diff --git a/package/base-files/files/bin/login.sh b/package/base-files/files/bin/login.sh
index ff5d3660e4..00f2f81ab4 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/bin/login.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/bin/login.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Copyright (C) 2006 OpenWrt.org
 
+
+regpassresult="0"
 grep '^root:[^!]' /etc/passwd >&- 2>&-
-[ "$?" = "0" -a -z "$FAILSAFE" ]  &&  
-{
+regpassresult="$?"
+shadowresult="0"
+if [ -e "/etc/shadow" ]; then
+	grep '^root:[^!]' /etc/shadow >&- 2>&-
+        shadowresult="$?"
+fi
+[ "$regpassresult" = "0" ] && [ "$shadowresult" = "0" ] && [ -z "$FAILSAFE" ] && {
     echo "Login failed."
     exit 0
 } || {
diff --git a/package/busybox/files/telnet b/package/busybox/files/telnet
index 082aba7e90..2fbbb23575 100755
--- a/package/busybox/files/telnet
+++ b/package/busybox/files/telnet
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ START=50
 
 start() {
 	if 	[ \! -f /etc/passwd ] || \
-		awk -F: '/^root:/ && ($2 != "") && ($2 !~ /\!/) {exit 1}' /etc/passwd 2>/dev/null || \
+		( awk -F: '/^root:/ && ($2 != "") && ($2 !~ /\!/) {exit 1}' /etc/passwd 2>/dev/null && \
+		awk -F: '/^root:/ && ($2 != "") && ($2 !~ /\!/) {exit 1}' /etc/shadow 2>/dev/null ) || \
 		( [ \! -x /usr/sbin/dropbear ] && [ \! -x /usr/sbin/sshd ] )
 	then \
 		telnetd -l /bin/login.sh