diff --git a/start-rest.sh b/start-rest.sh
index 564eccf..01e7638 100755
--- a/start-rest.sh
+++ b/start-rest.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@
 REST_LOG="${LOGDIR}/rest.`hostname`.log"
 #######################
 
+dokill() {
+    for cpid in $(ps -o pid= --ppid $1)
+    do 
+        dokill $cpid
+    done
+    echo "killing: $(ps -p $1 -o cmd=)"
+    kill -9 $1 > /dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+
 function lotate {
     logfile=$1
     nr_max=${2:-10}
@@ -28,15 +38,16 @@
     pids=`ps -edalf |grep ${script_name} | grep python | grep -v grep | awk '{print $4}'`
     for p in ${pids}; do
 	if [ x$p != "x" ]; then
-	    sudo kill -KILL $p
-	    echo "Killed existing prosess (pid: $p)"
+            dokill $p
+#	    sudo kill -KILL $p
+#	    echo "Killed existing prosess (pid: $p)"
 	fi
     done
 }
 
 function status {
     nr_process=`ps -edalf |grep ${script_name} | grep python | grep -v grep | wc -l` 
-    if [ x${nr_process} != "x" ] ; then
+    if [ ${nr_process} != 0 ] ; then
       echo "rest server is running"
     else
       echo "rest server is not running"