diff --git a/config/python.m4 b/config/python.m4
index 9160a2b..32fff43 100644
--- a/config/python.m4
+++ b/config/python.m4
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@ else
     AC_MSG_ERROR([distutils module not found])
 fi
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([Python configuration directory])
+python_majorversion=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[[0]])"`
 python_version=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[[:3]])"`
 python_configdir=`${PYTHON} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; import os; print(os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1,standard_lib=1),'config'))"`
 python_includespec=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print('-I'+distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc())"`
 
+AC_SUBST(python_majorversion)[]dnl
 AC_SUBST(python_version)[]dnl
 AC_SUBST(python_configdir)[]dnl
 AC_SUBST(python_includespec)[]dnl
diff --git a/contrib/start-scripts/freebsd b/contrib/start-scripts/freebsd
index 6851b1f..cc74bc5 100644
--- a/contrib/start-scripts/freebsd
+++ b/contrib/start-scripts/freebsd
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ PGLOG="$PGDATA/serverlog"
 # The path that is to be used for the script
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
 
-# What to use to start up the postmaster (we do NOT use pg_ctl for this,
-# as it adds no value and can cause the postmaster to misrecognize a stale
-# lock file)
+# What to use to start up the postmaster.  (If you want the script to wait
+# until the server has started, you could use "pg_ctl start -w" here.
+# But without -w, pg_ctl adds no value.)
 DAEMON="$prefix/bin/postmaster"
 
 # What to use to shut down the postmaster
diff --git a/contrib/start-scripts/osx/PostgreSQL b/contrib/start-scripts/osx/PostgreSQL
index dc82683..65150d0 100755
--- a/contrib/start-scripts/osx/PostgreSQL
+++ b/contrib/start-scripts/osx/PostgreSQL
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ ROTATESEC="604800"
 # The path that is to be used for the script
 PATH="$prefix/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin"
 
-# What to use to start up the postmaster (we do NOT use pg_ctl for this,
-# as it adds no value and can cause the postmaster to misrecognize a stale
-# lock file)
+# What to use to start up the postmaster.  (If you want the script to wait
+# until the server has started, you could use "pg_ctl start -w" here.
+# But without -w, pg_ctl adds no value.)
 DAEMON="$prefix/bin/postmaster"
 
 # What to use to shut down the postmaster
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ StartService () {
     if [ "${POSTGRESQL:=-NO-}" = "-YES-" ]; then
         ConsoleMessage "Starting PostgreSQL database server"
         if [ "${ROTATELOGS}" = "1" ]; then
-            sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' 2>&1 | ${LOGUTIL} '${PGLOG}' ${ROTATESEC} &"
+            sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' &" 2>&1 | ${LOGUTIL} '${PGLOG}' ${ROTATESEC} &
         else
             sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' &" >>$PGLOG 2>&1
         fi
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ RestartService () {
 	sudo -u $PGUSER $PGCTL stop -D "$PGDATA" -s -m fast
 	# should match StartService:
         if [ "${ROTATELOGS}" = "1" ]; then
-            sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' 2>&1 | ${LOGUTIL} '${PGLOG}' ${ROTATESEC} &"
+            sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' &" 2>&1 | ${LOGUTIL} '${PGLOG}' ${ROTATESEC} &
         else
             sudo -u $PGUSER sh -c "${DAEMON} -D '${PGDATA}' &" >>$PGLOG 2>&1
         fi