diff --git a/managemon.c b/managemon.c
index e01d13b..037406f 100644
--- a/managemon.c
+++ b/managemon.c
@@ -680,8 +680,6 @@ void do_manager(struct supertype *container)
 
 	sigprocmask(SIG_UNBLOCK, NULL, &set);
 	sigdelset(&set, SIGUSR1);
-	sigdelset(&set, SIGHUP);
-	sigdelset(&set, SIGALRM);
 	sigdelset(&set, SIGTERM);
 
 	do {
@@ -700,30 +698,6 @@ void do_manager(struct supertype *container)
 
 			read_sock(container);
 
-			if (socket_hup_requested) {
-				/* Try to create pid file and socket in
-				 * main or alternate RUN directory.
-				 */
-				char *dir = VAR_RUN;
-				if (mkdir(dir, 0600) < 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
-					char *dir = ALT_RUN;
-					if (mkdir(dir, 0600) < 0 && errno != EEXIST)
-						dir = NULL;
-				}
-				if (dir && !sigterm &&
-				    (container->sock < 0 ||
-				     strcmp(dir, pid_dir) != 0)) {
-					close(container->sock);
-					remove_pidfile(container->devname);
-					pid_dir = dir;
-					container->sock = make_control_sock(container->devname);
-					make_pidfile(container->devname);
-				}
-				socket_hup_requested = 0;
-			}
-			if (container->sock < 0)
-				alarm(30);
-
 			free_mdstat(mdstat);
 		}
 		remove_old();
diff --git a/mdmon.c b/mdmon.c
index c590fb2..31d45fd 100644
--- a/mdmon.c
+++ b/mdmon.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static struct superswitch *find_metadata_methods(char *vers)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-int make_pidfile(char *devname)
+static int make_pidfile(char *devname)
 {
 	char path[100];
 	char pid[10];
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ void remove_pidfile(char *devname)
 		rmdir(pid_dir);
 }
 
-int make_control_sock(char *devname)
+static int make_control_sock(char *devname)
 {
 	char path[100];
 	int sfd;
@@ -221,12 +221,6 @@ int make_control_sock(char *devname)
 	return sfd;
 }
 
-int socket_hup_requested;
-static void hup(int sig)
-{
-	socket_hup_requested = 1;
-}
-
 static void term(int sig)
 {
 	sigterm = 1;
@@ -431,24 +425,25 @@ static int mdmon(char *devname, int devnum, int must_fork, int takeover)
 	 */
 	sigemptyset(&set);
 	sigaddset(&set, SIGUSR1);
-	sigaddset(&set, SIGHUP);
-	sigaddset(&set, SIGALRM);
 	sigaddset(&set, SIGTERM);
 	sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &set, NULL);
 	act.sa_handler = wake_me;
 	act.sa_flags = 0;
 	sigaction(SIGUSR1, &act, NULL);
-	sigaction(SIGALRM, &act, NULL);
-	act.sa_handler = hup;
-	sigaction(SIGHUP, &act, NULL);
 	act.sa_handler = term;
 	sigaction(SIGTERM, &act, NULL);
 	act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
 	sigaction(SIGPIPE, &act, NULL);
 
 	if (takeover) {
+		pid_dir = VAR_RUN;
 		victim = mdmon_pid(container->devnum);
-		victim_sock = connect_monitor(container->devname);
+		if (victim < 0) {
+			pid_dir = ALT_RUN;
+			victim = mdmon_pid(container->devnum);
+		}
+		if (victim >= 0)
+			victim_sock = connect_monitor(container->devname);
 	}
 
 	ignore = chdir("/");
@@ -470,6 +465,25 @@ static int mdmon(char *devname, int devnum, int must_fork, int takeover)
 
 	/* Ok, this is close enough.  We can say goodbye to our parent now.
 	 */
+	if (victim > 0)
+		remove_pidfile(devname);
+	if (mkdir(VAR_RUN, 0600) >= 0 || errno == EEXIST)
+		pid_dir = VAR_RUN;
+	else if (mkdir(ALT_RUN, 0600) >= 0 || errno == EEXIST)
+		pid_dir = ALT_RUN;
+	else {
+		fprintf(stderr, "mdmon: Neither %s nor %s are writable\n"
+			"       cannot create .pid or .sock files.  Aborting\n",
+			VAR_RUN, ALT_RUN);
+		exit(3);
+	}
+	if (make_pidfile(devname) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "mdmon: Cannot create pid file in %s - aborting.\n",
+			pid_dir);
+		exit(3);
+	}
+	container->sock = make_control_sock(devname);
+
 	status = 0;
 	if (write(pfd[1], &status, sizeof(status)) < 0)
 		fprintf(stderr, "mdmon: failed to notify our parent: %d\n",
@@ -484,7 +498,7 @@ static int mdmon(char *devname, int devnum, int must_fork, int takeover)
 		exit(2);
 	}
 
-	if (victim > -1) {
+	if (victim > 0) {
 		try_kill_monitor(victim, container->devname, victim_sock);
 		close(victim_sock);
 	}
diff --git a/mdmon.h b/mdmon.h
index a03686f..20a0a01 100644
--- a/mdmon.h
+++ b/mdmon.h
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ extern struct md_generic_cmd *active_cmd;
 void remove_pidfile(char *devname);
 void do_monitor(struct supertype *container);
 void do_manager(struct supertype *container);
-int make_control_sock(char *devname);
-int make_pidfile(char *devname);
-extern int socket_hup_requested;
 extern int sigterm;
 
 int read_dev_state(int fd);
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index 81fef49..e43e545 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -481,7 +481,11 @@ static int wait_and_act(struct supertype *container, int nowait)
 				dprintf("caught sigterm, all clean... exiting\n");
 			else
 				dprintf("no arrays to monitor... exiting\n");
-			remove_pidfile(container->devname);
+			if (!sigterm)
+				/* On SIGTERM, someone (the take-over mdmon) will
+				 * clean up
+				 */
+				remove_pidfile(container->devname);
 			exit_now = 1;
 			signal_manager();
 			exit(0);