diff --git a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/htdocs/luci-static/resources/view/network/sqm.js b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/htdocs/luci-static/resources/view/network/sqm.js
index c367e660c..40abf47d9 100644
--- a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/htdocs/luci-static/resources/view/network/sqm.js
+++ b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/htdocs/luci-static/resources/view/network/sqm.js
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ return view.extend({
 		o.depends("autorate","1");
 
 		o = s.taboption("tab_autorate", form.Value, "startup_wait_s",_("Number of seconds to wait on startup:"));
-		o.default = "60";
+		o.default = "60.0";
+		o.datatype = 'float'
 		o.depends("autorate","1");
 
 
diff --git a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/etc/init.d/sqm-autorate b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/etc/init.d/sqm-autorate
index 3f2d5c87d..6c2ee9495 100755
--- a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/etc/init.d/sqm-autorate
+++ b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/etc/init.d/sqm-autorate
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ start_service() {
 	rm -f /usr/share/sqm-autorate/config.*.sh
 	config_load sqm
 	config_foreach _config_autorate queue
-	_launch_autorate
+	[ -n "$(ls /usr/share/sqm-autorate/config.*.sh 2>/dev/null)" ] && _launch_autorate
 }
 
 reload_service() {
diff --git a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/cake-autorate.sh b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/cake-autorate.sh
index 6067cdca8..68edafd1c 100755
--- a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/cake-autorate.sh
+++ b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/cake-autorate.sh
@@ -2204,7 +2204,7 @@ do
 
 				log_msg "DEBUG" "Warning: no reflector response within: ${stall_detection_timeout_s} seconds. Checking loads."
 
-				log_msg "DEBUG" "load check is: (( ${achieved_rate_kbps[dl]} kbps > ${connection_stall_thr_kbps} kbps for download && ${achieved_rate_kbps[ul]} kbps > ${connection_stall_thr_kbps} kbps for upload ))"
+				#log_msg "DEBUG" "load check is: (( ${achieved_rate_kbps[dl]} kbps > ${connection_stall_thr_kbps} kbps for download && ${achieved_rate_kbps[ul]} kbps > ${connection_stall_thr_kbps} kbps for upload ))"
 
 				# non-zero load so despite no reflector response within stall interval, the connection not considered to have stalled
 				# and therefore resume normal operation
diff --git a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/config_template.sh b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/config_template.sh
index 04a366a63..455089d54 100755
--- a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/config_template.sh
+++ b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/config_template.sh
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ reflector_owd_delta_ewma_delta_thr_ms=10   # mac increase from min delta ewma be
 stall_detection_thr=5
 connection_stall_thr_kbps=10
 
-global_ping_response_timeout_s=100.0 # timeout to set shaper rates to min on no ping response whatsoever (seconds)
+global_ping_response_timeout_s=${dl_delay_thr_ms} # timeout to set shaper rates to min on no ping response whatsoever (seconds)
 
 if_up_check_interval_s=10.0 # time to wait before re-checking if rx/tx bytes files exist (e.g. from boot state or sleep recovery)
 
diff --git a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/defaults.sh b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/defaults.sh
index 1ef1af429..7c953290f 100755
--- a/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/defaults.sh
+++ b/luci-app-sqm-autorate/root/usr/share/sqm-autorate/defaults.sh
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ reflector_owd_delta_ewma_delta_thr_ms=10	# max increase from min delta ewma befo
 stall_detection_thr=5
 connection_stall_thr_kbps=10
 
-global_ping_response_timeout_s=10.0 # timeout to set shaper rates to min on no ping response whatsoever (seconds)
+global_ping_response_timeout_s=10 # timeout to set shaper rates to min on no ping response whatsoever (seconds)
 
 if_up_check_interval_s=10.0 # time to wait before re-checking if rx/tx bytes files exist (e.g. from boot state or sleep recovery)