diff --git a/doc/net.example.BSD.in b/doc/net.example.BSD.in
index fb25215e..38b6dbf9 100644
--- a/doc/net.example.BSD.in
+++ b/doc/net.example.BSD.in
@@ -440,3 +440,6 @@
 #       # This function is mostly here for completeness... I haven't
 #       # thought of anything nifty to do with it yet ;-)
 #}
+
+# You should note that we don't stop the network at system shutdown by default.
+# If you really need this, then set shutdown_network=YES
diff --git a/doc/net.example.Linux.in b/doc/net.example.Linux.in
index f050c2af..ed3b80bc 100644
--- a/doc/net.example.Linux.in
+++ b/doc/net.example.Linux.in
@@ -1242,3 +1242,6 @@
 #       # This function is mostly here for completeness... I haven't
 #       # thought of anything nifty to do with it yet ;-)
 #}
+
+# You should note that we don't stop the network at system shutdown by default.
+# If you really need this, then set shutdown_network=YES
diff --git a/init.d/net.lo.in b/init.d/net.lo.in
index fbc0124b..10a7cb61 100644
--- a/init.d/net.lo.in
+++ b/init.d/net.lo.in
@@ -709,6 +709,11 @@ ${routes}"
 
 stop()
 {
+	# Don't stop the network at shutdown.
+ 	# We don't use the noshutdown keyword so that we are started again
+	# correctly if we go back to multiuser.
+	yesno ${shutdown_network:-YES} && yesno $RC_GOINGDOWN && return 0
+
 	local IFACE=${RC_SVCNAME#*.} module=
 	local IFVAR=$(shell_var "${IFACE}") opts=