diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_errors b/plugins/pdns/pdns_errors
index c84373c0..b971860e 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_errors
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_errors
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@
 #%# family=auto
 #%# capabilities=autoconf
 
-command="/usr/bin/pdns_control list"
+pdns_control="/usr/bin/pdns_control"
+command="$pdns_control list"
 
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-        if [ -e /usr/bin/pdns_control ]; then
+        if [ -e "$pdns_control" ]; then
                 echo yes
                 exit 0
         else
-                echo no
-                exit 1
+                echo "no (missing $pdns_control)"
+                exit 0
         fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_latency b/plugins/pdns/pdns_latency
index 907785ca..47753079 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_latency
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_latency
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@
 #%# family=auto
 #%# capabilities=autoconf
 
-command="/usr/bin/pdns_control show"
+pdns_control="/usr/bin/pdns_control"
+command="$pdns_control show"
 
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-        if [ -e /usr/bin/pdns_control ]; then
+        if [ -e "$pdns_control" ]; then
                 echo yes
                 exit 0
         else
-                echo no
-                exit 1
+                echo "no (missing $pdns_control)"
+                exit 0
         fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_qsize b/plugins/pdns/pdns_qsize
index 19e1941b..4d0a86c7 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_qsize
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_qsize
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@
 #%# family=auto
 #%# capabilities=autoconf
 
-command="/usr/bin/pdns_control show"
+pdns_control="/usr/bin/pdns_control"
+command="$pdns_control show"
 
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-        if [ -e /usr/bin/pdns_control ]; then
+        if [ -e "$pdns_control" ]; then
                 echo yes
                 exit 0
         else
-                echo no
-                exit 1
+                echo "no (missing $pdns_control)"
+                exit 0
         fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_queries b/plugins/pdns/pdns_queries
index 617d9cc7..edad5810 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_queries
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_queries
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@
 #%# family=auto
 #%# capabilities=autoconf
 
+pdns_control="/usr/bin/pdns_control"
 command="/usr/bin/pdns_control list"
 
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-        if [ -e /usr/bin/pdns_control ]; then
+        if [ -e "$pdns_control" ]; then
                 echo yes
                 exit 0
         else
-                echo no
-                exit 1
+                echo "no (missing $pdns_control)"
+                exit 0
         fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_answers b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_answers
index d3316234..a7db89f6 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_answers
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_answers
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -65,11 +67,11 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo a.value "$(rec_control get answers0-1)"
-echo b.value "$(rec_control get answers1-10)"
-echo c.value "$(rec_control get answers10-100)"
-echo d.value "$(rec_control get answers100-1000)"
-echo e.value "$(rec_control get answers-slow)"
-echo f.value "$(rec_control get outgoing-timeouts)"
+echo a.value "$($rec_control get answers0-1)"
+echo b.value "$($rec_control get answers1-10)"
+echo c.value "$($rec_control get answers10-100)"
+echo d.value "$($rec_control get answers100-1000)"
+echo e.value "$($rec_control get answers-slow)"
+echo f.value "$($rec_control get outgoing-timeouts)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache
index 93938300..007ad4cd 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache
@@ -9,17 +9,19 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
-RESENDS="$(rec_control get cache-resends)"
+RESENDS="$($rec_control get cache-resends)"
 ISRESENDS=""
 [ "$RESENDS" != "UNKNOWN" ] && ISRESENDS="resends"
 
@@ -53,8 +55,8 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo hits.value "$(rec_control get cache-hits)"
-echo misses.value "$(rec_control get cache-misses)"
-[ "$RESENDS" != "UNKNOWN" ] && echo resends.value "$(rec_control get cache-resends)"
+echo hits.value "$($rec_control get cache-hits)"
+echo misses.value "$($rec_control get cache-misses)"
+[ "$RESENDS" != "UNKNOWN" ] && echo resends.value "$($rec_control get cache-resends)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache_size b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache_size
index e1b4413d..cec24d94 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache_size
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_cache_size
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo entries.value "$(rec_control get cache-entries)"
-echo negative.value "$(rec_control get negcache-entries)"
+echo entries.value "$($rec_control get cache-entries)"
+echo negative.value "$($rec_control get negcache-entries)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_concurrent b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_concurrent
index 8c4c7063..dcba6ad5 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_concurrent
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_concurrent
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -34,6 +36,6 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo concurrent.value "$(rec_control get concurrent-queries)"
+echo concurrent.value "$($rec_control get concurrent-queries)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_issues b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_issues
index 87b09a9c..1191bb17 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_issues
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_issues
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -59,10 +61,10 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo spoofs.value "$(rec_control get spoof-prevents)"
-echo resource.value "$(rec_control get resource-limits)"
-echo client.value "$(rec_control get client-parse-errors)"
-echo server.value "$(rec_control get server-parse-errors)"
-echo overflow.value "$(rec_control get tcp-client-overflow)"
+echo spoofs.value "$($rec_control get spoof-prevents)"
+echo resource.value "$($rec_control get resource-limits)"
+echo client.value "$($rec_control get client-parse-errors)"
+echo server.value "$($rec_control get server-parse-errors)"
+echo overflow.value "$($rec_control get tcp-client-overflow)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_outqueries b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_outqueries
index a96f5c39..000c436c 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_outqueries
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_outqueries
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo all.value "$(rec_control get all-outqueries)"
-echo tcp.value "$(rec_control get tcp-outqueries)"
+echo all.value "$($rec_control get all-outqueries)"
+echo tcp.value "$($rec_control get tcp-outqueries)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_qtypes b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_qtypes
index caf35378..7c966c3e 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_qtypes
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_qtypes
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -245,6 +247,6 @@ END {
 }
 '
 
-rec_control get-qtypelist | awk "$awkscript"
+"$rec_control" get-qtypelist | awk "$awkscript"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_querylatency b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_querylatency
index d019c84a..84de6803 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_querylatency
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_querylatency
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -34,6 +36,6 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo latency.value "$(rec_control get qa-latency)"
+echo latency.value "$($rec_control get qa-latency)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_questions b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_questions
index 4bbf24be..f0cfe59c 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_questions
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_questions
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo all.value "$(rec_control get questions)"
-echo tcp.value "$(rec_control get tcp-questions)"
+echo all.value "$($rec_control get questions)"
+echo tcp.value "$($rec_control get tcp-questions)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_throttle b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_throttle
index 9980eafd..df6f0758 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_throttle
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_throttle
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -34,6 +36,6 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo throttled.value "$(rec_control get throttled-out)"
+echo throttled.value "$($rec_control get throttled-out)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_unauth b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_unauth
index 6cfc59c5..92df5af1 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_unauth
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rec_unauth
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@
 #    echo '[pdns_rec_*]' >/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 #    echo 'user root' >>/etc/munin/plugin-conf.d/pdns_rec
 
+rec_control="/usr/bin/rec_control"
+
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-	if [ -e /usr/bin/rec_control ]; then
+	if [ -e "$rec_control" ]; then
 		echo yes
 		exit 0
 	else
-		echo no
-		exit 1
+		echo "no (missing $rec_control)"
+		exit 0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -47,8 +49,8 @@ if [ "$1" = "config" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo tcp.value "$(rec_control get unauthorized-tcp)"
-echo udp.value "$(rec_control get unauthorized-udp)"
-echo unexpected.value "$(rec_control get unexpected-packets)"
+echo tcp.value "$($rec_control get unauthorized-tcp)"
+echo udp.value "$($rec_control get unauthorized-udp)"
+echo unexpected.value "$($rec_control get unexpected-packets)"
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rel b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rel
index 586a0e51..b42439d8 100755
--- a/plugins/pdns/pdns_rel
+++ b/plugins/pdns/pdns_rel
@@ -9,16 +9,17 @@
 #%# family=auto
 #%# capabilities=autoconf
 
-command="/usr/bin/pdns_control show"
+pdns_control="/usr/bin/pdns_control"
+command="$pdns_control show"
 state_file=$MUNIN_PLUGSTATE/pdns_rel.state
 
 if [ "$1" = "autoconf" ]; then
-        if [ -e /usr/bin/pdns_control ]; then
+        if [ -e "$pdns_control" ]; then
                 echo yes
                 exit 0
         else
-                echo no
-                exit 1
+                echo "no (missing $pdns_control)"
+                exit 0
         fi
 fi