diff --git a/fail2ban-server b/fail2ban-server
index 071c83dd9..718813ccb 100755
--- a/fail2ban-server
+++ b/fail2ban-server
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class Fail2banServer:
 		self.argv = None
 		self.conf = dict()
 		self.conf["background"] = True
+		self.conf["force"] = False
 	
 	def dispUsage(self):
 		""" Prints Fail2Ban command line options and exits
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ class Fail2banServer:
 		print
 		print "  -b         start in background"
 		print "  -f         start in foreground"
+		print "  -x         force execution of the server"
 		print "  -h         display this help message"
 		print
 		print "Report bugs to <lostcontrol@users.sourceforge.net>"
@@ -74,6 +76,8 @@ class Fail2banServer:
 				self.conf["background"] = True
 			if opt[0] == "-f":
 				self.conf["background"] = False
+			if opt[0] == "-x":
+				self.conf["force"] = True
 			if opt[0] in ["-h", "--help"]:
 	 			self.dispUsage()
 	
@@ -90,7 +94,7 @@ class Fail2banServer:
 		
 		# Reads the command line options.
 		try:
-			cmdOpts = 'bfh'
+			cmdOpts = 'bfxh'
 			cmdLongOpts = ['help']
 			optList, args = getopt.getopt(self.argv[1:], cmdOpts, cmdLongOpts)
 		except getopt.GetoptError:
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ class Fail2banServer:
 		
 		try:
 			self.server = Server()
-			self.server.start()
+			self.server.start(self.conf["force"])
 		except Exception, e:
 			print e
 			self.server.quit()
diff --git a/server/server.py b/server/server.py
index 08dfff20b..93157a07e 100644
--- a/server/server.py
+++ b/server/server.py
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ class Server:
 		self.setLogLevel(self.logLevel)
 		self.setLogTarget(self.logTarget)
 	
-	def start(self):
+	def start(self, force):
 		# Start the communication
-		self.transm.start()
+		self.transm.start(force)
 	
 	def quit(self):
 		for jail in self.jails.copy():
diff --git a/server/ssocket.py b/server/ssocket.py
index c047f413e..b25754b20 100644
--- a/server/ssocket.py
+++ b/server/ssocket.py
@@ -39,10 +39,15 @@ class SSocket(Thread):
 		self.isRunning = False
 		logSys.debug("Created SSocket")
 	
-	def initialize(self):
+	def initialize(self, force = False):
 		# Remove socket
 		if os.path.exists(self.socketFile):
-			os.remove(self.socketFile)
+			logSys.error("Fail2ban seems to be already running")
+			if force:
+				logSys.warn("Forcing execution of the server")
+				os.remove(self.socketFile)
+			else:
+				raise SSocketErrorException("Server already running")
 		# Create an INET, STREAMing socket
 		#self.ssock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
 		self.ssock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
@@ -101,3 +106,7 @@ class SSocket(Thread):
 				raise RuntimeError, "socket connection broken"
 			msg = msg + chunk
 		return pickle.loads(msg)
+
+
+class SSocketErrorException(Exception):
+	pass
diff --git a/server/transmitter.py b/server/transmitter.py
index a2653bf87..81977fc6d 100644
--- a/server/transmitter.py
+++ b/server/transmitter.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ __copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2004 Cyril Jaquier"
 __license__ = "GPL"
 
 from ssocket import SSocket
+from ssocket import SSocketErrorException
 import re, pickle, logging
 
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
@@ -36,9 +37,12 @@ class Transmitter:
 		self.server = server
 		self.socket = SSocket(self)
 	
-	def start(self):
-		self.socket.initialize()
-		self.socket.start()
+	def start(self, force):
+		try:
+			self.socket.initialize(force)
+			self.socket.start()
+		except SSocketErrorException:
+			logSys.error("Could not start server")
 	
 	##
 	# Stop the transmitter.
@@ -78,8 +82,11 @@ class Transmitter:
 			self.server.startJail(name)
 			return None
 		elif action[0] == "stop":
-			name = action[1]
-			self.server.stopJail(name)
+			if len(action) == 1:
+				self.server.quit()
+			else:
+				name = action[1]
+				self.server.stopJail(name)
 			return None
 		elif action[0] == "sleep":
 			value = action[1]
@@ -90,10 +97,7 @@ class Transmitter:
 		elif action[0] == "get":
 			return self.actionGet(action[1:])
 		elif action[0] == "status":
-			return self.status(action[1:])
-		elif action[0] == "quit":
-			self.server.quit()
-			return None
+			return self.status(action[1:])			
 		raise Exception("Invalid command")
 	
 	def actionSet(self, action):