diff --git a/etc/initsystem/CMakeLists.txt b/etc/initsystem/CMakeLists.txt
index 97341506a..4ad18fc27 100644
--- a/etc/initsystem/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/etc/initsystem/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ if(NOT WIN32)
   )
 
   install(
-    FILES prepare-dirs
+    FILES prepare-dirs safe-reload
     DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib/icinga2
     PERMISSIONS OWNER_READ OWNER_WRITE OWNER_EXECUTE GROUP_READ GROUP_EXECUTE WORLD_READ WORLD_EXECUTE
   )
diff --git a/etc/initsystem/icinga2.init.d.cmake b/etc/initsystem/icinga2.init.d.cmake
index 5d4b99174..204de135f 100644
--- a/etc/initsystem/icinga2.init.d.cmake
+++ b/etc/initsystem/icinga2.init.d.cmake
@@ -108,19 +108,7 @@ stop() {
 
 # Reload Icinga 2
 reload() {
-	printf "Reloading Icinga 2: "
-
-	if [ ! -e $ICINGA2_PID_FILE ]; then
-		exit 7
-	fi
-
-	pid=`cat $ICINGA2_PID_FILE`
-	if kill -HUP $pid >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		echo "Done"
-	else
-		echo "Error: Icinga not running"
-		exit 7
-	fi
+	exec @CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib/icinga2/safe-reload $SYSCONFIGFILE
 }
 
 # Check the Icinga 2 configuration
diff --git a/etc/initsystem/icinga2.service.cmake b/etc/initsystem/icinga2.service.cmake
index 4f63805be..e4e58c47b 100644
--- a/etc/initsystem/icinga2.service.cmake
+++ b/etc/initsystem/icinga2.service.cmake
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ EnvironmentFile=@ICINGA2_SYSCONFIGFILE@
 ExecStartPre=@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib/icinga2/prepare-dirs @ICINGA2_SYSCONFIGFILE@
 ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_SBINDIR@/icinga2 daemon -d -e ${ICINGA2_ERROR_LOG}
 PIDFile=@ICINGA2_RUNDIR@/icinga2/icinga2.pid
-ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+ExecReload=@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/lib/icinga2/safe-reload @ICINGA2_SYSCONFIGFILE@
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/etc/initsystem/safe-reload b/etc/initsystem/safe-reload
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6927aec30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/initsystem/safe-reload
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# load system specific defines
+SYSCONFIGFILE=$1
+if [ -f "$SYSCONFIGFILE" ]; then
+	. $SYSCONFIGFILE
+else
+	echo "Error: You need to supply the path to the Icinga2 sysconfig file as parameter."
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+printf "Validating config files: "
+
+OUTPUTFILE=`mktemp`
+
+if ! $DAEMON daemon --validate --color > $OUTPUTFILE; then
+	echo "Failed"
+
+	cat $OUTPUTFILE
+	rm -f $OUTPUTFILE
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Done"
+rm -f $OUTPUTFILE
+
+printf "Reloading Icinga 2: "
+
+if [ ! -e $ICINGA2_PID_FILE ]; then
+	exit 7
+fi
+
+pid=`cat $ICINGA2_PID_FILE`
+if kill -HUP $pid >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+	echo "Done"
+else
+	echo "Error: Icinga not running"
+	exit 7
+fi
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/icinga2.spec b/icinga2.spec
index b70d163e6..41432f5ec 100644
--- a/icinga2.spec
+++ b/icinga2.spec
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@ exit 0
 %config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/%{name}/scripts/*
 %dir %{_libexecdir}/%{name}
 %{_libexecdir}/%{name}/prepare-dirs
+%{_libexecdir}/%{name}/safe-reload
 %attr(0750,%{icinga_user},%{icinga_group}) %dir %{_localstatedir}/spool/%{name}
 %attr(0750,%{icinga_user},%{icinga_group}) %dir %{_localstatedir}/spool/%{name}/perfdata
 %attr(0750,%{icinga_user},%{icinga_group}) %dir %{_localstatedir}/spool/%{name}/tmp