diff --git a/scripts/_utils.sh b/scripts/_utils.sh
index c5dad52ea..9a5f23748 100644
--- a/scripts/_utils.sh
+++ b/scripts/_utils.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ function manage_es {
   local PIDS="$ROOT/.snapshots/pids"
 
   group "start:$DO es"
+
     if [ ! -d "$PIDS" ]; then
       call mkdir -p $PIDS
     fi
@@ -83,30 +84,32 @@ function manage_es {
 
           if [ $RUNNING -eq 0 ]; then
             echo "Already running $ES_VERSION"
+            return 1
           else
             echo "PID file was left behind by ES"
             call rm $PIDFILE
           fi
         fi
 
+        ./scripts/es.sh install $ES_BRANCH $ES_RELEASE
+
         if [ ! -x "$ES_BIN" ]; then
           echo "Unable to find elasticsearch executable"
-        elif [ ! -f $PIDFILE ]; then
-          ./scripts/es.sh install $ES_BRANCH $ES_RELEASE
+          return 1
+        fi
 
-          local ES_OPTS="-p $PIDFILE -Des.network.host=localhost -Des.discovery.zen.ping.multicast.enabled=false -Des.discovery.zen.ping_timeout=1"
+        local ES_OPTS="-p $PIDFILE -Des.network.host=localhost -Des.discovery.zen.ping.multicast.enabled=false -Des.discovery.zen.ping_timeout=1"
 
-          if [ -n "$ES_NODE_NAME" ]; then
-            ES_OPTS="$ES_OPTS -Des.node.name=$ES_NODE_NAME"
-          fi
+        if [ -n "$ES_NODE_NAME" ]; then
+          ES_OPTS="$ES_OPTS -Des.node.name=$ES_NODE_NAME"
+        fi
 
-          if [ "$ES_BRANCH" = "0.90" ]; then
-            echo "Starting Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION"
-            call $ES_BIN $ES_OPTS
-          else
-            echo "Starting Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION as a deamon"
-            call $ES_BIN -d $ES_OPTS
-          fi
+        if [ "$ES_BRANCH" = "0.90" ]; then
+          echo "Starting Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION"
+          call $ES_BIN $ES_OPTS
+        else
+          echo "Starting Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION as a deamon"
+          call $ES_BIN -d $ES_OPTS
         fi
       ;;
       stop)
@@ -118,14 +121,13 @@ function manage_es {
           if [ $RUNNING -eq 0 ]; then
             kill $PID
             echo "Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION stopped"
-          else
-            echo "PID file was left behind by ES"
+            return 0
           fi
 
           rm $PIDFILE
-        else
-          echo "Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION is not running."
         fi
+        echo "Elasticsearch $ES_VERSION is not running."
+        return 1
       ;;
     esac
   group "end:$DO es"