diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_plugin_restconf.c b/apps/backend/backend_plugin_restconf.c
index 17af6d61..660fdfa6 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_plugin_restconf.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_plugin_restconf.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ restconf_pseudo_process_commit(clicon_handle    h,
     xtarget = transaction_target(td);
     if (xpath_first(xtarget, NULL, "/restconf[enable='true']") != NULL)
 	enabled++;
-    /* Toggle start/stop */
+    /* Toggle start/stop if enable flag changed */
     if ((cx = xpath_first(xtarget, NULL, "/restconf/enable")) != NULL &&
 	xml_flag(cx, XML_FLAG_CHANGE|XML_FLAG_ADD)){
 	if (clixon_process_operation(h, RESTCONF_PROCESS,
@@ -203,12 +203,15 @@ restconf_pseudo_process_commit(clicon_handle    h,
 	if (transaction_dlen(xtarget) != 0 ||
 	    transaction_alen(xtarget) != 0 ||
 	    transaction_clen(xtarget) != 0){
-	    /* A restart can terminate a restconf connection (cut the tree limb you are sitting on)
-	     * Specifically, the socket is terminated where the reply is sent, which will
-	     * cause the curl to fail.
-	     */
-	    if (clixon_process_operation(h, RESTCONF_PROCESS, PROC_OP_RESTART, 0, NULL) < 0)
-		goto done;
+	    if ((cx = xpath_first(xtarget, NULL, "/restconf")) != NULL &&
+		xml_flag(cx, XML_FLAG_CHANGE|XML_FLAG_ADD)){
+		/* A restart can terminate a restconf connection (cut the tree limb you are sitting on)
+		 * Specifically, the socket is terminated where the reply is sent, which will
+		 * cause the curl to fail.
+		 */
+		if (clixon_process_operation(h, RESTCONF_PROCESS, PROC_OP_RESTART, 0, NULL) < 0)
+		    goto done;
+	    }
 	}
     }
     retval = 0;
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_proc.c b/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
index e173336f..3559623e 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ static int
 clixon_process_operation_one(const proc_operation op,
 			     const char          *netns,
 			     char               **argv,
+			     const char          *name,
 			     pid_t               *pidp)
 {
     int retval = -1;
@@ -441,7 +442,8 @@ clixon_process_operation_one(const proc_operation op,
 	goto done;
     if (op == PROC_OP_STOP || op == PROC_OP_RESTART){
 	if (run){
-	    pidfile_zapold(*pidp); /* Ensures its dead */
+	    clicon_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Killing old daemon %s with pid: %d", name, *pidp);
+	    kill(*pidp, SIGTERM);
 	}
 	*pidp = 0; /* mark as dead */
 	run = 0;
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ clixon_process_sched(int           fd,
     pe = _proc_entry_list;
     do {
 	if ((op = pe->pe_op) != PROC_OP_NONE){
-	    if (clixon_process_operation_one(op, pe->pe_netns, pe->pe_argv, &pe->pe_pid) < 0)
+	    if (clixon_process_operation_one(op, pe->pe_netns, pe->pe_argv, pe->pe_name, &pe->pe_pid) < 0)
 		goto done;
 	    clicon_debug(1, "%s op:%s pid:%d", __FUNCTION__, clicon_int2str(proc_operation_map, op), pe->pe_pid);
 	    pe->pe_op = PROC_OP_NONE;