--- usr.sbin/arp/arp.c
+++ usr.sbin/arp/arp.c
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 
 #include <net/if.h>
 #include <net/if_dl.h>
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
 
 typedef void (action_fn)(struct sockaddr_dl *sdl,
 	struct sockaddr_inarp *s_in, struct rt_msghdr *rtm);
@@ -110,6 +113,9 @@
 #define F_REPLACE	4
 #define F_DELETE	5
 
+/* timeout for arp */
+#define TIMEOUT		20
+
 #define SETFUNC(f)	{ if (func) usage(); func = (f); }
 
 int
@@ -118,6 +124,17 @@
 	int ch, func = 0;
 	int rtn = 0;
 	int aflag = 0;	/* do it for all entries */
+	int pidfork;
+	int arpdone = 0;
+	int tout = TIMEOUT;
+	int status;
+
+	openlog("arp", LOG_CONS, LOG_USER);
+	while (arpdone == 0) {
+		pidfork = fork();
+		if (pidfork == 0) {
+			alarm(tout);
+			/* Beginning of ARP */
 
 	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "andfsSi:")) != -1)
 		switch((char)ch) {
@@ -201,6 +218,22 @@
 			usage();
 		rtn = file(argv[0]);
 		break;
+	}
+			arpdone = 1;
+			alarm(0);
+		} else if (pidfork > 0) {
+			wait(&status);
+			if (WIFSIGNALED(status)) {
+				arpdone = 0;
+				syslog(LOG_WARNING, "config failed, restarting");
+			} else {
+				arpdone = 1;
+				rtn = WEXITSTATUS(status);
+			}
+		} else {
+			syslog (LOG_ERR, "forking failed");
+			arpdone = 0;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return (rtn);