diff --git a/mxvipctl b/mxvipctl
index bbf9993..2187d9b 100755
--- a/mxvipctl
+++ b/mxvipctl
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ CMD_IP="/sbin/ip"
 CMD_IPTABLES="/usr/sbin/iptables"
 CMD_MXS2MXVIP="/usr/sbin/mxstartup2mxvipcfg"
 
+RUNDIR="/run/mariux"
+
 # expands *-pattern in pathnames to null if no matching files are found..
 shopt -s nullglob
 
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ function mxvip_start() {
 
     : ${pattern:=*}
 
-    for vip in /run/mariux/mxvip.${pattern}.cfg ; do
+    for vip in ${RUNDIR}/mxvip.${pattern}.cfg ; do
         if [ -e ${vip}.r ] ; then
             echo >&2 "skipping $vip: already running.."
             continue
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ function mxvip_stop() {
 
     : ${pattern:=*}
 
-    for vip in /run/mariux/mxvip.${pattern}.cfg.r ; do
+    for vip in ${RUNDIR}/mxvip.${pattern}.cfg.r ; do
         if [ ! -r ${vip} ] ; then
             echo >&2 "skipping $vip: can't read file"
             continue
@@ -163,20 +165,18 @@ function mxvip_stop() {
 
 
 function create_run_dir_if_not_exists() {
-    local rundir="/run/mariux"
-
     if [ ! -d $rundir ] ; then
-        mkdir -m 0700 $rundir
+        mkdir -m 0700 ${RUNDIR}
     fi
 
     if [ ! -O $rundir ] ; then
-        echo >&2 "$rundir: wrong owner: possible hack attempt? exiting.."
+        echo >&2 "${RUNDIR}: wrong owner: possible hack attempt? exiting.."
         exit 1
     fi
 }
 
 function create_mxvip() {
-    ${CMD_MXS2MXVIP} >/dev/null
+    ${CMD_MXS2MXVIP} ${RUNDIR} >/dev/null
 }