diff --git a/commands/service/Makefile b/commands/service/Makefile
index 8b9604375..dc406fb33 100644
--- a/commands/service/Makefile
+++ b/commands/service/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ SRCS.service=service.c parse.c util.c
 SRCS.printconfig=print.c parse.c util.c
 
 BINDIR= /bin
-MAN.service=
+MAN.service=	service.8
 MAN.printconfig=
 
 CPPFLAGS+=	-I${NETBSDSRCDIR}
diff --git a/man/man8/service.8 b/commands/service/service.8
similarity index 98%
rename from man/man8/service.8
rename to commands/service/service.8
index 4c018016f..d46d29bbb 100644
--- a/man/man8/service.8
+++ b/commands/service/service.8
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 service \- Manage an operating system service.
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .PP
-\fBservice [-c -r -n -p] (up|run|edit|update)\fR \fI<binary|self>\fR
+\fBservice [-b -c -n -p -r] (up|run|edit|update)\fR \fI<binary|self>\fR
 [\fB-args\fR \fI<args>\fR] [\fB-dev\fR \fI<special>\fR]
 [\fB-devstyle\fR \fI<style>\fR] [\fB-period\fR \fI<ticks>\fR]
 [\fB-script\fR \fI<path>\fR] [\fB-label\fR \fI<name>\fR]
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ it down allowing for graceful degradation of service. If a critical
 system service fails to restart, \fBRS\fR will immediately resort to
 a system-wide panic. The \fBup\fR action takes the following options:
 .TP
+.BI \-b "          "
+disable the usage of binary exponential restart time in \fBRS\fR.
+.TP
 .BI \-c "          "
 \fBRS\fR normally relies on the binary on the disk to restart a
 system service. The
@@ -72,10 +75,6 @@ use the copy to restart the service upon termination. This is necessary
 when the location on the disk may change or if the service itself is
 required to read the binary from the disk (e.g. the disk driver).
 .TP
-.BI \-r "          "
-when saving an in-memory copy, instructs \fBRS\fR to reuse and share the copy
-of an existing service with the same program name, if available.
-.TP
 .BI \-n "          "
 by default, \fBRS\fR performs blocking startup of the system service. As
 a result, the \fBup\fR action does not terminate until the system service
@@ -92,6 +91,10 @@ and use the replica to restart the service upon termination. This is
 necessary when the service itself is required to create a working
 service instance (e.g. \fBPM\fR).
 .TP
+.BI \-r "          "
+when saving an in-memory copy, instructs \fBRS\fR to reuse and share the copy
+of an existing service with the same program name, if available.
+.TP
 .BI \-args " <args>"
 specifies the command line arguments to use to run the program
 given by \fI<binary>\fR. The default is to use no arguments.
diff --git a/commands/service/service.c b/commands/service/service.c
index 65fe1998f..09a4f4c1c 100644
--- a/commands/service/service.c
+++ b/commands/service/service.c
@@ -161,20 +161,24 @@ static int parse_arguments(int argc, char **argv, u32_t *rss_flags)
   char *hz, *buff;
   int req_nr;
   int c, i, j;
-  int c_flag, r_flag, n_flag, p_flag;
+  int b_flag, c_flag, r_flag, n_flag, p_flag;
   int label_required;
 
+  b_flag = 0;
   c_flag = 0;
   r_flag = 0;
   n_flag = 0;
   p_flag = 0;
-  while (c= getopt(argc, argv, "rcnp?"), c != -1)
+  while (c= getopt(argc, argv, "rbcnp?"), c != -1)
   {
 	switch(c)
 	{
 	case '?':
 		print_usage(argv[ARG_NAME], "wrong number of arguments");
 		exit(EINVAL);
+	case 'b':
+		b_flag = 1;
+		break;
 	case 'c':
 		c_flag = 1;
 		break;
@@ -236,6 +240,9 @@ static int parse_arguments(int argc, char **argv, u32_t *rss_flags)
       if(p_flag)
         *rss_flags |= RSS_REPLICA;
 
+      if(b_flag)
+	*rss_flags |= RSS_NO_BIN_EXP;
+
       req_path = argv[optind+ARG_PATH];
       if(req_nr == RS_UPDATE && !strcmp(req_path, SELF_BINARY)) {
           /* Self update needs no real path or configuration file. */
diff --git a/include/minix/rs.h b/include/minix/rs.h
index b47973c34..71f9868b8 100644
--- a/include/minix/rs.h
+++ b/include/minix/rs.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Interface to the reincarnation server
 #define RSS_SELF_LU	0x20	/* perform self update */
 #define RSS_SYS_BASIC_CALLS	0x40	/* include basic kernel calls */
 #define RSS_VM_BASIC_CALLS	0x80	/* include basic vm calls */
+#define RSS_NO_BIN_EXP	0x100	/* suppress binary exponential offset */
 
 /* Common definitions. */
 #define RS_NR_CONTROL		 8
diff --git a/man/man8/Makefile b/man/man8/Makefile
index 37cb25a3a..170bfe0ca 100644
--- a/man/man8/Makefile
+++ b/man/man8/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ MAN=	add_route.8 backup.8 boot.8 btrace.8 \
 	ossdevlinks.8 part.8 partition.8 \
 	poweroff.8 printroot.8 pr_routes.8 pwdauth.8 rarpd.8 \
 	rdate.8 readclock.8 reboot.8 repartition.8 \
-	rshd.8  screendump.8 serial-ip.8 service.8 \
+	rshd.8  screendump.8 serial-ip.8 \
 	setup.8 shutdown.8 slip.8 srccrc.8 syslogd.8 tcpd.8 \
 	unix.8 update.8 usage.8 vbfs.8
 
diff --git a/servers/rs/const.h b/servers/rs/const.h
index 4df7f5b96..9917a7c99 100644
--- a/servers/rs/const.h
+++ b/servers/rs/const.h
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@
 #define SF_USE_COPY     0x008    /* set when process has a copy in memory */
 #define SF_NEED_REPL    0x010    /* set when process needs replica to start */
 #define SF_USE_REPL     0x020    /* set when process has a replica */
+#define SF_NO_BIN_EXP	0x040    /* set when we should ignore binary exp. offset */
 #define IMM_SF          \
-    (SF_CORE_SRV | SF_SYNCH_BOOT | SF_NEED_COPY | SF_NEED_REPL) /* immutable */
+    (SF_NO_BIN_EXP | SF_CORE_SRV | SF_SYNCH_BOOT | SF_NEED_COPY | SF_NEED_REPL) /* immutable */
 
 /* Constants determining RS period and binary exponential backoff. */
 #define RS_INIT_T	(system_hz * 10)	/* allow T ticks for init */
diff --git a/servers/rs/manager.c b/servers/rs/manager.c
index 9b4d69030..f05ed3d08 100644
--- a/servers/rs/manager.c
+++ b/servers/rs/manager.c
@@ -1066,10 +1066,15 @@ void terminate_service(struct rproc *rp)
        * a binary exponential backoff.
        */
       if (rp->r_restarts > 0) {
-          rp->r_backoff = 1 << MIN(rp->r_restarts,(BACKOFF_BITS-2));
-          rp->r_backoff = MIN(rp->r_backoff,MAX_BACKOFF); 
-          if ((rpub->sys_flags & SF_USE_COPY) && rp->r_backoff > 1)
-              rp->r_backoff= 1;
+          if (!(rpub->sys_flags & SF_NO_BIN_EXP)) {
+              rp->r_backoff = 1 << MIN(rp->r_restarts,(BACKOFF_BITS-2));
+              rp->r_backoff = MIN(rp->r_backoff,MAX_BACKOFF); 
+              if ((rpub->sys_flags & SF_USE_COPY) && rp->r_backoff > 1)
+                  rp->r_backoff= 1;
+	  }
+	  else {
+              rp->r_backoff = 1;
+	  }
           return;
       }
 
@@ -1545,6 +1550,9 @@ endpoint_t source;
   if (rs_start->rss_flags & RSS_REPLICA) {
       rpub->sys_flags |= SF_USE_REPL;
   }
+  if (rs_start->rss_flags & RSS_NO_BIN_EXP) {
+      rpub->sys_flags |= SF_NO_BIN_EXP;
+  }
 
   /* Update period. */
   if(rpub->endpoint != RS_PROC_NR) {