--- debian/varnish.init.old	2013-08-29 14:14:08.708238657 +0200
+++ debian/varnish.init	2013-08-29 14:14:44.756553848 +0200
@@ -110,6 +110,12 @@ case "$1" in
         status_varnishd
         ;;
     restart|force-reload)
+	if status_of_proc -p "${PIDFILE}" "${DAEMON}" "${NAME}" 1>/dev/null; then
+		if ! varnishd -C -f $VARNISH_VCL_CONF 1>/dev/null; then
+			log_failure_msg "${NAME} will not be restarted; Verification of ${VARNISH_VCL_CONF} failed!"
+			exit 1
+		fi
+	fi
         $0 stop
         $0 start
         ;;