diff --git a/srcpkgs/xen/files/xend.rc b/srcpkgs/xen/files/xend.rc
index 157af0ce0b..5c18b0b089 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/xen/files/xend.rc
+++ b/srcpkgs/xen/files/xend.rc
@@ -12,18 +12,22 @@ depend()
 
 start()
 {
-	modprobe -q xen-evtchn || eend $? "Failed to load xen-evtchn module!"
+	if test -d /proc/xen; then
+		modprobe -q xen-evtchn || eend $? "Failed to load xen-evtchn module!"
 
-	if test -d /proc/xen && ! test -d /proc/xen/capabilities && \
-	     ! grep '     xenfs$' /proc/filesystems >/dev/null && \
-	     ! grep '^xenfs ' /proc/mounts >/dev/null; then
-		ebegin "Mounting xenfs for xend"
-		mount -t xenfs xenfs /proc/xen
+		if  ! test -d /proc/xen/capabilities && \
+		    ! grep '     xenfs$' /proc/filesystems >/dev/null && \
+		    ! grep '^xenfs ' /proc/mounts >/dev/null; then
+			ebegin "Mounting xenfs for xend"
+			mount -t xenfs xenfs /proc/xen
+			eend $?
+		fi
+		ebegin "Starting xend"
+		${command} start
 		eend $?
+	else
+		eerror "xend needs dom0 support, aborting"
 	fi
-	ebegin "Starting xend"
-	${command} start
-	eend $?
 }
 
 stop()