diff --git a/countersec.c b/countersec.c
index 2ec4f3e8..d2f5229d 100644
--- a/countersec.c
+++ b/countersec.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static int SecStartCount(void *pData, SConnection *pCon)
 	}
 	
 	statusNode = GetHipadabaNode(self->pDes->parNode, "status");
-	UpdateHipadabaPar(statusNode,MakeHdbText("run"), pCon);
+	UpdateHipadabaPar(statusNode,MakeHdbText("starting"), pCon);
 	status = SecCtrInvokeFunction(self,pCon, START);
 	self->haltFixFlag = 0;
 	if(status == 1){
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ static int SecCtrCheckStatus(void *pData, SConnection *pCon)
     status =  HWIdle;
   } else if (strstr(v.v.text, "run") != NULL) {
     status = HWBusy;
+  } else if (strstr(v.v.text, "starting") != NULL) {
+    status = HWBusy;
   } else if (strstr(v.v.text, "nobeam") != NULL) {
     status = HWNoBeam;
   } else if (strstr(v.v.text, "pause") != NULL) {
@@ -559,6 +561,28 @@ static int CountStatusCmd(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
 
   return 1;
 }
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Disallows status changes from starting to anything else but run or 
+  error
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static hdbCallbackReturn SecStatusCallback(pHdb node, void *userData,
+                                          pHdbMessage message)
+{
+  pHdbDataMessage mm = NULL;
+  hdbValue v;
+
+  mm = GetHdbUpdateMessage(message);
+  if (mm != NULL) {
+    if(strcmp(node->value.v.text,"starting") == 0) {
+      v = *mm->v;
+      if(strstr(v.v.text,"run") == 0 && strstr(v.v.text,"error") == 0) {
+	return hdbAbort;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return hdbContinue;
+}
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 pCounter CreateSecCounter(SConnection *pCon, char *type, char *name, int length)
 {
@@ -644,6 +668,9 @@ pCounter CreateSecCounter(SConnection *pCon, char *type, char *name, int length)
 	  if (child == NULL) {
 	    return NULL;
 	  }
+	  AppendHipadabaCallback(child,
+				 MakeHipadabaCallback(SecStatusCallback, NULL,
+                                              NULL));
 	  AddHipadabaChild(node, child, NULL);
 
 	  child = MakeSICSHdbPar("error", usInternal, MakeHdbText("None"));
diff --git a/multicountersec.c b/multicountersec.c
index c94b2c0f..dc477ddd 100644
--- a/multicountersec.c
+++ b/multicountersec.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ static void copyExponent(pHdb self, void *data)
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static void startMultiCounting(pHdb self, SConnection *pCon)
 {
-  pHdb mode = NULL, preset = NULL, master = NULL, slaves = NULL;
+  pHdb mode = NULL, preset = NULL, slaves = NULL;
   pHdb sID, mID;
   char *pPtr, name[80];
   pICountable pCount = NULL;
@@ -130,13 +130,11 @@ static void startMultiCounting(pHdb self, SConnection *pCon)
 
   mode = GetHipadabaNode(self,"mode");
   preset = GetHipadabaNode(self,"preset");
-  master = GetHipadabaNode(self,"master");
   slaves = GetHipadabaNode(self,"slaves");
   sID = GetHipadabaNode(self,"slaveID");
   mID = GetHipadabaNode(self,"masterID");
   assert(mode != NULL);
   assert(preset != NULL);
-  assert(master != NULL);
   assert(slaves != NULL);
   assert(sID != NULL);
   assert(mID != NULL);
@@ -176,15 +174,70 @@ static void startMultiCounting(pHdb self, SConnection *pCon)
     }
   }
 
+  v = MakeHdbInt(slaveID);
+  UpdateHipadabaPar(sID,v,pCon);
+
+  v = MakeHdbInt(-100);
+  UpdateHipadabaPar(mID,v,pCon);
+
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static int checkSlavesStarted(pCounter self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  char *pPtr, name[80];
+  pHdb slaves = NULL, status = NULL, preset = NULL, master = NULL, mode = NULL, mID = NULL;
+  pDummy data = NULL;
+  pICountable pCount = NULL;
+  CounterMode eMode;
+  long masterID;
+  hdbValue v;
+
+  mID = GetHipadabaNode(self->objectNode,"masterID");
+  assert(mID != NULL);
+
+  if(mID->value.v.intValue != -100){
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+
+  slaves = GetHipadabaNode(self->objectNode,"slaves");
+  assert(slaves != NULL);
+
+  pPtr = slaves->value.v.text;
+  while((pPtr = stptok(pPtr,name,sizeof(name),",")) != NULL){
+    data = FindCommandData(pServ->pSics,name,NULL);
+    if(data != NULL){
+      status = GetHipadabaNode(data->pDescriptor->parNode,"status");
+      if(status != NULL){
+	if(strstr(status->value.v.text,"starting") != NULL){
+	  return 0;
+	}
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
   /*
-    start master
+    when we are here all HM were started and we can start master
   */
+  mode = GetHipadabaNode(self->objectNode,"mode");
+  preset = GetHipadabaNode(self->objectNode,"preset");
+  master = GetHipadabaNode(self->objectNode,"master");
+  assert(master != NULL);
+  assert(mode != NULL);
+  assert(preset != NULL);
+
+  strtolower(mode->value.v.text);
+  if(strcmp(mode->value.v.text,"timer") == 0) {
+    eMode = eTimer;
+  } else {
+    eMode = ePreset;
+  }
+
   data = FindCommandData(pServ->pSics,master->value.v.text,NULL);
   if(data != NULL){
     pCount = GetCountableInterface(data);
     if(pCount != NULL){
-      copyExponent(self,data);
+      copyExponent(self->objectNode,data);
       pCount->SetCountParameters(data,preset->value.v.doubleValue,
 				 eMode);
       masterID = StartCountTask(data,pCon,master->value.v.text);
@@ -193,9 +246,8 @@ static void startMultiCounting(pHdb self, SConnection *pCon)
   
   v = MakeHdbInt(masterID);
   UpdateHipadabaPar(mID,v,pCon);
-  v = MakeHdbInt(slaveID);
-  UpdateHipadabaPar(sID,v,pCon);
 
+  return 0;
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static hdbCallbackReturn MultiSecControllCallback(pHdb node,
@@ -422,6 +474,10 @@ static int MultiSecStatus(void *pData, SConnection * pCon)
   pCounter self = (pCounter)pData;
 
 
+  if(!checkSlavesStarted(self,pCon)) {
+    return HWBusy;
+  }
+
   if(isMultiMasterRunning(self,pCon, &status)){
     return status;
   }