diff --git a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
index 9f16d5f5d4..b6cd088ec0 100644
--- a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
+++ b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ start_service() {
 	procd_open_instance
 	procd_set_param command $PROG -C $CONFIGFILE -k
 	procd_set_param file $CONFIGFILE
+	procd_set_param respawn
 	procd_close_instance
 
 	# before we can call xappend