diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/led b/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/led
index 6962bfa843..ba4dd6791d 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/led
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/init.d/led
@@ -34,14 +34,17 @@ load_led() {
 
 	[ -e /sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/brightness ] && {
 		echo "setting up led ${name}"
-		[ "$default" != nil ] && {
-			[ $default -eq 1 ] &&
-				echo 1 >/sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/brightness
-			[ $default -eq 1 ] ||
-				echo 0 >/sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/brightness
-		}
+
+		[ "$default" = 0 ] ||
+			echo 0 >/sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/brightness
+
 		echo $trigger > /sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/trigger 2> /dev/null
-		[ $? = 0 ] || {
+		ret="$?"
+
+		[ $default = 1 ] &&
+			echo 1 >/sys/class/leds/${sysfs}/brightness
+
+		[ $ret = 0 ] || {
 			echo >&2 "Skipping trigger '$trigger' for led '$name' due to missing kernel module"
 			return 1
 		}