service_file_exists ( string service_filename,
+                           char * path_n_name_ptr,
+                           int    max_len )
+{
+    /* load the name of the service file */
+    snprintf ( path_n_name_ptr, max_len, "%s/%s",
+                                          SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR1,
+                                          service_filename.data());
+    if (( path_n_name_ptr ) && (strnlen ( path_n_name_ptr, max_len )))
+    {
+        if ( daemon_is_file_present ( path_n_name_ptr ) == true )
+            return true ;
+    }
+    snprintf ( path_n_name_ptr, max_len, "%s/%s",
+                                          SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR2,
+                                          service_filename.data());
+    if (( path_n_name_ptr ) && ( strnlen ( path_n_name_ptr, max_len )))
+    {
+        if ( daemon_is_file_present ( path_n_name_ptr ) == true )
+            return true ;
+    }
+    return false ;
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************
  *
  * Name    : process_config_load
@@ -533,8 +570,8 @@ void pmon_timer_handler ( int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *uc)
  *****************************************************************************/
 int process_config_load (process_config_type * pc_ptr, const char * config_file_ptr )
 {
-    char    service_name_buf  [_MAX_LEN_] ;
-    memset (service_name_buf,0, sizeof(service_name_buf));
+    char    recovery_method_buf  [_MAX_LEN_] ;
+    memset (recovery_method_buf,0, sizeof(recovery_method_buf));
 
     if ( _pmon_ctrl_ptr->processes >= MAX_PROCESSES )
     {
@@ -566,40 +603,59 @@ int process_config_load (process_config_type * pc_ptr, const char * config_file_
         pc_ptr->startuptime = PMON_MIN_START_DELAY ;
     }
 
-    /* default recovery method to process init script */
-    snprintf ( &service_name_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_, "%s", pc_ptr->script );
+    /* Many process conf files came from a sysvinit origin and might not
+     * have a service file label. Account for that in the following
+     * load of recovery_method_buf.
+     * Accept a script name if the service name is missing. */
+    bool recovery_method_found = false ;
 
-    /* Print error logs if there is no recovery method present for this service/process */
-    if ( _pmon_ctrl_ptr->recovery_method == PMOND_RECOVERY_METHOD__SYSTEMD )
+    /* look for the service file */
+    if ( pc_ptr->service )
     {
-       /* If the config file does not specify a service name
-        * then the service name defaults to the process name */
-       if ( ! pc_ptr->service )
-       {
-           snprintf ( &service_name_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_, "%s/%s.service", SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR, pc_ptr->process );
-           if ( daemon_is_file_present ( service_name_buf ) == false )
-           {
-               if ( daemon_is_file_present ( pc_ptr->script ) == false )
-               {
-                   /* print a log if we have no recovery method */
-                   wlog ("%s has no recovery method\n", pc_ptr->process );
-                   wlog ("... neither %s nor %s exist\n", service_name_buf, pc_ptr->script );
-               }
-           }
-       }
-       else
-       {
-           snprintf ( &service_name_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_, "%s/%s.service", SYSTEMD_SERVICE_FILE_DIR, pc_ptr->service );
-           if ( daemon_is_file_present ( service_name_buf ) == false )
-           {
-               /* print a log if we have no recovery method */
-               wlog ("%s service has no recovery method\n", pc_ptr->service );
-               wlog ("... %s does not exist\n", service_name_buf );
-           }
-       }
+        string service = pc_ptr->service ;
+        if ( service.find(".service") == string::npos )
+            service.append(".service");
+        if ( service_file_exists(service, &recovery_method_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_) == true )
+            recovery_method_found = true ;
+    }
+    else if ( pc_ptr->script )
+    {
+        string script = basename((char*)pc_ptr->script);
+        if ( script.find(".service") == string::npos )
+            script.append(".service");
+        if ( service_file_exists(script, &recovery_method_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_) == true )
+           recovery_method_found = true ;
+        else
+        {
+            /* resort to the script file only */
+            /* load the name of the process init script */
+            snprintf ( &recovery_method_buf[0], _MAX_LEN_, "%s", pc_ptr->script );
+            if ( daemon_is_file_present ( recovery_method_buf ) == true )
+            {
+                recovery_method_found = true ;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                wlog ("%s has script but not found (%s)\n",
+                          pc_ptr->process, recovery_method_buf );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        /* print a log if we have no recovery method */
+        wlog ("%s has no recovery method ; process not monitored\n", pc_ptr->process );
+        wlog ("... conf file has no 'service' or 'script' recovery entry\n");
+        return (FAIL_NOT_FOUND);
     }
 
-    update_config_option ( &pc_ptr->recovery_method , service_name_buf );
+    if ( recovery_method_found == false )
+    {
+        wlog ("%s has no recovery method found ; process not monitored\n", pc_ptr->process );
+        return (FAIL_NOT_FOUND);
+    }
+
+    update_config_option ( &pc_ptr->recovery_method , recovery_method_buf );
 
     if ( !strcmp ( pc_ptr->mode, "status" ) )
     {
@@ -710,7 +766,7 @@ int process_config_load (process_config_type * pc_ptr, const char * config_file_
              * that subfunction init is complete */
             ilog ("%7s Def : %-30s %-8s - %s (%s)\n", pc_ptr->mode,
                                                  pc_ptr->process,
-                                                 pc_ptr->ignore ? "ignored" : pc_ptr->severity, service_name_buf,
+                                                 pc_ptr->ignore ? "ignored" : pc_ptr->severity, recovery_method_buf,
                                                  pc_ptr->subfunction);
             /* defer subfunction processes to the FSM to get enabled */
             pc_ptr->stage = PMON_STAGE__POLLING ;
@@ -724,7 +780,7 @@ int process_config_load (process_config_type * pc_ptr, const char * config_file_
 
             ilog ("%7s Mon : %-30s %-8s - %s\n", pc_ptr->mode,
                                                  pc_ptr->process,
-                                                 pc_ptr->ignore ? "ignored" : pc_ptr->severity, service_name_buf);
+                                                 pc_ptr->ignore ? "ignored" : pc_ptr->severity, recovery_method_buf);
             pc_ptr->stage = PMON_STAGE__MANAGE ;
         }
         // mem_log_process ( pc_ptr );
@@ -1870,6 +1926,11 @@ void pmon_service ( pmon_ctrl_type * ctrl_ptr )
 
         if ( pmonTimer_hostwd.ring == true )
         {
+            /* inservice recovery from hostw connection failures */
+            if ( sock_ptr->hostwd_sock == 0 )
+            {
+                hostwd_port_init();
+            }
             if ( ctrl_ptr->event_mode == true )
             {
                 pmon_send_hostwd ( );
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonInit.cpp b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonInit.cpp
index 6837100b..dd87c9e7 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonInit.cpp
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonInit.cpp
@@ -116,14 +116,15 @@ int pmon_process_config ( void * user,
     }
     if (MATCH("process", "service"))
     {
+        ptr->mask |= CONF_RECOVERY ;
         ptr->service = strdup(value);
         dlog1 ("Service    : %s\n", ptr->service );
         rc = PASS ;
     }
     else if (MATCH("process", "script"))
     {
-        ptr->mask |= CONF_SCRIPT ;
-        ptr->status_mask |= CONF_SCRIPT ;
+        ptr->mask |= CONF_RECOVERY ;
+        ptr->status_mask |= CONF_RECOVERY ;
         ptr->script = strdup(value);
         dlog1 ("Script     : %s\n", ptr->script );
     }
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ int socket_init ( void )
      * host watchdog process */
     if ( rc == PASS )
     {
-        rc = hostwd_port_init ( );
+        hostwd_port_init ( );
     }
 
     pmon_inbox_init ( );
@@ -500,22 +501,8 @@ int daemon_init ( string iface, string nodetype_str )
         pmon_timer_init ();
     }
 
-    /*
-     * Setup the recovery method based on the O/S
-     *
-     * WRL    - SYSVINIT
-     * CENTOS - SYSTEMD
-     *
-     **/
-    if ( daemon_is_file_present ( CENTOS_RELEASE_FILE ) )
-    {
-        pmon_ctrl.recovery_method = PMOND_RECOVERY_METHOD__SYSTEMD ;
-        pmon_ctrl.system_state = get_system_state();
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        pmon_ctrl.recovery_method = PMOND_RECOVERY_METHOD__SYSVINIT ;
-    }
+    pmon_ctrl.recovery_method = PMOND_RECOVERY_METHOD__SYSTEMD ;
+    pmon_ctrl.system_state = get_system_state();
     ilog ("Recovery Method: %s\n", pmon_ctrl.recovery_method ? "systemd via systemctl" : "sysvinit via script" );
     return (rc);
 }
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonMsg.cpp b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonMsg.cpp
index 4b388b01..8e0daf6a 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonMsg.cpp
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/pmonMsg.cpp
@@ -78,53 +78,42 @@ int pulse_port_init ( void )
 }
 
 /* Setup the Unix Host Watchdog Socket */
-#define _THROTTLE_LEVEL (5)
 int hostwd_port_init ( void )
 {
-    int rc   = FAIL ;
-    int fail_count = 0 ;
     memset(&pmon_sock.hostwd_addr, 0, sizeof(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr));
-    while (rc == FAIL)
+    pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
+
+    if (pmon_sock.hostwd_sock <= 0)
     {
-        int len;
-        int connected;
-        pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
-
-        if (pmon_sock.hostwd_sock <= 0) {
-            if ( fail_count++ > _THROTTLE_LEVEL ) {
-                wlog("Could not connect to create hostwd socket - will retry\n");
-            }
-            sleep(1);
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        /* Set up the socket address */
-        memset (&pmon_sock.hostwd_addr, 0, sizeof(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr));
-        pmon_sock.hostwd_addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-
-        /* Unix abstract namespace takes a string that starts with a NULL
-         * as the identifier.  Thus, we need a pointer to byte[1] of the
-         * sockaddr_un.sun_path (a char array)
-         */
-        strncpy( &(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr.sun_path[1]),
-                 HOSTW_UNIX_SOCKNAME,
-                 UNIX_PATH_MAX-1);
-        len = sizeof(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr);
-
-        connected = connect( pmon_sock.hostwd_sock, (sockaddr*) &pmon_sock.hostwd_addr,
-            len);
-        if (connected == -1) {
-            if ( fail_count++ > _THROTTLE_LEVEL ) {
-                wlog("Could not connect to hostwd port - will retry\n");
-            }
-            close(pmon_sock.hostwd_sock);
-            pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = 0;
-            sleep(1);
-        } else {
-            rc = PASS;
-        }
+        wlog("Could not connect to create hostwd socket - will retry\n");
+        pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = 0 ;
+        return (FAIL_SOCKET_CREATE);
     }
-    return (rc);
+
+    /* Set up the socket address */
+    memset (&pmon_sock.hostwd_addr, 0, sizeof(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr));
+    pmon_sock.hostwd_addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+
+    /* Unix abstract namespace takes a string that starts with a NULL
+     * as the identifier.  Thus, we need a pointer to byte[1] of the
+     * sockaddr_un.sun_path (a char array)
+     */
+    strncpy( &(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr.sun_path[1]),
+             HOSTW_UNIX_SOCKNAME,
+             UNIX_PATH_MAX-1);
+    int len = sizeof(pmon_sock.hostwd_addr);
+    int connected = connect( pmon_sock.hostwd_sock, (sockaddr*) &pmon_sock.hostwd_addr,
+        len);
+    if (connected == -1)
+    {
+        wlog("Could not connect to hostwd port - will retry\n");
+        if ( pmon_sock.hostwd_sock )
+            close(pmon_sock.hostwd_sock);
+        pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = 0;
+        return (FAIL_CONNECT);
+    }
+    ilog ("connected to host watchdog\n");
+    return (PASS);
 }
 
 /* Build a message for host watchdog, and send it */
@@ -174,7 +163,13 @@ int pmon_send_hostwd ( void )
         {
             elog("Error sending  message to host watchdog -- error %d (%s)\n",
                 errno, strerror(errno));
+            if ( pmon_sock.hostwd_sock )
+            {
+                close(pmon_sock.hostwd_sock);
+                pmon_sock.hostwd_sock = 0;
+            }
             return (FAIL);
+
         }
     }
     return (FAIL);
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/acpid.conf b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/acpid.conf
index 7d5740c4..e1c88cfc 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/acpid.conf
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/acpid.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 process  = acpid
 service  = acpid
 pidfile  = /var/run/acpid.pid
-script   = /etc/init.d/acpid
 style    = lsb                ; ocf or lsb
 severity = minor              ; minor, major, critical
 restarts = 3                  ; restart retries before error assertion
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/nslcd.conf b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/nslcd.conf
index ad9dd838..63cc2f13 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/nslcd.conf
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/nslcd.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 process  = nslcd
 service  = nslcd
 pidfile  = /var/run/nslcd/nslcd.pid
-script   = /etc/init.d/openldap
 style    = lsb            ; ocf or lsb
 severity = major          ; minor, major, critical
 restarts = 3              ; restart retries before error assertion
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/ntpd.conf b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/ntpd.conf
index 568a89ee..524573b7 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/ntpd.conf
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/ntpd.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 process  = ntpd
 service  = ntpd
 pidfile  = /var/run/ntp.pid
-script   = /etc/init.d/ntpd
 style    = lsb            ; ocf or lsb
 severity = minor          ; minor, major, critical
 restarts = 0              ; restart retries before error assertion
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/sshd.conf b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/sshd.conf
index 80c507a7..dfa3a21c 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/sshd.conf
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/sshd.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 process  = sshd
 service  = sshd
 pidfile  = /var/run/sshd.pid
-script   = /etc/init.d/sshd
 style    = lsb            ; ocf or lsb
 severity = minor          ; minor, major, critical
 restarts = 10             ; restart retries before error assertion
diff --git a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/syslog-ng.conf b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/syslog-ng.conf
index 5bb48129..9d78fcad 100644
--- a/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/syslog-ng.conf
+++ b/mtce-common/cgts-mtce-common-1.0/pmon/scripts/syslog-ng.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 process  = syslog-ng
 service  = syslog-ng
 pidfile  = /var/run/syslog-ng/syslog-ng.pid
-script   = /etc/init.d/syslog
 style    = lsb            ; ocf or lsb
 severity = minor          ; minor, major, critical
 restarts = 2              ; restart retries before error assertion