diff --git a/coremods/control.py b/coremods/control.py
index 78f1c54..ad352ce 100644
--- a/coremods/control.py
+++ b/coremods/control.py
@@ -24,13 +24,16 @@ def _print_remaining_threads():
     log.debug('_shutdown(): Remaining threads: %s', ['%s/%s' % (t.name, t.ident) for t in threading.enumerate()])
 
 def _remove_pid():
-    # Remove our pid file.
     pidfile = "%s.pid" % conf.confname
-    log.info("Removing PID file %r.", pidfile)
-    try:
-        os.remove(pidfile)
-    except OSError:
-        log.exception("Failed to remove PID file %r, ignoring..." % pidfile)
+    if world._should_remove_pid:
+        # Remove our pid file.
+        log.info("Removing PID file %r.", pidfile)
+        try:
+            os.remove(pidfile)
+        except OSError:
+            log.exception("Failed to remove PID file %r, ignoring..." % pidfile)
+    else:
+        log.debug('Not removing PID file %s as world._should_remove_pid is False.' % pidfile)
 
 def _kill_plugins(irc=None):
     log.info("Shutting down plugins.")
diff --git a/pylink b/pylink
index aea3b45..08166fb 100755
--- a/pylink
+++ b/pylink
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if not args.no_pid:
         with open('%s.pid' % conf.confname, 'w') as f:
             f.write(str(os.getpid()))
+        world._should_remove_pid = True
 
     # Import plugins first globally, because they can listen for events
     # that happen before the connection phase.
diff --git a/world.py b/world.py
index 7e81d4e..dd42640 100644
--- a/world.py
+++ b/world.py
@@ -33,3 +33,6 @@ fallback_hostname = 'pylink.int'
 # Defines messages to be logged as soon as the log system is set up, for modules like conf that are
 # initialized before log. This is processed (and then not used again) when the log module loads.
 log_queue = deque()
+
+# Determines whether we have a PID file that needs to be removed.
+_should_remove_pid = False