"$@"
 }
 
+load_kmod () {
+    ovs_ctl load-kmod || exit $?
+}
+
 start () {
+    if ovs_ctl load-kmod; then
+       :
+    else
+       echo "Module has probably not been built for this kernel."
+       if ! test -d /usr/share/doc/openvswitch-datapath-source; then
+           echo "Install the openvswitch-datapath-source package, then read"
+       else
+            echo "For instructions, read"
+       fi
+       echo "/usr/share/doc/openvswitch-datapath-source/README.Debian"
+    fi
     set ovs_ctl ${1-start} --system-id=random
     if test X"$FORCE_COREFILES" != X; then
        set "$@" --force-corefiles="$FORCE_COREFILES"
     force-reload-kmod)
         start force-reload-kmod
         ;;
+    load-kmod)
+        load_kmod
+        ;;
     *)
-        echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|force-reload|status|force-stop|force-reload-kmod}" >&2
+        echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|force-reload|status|force-stop|force-reload-kmod|load-kmod}" >&2
         exit 1
         ;;
 esac
 
         ;;
 esac
 
+HAVE_KMOD="no"
+
+init_script_error () {
+       if test X"$HAVE_KMOD" = Xno; then
+               exit 0
+       fi
+       exit 1
+}
+
+# Do not fail package installation just because the kernel module
+# is not available.
+if test -x /etc/init.d/openvswitch-switch; then
+    if invoke-rc.d openvswitch-switch load-kmod; then
+       HAVE_KMOD="yes"
+    fi
+fi
+
 #DEBHELPER#
 
 exit 0