diff --git a/libmultipath/config.c b/libmultipath/config.c
index b4d8768..b36778b 100644
--- a/libmultipath/config.c
+++ b/libmultipath/config.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "devmapper.h"
 #include "mpath_cmd.h"
 #include "propsel.h"
+#include "version.h"
 
 static int
 hwe_strmatch (const struct hwentry *hwe1, const struct hwentry *hwe2)
@@ -778,6 +779,20 @@ load_config (char * file)
 			goto out;
 		}
 		factorize_hwtable(conf->hwtable, builtin_hwtable_size, file);
+	} else {
+		condlog(0, "/etc/multipath.conf does not exist, blacklisting all devices.");
+		if (conf->blist_devnode == NULL) {
+			conf->blist_devnode = vector_alloc();
+			if (!conf->blist_devnode) {
+				condlog(0, "cannot allocate blacklist\n");
+				goto out;
+			}
+		}
+		if (store_ble(conf->blist_devnode, strdup(".*"),
+		              ORIGIN_NO_CONFIG)) {
+			condlog(0, "cannot store default no-config blacklist\n");
+			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	conf->processed_main_config = 1;
diff --git a/libmultipath/config.h b/libmultipath/config.h
index ceecff2..3368d8c 100644
--- a/libmultipath/config.h
+++ b/libmultipath/config.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #define ORIGIN_DEFAULT 0
 #define ORIGIN_CONFIG  1
+#define ORIGIN_NO_CONFIG 2
 
 /*
  * In kernel, fast_io_fail == 0 means immediate failure on rport delete.
diff --git a/multipath/multipath.rules b/multipath/multipath.rules
index 9df11a9..0486bf7 100644
--- a/multipath/multipath.rules
+++ b/multipath/multipath.rules
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ IMPORT{cmdline}="nompath"
 ENV{nompath}=="?*", GOTO="end_mpath"
 IMPORT{cmdline}="multipath"
 ENV{multipath}=="off", GOTO="end_mpath"
+TEST!="/etc/multipath.conf", GOTO="end_mpath"
 
 ENV{DEVTYPE}!="partition", GOTO="test_dev"
 IMPORT{parent}="DM_MULTIPATH_DEVICE_PATH"
diff --git a/multipathd/multipathd.8 b/multipathd/multipathd.8
index 048a838..8bd47a8 100644
--- a/multipathd/multipathd.8
+++ b/multipathd/multipathd.8
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ map regains its maximum performance and redundancy.
 This daemon executes the external \fBmultipath\fR tool when events occur.
 In turn, the multipath tool signals the multipathd daemon when it is done with
 devmap reconfiguration, so that it can refresh its failed path list.
+
+In this Linux distribution, multipathd does not run unless a /etc/multipath.conf file exists.
 .
 .
 .\" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/multipathd/multipathd.service b/multipathd/multipathd.service
index ba24983..17434ce 100644
--- a/multipathd/multipathd.service
+++ b/multipathd/multipathd.service
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Wants=systemd-udev-trigger.service systemd-udev-settle.service
 Before=iscsi.service iscsid.service lvm2-activation-early.service
 Before=local-fs-pre.target blk-availability.service
 After=multipathd.socket systemd-udev-trigger.service systemd-udev-settle.service
+ConditionPathExists=/etc/multipath.conf
 DefaultDependencies=no
 Conflicts=shutdown.target
 ConditionKernelCommandLine=!nompath