--- /usr/local/bin/spamd.orig	2012-02-01 13:31:10.000000000 +0000
+++ /usr/local/bin/spamd	2012-02-01 13:40:54.000000000 +0000
@@ -684,12 +684,15 @@
   # change $childlimit to avoid churn when we startup and create loads
   # of spare servers; when we're using scaling, it's not as important
   # as it was with the old algorithm.
   if ($childlimit > $opt{'max-spare'}) {
     $childlimit = $opt{'max-spare'};
   }
+  if ($childlimit < $opt{'min-children'}) {
+    $childlimit = $opt{'min-children'};
+  }
 
   $scaling = Mail::SpamAssassin::SpamdForkScaling->new({
         backchannel => $backchannel,
         min_children => $opt{'min-children'},
         max_children => $max_children,
         min_idle => $opt{'min-spare'},