diff --git a/net/autossh/Makefile b/net/autossh/Makefile
index 9889378f82..6bf2a1dda3 100644
--- a/net/autossh/Makefile
+++ b/net/autossh/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=autossh
 PKG_VERSION:=1.4g
-PKG_RELEASE:=4
+PKG_RELEASE:=5
 
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tgz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=https://www.harding.motd.ca/autossh/
diff --git a/net/autossh/files/autossh.init b/net/autossh/files/autossh.init
index 0e7b08666d..2c18905320 100644
--- a/net/autossh/files/autossh.init
+++ b/net/autossh/files/autossh.init
@@ -34,17 +34,17 @@ start_instance() {
 	config_get path            "$section" path
 	config_get pidfile         "$section" pidfile
 
-	if [ -z "$localport" ]; then
-		echo "autossh: localport option is required"
+	if [ -n "$localport" ] && [ -n "$remoteport" ]; then
+		if [ -n "$remotehost" ]; then
+			forwarding="-L ${localport}:${remotehost}:${remoteport}"
+		else
+			forwarding="-R ${remoteport}:${localhost}:${localport}"
+		fi
+	elif [ -n "$localport" ] || [ -n "$remoteport" ]; then
+		echo "autossh: both localport and remoteport options are required"
 		return 1
 	fi
 
-	if [ -n "$remotehost" ]; then
-		forwarding="-L ${localport}:${remotehost}:${remoteport}"
-	else
-		forwarding="-R ${remoteport}:${localhost}:${localport}"
-	fi
-
 	procd_open_instance "$section"
 	procd_set_param command /usr/sbin/autossh ${forwarding} ${ssh}
 	procd_set_param respawn ${respawn_threshold:-3600} ${respawn_timeout:-5} ${respawn_retry:-5}