Page 63
                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)


                                 AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                       TO
                        NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            EXECUTIVE BENEFITS TRUST


         This  Amendment  made and  entered  into as of this 6th day of January,
1999, by and between National Service Industries,  Inc., a Delaware  Corporation
(the  "Company"),  and Wachovia  Bank,  N.A.  (formerly  Wachovia Bank and Trust
Company), as Trustee (the "Trustee");


                     W - I - T - N - E - S - S - E - T - H:


         WHEREAS,  the Company previously  established a trust arrangement known
as the National Service Industries,  Inc. Executive Benefits Trust (the "Trust")
in order to ensure  that,  in the event of Change  in  Control  of the  Company,
designated  participants and their beneficiaries  receive the benefits which the
Company  and its  Affiliates  are  obligated  to  provide  pursuant  to  various
executive compensation arrangements (collectively, the "Plans"); and

         WHEREAS, the Company now desires to amend the Trust in a number of 
respects;

         NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                                       1.

         Section 2.4 is hereby  amended by adding the  following  after the word
"securities" in the third line of the present section:

                  ", and all rights under any Letters of Credit,"

                                       2.

         Section 3.2 is hereby amended by adding the following to the end of the
present section:

                  "If the  Company  fails to  deposit  the  amount  in the Trust
         required by this Section 3.2 within  fifteen (15) days of the Trustee's
         written demand,  the Trustee shall commence legal action as provided in
         Section 9.4."

Page 64
                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)

                                       3.

         Section 4.1 is hereby  amended by deleting the present  section  in its
entirety,  and by  substituting  the following in lieu thereof:

                  "4.1  Immediately  upon the occurrence of a Change in Control,
         the Company shall contribute  sufficient cash or marketable  securities
         to the Benefit Account in an amount equal to the difference between the
         assets  transferred  to this Trust  pursuant  to the  Transfer  and the
         amount  necessary  (i)  to pay  all  payments  and  benefits  to  which
         Participants  would be  entitled  (whether  payable  currently  or on a
         deferred basis)  pursuant to the terms of the  Transferred  Plans as of
         the  date of the  Change  in  Control  and  (ii) to pay the  additional
         payments  and  benefits  that  would  be  due  Participants  under  the
         Transferred Plans assuming the Participants' employment were terminated
         involuntarily  by the Company without cause  immediately  following the
         date on which the Change in Control  occurred.  The amount the  Company
         shall  contribute  to the Trust  pursuant to this  Section 4.1 shall be
         determined  by the Trustee in its  discretion.  If the Company fails to
         contribute  the amount to the Trust required by this Section 4.1 within
         five (5) days of the  occurrence of the Change in Control,  the Trustee
         shall  commence  legal action as provided in Section 9.4. Upon a Change
         in Control, this Trustee will have possession and control of the assets
         transferred  (together  with any other assets) of this Trust and all of
         the income therefrom to hold, administer and dispose of the same on the
         terms and conditions set forth herein on behalf of the Participants and
         their beneficiaries."

                                       4.

         Section  4.3 is hereby  amended by deleting  the present section in its
entirety  and  substituting  the  following  in lieu thereof:

                  "4.3  After  the  occurrence  of a Change in  Control,  if the
         Trustee determines that the funds in the Benefit Account (including any
         Sub-Account)  are  insufficient  to fully  pay all  benefits  under the
         Transferred  Plans as described in Section 4.1 and any taxes imposed or
         levied  with  respect to the assets  and/or  income of this  Trust,  as
         provided  under Section 10.1 of Article 10, the Trustee with respect to
         the Benefit  Account shall,  and with respect to any  Sub-Account  may,
         make a written  demand on the  Company  to  provide  funds in an amount
         determined  at least  quarterly by the Trustee in its  discretion.  The
         Company  shall  transfer  such funds within  fifteen (15) days from the
         time the written demand is mailed.  If the Trustee fails to deposit the
         amounts in the Trust  required by this Section 4.3 within  fifteen (15)
         days of the Trustee's written demand,  the Trustee shall commence legal
         action as provided in Section 9.4."


                                                                         Page 65
                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)
                                       5.

         Article 4 is hereby  amended by adding the following new Section 4.4 to
the present Article:

                  "4.4(a)  In  addition  to  the  cash  and/or  other   property
         delivered to, and deposited with, the Trustee pursuant to Article 3 and
         Sections  4.1,  4.2 and 4.3, the Company may deliver to the Trustee one
         or more letters of credit (referred to hereinafter as the "Letter(s) of
         Credit")  which shall (i) be  irrevocable  for a period of at least 364
         days, (ii) be renewable by the Company on substantially  the same terms
         and conditions at the end of such period unless the issuer  provides to
         the Company and the  Trustee  not less than 90 calendar  days'  written
         notice prior to the  expiration  date that any Letter(s) of Credit will
         not be renewed, and (iii) name the Trustee as beneficiary.  A Letter of
         Credit  shall  enable the Trustee to draw  directly  from the issuer of
         such  Letter of Credit,  immediately  upon notice and without any other
         requirement,  an amount  equal to the  excess of 100% of the amount the
         Trustee has demanded the Company  contribute  to the Trust  pursuant to
         Article 3 and Sections  4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, as determined by the Trustee,
         over the value of all other assets of the Trust,  subject,  however, to
         the maximum amount of the Letters of Credit.

                  (b) The Trustee shall draw on each Letter of Credit held by it
         to the full  extent  thereof  no later  than  three (3)  business  days
         following  the  failure by the Company to  contribute  to the Trust the
         amounts demanded by the Trustee pursuant to Article 3 and Sections 4.1,
         4.2 and 4.3.

                  (c) If the  Trustee  receives  written  notice  from an issuer
         referencing  a Letter of Credit by number which is signed by an officer
         of the issuer of such Letter of Credit, that such Letter of Credit will
         not be renewed on substantially the same terms and conditions, then the
         Trustee  shall notify the Company in writing that it has received  such
         notice.

                  (d)  Notwithstanding  (a) above, the Trustee shall not draw on
         any Letter of Credit pursuant to  subparagraph  (a), to the extent that
         the Company has  deposited  in the Trust 100% of the amount the Trustee
         has demanded the Company to contribute to the Trust pursuant to Article
         3 and Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, as determined by the Trustee."

                                       6.

         Article 7 is hereby  amended by redesignating  the current  Section 7.8
as Section 7.9 and adding the  following  new Section 7.8:

                  "7.8     To draw upon any Letter of Credit  provided  pursuant
to Section 4.4 and to make demand upon the issuer of any Letter of Credit to pay
amounts directly to the Trust."

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                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)

                                       7.

         Section  9.3 is hereby  amended by deleting  the present section in its
entirety  and  substituting  the  following  in lieu thereof:

                  "9.3 After a Change in  Control,  the  Trustee  shall bill the
         Company  directly,  on a  monthly  basis,  for all  fees  and  expenses
         described  in Section  10.2.  If the Company  fails to pay such amounts
         within  thirty (30) days,  the Trustee shall  commence  legal action as
         provided in Section 9.4."

                                       8.

         Section  9.4 is hereby  amended by deleting the present  section in its
entirety  and  substituting  the  following  in lieu thereof:

                  "9.4  After a  Change  in  Control,  if the  Company  fails to
         transfer to, and deposit in, the Trust the amounts required by Articles
         3 and 4, and Sections 9.3 and 10.1,  within the time period demanded by
         the  Trustee,  the Trustee  shall  commence  legal action to compel the
         Company to pay such amounts to the Trust, and (ii) the Company shall be
         required to contribute within 10 days of commencement of such action an
         additional  amount  to the  Trust to pay for the  costs  and  expenses,
         including legal fees, of such action.  The Trustee shall have the power
         and  authority to hire legal counsel of its choice to pursue such legal
         action against the Company and the costs of such legal counsel shall be
         paid from the Trust."

                                       9.

         Article 12 is hereby amended by adding the following new Section 12.3.

                  "12.3  Nothing in this Article 12 shall require the Company to
         indemnify  the  Trustee  with  respect  to any  Letter  of  Credit  (as
         described in Section 4.4) which the Trustee or any  affiliate may issue
         in its commercial capacity,  nor may any assets of the Trust be used to
         repay the  Trustee or any  affiliate  for  amounts  the  Trustee or any
         affiliate may pay pursuant to any Letter of Credit."

                                       10.

         Article 13 is hereby  amended by adding the  following  sentence to the
end of the present Article:

                  "The  provisions of this Article 13 shall not limit in any way
         the  obligations and  responsibilities  of the Trustee or any affiliate
         pursuant to a Letter of Credit (as  described  in Section  4.4) and the
         rights of the  Trustee to draw upon any Letter of Credit  issued by the
         Trustee  or any  affiliate  shall  be as  provided  in such  Letter  of
         Credit."


                                                                         Page 67
                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)
                                       11.

         Section 15.4 is hereby amended by deleting the present provision in its
entirety  and  substituting  the  following in lieu thereof:

                  "15.4    Until  written  notice is given to the  contrary,
         communications  to the Trustee shall be sent to it at its office at 301
         N. Main  Street,  P.O.  Box 3099, Winston-Salem, North  Carolina 27150,
         Attention:  Mr. John N. Smith,  III, facsimile  336-770-4059,  copy  to
         Mr. Joe Long,  Trust Counsel (or such other  individuals  as  delegated
         in  writing  by Messrs. Smith or Long);  communications  to the Company
         shall  be  sent  to it at its office at 1420  Peachtree  Street,  N.E.,
         Atlanta, Georgia,  Attention: David Levy, facsimile 404-853-1015,  with
         a copy to William J. Vesely,  Jr.,  Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, facsimile 
         404-815-6555."

                                       12.

         Schedule 1 is hereby  amended by  substituting  a revised  Schedule  1,
dated  January 6, 1999,  which is attached  hereto and made a part  hereof.  The
within and foregoing amendments to the Trust shall be effective as of January 6,
1999.  Except  as hereby  modified,  the Trust  shall  remain in full  force and
effect.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment No.
2 as of the day and year first written above.

                                               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                               By/s/ James S. Balloun
                                               James S. Balloun
                                               Chairman, President and
                                               Chief Executive Officer



                                               WACHOVIA BANK N.A., AS TRUSTEE



                                               By /s/ Jane B. Fisher

                                               Name: Jane B. Fisher

                                               Title: Senior Vice President


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                                                             Exhibit 10(iii)A(5)


         The undersigned Affiliates of the  Corporation  hereby  consent to, and
agree to be bound by, this  Amendment  No. 2 to the Trust.

         This the 6th day of January, 1999.

                                               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                               (Georgia)



                                               By /s/ James S. Balloun
                                               James S. Balloun, President
                                               NSI ENTERPRISES, INC.



                                               By /s/ James S. Balloun
                                               James S. Balloun, President



                                               ZEP MANUFACTURING COMPANY



                                               By /s/ Glen D. Reed
                                               Glen D. Reed, President



                                               NSI SERVICES, L.P.



                                               By /s/ James S. Balloun
                                               James S. Balloun, President