diff --git a/jobs/auditd/spec b/jobs/auditd/spec
index 5ea1415..726fd96 100644
--- a/jobs/auditd/spec
+++ b/jobs/auditd/spec
@@ -12,3 +12,7 @@ properties:
     default: []
     example:
     - "-a always,exit -F perm=x -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -F path=/usr/bin/who -k privileged"
+  pre_start_delay:
+    description: The number of seconds to delay running the pre-start script. This can be used, for example, to avoid a race condition with other pre-start scripts, such as IPsec's, that can prevent auditd From starting
+    default: 0
+    example: 30
diff --git a/jobs/auditd/templates/pre-start b/jobs/auditd/templates/pre-start
index 9b8f4f9..b76b940 100644
--- a/jobs/auditd/templates/pre-start
+++ b/jobs/auditd/templates/pre-start
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+set -xeu -o pipefail
+
+date
+echo Delaying start for '<%= p("pre_start_delay") %>' seconds
+sleep '<%= p("pre_start_delay") %>'
+date
+
 if ! grep -e '^-e 2$' /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules -q; then
   echo '
 # Custom rules; added by auditd job (os-conf-release)