diff --git a/libraries/helpers.rb b/libraries/helpers.rb
index 021d818..e3094d4 100644
--- a/libraries/helpers.rb
+++ b/libraries/helpers.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def runit_send_signal(signal, friendly_name = nil)
     end
 
     def running?
-      cmd = safe_sv_shellout("#{sv_args}status #{service_dir_name}", returns: [0, 100])
+      cmd = safe_sv_shellout("#{sv_args}#{new_resource.service_status_command} #{service_dir_name}", returns: [0, 100])
       !cmd.error? && cmd.stdout =~ /^run:/
     end
 
@@ -153,15 +153,15 @@ def disable_service
     end
 
     def start_service
-      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}start #{service_dir_name}")
+      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}#{new_resource.service_start_command} #{service_dir_name}")
     end
 
     def stop_service
-      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}stop #{service_dir_name}")
+      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}#{new_resource.service_stop_command} #{service_dir_name}")
     end
 
     def restart_service
-      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}restart #{service_dir_name}")
+      safe_sv_shellout!("#{sv_args}#{new_resource.service_restart_command} #{service_dir_name}")
     end
 
     def restart_log_service
diff --git a/libraries/resource_runit_service.rb b/libraries/resource_runit_service.rb
index 6643342..0a8a18b 100644
--- a/libraries/resource_runit_service.rb
+++ b/libraries/resource_runit_service.rb
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ class RunitService < Chef::Resource::Service
       property :check_script_template_name, String, default: lazy { service_name }
       property :finish_script_template_name, String, default: lazy { service_name }
       property :control_template_names, Hash, default: lazy { set_control_template_names }
-      property :status_command, String, default: lazy { "#{sv_bin} status #{service_name}" }
+      property :service_start_command, String, default: 'start'
+      property :service_stop_command, String, default: 'stop'
+      property :service_restart_command, String, default: 'restart'
+      property :service_status_command, String, default: 'status'
       property :sv_templates, [true, false], default: true
       property :sv_timeout, Integer
       property :sv_verbose, [true, false], default: false
@@ -100,10 +103,10 @@ def after_created
           find_resource(:service, new_resource.name) do # creates if it does not exist
             provider Chef::Provider::Service::Simple
             supports new_resource.supports
-            start_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} start #{service_dir_name}"
-            stop_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} stop #{service_dir_name}"
-            restart_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} restart #{service_dir_name}"
-            status_command new_resource.status_command
+            start_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} #{new_resource.service_start_command} #{service_dir_name}"
+            stop_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} #{new_resource.service_stop_command} #{service_dir_name}"
+            restart_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} #{new_resource.service_restart_command} #{service_dir_name}"
+            status_command "#{new_resource.sv_bin} #{new_resource.service_status_command} #{service_dir_name}"
             action :nothing
           end
         end