diff --git a/server/core/config.c b/server/core/config.c
index 9330d1665..f86f97949 100644
--- a/server/core/config.c
+++ b/server/core/config.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ static	void	global_defaults();
 static	void	feedback_defaults();
 static	void	check_config_objects(CONFIG_CONTEXT *context);
 int	config_truth_value(char *str);
-int	internalService(char *router);
+int	isInternalService(char *router);
 int	config_get_ifaddr(unsigned char *output);
 int	config_get_release_string(char* release);
 FEEDBACK_CONF * config_get_feedback_data();
@@ -898,7 +898,7 @@ process_config_context(CONFIG_CONTEXT *context)
 					s = strtok_r(NULL, ",", &lasts);
 				}
 			}
-			else if (servers == NULL && internalService(router) == 0)
+			else if (servers == NULL && isInternalService(router) == 0)
 			{
 				LOGIF(LE, (skygw_log_write_flush(
                                         LOGFILE_ERROR,
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ process_config_context(CONFIG_CONTEXT *context)
 					monitorAddUser(obj->element,
                                                        user,
                                                        passwd);
-					valid_monitor_permissions(obj->element);
+					check_monitor_permissions(obj->element);
 				}
 				else if (obj->element && user)
 				{
@@ -2231,7 +2231,7 @@ static char *InternalRouters[] = {
  * @return	Non-zero if the router is in the InternalRouters table
  */
 int
-internalService(char *router)
+isInternalService(char *router)
 {
 int	i;
 
diff --git a/server/core/dbusers.c b/server/core/dbusers.c
index c4b41259f..724381313 100644
--- a/server/core/dbusers.c
+++ b/server/core/dbusers.c
@@ -2323,30 +2323,32 @@ int add_wildcard_users(USERS *users, char* name, char* host, char* password, cha
  * is logged.
  * @param service Service to inspect
  */
-void valid_service_permissions(SERVICE* service)
+bool check_service_permissions(SERVICE* service)
 {
     MYSQL* mysql;
     MYSQL_RES* res;
     char *user,*password,*dpasswd;
     SERVER_REF* server;
     int conn_timeout = 1;
+    bool rval = true;
 
-    if(internalService(service->routerModule))
-	return;
+    if(isInternalService(service->routerModule))
+	return true;
 
     if(service->dbref == NULL)
     {
-	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Service is missing the servers parameter.",service->name);
-	return;
+	skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Service is missing the servers parameter.",service->name);
+	return false;
     }
 
     server = service->dbref;
 
     if (serviceGetUser(service, &user, &password) == 0)
     {
-	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Service %s is missing the user credentials for authentication.",
-		 __FUNCTION__,service->name);
-	return;
+	skygw_log_write(LE,
+                 "%s: Error: Service is missing the user credentials for authentication.",
+		 service->name);
+	return false;
     }
 
     dpasswd = decryptPassword(password);
@@ -2355,7 +2357,7 @@ void valid_service_permissions(SERVICE* service)
     {
 	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: MySQL connection initialization failed.",__FUNCTION__);
 	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
+	return false;
     }
 
     mysql_options(mysql,MYSQL_OPT_USE_REMOTE_CONNECTION,NULL);
@@ -2365,7 +2367,7 @@ void valid_service_permissions(SERVICE* service)
 
     if(mysql_real_connect(mysql,server->server->name,user,dpasswd,NULL,server->server->port,NULL,0) == NULL)
     {
-	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Failed to connect to server %s(%s:%d) when"
+	skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Failed to connect to server %s(%s:%d) when"
 		" checking authentication user credentials and permissions.",
 		 service->name,
 		 server->server->unique_name,
@@ -2373,46 +2375,64 @@ void valid_service_permissions(SERVICE* service)
 		 server->server->port);
 	mysql_close(mysql);
 	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     if(mysql_query(mysql,"SELECT user, host, password,Select_priv FROM mysql.user limit 1") != 0)
     {
         if(mysql_errno(mysql) == ER_TABLEACCESS_DENIED_ERROR)
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: User '%s' is missing SELECT privileges on mysql.user table. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: User '%s' is missing SELECT privileges"
+                    " on mysql.user table. MySQL error message: %s",
                             service->name,user,mysql_error(mysql));
+            rval = false;
         }
         else
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Failed to query from mysql.user table. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Failed to query from mysql.user table."
+                    " MySQL error message: %s",
                             service->name,mysql_error(mysql));
 	}
-        mysql_close(mysql);
-	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
     }
 
-    mysql_free_result(mysql_use_result(mysql));
+    if((res = mysql_use_result(mysql)) == NULL)
+    {
+        skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Result retrieval failed when checking for"
+                " permissions to the mysql.user table: %s",
+                            service->name,mysql_error(mysql));
+        mysql_close(mysql);
+        free(dpasswd);
+        return rval;
+    }
+
+    mysql_free_result(res);
 
     if(mysql_query(mysql,"SELECT user, host, db FROM mysql.db limit 1") != 0)
     {
         if(mysql_errno(mysql) == ER_TABLEACCESS_DENIED_ERROR)
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: User '%s' is missing SELECT privileges on mysql.db table. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: User '%s' is missing SELECT privileges on mysql.db table. MySQL error message: %s",
                             service->name,user,mysql_error(mysql));
+            rval = false;
         }
         else
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Failed to query from mysql.user table. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Failed to query from mysql.db table. MySQL error message: %s",
                             service->name,mysql_error(mysql));
 	}
-        mysql_close(mysql);
-	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
     }
 
-    mysql_free_result(mysql_use_result(mysql));
+    if((res = mysql_use_result(mysql)) == NULL)
+    {
+         skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Result retrieval failed when checking for permissions to the mysql.db table: %s",
+                            service->name,mysql_error(mysql));
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        mysql_free_result(res);
+    }
+
     mysql_close(mysql);
     free(dpasswd);
+    return rval;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/core/monitor.c b/server/core/monitor.c
index ae1dd250b..f0a004086 100644
--- a/server/core/monitor.c
+++ b/server/core/monitor.c
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ extern __thread log_info_t tls_log_info;
 static MONITOR	*allMonitors = NULL;
 static SPINLOCK	monLock = SPINLOCK_INIT;
 
-void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor);
-
 /**
  * Allocate a new monitor, load the associated module for the monitor
  * and start execution on the monitor.
@@ -458,13 +456,14 @@ int		*data;
  * this checks for REPLICATION CLIENT permissions
  * @param service Monitor to inspect
  */
-void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor)
+bool check_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor)
 {
     MYSQL* mysql;
     MYSQL_RES* res;
     char *user,*dpasswd;
     SERVER* server;
     int conn_timeout = 1;
+    bool rval = true;
 
     user = monitor->user;
     dpasswd = decryptPassword(monitor->password);
@@ -473,7 +472,7 @@ void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor)
     {
 	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: MySQL connection initialization failed.",__FUNCTION__);
 	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
+	return false;
     }
 
     server = monitor->databases->server;
@@ -484,7 +483,7 @@ void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor)
      * user permissions. */
     if(mysql_real_connect(mysql,server->name,user,dpasswd,NULL,server->port,NULL,0) == NULL)
     {
-	skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Failed to connect to server %s(%s:%d) when"
+	skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Failed to connect to server %s(%s:%d) when"
 		" checking monitor user credentials and permissions.",
 		 monitor->name,
 		 server->unique_name,
@@ -492,27 +491,36 @@ void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor)
 		 server->port);
 	mysql_close(mysql);
 	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
+	return true;
     }
 
     if(mysql_query(mysql,"show slave status") != 0)
     {
         if(mysql_errno(mysql) == ER_SPECIFIC_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR)
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: User '%s' is missing REPLICATION CLIENT privileges. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: User '%s' is missing REPLICATION CLIENT privileges. MySQL error message: %s",
                             monitor->name,mysql_error(mysql));
+            rval = false;
         }
         else
         {
-            skygw_log_write(LE,"[%s] Error: Monitor failed to query for slave status. MySQL error message: %s",
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Monitor failed to query for slave status. MySQL error message: %s",
                             monitor->name,mysql_error(mysql));
         }
-	mysql_close(mysql);
-	free(dpasswd);
-	return;
     }
-
-    mysql_free_result(mysql_use_result(mysql));
+    else
+    {
+        if((res = mysql_use_result(mysql)) == NULL)
+        {
+            skygw_log_write(LE,"%s: Error: Result retrieval failed when checking for REPLICATION CLIENT permissions: %s",
+                            monitor->name,mysql_error(mysql));
+            free(dpasswd);
+            mysql_close(mysql);
+            return rval;
+        }
+        mysql_free_result(res);
+    }
     mysql_close(mysql);
     free(dpasswd);
+    return rval;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/core/service.c b/server/core/service.c
index 7ba249c44..b5a0066e5 100644
--- a/server/core/service.c
+++ b/server/core/service.c
@@ -417,6 +417,16 @@ serviceStart(SERVICE *service)
 SERV_PROTOCOL	*port;
 int		listeners = 0;
 
+
+if(!check_service_permissions(service))
+{
+    skygw_log_write_flush(LE,
+			"%s: Inadequate user permissions for service. Service not started.",
+                        service->name);
+    service->state = SERVICE_STATE_FAILED;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 if(service->ssl_mode != SSL_DISABLED)
 {
     if(serviceInitSSL(service) != 0)
@@ -438,8 +448,6 @@ if(service->ssl_mode != SSL_DISABLED)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	valid_service_permissions(service);
-
 	port = service->ports;
 	while (!service->svc_do_shutdown && port)
 	{
diff --git a/server/include/dbusers.h b/server/include/dbusers.h
index 0d78cd548..4f2d2c787 100644
--- a/server/include/dbusers.h
+++ b/server/include/dbusers.h
@@ -68,5 +68,5 @@ extern char *mysql_users_fetch(USERS *users, MYSQL_USER_HOST *key);
 extern int replace_mysql_users(SERVICE *service);
 extern int dbusers_save(USERS *, char *);
 extern int dbusers_load(USERS *, char *);
-void valid_service_permissions(SERVICE* service);
+bool check_service_permissions(SERVICE* service);
 #endif
diff --git a/server/include/maxconfig.h b/server/include/maxconfig.h
index 6cfa1cb1a..58d9a7ac5 100644
--- a/server/include/maxconfig.h
+++ b/server/include/maxconfig.h
@@ -146,5 +146,5 @@ void config_enable_feedback_task(void);
 void config_disable_feedback_task(void);
 unsigned long  config_get_gateway_id(void);
 GATEWAY_CONF* config_get_global_options();
-int internalService(char *router);
+int isInternalService(char *router);
 #endif
diff --git a/server/include/monitor.h b/server/include/monitor.h
index e3a46cffc..1841112ca 100644
--- a/server/include/monitor.h
+++ b/server/include/monitor.h
@@ -169,5 +169,5 @@ extern void	monitorList(DCB *);
 extern void     monitorSetInterval (MONITOR *, unsigned long);
 extern void     monitorSetNetworkTimeout(MONITOR *, int, int);
 extern RESULTSET *monitorGetList();
-void valid_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor);
+bool check_monitor_permissions(MONITOR* monitor);
 #endif