--- /usr/bin/mysqld_multi.orig	2011-09-28 09:50:38.000000000 +0200
+++ /usr/bin/mysqld_multi	2011-09-28 10:15:06.000000000 +0200
@@ -319,6 +319,13 @@
         $options[$j]= quote_shell_word($options[$j]);
         $tmp.= " $options[$j]";
       }
+      elsif ("--pid-file=" eq substr($options[$j], 0, 11))
+      {
+	$pidfile= $options[$j];
+	$pidfile =~ s/^--pid-file=//;
+	$options[$j]= quote_shell_word($options[$j]);
+        $tmp.= " $options[$j]";
+      }
       else
       {
 	$options[$j]= quote_shell_word($options[$j]);
@@ -351,7 +358,11 @@
       $curdir=getcwd();
       chdir($basedir) or die "Can't change to datadir $basedir";
     }
-    system($com);
+    if (-e $pidfile) {
+      print "pid-file $pidfile exists. Skipping.\n";
+    } else {
+      system($com);
+    }
     if ($basedir_found)
     {
       chdir($curdir) or die "Can't change back to original dir $curdir";