diff --git a/OpenSim/Services/FSAssetService/FSAssetService.cs b/OpenSim/Services/FSAssetService/FSAssetService.cs
index 45ff25909a..817b00887b 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Services/FSAssetService/FSAssetService.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Services/FSAssetService/FSAssetService.cs
@@ -25,25 +25,21 @@
  * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
-using System;
-using System.Diagnostics;
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.IO;
-using System.IO.Compression;
-using System.Text;
-using System.Threading;
-using System.Reflection;
+using log4net;
+using Nini.Config;
+using OpenMetaverse;
 using OpenSim.Data;
 using OpenSim.Framework;
 using OpenSim.Framework.Serialization.External;
-using OpenSim.Framework.Console;
-using OpenSim.Server.Base;
 using OpenSim.Services.Base;
 using OpenSim.Services.Interfaces;
-using Nini.Config;
-using log4net;
-using OpenMetaverse;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using System.IO.Compression;
+using System.Reflection;
 using System.Security.Cryptography;
+using System.Threading;
 
 namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
 {
@@ -78,8 +74,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
         protected bool m_useOsgridFormat = false;
         protected bool m_showStats = true;
 
-        private static bool m_Initialized;
-        private bool m_MainInstance;
+        private static bool m_mainInitialized;
+        private static object m_initLock = new object();
+
+        private bool m_isMainInstance;
 
         public FSAssetConnector(IConfigSource config)
             : this(config, "AssetService")
@@ -88,29 +86,36 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
 
         public FSAssetConnector(IConfigSource config, string configName) : base(config)
         {
-            if (!m_Initialized)
+            lock(m_initLock)
             {
-                m_Initialized = true;
-                m_MainInstance = true;
+                if (!m_mainInitialized)
+                {
+                    m_mainInitialized = true;
+                    m_isMainInstance = true;
 
-                MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
-                        "show assets", "show assets", "Show asset stats",
-                        HandleShowAssets);
-                MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
-                        "show digest", "show digest <ID>", "Show asset digest",
-                        HandleShowDigest);
-                MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
-                        "delete asset", "delete asset <ID>",
-                        "Delete asset from database",
-                        HandleDeleteAsset);
-                MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
-                        "import", "import <conn> <table> [<start> <count>]",
-                        "Import legacy assets",
-                        HandleImportAssets);
-                MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
-                        "force import", "force import <conn> <table> [<start> <count>]",
-                        "Import legacy assets, overwriting current content",
-                        HandleImportAssets);
+                    MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
+                            "show assets", "show assets", "Show asset stats",
+                            HandleShowAssets);
+                    MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
+                            "show digest", "show digest <ID>", "Show asset digest",
+                            HandleShowDigest);
+                    MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
+                            "delete asset", "delete asset <ID>",
+                            "Delete asset from database",
+                            HandleDeleteAsset);
+                    MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
+                            "import", "import <conn> <table> [<start> <count>]",
+                            "Import legacy assets",
+                            HandleImportAssets);
+                    MainConsole.Instance.Commands.AddCommand("fs", false,
+                            "force import", "force import <conn> <table> [<start> <count>]",
+                            "Import legacy assets, overwriting current content",
+                            HandleImportAssets);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    m_isMainInstance = false; // yes redundant...
+                }
             }
 
             IConfig assetConfig = config.Configs[configName];
@@ -118,6 +123,11 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
             if (assetConfig == null)
                 throw new Exception("No AssetService configuration");
 
+            bool secondary = assetConfig.GetBoolean("SecondaryInstance", false);
+            lock (m_initLock)
+                m_isMainInstance = !secondary;
+
+
             // Get Database Connector from Asset Config (If present)
             string dllName = assetConfig.GetString("StorageProvider", string.Empty);
             string connectionString = assetConfig.GetString("ConnectionString", string.Empty);
@@ -156,7 +166,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
             // Setup Fallback Service
             string str = assetConfig.GetString("FallbackService", string.Empty);
 
-            if (str != string.Empty)
+            if (str.Length > 0)
             {
                 object[] args = new object[] { config };
                 m_FallbackService = LoadPlugin<IAssetService>(str, args);
@@ -189,7 +199,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
             // Default is to show stats to retain original behaviour
             m_showStats = assetConfig.GetBoolean("ShowConsoleStats", m_showStats);
 
-            if (m_MainInstance)
+            if (m_isMainInstance)
             {
                 string loader = assetConfig.GetString("DefaultAssetLoader", string.Empty);
                 if (loader != string.Empty)
@@ -204,10 +214,13 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService
                             });
                 }
 
-                m_WriterThread = new Thread(Writer);
-                m_WriterThread.Start();
+                if(m_WriterThread != null)
+                {
+                    m_WriterThread = new Thread(Writer);
+                    m_WriterThread.Start();
+                }
 
-                if (m_showStats)
+                if (m_showStats && m_StatsThread != null)
                 {
                     m_StatsThread = new Thread(Stats);
                     m_StatsThread.Start();
diff --git a/bin/Robust.HG.ini.example b/bin/Robust.HG.ini.example
index 0e924c8a08..3db37c0091 100644
--- a/bin/Robust.HG.ini.example
+++ b/bin/Robust.HG.ini.example
@@ -251,11 +251,15 @@
     LocalServiceModule = "OpenSim.Services.AssetService.dll:AssetService"
     ;LocalServiceModule = "OpenSim.Services.FSAssetService.dll:FSAssetConnector"
 
-    ;; FSAsset Directories. Base directory, where final asset files are stored and Spool directory for temp files
+    ;; FSAssets Directories. Base directory, where final asset files are stored and Spool directory for temp files
     ;; These directories must be on the same physical filesystem
     ;BaseDirectory = "./fsassets/data"
     ;SpoolDirectory = "./fsassets/tmp"
 
+	;; FSAssets only: if running several instances, only one can run some services, so others need to be set as secondary
+	;; for secondary instances uncoment this line
+	;SecondaryInstance = true
+
     ;; Original service can be checked if FSAssets can not find an asset
     ;FallbackService = "OpenSim.Services.AssetService.dll:AssetService";
 
diff --git a/bin/Robust.ini.example b/bin/Robust.ini.example
index ee50dbf5e4..04c67a2de6 100644
--- a/bin/Robust.ini.example
+++ b/bin/Robust.ini.example
@@ -211,6 +211,10 @@
     ;BaseDirectory = "./fsassets/data"
     ;SpoolDirectory = "./fsassets/tmp"
 
+	;; FSAssets only: if running several instances, only one can run some services, so others need to be set as secondary
+	;; for secondary instances uncoment this line
+	;SecondaryInstance = true
+	
     ;; Original service can be checked if FSAssets can not find an asset
     ;FallbackService = "OpenSim.Services.AssetService.dll:AssetService";