diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4d939855e8..a8b291b80e 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ Changes with Apache 2.1.0-dev
 
   [Remove entries to the current 2.0 section below, when backported]
 
+  *) Fix apxs to insert LoadModule directives only outside of sections.
+     PR 9012.  [André Malo]
+
   *) Hook mod_proxy's fixup before mod_rewrite's fixup, so that by
      mod_rewrite proxied URLs will not be escaped accidentally by
      mod_proxy's fixup. PR 16368  [André Malo]
diff --git a/support/apxs.in b/support/apxs.in
index 184f6727bf..fe545a883d 100644
--- a/support/apxs.in
+++ b/support/apxs.in
@@ -577,9 +577,30 @@ if ($opt_i or $opt_e) {
         foreach $lmd (@lmd) {
             my $what = $opt_A ? "preparing" : "activating";
             if ($content !~ m|\n#?\s*$lmd|) {
-                 $content =~ s|^(.*\n#?\s*LoadModule\s+[^\n]+\n)|$1$c$lmd\n|sg;
+                # check for open <containers>, so that the new LoadModule
+                # directive always appears *outside* of an <container>.
+
+                my $before = ($content =~ m|^(.*\n)#?\s*LoadModule\s+[^\n]+\n|s)[0];
+                my $cntopen = () = ($before =~ m|^\s*<[^/].*$|mg);
+                my $cntclose = () = ($before =~ m|^\s*</.*$|mg);
+
+                if ($cntopen == $cntclose) {
+                    # fine. Last LoadModule is contextless.
+                    $content =~ s|^(.*\n#?\s*LoadModule\s+[^\n]+\n)|$1$c$lmd\n|s;
+                }
+                elsif ($cntopen < $cntclose) {
+                    error('Configuration file is not valid. There are sections'
+                          . ' closed before opened.');
+                    exit(1);
+                }
+                else {
+                    # put our cmd after the section containing the last
+                    # LoadModule.
+                    $content =~ s!\A((?:(?:^\s*(?:[^<]|<[^/]).*(?:$)\n)*^\s*</.*(?:$)\n?){$cntopen})!$1$c$lmd\n!m;
+                }
             } else {
-                 $content =~ s|^(.*\n)#?\s*$lmd[^\n]*\n|$1$c$lmd\n|sg;
+                # replace already existing LoadModule line
+                $content =~ s|^(.*\n)#?\s*$lmd[^\n]*\n|$1$c$lmd\n|s;
             }
             $lmd =~ m|LoadModule\s+(.+?)_module.*|;
             notice("[$what module `$1' in $CFG_SYSCONFDIR/$CFG_TARGET.conf]");