--- a/etc/net/scripts/config-wireless	
+++ a/etc/net/scripts/config-wireless	
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ usage()
 
 [ -z "$1" ] && usage
 NAME=$1
+shift
+
+# used as action script in wpa_cli, see below
+[ -z "$1" ] || {
+    [ "$1" == "CONNECTED" ] && kill `cat /var/run/wpa_cli-$NAME.pid`
+    exit
+}
 
 pickup_defaults
 pickup_options
@@ -29,10 +36,13 @@ if [ -x "${IWCONFIG:=$DEFAULT_IWCONFIG}" ]; then
 fi
 
 # configure WPA
-if [ -x "${WPA_SUPPLICANT:=$DEFAULT_WPA_SUPPLICANT}" ]; then
+if [ -x "${WPA_SUPPLICANT:=$DEFAULT_WPA_SUPPLICANT}" -a \
+	-x "${WPA_CLI:=$DEFAULT_WPA_CLI}" ]; then
 	prof_conf=`profiled_filename $MYIFACEDIR/wpa_supplicant.conf`
 	if [ -s "$prof_conf" ]; then
-		$WPA_SUPPLICANT -i$NAME${WPA_DRIVER:+ -D$WPA_DRIVER} -c $prof_conf 2>&1>/dev/null &
-		echo $! >/var/run/wpa_supplicant-$NAME.pid
+		$WPA_SUPPLICANT -i$NAME${WPA_DRIVER:+ -D$WPA_DRIVER} \
+			-B -P/var/run/wpa_supplicant-$NAME.pid -c $prof_conf
+		# wait until connected
+		$WPA_CLI -i$NAME -P/var/run/wpa_cli-$NAME.pid -a "$0"
 	fi
 fi
--- a/etc/net/scripts/functions	
+++ a/etc/net/scripts/functions	
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ DEFAULT_IFPLUGD=/usr/sbin/ifplugd
 DEFAULT_IWPRIV=/sbin/iwpriv
 DEFAULT_IWCONFIG=/sbin/iwconfig
 DEFAULT_WPA_SUPPLICANT=/usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant
+DEFAULT_WPA_CLI=/usr/sbin/wpa_cli
 DEFAULT_PLIPCONFIG=/sbin/plipconfig
 DEFAULT_VCONFIG=/usr/bin/vconfig
 DEFAULT_IPSECADM=/usr/sbin/ipsecadm
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ declare -frx modprobe_with_rename
 declare -frx eval_string
 declare -rx DENOISE DEFAULT_BONDMODE IFACEDIR LOCALSCRIPTDIR VARLIBDIR
 declare -rx VLANTAB HOSTTAB IFTAB PROFILE_FILE PROC_CMDLINE DEFAULT_IFPLUGSTATUS
-declare -rx DEFAULT_IFPLUGD DEFAULT_IWCONFIG DEFAULT_WPA_SUPPLICANT DEFAULT_PLIPCONFIG
+declare -rx DEFAULT_IFPLUGD DEFAULT_IWCONFIG DEFAULT_WPA_SUPPLICANT DEFAULT_WPA_CLI DEFAULT_PLIPCONFIG
 declare -rx DEFAULT_VCONFIG DEFAULT_PENTANETT DEFAULT_PENTAVALT DEFAULT_PENTANET_CONF
 declare -rx DEFAULT_PENTAVAL_CONF DEFAULT_IPSECADM DEFAULT_IFENSLAVE DEFAULT_BRCTL
 declare -rx DEFAULT_ETHTOOL DEFAULT_PPPD DEFAULT_CHAT DEFAULT_PPPOPTIONSFILE