diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index aad74585a4..c434262252 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ ArchLinux
 If running `$ synctl start` fails with 'returned non-zero exit status 1',
 you will need to explicitly call Python2.7 - either running as::
 
-    $ python2.7 -m synapse.app.homeserver --daemonize -c homeserver.yaml --pid-file homeserver.pid
+    $ python2.7 -m synapse.app.homeserver --daemonize -c homeserver.yaml
     
 ...or by editing synctl with the correct python executable.
 
diff --git a/synapse/app/synctl.py b/synapse/app/synctl.py
index 3a70a248dc..462dfb7d73 100755
--- a/synapse/app/synctl.py
+++ b/synapse/app/synctl.py
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@ import signal
 SYNAPSE = ["python", "-B", "-m", "synapse.app.homeserver"]
 
 CONFIGFILE = "homeserver.yaml"
-PIDFILE = "homeserver.pid"
 
 GREEN = "\x1b[1;32m"
 NORMAL = "\x1b[m"
 
+CONFIG = yaml.load(open(CONFIGFILE))
+PIDFILE = CONFIG["pid_file"]
 
 def start():
     if not os.path.exists(CONFIGFILE):
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ def start():
         sys.exit(1)
     print "Starting ...",
     args = SYNAPSE
-    args.extend(["--daemonize", "-c", CONFIGFILE, "--pid-file", PIDFILE])
+    args.extend(["--daemonize", "-c", CONFIGFILE])
     subprocess.check_call(args)
     print GREEN + "started" + NORMAL