diff --git a/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in b/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
index 63f6260..9f0f454 100644
--- a/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
+++ b/packaging/freebsd/colibri_daemon.in
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ colibri_daemon_prestart()
     install -d -o "${colibri_daemon_user}" -g "${colibri_daemon_group}" -m 0750 \
         "$(/usr/bin/dirname "${colibri_daemon_logfile}")"
 
+    # Remove stale runtime files while rc.d is still root. The daemon process
+    # runs as colibri and cannot unlink a stale socket left behind by a prior
+    # root/corrupt manual start.
+    rm -f "${colibri_daemon_socket}" "${pidfile}" "${supervisor_pidfile}"
+
     # Config is passed to the child via the environment.
     export COLIBRI_DAEMON_DATA_DIR="${colibri_daemon_data_dir}"
     export COLIBRI_DAEMON_SOCKET="${colibri_daemon_socket}"