diff --git a/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/README.md b/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/README.md
index f5ce4de09..c2a8fced2 100644
--- a/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/README.md
+++ b/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/README.md
@@ -9,3 +9,19 @@ Usage
 * Ensure that the folder `/etc/caddy` exists and that the folder `/etc/ssl/caddy` is owned by `www-data`.
 * Create a Caddyfile in `/etc/caddy/Caddyfile`
 * Now you can use `service caddy start|stop|restart|reload|status` as `root`.
+
+Init script manipulation
+-----
+
+The init script supports configuration via the following files:
+* `/etc/default/caddy` ( Debian based https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch03.en.html#_the_default_parameter_for_each_init_script )
+* `/etc/sysconfig/caddy` ( CentOS based https://www.centos.org/docs/5/html/5.2/Deployment_Guide/s1-sysconfig-files.html )
+
+The following variables can be changed:
+* DAEMON: path to the caddy binary file (default: `/usr/local/bin/caddy`)
+* DAEMONUSER: user used to run caddy (default: `www-data`)
+* PIDFILE: path to the pidfile (default: `/var/run/$NAME.pid`)
+* LOGFILE: path to the log file for caddy daemon (not for access logs) (default: `/var/log/$NAME.log`)
+* CONFIGFILE: path to the caddy configuration file (default: `/etc/caddy/Caddyfile`)
+* CADDYPATH: path for SSL certificates managed by caddy (default: `/etc/ssl/caddy`)
+* ULIMIT: open files limit (default: `8192`)
diff --git a/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/caddy b/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/caddy
index 88fc96398..b52a8345b 100644
--- a/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/caddy
+++ b/dist/init/linux-sysvinit/caddy
@@ -20,18 +20,30 @@ DAEMONUSER=www-data
 PIDFILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
 LOGFILE=/var/log/$NAME.log
 CONFIGFILE=/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
-DAEMONOPTS="-agree=true -log=$LOGFILE -conf=$CONFIGFILE"
 
 USERBIND="setcap cap_net_bind_service=+ep"
 STOP_SCHEDULE="${STOP_SCHEDULE:-QUIT/5/TERM/5/KILL/5}"
+CADDYPATH=/etc/ssl/caddy
+ULIMIT=8192
 
 test -x $DAEMON || exit 0
 
+# allow overwriting variables
+#   Debian based
+[ -e "/etc/default/caddy" ] && . /etc/default/caddy
+#   CentOS based
+[ -e "/etc/sysconfig/caddy" ] && . /etc/sysconfig/caddy
+
+if [ -z "$DAEMONOPTS" ]; then
+    # daemon options
+    DAEMONOPTS="-agree=true -log=$LOGFILE -conf=$CONFIGFILE"
+fi
+
 # Set the CADDYPATH; Let's Encrypt certificates will be written to this directory.
-export CADDYPATH=/etc/ssl/caddy
+export CADDYPATH
 
 # Set the ulimits
-ulimit -n 8192
+ulimit -n ${ULIMIT}
 
 
 start() {