diff --git a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/Makefile b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/Makefile
index 57d1af6291..4dd4e9d9c2 100644
--- a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/Makefile
+++ b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=dnsmasq
 PKG_VERSION:=2.80test3
-PKG_RELEASE:=1
+PKG_RELEASE:=2
 
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.xz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/test-releases
diff --git a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
index c1ae0934fd..9c5d35b425 100644
--- a/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
+++ b/package/network/services/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
@@ -869,9 +869,6 @@ dnsmasq_start()
 		ADD_LOCAL_FQDN="$ADD_LOCAL_HOSTNAME"
 	fi
 
-	config_get_bool readethers "$cfg" readethers
-	[ "$readethers" = "1" -a \! -e "/etc/ethers" ] && touch /etc/ethers
-
 	config_get user_dhcpscript $cfg dhcpscript
 	if has_handler || [ -n "$user_dhcpscript" ]; then
 		xappend "--dhcp-script=$DHCPSCRIPT"