diff --git a/mail/exim/pkg/exim.rc b/mail/exim/pkg/exim.rc
index 10924d273dc..f480b64d3fa 100644
--- a/mail/exim/pkg/exim.rc
+++ b/mail/exim/pkg/exim.rc
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ daemon_flags="-q30m"
 . /etc/rc.d/rc.subr

 rc_pre() {
-	[[ ! -f /etc/mailer.conf.exim ]]
+	if ! grep -q exim /etc/mailer.conf; then
+			logger -p daemon.info -t exim "exim not found in /etc/mailer.conf, please run exim-enable"
+			return 1
+	fi
 }

 rc_cmd $1