diff --git a/src/etc/rc.d/netflow b/src/etc/rc.d/netflow
index 0f4c93c38..6c4c06629 100755
--- a/src/etc/rc.d/netflow
+++ b/src/etc/rc.d/netflow
@@ -42,9 +42,21 @@ extra_commands="status"
 [ -z "$netflow_enable" ] && netflow_enable="NO"
 [ -z "$netflow_egress_only" ] && netflow_egress_only=""
 
-# setup_interface (interface)
-# - use netgraph + ng_netflow in combination with samplicate to record netflow data and send it to multiple locations
-setup_interface()
+# netflow_node_error (interface, message)
+# - shutdown the netflow node on error to avoid connection problems 
+#   with unassigned hooks
+netflow_node_error()
+{
+    interface=$1
+    message=$2
+    echo "error $interface: $message"
+    /usr/sbin/ngctl shutdown netflow_$interface: >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+# netflow_setup_interface (interface)
+# - use netgraph + ng_netflow in combination with samplicate to record netflow
+#   data and send it to multiple locations
+netflow_setup_interface()
 {
     # set netflow version (export keyword)
     if [ "$netflow_version" == "9" ]; then
@@ -83,16 +95,50 @@ setup_interface()
 
     # remove earlier setup (if any)
     /usr/sbin/ngctl shutdown netflow_$interface: >/dev/null 2>&1
-    # configure netflow for this interface, sending all to localhost
-    /usr/sbin/ngctl -f-  <<-SEQ
-       mkpeer $interface: netflow	lower iface$ifIndex
-       name	$interface:lower netflow_$interface
-       connect $interface: netflow_$interface: upper	out$ifIndex
-       mkpeer netflow_$interface: ksocket export$nfversion inet/dgram/udp
-       msg netflow_$interface: settimeouts { inactive=$netflow_inactive_timeout active=$netflow_active_timeout }
-       msg netflow_$interface: setconfig {iface=$ifIndex conf=$conf}
-       msg netflow_$interface:export$nfversion connect inet/$netflow_int_destination
-SEQ
+
+    # configure netflow for this interface
+    # ng_ether:lower <-> ng_netflow:ifaceX <-> ng_netflow:export <-> ng_netflow:outX <-> ng_ether:upper
+
+    # create ng_netflow node and connect ifaceX hook with ng_ether lower hook
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl mkpeer $interface: netflow lower iface$ifIndex; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot create netflow node for $interface"
+      return
+    fi
+    # set a name for the netflow node
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl name $interface:lower netflow_$interface; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot set name for $interface:lower"
+      return
+    fi
+    # connect ng_netflow outX hook with ng_ether upper hook to reinject the packets
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl connect $interface: netflow_$interface: upper out$ifIndex; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot connect $interface:upper with out$ifIndex"
+      return
+    fi
+    # set timeouts
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl msg netflow_$interface: settimeouts { inactive=$netflow_inactive_timeout active=$netflow_active_timeout }; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot set timouts"
+      return
+    fi
+    # configure ingress
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl msg netflow_$interface: setconfig {iface=$ifIndex conf=$conf}; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot configure ingress"
+      return
+    fi
+    # create a ng_ksocket node to export the NetFlow datagrams from ng_netflow
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl mkpeer netflow_$interface: ksocket export$nfversion inet/dgram/udp; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot create ksocket node for netflow_$interface"
+      return
+    fi
+    # set a name for the ksocket node
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl name netflow_$interface:export$nfversion ksocket_netflow_$interface; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot set name for netflow_$interface:export$nfversion"
+      return
+    fi
+    # connect the ng_ksocket with the NetFlow destination
+    if ! /usr/sbin/ngctl msg netflow_$interface:export$nfversion connect inet/$netflow_int_destination; then
+      netflow_node_error $interface "cannot connect socket_netflow_$interface with inet/$netflow_int_destination"
+      return
+    fi
 }
 
 netflow_start()
@@ -110,7 +156,7 @@ netflow_start()
 
     # configure interfaces
     for interface in $netflow_interfaces; do
-        setup_interface "$interface"
+        netflow_setup_interface "$interface"
     done
 
     # forward netflow packets, make sure $netflow_int_destination forwards to localhost (127.0.0.1)
@@ -131,7 +177,7 @@ netflow_stop()
     fi
 
     # cleanup netflow processes
-    for netflow_node in `/usr/sbin/ngctl list | grep netflow_ | awk '{print $2;}'`
+    for netflow_node in `/usr/sbin/ngctl list | grep "Type: netflow" | awk '{print $2;}'`
     do
         /usr/sbin/ngctl shutdown  $netflow_node:
     done