diff --git a/src/wormhole/scripts/runner.py b/src/wormhole/scripts/runner.py
index d38cb22..1a70a9e 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/scripts/runner.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/scripts/runner.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from textwrap import dedent
 from .. import public_relay
 from .. import __version__
 from . import cmd_send_text, cmd_receive_text, cmd_send_file, cmd_receive_file
+from ..servers import cmd_server
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
     usage="wormhole SUBCOMMAND (subcommand-options)",
@@ -26,11 +27,39 @@ subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(title="subcommands",
                                    dest="subcommand")
 
 
+# CLI: run-server
+s = subparsers.add_parser("server", description="Start/stop a relay server")
+sp = s.add_subparsers(title="subcommands", dest="subcommand")
+sp_start = sp.add_parser("start", description="Start a relay server",
+                         usage="wormhole server start [opts] [TWISTD-ARGS..]")
+sp_start.add_argument("--rendezvous", default="tcp:3000", metavar="tcp:PORT",
+                      help="endpoint specification for the rendezvous port")
+sp_start.add_argument("--transit", default="tcp:3001", metavar="tcp:PORT",
+                      help="endpoint specification for the transit-relay port")
+#sp_start.add_argument("twistd_args", nargs="*", default=None,
+#                      metavar="[TWISTD-ARGS..]",
+#                      help=dedent("""\
+#                      Additional arguments to pass to twistd"""),
+#                      )
+sp_start.set_defaults(func=cmd_server.start_server)
+sp_stop = sp.add_parser("stop", description="Stop the relay server",
+                        usage="wormhole server stop")
+sp_stop.set_defaults(func=cmd_server.stop_server)
+sp_restart = sp.add_parser("restart", description="Restart the relay server",
+                           usage="wormhole server restart")
+sp_restart.add_argument("--rendezvous", default="tcp:3000", metavar="tcp:PORT",
+                        help="endpoint specification for the rendezvous port")
+sp_restart.add_argument("--transit", default="tcp:3001", metavar="tcp:PORT",
+                        help="endpoint specification for the transit-relay port")
+sp_restart.set_defaults(func=cmd_server.restart_server)
+
+# CLI: send-text
 p = subparsers.add_parser("send-text", description="Send a text mesasge",
                           usage="wormhole send-text TEXT")
 p.add_argument("text", metavar="TEXT", help="the message to send (a string)")
 p.set_defaults(func=cmd_send_text.send_text)
 
+# CLI: receive-text
 p = subparsers.add_parser("receive-text", description="Receive a text message",
                           usage="wormhole receive-text [CODE]")
 p.add_argument("code", nargs="?", default=None, metavar="[CODE]",
@@ -40,11 +69,13 @@ p.add_argument("code", nargs="?", default=None, metavar="[CODE]",
                )
 p.set_defaults(func=cmd_receive_text.receive_text)
 
+# CLI: send-file
 p = subparsers.add_parser("send-file", description="Send a file",
                           usage="wormhole send-file FILENAME")
 p.add_argument("filename", metavar="FILENAME", help="The file to be sent")
 p.set_defaults(func=cmd_send_file.send_file)
 
+# CLI: receive-file
 p = subparsers.add_parser("receive-file", description="Receive a file",
                           usage="wormhole receive-file [-o FILENAME] [CODE]")
 p.add_argument("-o", "--output-file", default=None, metavar="FILENAME",
@@ -66,6 +97,7 @@ p.add_argument("code", nargs="?", default=None, metavar="[CODE]",
 p.set_defaults(func=cmd_receive_file.receive_file)
 
 
+
 def run(args, stdout, stderr, executable=None):
     """This is invoked directly by the 'wormhole' entry-point script. It can
     also invoked by entry() below."""
diff --git a/src/wormhole/servers/__init__.py b/src/wormhole/servers/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/wormhole/servers/cmd_server.py b/src/wormhole/servers/cmd_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab21adf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wormhole/servers/cmd_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
+import os, time
+
+class MyPlugin:
+    tapname = "xyznode"
+    def __init__(self, args):
+        self.args = args
+    def makeService(self, so):
+        # delay this import as late as possible, to allow twistd's code to
+        # accept --reactor= selection
+        from .relay import RelayServer
+        return RelayServer(self.args.rendezvous, self.args.transit)
+
+def start_server(args):
+    from twisted.python import usage
+    from twisted.scripts import twistd
+
+    class MyTwistdConfig(twistd.ServerOptions):
+        subCommands = [("XYZ", None, usage.Options, "node")]
+
+    c = MyTwistdConfig()
+    #twistd_args = tuple(args.twistd_args) + ("XYZ",)
+    twistd_args = ("XYZ",) # TODO: allow user to add twistd-specific args
+    c.parseOptions(twistd_args)
+    c.loadedPlugins = {"XYZ": MyPlugin(args)}
+
+    print("starting wormhole relay server")
+    # this forks and never comes back. The parent calls os._exit(0)
+    twistd.runApp(c)
+
+def kill_server():
+    try:
+        f = open("twistd.pid", "r")
+    except EnvironmentError:
+        print("Unable to find twistd.pid . Is this really a server directory?")
+        return 1
+    pid = int(f.read().strip())
+    f.close()
+    os.kill(pid, 15)
+    print("server process %d sent SIGTERM" % pid)
+    return 0
+
+def stop_server(args):
+    return kill_server()
+
+def restart_server(args):
+    kill_server()
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+    timeout = 0
+    while os.path.exists("twistd.pid") and timeout < 10:
+        if timeout == 0:
+            print(" waiting for shutdown..")
+        timeout += 1
+        time.sleep(1)
+    if os.path.exists("twistd.pid"):
+        print("error: unable to shut down old server")
+        return 1
+    print(" old server shut down")
+    start_server(args)