diff --git a/contrib/init/bitcoind.openrc b/contrib/init/bitcoind.openrc
index 86222295dbe..876d6d5893a 100644
--- a/contrib/init/bitcoind.openrc
+++ b/contrib/init/bitcoind.openrc
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ start_pre() {
 
 checkconfig()
 {
-	if ! grep -qs '^rpcpassword=' "${BITCOIND_CONFIGFILE}" ; then
+	if grep -qs '^rpcuser=' "${BITCOIND_CONFIGFILE}" && \
+		! grep -qs '^rpcpassword=' "${BITCOIND_CONFIGFILE}" ; then
 		eerror ""
 		eerror "ERROR: You must set a secure rpcpassword to run bitcoind."
 		eerror "The setting must appear in ${BITCOIND_CONFIGFILE}"