diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S35wifi b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S35wifi
index ce09558d03..b0f0f870f5 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S35wifi
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S35wifi
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ start() {
 
         if [ $count -gt $link_watch_timeout ] || ! pidof wpa_supplicant > /dev/null; then
             msg_fail
-            reboot
             return 1
         fi
 
@@ -119,5 +118,7 @@ case "$1" in
         exit 1
 esac
 
-exit $?
+# continue after an unsuccessfull wifi start
+# as we may still have an ethernet connection available
+exit 0
 
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S40network b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S40network
index 8c117368ab..2c3eff3be4 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S40network
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S40network
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ start_eth() {
         count=$(($count + 1))
         if [ $count -ge 3 ]; then
             msg_done "no device"
-            return
+            return 1
         fi
     done
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ start_eth() {
         count=$(($count + 1))
         if [ $count -ge 3 ]; then
             msg_done "no link"
-            return
+            return 1
         fi
     done
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ start_eth() {
         count=$(($count + 1))
         if [ $count -ge $link_nego_timeout ]; then
             msg_done "no link"
-            return
+            return 1
         fi
     done
 
@@ -157,13 +157,20 @@ start() {
 
     start_lo
 
-    test -n "$ssid" && start_wlan
+    test -n "$ssid" && start_wlan && wlan_ok="ok"
     
-    # if wifi or ppp connection configured, start eth in background
-    if [ -n "$ssid" ] || [ -r /data/etc/ppp/modem ]; then
+    test -r /data/etc/ppp/modem && ppp_ok="ok" # TODO actually test the ppp link
+    
+    # if wifi or ppp link ok, start eth in background
+    if [ "$wlan_ok" == "ok" ] || [ "$ppp_ok" == "ok" ]; then
         start_eth &>/dev/null &
     else
-        start_eth
+        start_eth && eth_ok="ok"
+    fi
+    
+    if [ "$eth_ok" != "ok" ] && [ "$wlan_ok" != "ok" ] && [ "$ppp_ok" != "ok" ]; then
+        reboot
+        return 1
     fi
 
     if [ -n "$static_gw" ]; then
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcK b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcK
index 90d77ec140..57424ee304 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcK
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcK
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ echo "---- shutting down $os_name $os_version ----" >> $boot_log
 (for i in $(ls -r /etc/init.d/S??*); do
     [ ! -x "$i" ] && continue
     [ -f /data/etc/no_$(basename $i) ] && continue
-    $i stop
+    $i stop || break
 done& echo $! > $pid_file) | tee -a $boot_log &
 
 pid=$(cat $pid_file)
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcS b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcS
index 4ef21aaf4f..c4079c65d0 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcS
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/rcS
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ echo "---- booting $os_name $os_version----" >> $tmp_boot_log
 (for i in /etc/init.d/S??*; do
     [ ! -x "$i" ] && continue
     [ -f /data/etc/no_$(basename $i) ] && continue
-    $i start
+    $i start || break
 done& echo $! > $pid_file) | tee -a $tmp_boot_log &
 
 pid=$(cat $pid_file)