diff --git a/ceph/ceph/files/ceph-init-wrapper.sh b/ceph/ceph/files/ceph-init-wrapper.sh
index c772598c0..427eb693a 100755
--- a/ceph/ceph/files/ceph-init-wrapper.sh
+++ b/ceph/ceph/files/ceph-init-wrapper.sh
@@ -305,11 +305,6 @@ has_daemon_running ()
 
 start ()
 {
-    if [ ! -f ${CEPH_FILE} ]; then
-        # Ceph is not running on this node, return success
-        exit 0
-    fi
-
     local service="$1"
     # Evaluate the parameter because of local monitor (controller.${HOSTNAME})
     eval service="${service}"
@@ -598,6 +593,14 @@ start=$(date +%s%N)
 log INFO "action:${args[0]}:start-at:${start: 0:-6} ms"
 case "${args[0]}" in
     start)
+        if [ ! -f ${CEPH_FILE} ]; then
+            # Ceph is not running on this node, return success
+            exit 0
+        fi
+
+        start ${args[1]}
+        ;;
+    forcestart)
         start ${args[1]}
         ;;
     stop)
diff --git a/ceph/ceph/files/ceph.sh b/ceph/ceph/files/ceph.sh
index d427f40f3..ae3796abd 100644
--- a/ceph/ceph/files/ceph.sh
+++ b/ceph/ceph/files/ceph.sh
@@ -6,41 +6,96 @@
 
 INITDIR=/etc/init.d
 LOGFILE=/var/log/ceph/ceph-init.log
-CEPH_FILE=/var/run/.ceph_started
+CEPH_STARTED_FLAG=/var/run/.ceph_started
+CEPH_CONFIGURED_FLAG=/etc/platform/.node_ceph_configured
+CEPH_INIT="${INITDIR}/ceph-init-wrapper"
 
-# Get our nodetype
+# Get system/node configuration
 . /etc/platform/platform.conf
 
-# Exit immediately if ceph not configured (i.e. no mon in the config file)
-if ! grep -q "mon\." /etc/ceph/ceph.conf
-then
-    exit 0
-fi
-
 logecho ()
 {
-    echo $1
-    date >> ${LOGFILE}
-    echo $1 >> ${LOGFILE}
+    local head="$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S.%3N")"
+    echo "$head ${BASHPID}: $@" >> ${LOGFILE}
+    echo "$@"
 }
 
+# Exit immediately if ceph not configured
+if [ ! -f "${CEPH_CONFIGURED_FLAG}" ]; then
+    logecho "Ceph is not configured in this node. Exiting."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# If system is an AIO the mtcClient will run this script twice
+# from 2 locations on controllers.
+# If this is a AIO DX+ it will also be called on compute nodes
+# and it should be avoided since there is nothing to do.
+# So exit the script if it is called from /etc//services.d/worker
+if [[ "$system_type" == "All-in-one" ]]; then
+    dir_path=$(dirname "$(realpath $0)")
+    if [[ "$dir_path" == "/etc/services.d/worker" ]]; then
+        logecho "Calling from '${dir_path}' and this is ${system_type^}. Exiting."
+        exit 0
+    fi
+fi
+
 start ()
 {
-    # Defer ceph initialization to avoid race conditions. Let SM and Pmon to start the
-    # processes in the appropriate time.
-    # Set the flag to let ceph start later.
-    logecho "Setting flag to enable ceph processes to start."
-    if [ ! -f ${CEPH_FILE} ]; then
-        touch ${CEPH_FILE}
+    # Start Ceph processes according to the system_type and system_mode.
+    # Set the flag CEPH_STARTED_FLAG to let ceph to be monitored by Pmon and SM.
+    # The forcestart action is used to bypass the CEPH_STARTED_FLAG flag check
+    # that is created only after all processes are running to prevent
+    # Pmon and SM detecting process failure when monitoring the processes
+
+    logecho "Starting Ceph processes on ${system_type^} ${system_mode^}"
+
+    if [ "${system_type}" == "All-in-one" ] && [ "${system_mode}" == "simplex" ]; then
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart mon
+        local rc_mon=$?
+        logecho "RC mon: ${rc_mon}"
+
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart mds
+        local rc_mds=$?
+        logecho "RC mds: ${rc_mds}"
+
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart osd
+        local rc_osd=$?
+        logecho "RC osd: ${rc_osd}"
+    fi
+
+    if [ "${system_type}" == "All-in-one" ] && [ "${system_mode}" != "simplex" ]; then
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart mon.${HOSTNAME}
+        local rc_mon=$?
+        logecho "RC mon.${HOSTNAME}: ${rc_mon}"
+
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart mds
+        local rc_mds=$?
+        logecho "RC mds: ${rc_mds}"
+    fi
+
+    if [ "${system_type}" == "Standard" ]; then
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart
+        local rc_all=$?
+        logecho "RC all: ${rc_all}"
+
+        ${CEPH_INIT} forcestart mds
+        local rc_mds=$?
+        logecho "RC mds: ${rc_mds}"
+    fi
+
+    logecho "Setting flag to enable ceph processes monitoring"
+    if [ ! -f ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG} ]; then
+        touch ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG}
     fi
 }
 
 stop ()
 {
+    logecho "Stopping Ceph processes on ${system_type^} ${system_mode^}"
     if [ "${system_type}" == "All-in-one" ] && [ "${system_mode}" == "simplex" ]; then
-        # AIO-SX
-        logecho "Ceph services will continue to run on node"
-        RC=0
+        # AIO-SX do not stop services
+        logecho "Ceph services will continue to run"
+
     elif [ "$system_type" == "All-in-one" ] && [ "${system_mode}" != "simplex" ]; then
         # AIO-DX and AIO-DX+
         # Will stop OSDs and MDS processes only.
@@ -48,46 +103,30 @@ stop ()
         # mon.${hostname} must be running.
         logecho "Ceph services will be stopped, except local ceph monitor"
 
-        if [ -f ${CEPH_FILE} ]; then
-            rm -f ${CEPH_FILE}
+        if [ -f ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG} ]; then
+            rm -f ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG}
         fi
 
-        ${INITDIR}/ceph-init-wrapper stop osd >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
+        ${CEPH_INIT} stop osd >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
         local rc_osd=$?
-        logecho "rc_osd=${rc_osd}"
+        logecho "RC osd: ${rc_osd}"
 
-        ${INITDIR}/ceph-init-wrapper stop mds >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
+        ${CEPH_INIT} stop mds >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
         local rc_mds=$?
-        logecho "rc_mds=${rc_mds}"
+        logecho "RC mds: ${rc_mds}"
 
-        RC=0
-        [ ${rc_osd} -ne 0 ] || [ ${rc_mds} -ne 0 ] && RC=1
     else
         # Standard and Standard Dedicated Storage
         logecho "Stopping ceph services..."
 
-        if [ -f ${CEPH_FILE} ]; then
-            rm -f ${CEPH_FILE}
+        if [ -f ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG} ]; then
+            rm -f ${CEPH_STARTED_FLAG}
         fi
 
-        ${INITDIR}/ceph-init-wrapper stop >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
-        RC=$?
+        ${CEPH_INIT} stop >> ${LOGFILE} 2>&1
     fi
 }
 
-# If system is an AIO the mtcClient will run this script twice
-# from 2 locations and this generates some errors.
-# So we have to exit the script if is called
-# from /etc/services.d/worker in order to be executed once
-if [[ "$system_type" == "All-in-one" ]]; then
-    dir_path=$(dirname "$(realpath $0)")
-    if [[ "$dir_path" == "/etc/services.d/worker" ]]; then
-        exit 0
-    fi
-fi
-
-RC=0
-
 case "$1" in
     start)
         start
@@ -101,5 +140,4 @@ case "$1" in
         ;;
 esac
 
-logecho "RC was: $RC"
-exit $RC
+exit 0