diff --git a/management/backup.py b/management/backup.py
index 6e7b1162..e0349dd6 100755
--- a/management/backup.py
+++ b/management/backup.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import os, os.path, shutil, glob, re, datetime
 import dateutil.parser, dateutil.relativedelta, dateutil.tz
 
-from utils import exclusive_process, load_environment, shell
+from utils import exclusive_process, load_environment, shell, wait_for_service
 
 # Destroy backups when the most recent increment in the chain
 # that depends on it is this many days old.
@@ -242,6 +242,13 @@ def perform_backup(full_backup):
 			['su', env['STORAGE_USER'], '-c', post_script],
 			env=env)
 
+	# Our nightly cron job executes system status checks immediately after this
+	# backup. Since it checks that dovecot and postfix are running, block for a
+	# bit (maximum of 10 seconds each) to give each a chance to finish restarting
+	# before the status checks might catch them down. See #381.
+	wait_for_service(25, True, env, 10)
+	wait_for_service(993, True, env, 10)
+
 def run_duplicity_verification():
 	env = load_environment()
 	backup_root = os.path.join(env["STORAGE_ROOT"], 'backup')
diff --git a/management/utils.py b/management/utils.py
index 24a2a0a7..efe2c186 100644
--- a/management/utils.py
+++ b/management/utils.py
@@ -184,3 +184,19 @@ def du(path):
             seen.add(stat.st_ino)
             total_size += stat.st_size
     return total_size
+
+def wait_for_service(port, public, env, timeout):
+	# Block until a service on a given port (bound privately or publicly)
+	# is taking connections, with a maximum timeout.
+	import socket, time
+	start = time.perf_counter()
+	while True:
+		s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+		s.settimeout(timeout/3)
+		try:
+			s.connect(("127.0.0.1" if not public else env['PUBLIC_IP'], port))
+			return True
+		except OSError:
+			if time.perf_counter() > start+timeout:
+				return False
+		time.sleep(min(timeout/4, 1))