diff --git a/service_darwin.go b/service_darwin.go
index 237d7902..d0f1153c 100644
--- a/service_darwin.go
+++ b/service_darwin.go
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-const maxPathSize = 32 * 1024
-
-const version = "darwin-launchd"
+const (
+	maxPathSize = 32 * 1024
+	version     = "darwin-launchd"
+	controlCmd  = "launchctl"
+)
 
 type darwinSystem struct{}
 
@@ -96,14 +98,15 @@ func (s *darwinLaunchdService) getHomeDir() (string, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *darwinLaunchdService) getServiceFilePath() (string, error) {
+	serviceFile := s.Name + ".plist"
 	if s.userService {
 		homeDir, err := s.getHomeDir()
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", err
 		}
-		return homeDir + "/Library/LaunchAgents/" + s.Name + ".plist", nil
+		return filepath.Join(homeDir, "/Library/LaunchAgents/", serviceFile), nil
 	}
-	return "/Library/LaunchDaemons/" + s.Name + ".plist", nil
+	return filepath.Join("/Library/LaunchDaemons/", serviceFile), nil
 }
 
 func (s *darwinLaunchdService) template() *template.Template {
@@ -184,28 +187,45 @@ func (s *darwinLaunchdService) Uninstall() error {
 }
 
 func (s *darwinLaunchdService) Status() (Status, error) {
-	exitCode, out, err := runWithOutput("launchctl", "list", s.Name)
-	if exitCode == 0 && err != nil {
-		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "failed with stderr") {
-			return StatusUnknown, err
+	var (
+		// Scan output for a valid PID.
+		re        = regexp.MustCompile(`"PID" = ([0-9]+);`)
+		isRunning = func(out string) bool {
+			matches := re.FindStringSubmatch(out)
+			return len(matches) == 2 // `PID = 1234`
 		}
-	}
+		canIgnore = func(err error) bool {
+			return err == nil ||
+				strings.Contains(err.Error(),
+					"Could not find service")
+		}
+	)
 
-	re := regexp.MustCompile(`"PID" = ([0-9]+);`)
-	matches := re.FindStringSubmatch(out)
-	if len(matches) == 2 {
+	// Get output from `list`.
+	controlArgs := []string{"list", s.Name}
+	_, out, err := runWithOutput(controlCmd, controlArgs...)
+	if !canIgnore(err) {
+		return StatusUnknown, err
+	}
+	if isRunning(out) {
 		return StatusRunning, nil
 	}
 
+	// `list` will always return a "job" entry if the job is "loaded"
+	// (see launchd documentation for keyword semantics)
+	// We'll check if the plist actually exist to determine if it's installed or not.
+	// And since it's not running, we can assume it's stopped (but still installed).
 	confPath, err := s.getServiceFilePath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return StatusUnknown, err
 	}
-
-	if _, err = os.Stat(confPath); err == nil {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(confPath); err == nil {
 		return StatusStopped, nil
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return StatusUnknown, err
 	}
 
+	// Otherwise assume the service is not installed.
 	return StatusUnknown, ErrNotInstalled
 }
 
@@ -214,14 +234,20 @@ func (s *darwinLaunchdService) Start() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return run("launchctl", "load", confPath)
+	if err := run(controlCmd, "load", confPath); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !s.Option.bool(optionRunAtLoad, optionRunAtLoadDefault) {
+		return run(controlCmd, "start", s.Name)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 func (s *darwinLaunchdService) Stop() error {
 	confPath, err := s.getServiceFilePath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return run("launchctl", "unload", confPath)
+	return run(controlCmd, "unload", confPath)
 }
 func (s *darwinLaunchdService) Restart() error {
 	err := s.Stop()
diff --git a/service_unix.go b/service_unix.go
index 69596224..5130d225 100644
--- a/service_unix.go
+++ b/service_unix.go
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@
 package service
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log/syslog"
 	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 )
 
@@ -64,76 +65,80 @@ func runWithOutput(command string, arguments ...string) (int, string, error) {
 	return runCommand(command, true, arguments...)
 }
 
-func runCommand(command string, readStdout bool, arguments ...string) (int, string, error) {
-	cmd := exec.Command(command, arguments...)
-
-	var output string
-	var stdout io.ReadCloser
-	var err error
-
+func runCommand(command string, readStdout bool, arguments ...string) (exitStatus int, stdout string, err error) {
+	var (
+		cmd                    = exec.Command(command, arguments...)
+		cmdErr                 = fmt.Errorf("exec `%s` failed", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+		stdoutPipe, stderrPipe io.ReadCloser
+	)
+	if stderrPipe, err = cmd.StderrPipe(); err != nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%s to connect stderr pipe: %w", cmdErr, err)
+		return
+	}
 	if readStdout {
-		// Connect pipe to read Stdout
-		stdout, err = cmd.StdoutPipe()
-
-		if err != nil {
-			// Failed to connect pipe
-			return 0, "", fmt.Errorf("%q failed to connect stdout pipe: %v", command, err)
+		if stdoutPipe, err = cmd.StdoutPipe(); err != nil {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("%s to connect stdout pipe: %w", cmdErr, err)
+			return
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Connect pipe to read Stderr
-	stderr, err := cmd.StderrPipe()
-
-	if err != nil {
-		// Failed to connect pipe
-		return 0, "", fmt.Errorf("%q failed to connect stderr pipe: %v", command, err)
+	// Execute the command.
+	if err = cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", cmdErr, err)
+		return
 	}
 
-	// Do not use cmd.Run()
-	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
-		// Problem while copying stdin, stdout, or stderr
-		return 0, "", fmt.Errorf("%q failed: %v", command, err)
-	}
+	// Process command outputs.
+	var (
+		pipeErr   = fmt.Errorf("%s while attempting to read", cmdErr)
+		stdoutErr = fmt.Errorf("%s from stdout", pipeErr)
+		stderrErr = fmt.Errorf("%s from stderr", pipeErr)
 
-	// Zero exit status
-	// Darwin: launchctl can fail with a zero exit status,
-	// so check for emtpy stderr
-	if command == "launchctl" {
-		slurp, _ := ioutil.ReadAll(stderr)
-		if len(slurp) > 0 && !bytes.HasSuffix(slurp, []byte("Operation now in progress\n")) {
-			return 0, "", fmt.Errorf("%q failed with stderr: %s", command, slurp)
-		}
+		errBuffer, readErr = ioutil.ReadAll(stderrPipe)
+		stderr             = strings.TrimSuffix(string(errBuffer), "\n")
+
+		haveStdErr = len(stderr) != 0
+	)
+
+	// Always read stderr.
+	if readErr != nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", stderrErr, readErr)
+		return
 	}
 
+	// Maybe read stdout.
 	if readStdout {
-		out, err := ioutil.ReadAll(stdout)
-		if err != nil {
-			return 0, "", fmt.Errorf("%q failed while attempting to read stdout: %v", command, err)
-		} else if len(out) > 0 {
-			output = string(out)
+		outBuffer, readErr := ioutil.ReadAll(stdoutPipe)
+		if readErr != nil {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", stdoutErr, readErr)
+			return
 		}
+		stdout = string(outBuffer)
 	}
 
-	if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
-		exitStatus, ok := isExitError(err)
-		if ok {
-			// Command didn't exit with a zero exit status.
-			return exitStatus, output, err
+	// Wait for command to finish.
+	if runErr := cmd.Wait(); runErr != nil {
+		var execErr *exec.ExitError
+		if errors.As(runErr, &execErr) {
+			if status, ok := execErr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus); ok {
+				exitStatus = status.ExitStatus()
+			}
 		}
-
-		// An error occurred and there is no exit status.
-		return 0, output, fmt.Errorf("%q failed: %v", command, err)
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", cmdErr, runErr)
+		if haveStdErr {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("%w with stderr: %s", err, stderr)
+		}
+		return
 	}
 
-	return 0, output, nil
-}
-
-func isExitError(err error) (int, bool) {
-	if exiterr, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
-		if status, ok := exiterr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus); ok {
-			return status.ExitStatus(), true
-		}
+	// Darwin: launchctl can fail with a zero exit status,
+	// so stderr must be inspected.
+	systemIsDarwin := command == "launchctl"
+	if systemIsDarwin &&
+		haveStdErr &&
+		!strings.HasSuffix(stderr, "Operation now in progress") {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%w with stderr: %s", cmdErr, stderr)
 	}
 
-	return 0, false
+	return
 }