diff --git a/debian/asterisk.init b/debian/asterisk.init
index 33187ee..333c8cb 100755
--- a/debian/asterisk.init
+++ b/debian/asterisk.init
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ DEFAULTS=/etc/default/$NAME
 #AST_USER="asterisk"
 #AST_GROUP="asterisk"
 
+PARAMS=""
+CHDIR_PARM=""
+AST_DUMPCORE="no"
+AST_DUMPCORE_DIR="/var/spool/asterisk" # only used if AST_DUMPCORE != no
+
 # do not start by default
 RUN_DAEMON=no
 
@@ -74,6 +79,13 @@ if [ "$RUN_DAEMON" != "yes" ]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
+if [ "$AST_DUMPCORE" != "no" ]; then
+    PARAMS="$PARAMS -g"
+    if [ -d "$AST_DUMPCORE_DIR" ]; then
+        CHDIR_PARM="--chdir $AST_DUMPCORE_DIR"
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Use the LSB standar functions for services management
 . /lib/lsb/init-functions
 
@@ -90,14 +102,14 @@ case "$1" in
         fi
 	log_begin_msg "Starting $DESC: $NAME"
         if [ $AST_USER ] ; then
-                ASTARGS="-U $AST_USER"
+                PARAMS="$PARAMS -U $AST_USER"
         fi
         if [ $AST_GROUP ] ; then
-                ASTARGS="$ASTARGS -G $AST_GROUP"
+                PARAMS="$PARAMS -G $AST_GROUP"
         fi
-	ASTARGS="$ASTARGS -n"
+	PARAMS="$PARAMS -n"
 	# "start-stop-daemon --oknodo" returns 0 even if Asterisk was already running (as LSB expects):
-	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo --exec $DAEMON -- $ASTARGS
+	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo $CHDIR_PARM --exec $DAEMON -- $PARAMS
 	log_end_msg $?
 	;;
   stop)