A brake control system for a motor vehicle having wheels, service brakes for supplying a service braking effort to a plurality of the wheels, sensing means for detecting standstill of the vehicle, and a parking brake engageable to supply a park braking effort to a subset of the plurality of wheels. The system comprises brake actuation means for actuating the service brakes to supply the service braking effort; and brake control means for controlling the brake actuation means to supply an automatic component of the service braking effort. The brake control means is arranged, when standstill of the vehicle is detected and before the parking brake is engaged, to cause the brake actuation means to supply the automatic component of the service braking effort only to the subset of the plurality of wheels.