Upstart, how do I love thee. Let me count the ways. 0.

library/service

@@ -907,6 +907,12 @@ def main():
     (rc, out, err) = service.modify_service_state()
 
     if rc != 0:
+        if err and err.find("is already") != -1:
+            # upstart got confused, one such possibility is MySQL on Ubuntu 12.04
+            # where status may report it has no start/stop links and we could
+            # not get accurate status
+            pass
+        else:
             if err:
                 module.fail_json(msg=err)
             else: