diff --git a/bin/hbase-daemon.sh b/bin/hbase-daemon.sh
index 673e25ad3d0..6f0a52425b2 100755
--- a/bin/hbase-daemon.sh
+++ b/bin/hbase-daemon.sh
@@ -186,8 +186,9 @@ case $startStop in
     hbase_rotate_log $HBASE_LOGOUT
     hbase_rotate_log $HBASE_LOGGC
     echo starting $command, logging to $HBASE_LOGOUT
-    nohup $thiscmd --config "${HBASE_CONF_DIR}" \
+    $thiscmd --config "${HBASE_CONF_DIR}" \
         foreground_start $command $args < /dev/null > ${HBASE_LOGOUT} 2>&1  &
+    disown -h -r
     sleep 1; head "${HBASE_LOGOUT}"
   ;;
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/conf/ConfigurationManager.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/conf/ConfigurationManager.java
index 29b3e8b12b6..1701588a42b 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/conf/ConfigurationManager.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/conf/ConfigurationManager.java
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ public class ConfigurationManager {
    * all the observers that are expressed interest to do that.
    */
   public void notifyAllObservers(Configuration conf) {
+    LOG.info("Starting to notify all observers that config changed.");
     synchronized (configurationObservers) {
       for (ConfigurationObserver observer : configurationObservers) {
         try {
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
index 0b21a2afc23..9e88523631c 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ import com.google.protobuf.RpcCallback;
 import com.google.protobuf.RpcController;
 import com.google.protobuf.Service;
 import com.google.protobuf.ServiceException;
+import sun.misc.Signal;
+import sun.misc.SignalHandler;
 
 /**
  * HRegionServer makes a set of HRegions available to clients. It checks in with
@@ -599,6 +601,13 @@ public class HRegionServer extends HasThread implements
     putUpWebUI();
     this.walRoller = new LogRoller(this, this);
     this.choreService = new ChoreService(getServerName().toString());
+
+    Signal.handle(new Signal("HUP"), new SignalHandler() {
+      public void handle(Signal signal) {
+        getConfiguration().reloadConfiguration();
+        configurationManager.notifyAllObservers(getConfiguration());
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   /*