--- /tmp/hostid	2011-02-17 03:19:40.000000000 +0100
+++ /tmp/hostid	2012-01-12 09:10:09.000000000 +0100
@@ -90,12 +90,15 @@ 
 
 hostid_start()
 {
-	# If ${hostid_file} already exists, we take UUID from there.
-	if [ -r ${hostid_file} ]; then
+	# If ${hostid_file} already exists, we take UUID from there. We use
+	# a -f rather than a -r check as the histid_file may in fact be
+	# a symbolic link.
+	#
+	if [ -f ${hostid_file} ]; then
 		hostid_set `cat ${hostid_file}`
 	else
 		# No hostid file, generate UUID.
-		hostid_generate
+		hostid_reset
 	fi
 }