diff --git a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/default b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/default
index b9f8e03635..02659742fd 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/default
+++ b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/default
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 EXTRA_ARGS="-r /dev/hwrng"
+RUN_RNGD=0
diff --git a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/init b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/init
index 13f0ecd37c..6c8ce00104 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/init
+++ b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/init
@@ -12,27 +12,39 @@ test -x "$rngd" || exit 1
 
 case "$1" in
   start)
-    echo -n "Starting random number generator daemon"
-    start-stop-daemon -S -q -x $rngd -- $EXTRA_ARGS
-    echo "."
+    if [ $RUN_RNGD = 1 ]
+    then
+        echo -n "Starting random number generator daemon"
+        start-stop-daemon -S -q -x $rngd -- $EXTRA_ARGS
+        echo "."
+    fi
     ;;
   stop)
-    echo -n "Stopping random number generator daemon"
-    start-stop-daemon -K -q -n rngd
-    echo "."
+    if [ $RUN_RNGD = 1 ]
+    then
+        echo -n "Stopping random number generator daemon"
+        start-stop-daemon -K -q -n rngd
+        echo "."
+    fi
     ;;
   reload|force-reload)
-    echo -n "Signalling rng daemon restart"
-    start-stop-daemon -K -q -s 1 -x $rngd
-    start-stop-daemon -K -q -s 1 -x $rngd
+    if [ $RUN_RNGD = 1 ]
+    then
+        echo -n "Signalling rng daemon restart"
+        start-stop-daemon -K -q -s 1 -x $rngd
+        start-stop-daemon -K -q -s 1 -x $rngd
+    fi
     ;;
   restart)
-    echo -n "Stopping random number generator daemon"
-    start-stop-daemon -K -q -n rngd
-    echo "."
-    echo -n "Starting random number generator daemon"
-    start-stop-daemon -S -q -x $rngd -- $EXTRA_ARGS
-    echo "."
+    if [ $RUN_RNGD = 1 ]
+    then
+        echo -n "Stopping random number generator daemon"
+        start-stop-daemon -K -q -n rngd
+        echo "."
+        echo -n "Starting random number generator daemon"
+        start-stop-daemon -S -q -x $rngd -- $EXTRA_ARGS
+        echo "."
+    fi
     ;;
   *)
     echo "Usage: @SYSCONFDIR@/init.d/rng-tools {start|stop|reload|restart|force-reload}"
diff --git a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/rng-tools.service b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/rng-tools.service
index 5ae2fba215..be88ab125a 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/rng-tools.service
+++ b/meta/recipes-support/rng-tools/rng-tools/rng-tools.service
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ConditionVirtualization=!container
 
 [Service]
 EnvironmentFile=-@SYSCONFDIR@/default/rng-tools
-ExecStart=@SBINDIR@/rngd -f $EXTRA_ARGS
+ExecStart=/bin/sh -c '[ x$RUN_RNGD != x1 ] || exec @SBINDIR@/rngd -f $EXTRA_ARGS '
 CapabilityBoundingSet=CAP_SYS_ADMIN
 IPAddressDeny=any
 LockPersonality=yes