diff --git a/Makefile.conf.in b/Makefile.conf.in
index ea5fe1d..09c3129 100644
--- a/Makefile.conf.in
+++ b/Makefile.conf.in
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ autofsconfdir = @confdir@
 # Location for autofs maps
 autofsmapdir = @mapdir@
 
+# Location for autofs fifos
+autofsfifodir = @fifodir@
+
 # Where to install the automount program
 sbindir = @sbindir@
 
diff --git a/aclocal.m4 b/aclocal.m4
index ffeb232..118ef0d 100644
--- a/aclocal.m4
+++ b/aclocal.m4
@@ -120,6 +120,22 @@ AC_DEFUN(AF_MAP_D,
   done
 fi])
 
+dnl --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+dnl AF_FIFO_D
+dnl
+dnl Check the location of the autofs fifos directory
+dnl --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+AC_DEFUN(AF_FIFO_D,
+[if test -z "$fifodir"; then
+  for fifo_d in /var/run /tmp; do
+    if test -z "$fifodir"; then
+      if test -d "$fifo_d"; then
+        fifodir="$fifo_d"
+      fi
+    fi
+  done
+fi])
+
 dnl ----------------------------------- ##                   -*- Autoconf -*-
 dnl Check if --with-dmalloc was given.  ##
 dnl From Franc,ois Pinard               ##
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 3508224..0360086 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -654,6 +654,7 @@ target_alias
 initdir
 confdir
 mapdir
+fifodir
 DMALLOCLIB
 MOUNT
 HAVE_MOUNT
@@ -1293,6 +1294,7 @@ Optional Packages:
   --with-path=PATH	  look in PATH for binaries needed by the automounter
   --with-confdir=DIR	  use DIR for autofs configuration files
   --with-mapdir=PATH	  look in PATH for mount maps used by the automounter
+  --with-fifodir=PATH	   use PATH as the directory for fifos used by the automounter
   --with-dmalloc          use dmalloc, as in
 			  http://www.dmalloc.com/dmalloc.tar.gz
   --with-hesiod=DIR	  enable Hesiod support (libs and includes in DIR)
@@ -1844,6 +1846,36 @@ echo "${ECHO_T}$mapdir" >&6; }
 
 
 #
+# The user can specify --with-fifodir=PATH to specify where autofs fifos go
+#
+if test -z "$fifodir"; then
+  for fifo_d in /var/run /tmp; do
+    if test -z "$fifodir"; then
+      if test -d "$fifo_d"; then
+        fifodir="$fifo_d"
+      fi
+    fi
+  done
+fi
+
+# Check whether --with-fifodir was given.
+if test "${with_fifodir+set}" = set; then
+  withval=$with_fifodir; if test -z "$withval" -o "$withval" = "yes" -o "$withval" = "no"
+	then
+		:
+	else
+		fifodir="${withval}"
+	fi
+
+fi
+
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for autofs fifos directory" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for autofs fifos directory... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
+{ echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $fifodir" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$fifodir" >&6; }
+
+
+#
 # Optional include dmalloc
 #
 { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking if malloc debugging is wanted" >&5
@@ -6074,6 +6106,7 @@ target_alias!$target_alias$ac_delim
 initdir!$initdir$ac_delim
 confdir!$confdir$ac_delim
 mapdir!$mapdir$ac_delim
+fifodir!$fifodir$ac_delim
 DMALLOCLIB!$DMALLOCLIB$ac_delim
 MOUNT!$MOUNT$ac_delim
 HAVE_MOUNT!$HAVE_MOUNT$ac_delim
@@ -6124,7 +6157,7 @@ LIBOBJS!$LIBOBJS$ac_delim
 LTLIBOBJS!$LTLIBOBJS$ac_delim
 _ACEOF
 
-  if test `sed -n "s/.*$ac_delim\$/X/p" conf$$subs.sed | grep -c X` = 88; then
+  if test `sed -n "s/.*$ac_delim\$/X/p" conf$$subs.sed | grep -c X` = 89; then
     break
   elif $ac_last_try; then
     { { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: could not make $CONFIG_STATUS" >&5
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 8cddf90..a83b3f1 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -79,6 +79,23 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT([$mapdir])
 AC_SUBST(mapdir)
 
 #
+# The user can specify --with-fifodir=PATH to specify where autofs fifos go
+#
+AF_FIFO_D()
+AC_ARG_WITH(fifodir,
+[  --with-fifodir=PATH	   use PATH as the directory for fifos used by the automounter],
+	if test -z "$withval" -o "$withval" = "yes" -o "$withval" = "no"
+	then
+		:
+	else
+		fifodir="${withval}"
+	fi
+)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for autofs fifos directory])
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$fifodir])
+AC_SUBST(fifodir)
+
+#
 # Optional include dmalloc
 #
 AM_WITH_DMALLOC()
diff --git a/daemon/Makefile b/daemon/Makefile
index 4ee70eb..528a684 100644
--- a/daemon/Makefile
+++ b/daemon/Makefile
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ CFLAGS += -rdynamic $(DAEMON_CFLAGS) -D_GNU_SOURCE -I../include
 CFLAGS += -DAUTOFS_LIB_DIR=\"$(autofslibdir)\" 
 CFLAGS += -DAUTOFS_MAP_DIR=\"$(autofsmapdir)\"
 CFLAGS += -DAUTOFS_CONF_DIR=\"$(autofsconfdir)\"
+CFLAGS += -DAUTOFS_FIFO_DIR=\"$(autofsfifodir)\"
 CFLAGS += -DVERSION_STRING=\"$(version)\"
 LDFLAGS += -rdynamic
 LIBS = -ldl
diff --git a/daemon/automount.c b/daemon/automount.c
index 7e7d1e6..a12b6da 100644
--- a/daemon/automount.c
+++ b/daemon/automount.c
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ const char *libdir = AUTOFS_LIB_DIR;	/* Location of library modules */
 const char *mapdir = AUTOFS_MAP_DIR;	/* Location of mount maps */
 const char *confdir = AUTOFS_CONF_DIR;	/* Location of autofs config file */
 
+/* autofs fifo name prefix */
+const char *fifodir = AUTOFS_FIFO_DIR "/autofs.fifo";
+
 const char *global_options;		/* Global option, from command line */
 
 static char *pid_file = NULL;		/* File in which to keep pid */
@@ -650,14 +653,13 @@ static int fullread(int fd, void *ptr, size_t len)
 static char *automount_path_to_fifo(unsigned logopt, const char *path)
 {
 	char *fifo_name, *p;
-	int  name_len = strlen(path) + strlen(AUTOFS_LOGPRI_FIFO) + 1;
+	int  name_len = strlen(path) + strlen(fifodir) + 1;
 	int ret;
 
 	fifo_name = malloc(name_len);
 	if (!fifo_name)
 		return NULL;
-	ret = snprintf(fifo_name, name_len, "%s%s",
-		       AUTOFS_LOGPRI_FIFO, path);
+	ret = snprintf(fifo_name, name_len, "%s%s", fifodir, path);
 	if (ret >= name_len) {
 		info(logopt,
 		     "fifo path for \"%s\" truncated to \"%s\".  This may "
@@ -670,7 +672,7 @@ static char *automount_path_to_fifo(unsigned logopt, const char *path)
 	 *  create the fifo name, we will just replace instances of '/' with
 	 *  '-'. 
 	 */
-	p = fifo_name + strlen(AUTOFS_LOGPRI_FIFO);
+	p = fifo_name + strlen(fifodir);
 	while (*p != '\0') {
 		if (*p == '/')
 			*p = '-';
@@ -685,8 +687,9 @@ static char *automount_path_to_fifo(unsigned logopt, const char *path)
 static int create_logpri_fifo(struct autofs_point *ap)
 {
 	int ret = -1;
-	int fd;
+	int fd, cl_flags;
 	char *fifo_name;
+	char buf[MAX_ERR_BUF];
 
 	fifo_name = automount_path_to_fifo(ap->logopt, ap->path);
 	if (!fifo_name) {
@@ -704,18 +707,27 @@ static int create_logpri_fifo(struct autofs_point *ap)
 
 	ret = mkfifo(fifo_name, S_IRUSR|S_IWUSR);
 	if (ret != 0) {
+		char *estr = strerror_r(errno, buf, MAX_ERR_BUF);
 		crit(ap->logopt,
-		     "mkfifo for %s returned %d", fifo_name, errno);
+		     "mkfifo for %s failed: %s", fifo_name, estr);
 		goto out_free;
 	}
 
 	fd = open(fifo_name, O_RDWR|O_NONBLOCK);
 	if (fd < 0) {
+		char *estr = strerror_r(errno, buf, MAX_ERR_BUF);
 		crit(ap->logopt,
-		     "Failed to open %s, errno %d", fifo_name, errno);
+		     "Failed to open %s: %s", fifo_name, estr);
+		unlink(fifo_name);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto out_free;
 	}
 
+	if ((cl_flags = fcntl(fd, F_GETFD, 0)) != -1) {
+		cl_flags |= FD_CLOEXEC;
+		fcntl(fd, F_SETFD, cl_flags);
+	}
+
 	ap->logpri_fifo = fd;
 
 out_free:
@@ -728,6 +740,10 @@ static int destroy_logpri_fifo(struct autofs_point *ap)
 	int ret = -1;
 	int fd = ap->logpri_fifo;
 	char *fifo_name;
+	char buf[MAX_ERR_BUF];
+
+	if (fd == -1)
+		return 0;
 
 	fifo_name = automount_path_to_fifo(ap->logopt, ap->path);
 	if (!fifo_name) {
@@ -739,8 +755,9 @@ static int destroy_logpri_fifo(struct autofs_point *ap)
 
 	ret = close(fd);
 	if (ret != 0) {
+		char *estr = strerror_r(errno, buf, MAX_ERR_BUF);
 		warn(ap->logopt,
-		     "close for fifo %s returned %d", fifo_name, errno);
+		     "close for fifo %s: %s", fifo_name, estr);
 	}
 
 	ret = unlink(fifo_name);
@@ -760,11 +777,13 @@ static void handle_fifo_message(struct autofs_point *ap, int fd)
 	char buffer[PIPE_BUF];
 	char *end;
 	long pri;
+	char buf[MAX_ERR_BUF];
 
 	memset(buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer));
 	ret = read(fd, &buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 	if (ret < 0) {
-		warn(ap->logopt, "read on fifo returned error %d", errno);
+		char *estr = strerror_r(errno, buf, MAX_ERR_BUF);
+		warn(ap->logopt, "read on fifo returned error: %s", estr);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -846,16 +865,18 @@ static int set_log_priority(const char *path, int priority)
 	 */
 	fd = open(fifo_name, O_WRONLY|O_NONBLOCK);
 	if (fd < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s: open of %s failed with %d\n",
-			__FUNCTION__, fifo_name, errno);
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: open of %s failed with %s\n",
+			__FUNCTION__, fifo_name, strerror(errno));
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: perhaps the fifo wasn't setup,"
+			" please check your log for more information\n", __FUNCTION__);
 		free(fifo_name);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (write(fd, buf, sizeof(buf)) != sizeof(buf)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to change logging priority.  ");
-		fprintf(stderr, "write to fifo failed with errno %d.\n",
-			errno);
+		fprintf(stderr, "write to fifo failed: %s.\n",
+			strerror(errno));
 		close(fd);
 		free(fifo_name);
 		return -1;
@@ -870,6 +891,7 @@ static int set_log_priority(const char *path, int priority)
 static int get_pkt(struct autofs_point *ap, union autofs_packet_union *pkt)
 {
 	struct pollfd fds[3];
+	int pollfds = 3;
 	char buf[MAX_ERR_BUF];
 
 	fds[0].fd = ap->pipefd;
@@ -878,9 +900,11 @@ static int get_pkt(struct autofs_point *ap, union autofs_packet_union *pkt)
 	fds[1].events = POLLIN;
 	fds[2].fd = ap->logpri_fifo;
 	fds[2].events = POLLIN;
+	if (fds[2].fd  == -1)
+		pollfds--;
 
 	for (;;) {
-		if (poll(fds, 3, -1) == -1) {
+		if (poll(fds, pollfds, -1) == -1) {
 			char *estr;
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
@@ -930,7 +954,7 @@ static int get_pkt(struct autofs_point *ap, union autofs_packet_union *pkt)
 		if (fds[0].revents & POLLIN)
 			return fullread(ap->pipefd, pkt, kpkt_len);
 
-		if (fds[2].revents & POLLIN) {
+		if (fds[2].fd != -1 && fds[2].revents & POLLIN) {
 			debug(ap->logopt, "message pending on control fifo.");
 			handle_fifo_message(ap, fds[2].fd);
 		}
@@ -983,7 +1007,6 @@ static int autofs_init_ap(struct autofs_point *ap)
 		crit(ap->logopt,
 		     "failed to create commumication pipe for autofs path %s",
 		     ap->path);
-		free(ap->path);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -1006,7 +1029,6 @@ static int autofs_init_ap(struct autofs_point *ap)
 		     "failed create state pipe for autofs path %s", ap->path);
 		close(ap->pipefd);
 		close(ap->kpipefd);	/* Close kernel pipe end */
-		free(ap->path);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -1021,15 +1043,8 @@ static int autofs_init_ap(struct autofs_point *ap)
 	}
 
 	if (create_logpri_fifo(ap) < 0) {
-		crit(ap->logopt,
-		     "failed to create FIFO for path %s\n", ap->path);
-		destroy_logpri_fifo(ap);
-		close(ap->pipefd);
-		close(ap->kpipefd);
-		free(ap->path);
-		close(ap->state_pipe[0]);
-		close(ap->state_pipe[1]);
-		return -1;
+		logmsg("could not create FIFO for path %s\n", ap->path);
+		logmsg("dynamic log level changes not available for %s", ap->path);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/include/automount.h b/include/automount.h
index 37a3c0a..b0d1a9c 100644
--- a/include/automount.h
+++ b/include/automount.h
@@ -223,8 +223,6 @@ int rmdir_path(struct autofs_point *ap, const char *path, dev_t dev);
 #define MAPENT_MAX_LEN 4095
 #define PARSE_MAX_BUF	KEY_MAX_LEN + MAPENT_MAX_LEN + 2
 
-#define AUTOFS_LOGPRI_FIFO "/tmp/autofs.fifo"
-
 int lookup_nss_read_master(struct master *master, time_t age);
 int lookup_nss_read_map(struct autofs_point *ap, struct map_source *source, time_t age);
 int lookup_enumerate(struct autofs_point *ap,
diff --git a/lib/master.c b/lib/master.c
index 2e24ad0..2188bca 100644
--- a/lib/master.c
+++ b/lib/master.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ int master_add_autofs_point(struct master_mapent *entry,
 
 	ap->state_pipe[0] = -1;
 	ap->state_pipe[1] = -1;
+	ap->logpri_fifo = -1;
 
 	ap->path = strdup(entry->path);
 	if (!ap->path) {