diff --git a/package/skeleton-init-sysv/skeleton-init-sysv.mk b/package/skeleton-init-sysv/skeleton-init-sysv.mk
index c89c2dc1fd..009dc100ea 100644
--- a/package/skeleton-init-sysv/skeleton-init-sysv.mk
+++ b/package/skeleton-init-sysv/skeleton-init-sysv.mk
@@ -19,4 +19,15 @@ define SKELETON_INIT_SYSV_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 	$(call SYSTEM_RSYNC,$(SKELETON_INIT_SYSV_PKGDIR)/skeleton,$(TARGET_DIR))
 endef
 
+# enable/disable swapon/off calls depending on availability of the commands
+define SKELETON_INIT_SYSV_SWAPON_SWAPOFF_INITTAB
+	if [ -x $(TARGET_DIR)/sbin/swapon -a -x $(TARGET_DIR)/sbin/swapoff ]; then \
+		$(SED) '/^#.*\/sbin\/swap/s/^#\+[[:blank:]]*//' $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/inittab; \
+	else \
+		$(SED) '/^[^#].*\/sbin\/swap/s/^/#/' $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/inittab; \
+	fi
+endef
+
+SKELETON_INIT_SYSV_TARGET_FINALIZE_HOOKS += SKELETON_INIT_SYSV_SWAPON_SWAPOFF_INITTAB
+
 $(eval $(generic-package))