diff --git a/etc/rc.prunecaptiveportal b/etc/rc.prunecaptiveportal
index 346ed41fd7..04366ea5d3 100755
--- a/etc/rc.prunecaptiveportal
+++ b/etc/rc.prunecaptiveportal
@@ -41,8 +41,13 @@ require_once("captiveportal.inc");
 global $g;
 
 if (file_exists("{$g['tmp_path']}/.rc.prunecaptiveportal.running")) {
-	log_error("Skipping CP prunning process because previous/another instance is already running");
-	return;
+	$stat = stat("{$g['tmp_path']}/.rc.prunecaptiveportal.running");
+	if (time() - $stat['mtime'] >= 120)
+		@unlink("{$g['tmp_path']}/.rc.prunecaptiveportal.running");
+	else {
+		log_error("Skipping CP prunning process because previous/another instance is already running");
+		return;
+	}
 }
 
 @file_put_contents("{$g['tmp_path']}/.rc.prunecaptiveportal.running", "");