diff --git a/include/toksvc/toksvc.h b/include/toksvc/toksvc.h
index 0725ed7..4d68081 100644
--- a/include/toksvc/toksvc.h
+++ b/include/toksvc/toksvc.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ extern "C" {
 #define TOKS_DRIVER_ANNOTATE_NEVER	0x2000
 #define TOKS_DRIVER_ANNOTATE_FULL	0x4000
 
+#define TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_SERVER		0X10000
+#define TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_CLIENT		0X20000
+
 /* error flags */
 #define TOKS_ERROR_TOP_LEVEL		0x0001
 #define TOKS_ERROR_NESTED		0x0002
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ struct toks_common_ctx {
 	uint64_t			drvflags;
 	uint64_t			actflags;
 	uint64_t			fmtflags;
+	const nt_guid *			uuid;
 	void *				hroot;
 	const char *			sysroot;
 	char **				eargv;
diff --git a/src/daemon/toks_daemon_init.c b/src/daemon/toks_daemon_init.c
index d11d347..0914a6d 100644
--- a/src/daemon/toks_daemon_init.c
+++ b/src/daemon/toks_daemon_init.c
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@
 #include "toksvc_daemon_impl.h"
 #include "toksvc_driver_impl.h"
 
-static const nt_guid toks_daemon_guid = TOKS_PORT_GUID_DAEMON;
-
-static int32_t toks_daemon_init_impl(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, void * htty)
+static int32_t toks_daemon_init_impl(
+	struct toks_daemon_ctx *    dctx,
+	const nt_guid *             svcguid,
+	void *                      htty)
 {
 	int32_t				status;
 	nt_daemon_params		dparams;
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ static int32_t toks_daemon_init_impl(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, void * htty)
 	/* port guid */
 	ntapi->tt_guid_copy(
 		&dctx->daemon_attr.guid,
-		&toks_daemon_guid);
+		svcguid);
 
 	/* port keys */
 	if ((status = ntapi->tt_port_generate_keys(&dctx->daemon_attr.keys)))
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ static int32_t toks_daemon_init_impl(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, void * htty)
 	if ((status = ntapi->dsr_init(&dparams)))
 		return status;
 
+	/* todo: check driver flags or defer to driver */
 	return ntapi->tty_request_peer(
                 htty,
 		TOKS_DAEMON_TTYSIGNAL,
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ static int32_t toks_daemon_init_impl(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, void * htty)
 
 static int32_t toks_daemon_once = 0;
 
-int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_init(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, uint64_t drvflags)
+int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_init(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, const nt_guid * svcguid)
 {
 	int32_t			status;
 	nt_timeout		timeout;
@@ -88,18 +90,10 @@ int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_init(struct toks_daemon_ctx * dctx, uint64_t drvfl
 	if ((status = ntapi->tt_get_runtime_data(&rtdata,0)))
 		return status;
 
-	/* needed? */
-	if (drvflags & TOKS_DRIVER_DAEMON_NEVER)
-		return 0;
-
-	if (!(drvflags & TOKS_DRIVER_DAEMON_ALWAYS))
-		if (ntapi->tt_guid_compare(&rtdata->srv_guid,&toks_daemon_guid))
-			return 0;
-
 	/* once */
 	switch (at_locked_cas_32(&toks_daemon_once,0,1)) {
 		case 0:
-			if ((status = toks_daemon_init_impl(dctx,rtdata->hsession))) {
+			if ((status = toks_daemon_init_impl(dctx,svcguid,rtdata->hsession))) {
 				at_locked_add_32(&toks_daemon_once,2);
 				return status;
 			}
diff --git a/src/driver/toks_amain.c b/src/driver/toks_amain.c
index 5853c5a..b4b3764 100644
--- a/src/driver/toks_amain.c
+++ b/src/driver/toks_amain.c
@@ -74,5 +74,7 @@ int toks_main(char ** argv, char ** envp)
 		if ((toks_version(dctx)) < 0)
 			return toks_exit(dctx,2);
 
-	return toks_exit(dctx,ret);
+	return (dctx->cctx->drvflags & TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_SERVER)
+		? NT_STATUS_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION
+		: toks_exit(dctx,ret);
 }
diff --git a/src/driver/toks_driver_ctx.c b/src/driver/toks_driver_ctx.c
index 713d8f9..3a0fbb7 100644
--- a/src/driver/toks_driver_ctx.c
+++ b/src/driver/toks_driver_ctx.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const ntapi_vtbl * toks_ntapi;
 
 /* daemon */
 static struct toks_daemon_ctx toks_daemon_ctx;
+static const  nt_guid toks_daemon_default_guid = TOKS_PORT_GUID_DAEMON;
 
 /* package info */
 static const struct toks_source_version toks_src_version = {
@@ -169,6 +170,8 @@ int toks_get_driver_ctx(
 	const struct argv_option *	optv[TOKS_OPTV_ELEMENTS];
 	struct argv_meta *		meta;
 	struct argv_entry *		entry;
+	struct argv_entry *		uuid;
+	nt_guid				svcguid;
 	const char *			program;
 	char *				targv[TOKS_SARGV_ELEMENTS];
 
@@ -191,7 +194,12 @@ int toks_get_driver_ctx(
 			STDERR_FILENO)))
 		return -1;
 
+	if (!(flags & TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_CLIENT))
+		flags |= TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_SERVER;
+
+	uuid    = 0;
 	program = argv_program_name(argv[0]);
+
 	memset(&cctx,0,sizeof(cctx));
 	cctx.drvflags = flags;
 	cctx.eargv = sargv.eargv;
@@ -222,12 +230,25 @@ int toks_get_driver_ctx(
 				case TAG_SYSROOT:
 					cctx.sysroot = entry->arg;
 					break;
+
+				case TAG_UUID:
+					uuid = entry;
+					break;
 			}
 		} else
 			/* strict */
 			return toks_driver_usage(program,0,optv,meta);
 	}
 
+	if (uuid && ntapi->tt_string_to_guid_utf8(uuid->arg,&svcguid)) {
+		if (flags & TOKS_DRIVER_VERBOSITY_ERRORS)
+			toks_dprintf(STDERR_FILENO,
+				"%s: error: '%s' is not a valid service guid (did you forget the braces?)",
+				program,uuid->arg);
+		return toks_get_driver_ctx_fail(meta);
+
+	}
+
 	if (cctx.sysroot && toks_open_dir(&cctx.hroot,0,cctx.sysroot,false)) {
 		if (flags & TOKS_DRIVER_VERBOSITY_ERRORS)
 			toks_dprintf(STDERR_FILENO,
@@ -239,11 +260,17 @@ int toks_get_driver_ctx(
 	if (!(ctx = toks_driver_ctx_alloc(meta,&cctx)))
 		return toks_get_driver_ctx_fail(meta);
 
-	if (toks_daemon_init(&toks_daemon_ctx,cctx.drvflags))
-		return toks_get_driver_ctx_fail(meta);
+	ntapi->tt_guid_copy(
+		&ctx->uuid,
+		uuid ? &svcguid : &ctx->rtdata->srv_guid);
+
+	if (cctx.drvflags & TOKS_DRIVER_MODE_SERVER)
+		if (toks_daemon_init(&toks_daemon_ctx,&ctx->uuid))
+			return toks_get_driver_ctx_fail(meta);
 
 	ctx->ctx.program	= program;
 	ctx->ctx.cctx		= &ctx->cctx;
+	ctx->cctx.uuid          = &ctx->uuid;
 
 	*pctx = &ctx->ctx;
 	return TOKS_OK;
diff --git a/src/internal/toksvc_daemon_impl.h b/src/internal/toksvc_daemon_impl.h
index d5ed546..07c43a4 100644
--- a/src/internal/toksvc_daemon_impl.h
+++ b/src/internal/toksvc_daemon_impl.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct toks_daemon_ctx {
 	void *			hevent_internal_client_ready;
 };
 
-int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_init(struct toks_daemon_ctx *, uint64_t);
+int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_init(struct toks_daemon_ctx *, const nt_guid *);
 int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_loop(void *);
 int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_connect(nt_tty_port_msg *);
 int32_t __stdcall toks_daemon_signal(nt_tty_port_msg *);
diff --git a/src/internal/toksvc_driver_impl.h b/src/internal/toksvc_driver_impl.h
index fd018a3..4222638 100644
--- a/src/internal/toksvc_driver_impl.h
+++ b/src/internal/toksvc_driver_impl.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ enum app_tags {
 	TAG_VERSION,
 	TAG_DAEMON,
 	TAG_SYSROOT,
+	TAG_UUID,
 };
 
 struct toks_client_ctx {
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ struct toks_driver_ctx_impl {
 	struct toks_client_ctx	clctx;
 	struct toks_common_ctx	cctx;
 	struct toks_driver_ctx	ctx;
+	nt_guid			uuid;
 };
 
 static inline struct toks_driver_ctx_impl * toks_get_driver_ictx(const struct toks_driver_ctx * dctx)
@@ -50,6 +52,20 @@ static inline struct toks_driver_ctx_impl * toks_get_driver_ictx(const struct to
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline nt_rtdata * toks_get_driver_rtdata(const struct toks_driver_ctx * dctx)
+{
+	struct toks_driver_ctx_impl * ictx;
+	ictx = toks_get_driver_ictx(dctx);
+	return ictx->rtdata;
+}
+
+static inline const nt_guid * toks_get_driver_uuid(const struct toks_driver_ctx * dctx)
+{
+	struct toks_driver_ctx_impl * ictx;
+	ictx = toks_get_driver_ictx(dctx);
+	return &ictx->uuid;
+}
+
 int32_t toks_open_file(void ** hfile, void * hat, const char * arg, bool fprivate);
 int32_t toks_open_dir(void ** hfile, void * hat, const char * arg, bool fprivate);
 
diff --git a/src/skin/toks_skin_default.c b/src/skin/toks_skin_default.c
index 4356438..0fe9d3e 100644
--- a/src/skin/toks_skin_default.c
+++ b/src/skin/toks_skin_default.c
@@ -13,11 +13,14 @@ const struct argv_option toks_default_options[] = {
 				"and set it to be the child's intial root directory."},
 
 	{"daemon",		0,TAG_DAEMON,ARGV_OPTARG_OPTIONAL,0,"default|always|never",0,
-				"create a daemon thread and handle signals sent by the "
-				"application's own controlling terminal. The default is "
-				"to create a daemon thread when toksvc runs as a stand-alone "
-				"program, and defer the task to the main utility in all other "
-				"cases."},
+				"have the service's daemon thread handle signals sent by the "
+				"application's own controlling terminal. The default is for "
+				"the daemon thread to handle signals when the service runs as "
+				"a stand-alone program, and defer the task to the main utility "
+				"in all other cases."},
+
+	{"uuid",		'u',TAG_UUID,ARGV_OPTARG_REQUIRED,0,0,"<uuid>",
+				"set the service identifier to %s."},
 
 	{0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}
 };
diff --git a/src/toksvc.c b/src/toksvc.c
index 3637e57..7af9d30 100644
--- a/src/toksvc.c
+++ b/src/toksvc.c
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ static const nt_guid toksvc_daemon_guid = TOKS_PORT_GUID_DAEMON;
 
 static void toksvc_exit(int code)
 {
+	/* server mode? */
+	if (code == NT_STATUS_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION)
+		ntapi->zw_terminate_thread(
+			NT_CURRENT_THREAD_HANDLE,
+			code);
+
 	/* posix exit code? */
 	if ((code >= 0) && (code <= 0xff))
 		code <<= 8;