diff --git a/playbooks/death_to_postfix.yml b/playbooks/death_to_postfix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1ca1007ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/death_to_postfix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# requires --extra-vars="target='host1;host2;group'"
+# thanks threebean on this.
+
+- name: kills postfix which has been left around alive after update.
+  hosts: "{{ target }}"
+  user: root
+
+
+  tasks:
+      - name: Try to stop postfix cleanly.
+        service:  name=postfix state=stopped
+     
+      # This doesn't really remove the pid file.. but we say it does so ansible only runs it if the pid file is there..
+      - name: Really kill postfix master process
+        command:  pkill -u root master removes=/var/spool/postfix/pid/master.pid
+     
+      - name: Clean up old pid lock file.
+        command: rm /var/spool/postfix/pid/master.pid removes=/var/spool/postfix/pid/master.pid
+     
+      - name: Try to start postfix cleanly
+        service:  name=postfix state=started