diff --git a/scripts/brcm40183-patch b/scripts/brcm40183-patch
index e3c782954c..3fce03652d 100644
--- a/scripts/brcm40183-patch
+++ b/scripts/brcm40183-patch
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Provides:          brcm40183-patch
 # Required-Start:    $local_fs
 # Required-Stop:
-# X-Start-Before:    bluetooth  
+# X-Start-Before:    bluetooth
 # Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
 # Default-Stop:      0 1 6
 # Short-Description: Patch firmware for brcm40183 Bluetooth adapter
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ then
 	. "${DEFAULTS}"
 fi
 
+# exit if bluetooth utils are not installed
+[ -f "/bin/hciconfig" ] || exit 0
+
 . /lib/lsb/init-functions
 
 do_start () {
diff --git a/scripts/brcm4330-patch b/scripts/brcm4330-patch
index aa232a164d..1ba4c2a4be 100644
--- a/scripts/brcm4330-patch
+++ b/scripts/brcm4330-patch
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Provides:          brcm4330-patch
 # Required-Start:    $local_fs
 # Required-Stop:
-# X-Start-Before:    bluetooth  
+# X-Start-Before:    bluetooth
 # Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
 # Default-Stop:      0 1 6
 # Short-Description: Patch firmware for brcm4330 Bluetooth adapter
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ fi
 
 . /lib/lsb/init-functions
 
+# exit if bluetooth utils are not installed
+[ -f "/bin/hciconfig" ] || exit 0
+
 do_start () {
 
 if [ ! -z $(hciconfig | /bin/grep UART | /usr/bin/cut -d: -f1) ]