diff --git a/contrib/scripts/safe_asterisk b/contrib/scripts/safe_asterisk
index 02c13733fb..dd6589cb5a 100644
--- a/contrib/scripts/safe_asterisk
+++ b/contrib/scripts/safe_asterisk
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ ASTVARRUNDIR="__ASTERISK_VARRUN_DIR__"
 ASTVARLOGDIR="__ASTERISK_LOG_DIR__"
 
 CLIARGS="$*"			# Grab any args passed to safe_asterisk
-TTY=9				# TTY (if you want one) for Asterisk to run on
+#TTY=9				# TTY (if you want one) for Asterisk to run on
 CONSOLE=yes			# Whether or not you want a console
 #NOTIFY=root@localhost		# Who to notify about crashes
 #EXEC=/path/to/somescript	# Run this command if Asterisk crashes
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ PRIORITY=0
 message() {
 	if test -n "$TTY" && test "$TTY" != "no"; then
 		echo "$1" >/dev/${TTY}
+	else
+		echo "$1" >&2
 	fi
 	if test -n "$SYSLOG"; then
 		logger -p "${SYSLOG}.warn" -t safe_asterisk[$$] "$1"
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ if test `id -u` != 0; then
 	echo "Oops. I'm not root. Falling back to standard prio and file max." >&2
 	echo "This is NOT suitable for large systems." >&2
 	PRIORITY=0
-	message "safe_asterisk was started by `id -n` (uid `id -u`)."
+	message "safe_asterisk was started by `id -un` (uid `id -u`)."
 else
 	if `uname -s | grep Linux >/dev/null 2>&1`; then
 		# maximum number of open files is set to the system maximum
@@ -160,10 +162,30 @@ trap '' PIPE
 #
 
 if test -d "${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d"; then
-	for script in "${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d/"*.sh; do
-		if test -r "${script}"; then
-			. "${script}"
+	# If this script is run by root, the startup.d directory and all scripts in it
+	# must be owned by root.
+	if test `id -u` == 0; then
+		dir_owner=$(stat -c '%u' "${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d" 2>/dev/null)
+		if test "${dir_owner}" != 0 ; then
+			message "FATAL: ${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d is not owned by root"
+			exit 1
 		fi
+
+		# Check all scripts for proper ownership before sourcing any of them.
+		for script in $(find "${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d/" -name '*.sh') ; do
+			if test -r "${script}"; then
+				script_owner=$(stat -c '%u' "${script}" 2>/dev/null)
+				if test "$script_owner" != 0 ; then
+					message "FATAL: Script $(basename "$script") is not owned by root"
+					exit 1
+				fi
+			fi
+		done
+	fi
+
+	for script in $(find "${ASTETCDIR}/startup.d/" -name '*.sh') ; do
+		echo sourceing
+		. "${script}"
 	done
 fi