diff --git a/src/compositor-drm.c b/src/compositor-drm.c
index 83ff1c86f..4ee068bfc 100644
--- a/src/compositor-drm.c
+++ b/src/compositor-drm.c
@@ -2242,7 +2242,7 @@ drm_restore(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 {
 	struct drm_compositor *d = (struct drm_compositor *) ec;
 
-	if (weston_launcher_drm_set_master(d->base.launcher, d->drm.fd, 0) < 0)
+	if (ec->launcher == NULL && drmDropMaster(d->drm.fd) < 0)
 		weston_log("failed to drop master: %m\n");
 	tty_reset(d->tty);
 }
@@ -2266,7 +2266,7 @@ drm_destroy(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 	if (d->gbm)
 		gbm_device_destroy(d->gbm);
 
-	if (weston_launcher_drm_set_master(d->base.launcher, d->drm.fd, 0) < 0)
+	if (d->base.launcher == NULL && drmDropMaster(d->drm.fd) < 0)
 		weston_log("failed to drop master: %m\n");
 	tty_destroy(d->tty);
 
@@ -2318,8 +2318,7 @@ session_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	if (ec->base.session_active) {
 		weston_log("activating session\n");
 		compositor->focus = 1;
-		if (weston_launcher_drm_set_master(ec->base.launcher,
-						   ec->drm.fd, 1)) {
+		if (ec->base.launcher == NULL && drmSetMaster(ec->drm.fd)) {
 			weston_log("failed to set master: %m\n");
 			wl_display_terminate(compositor->wl_display);
 		}
@@ -2357,8 +2356,7 @@ session_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 					output->crtc_id, 0, 0,
 					0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 
-		if (weston_launcher_drm_set_master(ec->base.launcher,
-						   ec->drm.fd, 0) < 0)
+		if (ec->base.launcher == NULL && drmDropMaster(ec->drm.fd) < 0)
 			weston_log("failed to drop master: %m\n");
 	};
 }
@@ -2692,8 +2690,7 @@ err_sprite:
 err_udev_dev:
 	udev_device_unref(drm_device);
 err_tty:
-	if (weston_launcher_drm_set_master(ec->base.launcher,
-					   ec->drm.fd, 0) < 0)
+	if (ec->base.launcher == NULL && drmDropMaster(ec->drm.fd) < 0)
 		weston_log("failed to drop master: %m\n");
 	tty_destroy(ec->tty);
 err_udev:
diff --git a/src/launcher-util.c b/src/launcher-util.c
index 8c3b496f9..75e7051f6 100644
--- a/src/launcher-util.c
+++ b/src/launcher-util.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ union cmsg_data { unsigned char b[4]; int fd; };
 struct weston_launcher {
 	struct weston_compositor *compositor;
 	int fd;
+	struct wl_event_source *source;
 };
 
 int
@@ -111,65 +112,45 @@ weston_launcher_open(struct weston_launcher *launcher,
 	return data->fd;
 }
 
-int
-weston_launcher_drm_set_master(struct weston_launcher *launcher,
-			       int drm_fd, char master)
+static int
+weston_launcher_data(int fd, uint32_t mask, void *data)
 {
-	struct msghdr msg;
-	struct cmsghdr *cmsg;
-	struct iovec iov;
-	char control[CMSG_SPACE(sizeof(drm_fd))];
-	int ret;
-	ssize_t len;
-	struct weston_launcher_set_master message;
-	union cmsg_data *data;
+	struct weston_launcher *launcher = data;
+	int len, ret;
 
-	if (launcher == NULL) {
-		if (master)
-			return drmSetMaster(drm_fd);
-		else
-			return drmDropMaster(drm_fd);
+	if (mask & (WL_EVENT_HANGUP | WL_EVENT_ERROR)) {
+		weston_log("launcher socket closed, exiting\n");
+		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	memset(&msg, 0, sizeof msg);
-	msg.msg_iov = &iov;
-	msg.msg_iovlen = 1;
-	msg.msg_control = control;
-	msg.msg_controllen = sizeof control;
-	cmsg = CMSG_FIRSTHDR(&msg);
-	cmsg->cmsg_level = SOL_SOCKET;
-	cmsg->cmsg_type = SCM_RIGHTS;
-	cmsg->cmsg_len = CMSG_LEN(sizeof(drm_fd));
-
-	data = (union cmsg_data *) CMSG_DATA(cmsg);
-	data->fd = drm_fd;
-	msg.msg_controllen = cmsg->cmsg_len;
-
-	iov.iov_base = &message;
-	iov.iov_len = sizeof message;
-
-	message.header.opcode = WESTON_LAUNCHER_DRM_SET_MASTER;
-	message.set_master = master;
-
-	do {
-		len = sendmsg(launcher->fd, &msg, 0);
-	} while (len < 0 && errno == EINTR);
-	if (len < 0)
-		return -1;
-
 	do {
 		len = recv(launcher->fd, &ret, sizeof ret, 0);
 	} while (len < 0 && errno == EINTR);
-	if (len < 0)
-		return -1;
 
-	return ret;
+	switch (ret) {
+	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE:
+		launcher->compositor->session_active = 1;
+		wl_signal_emit(&launcher->compositor->session_signal,
+			       launcher->compositor);
+		break;
+	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_DEACTIVATE:
+		launcher->compositor->session_active = 0;
+		wl_signal_emit(&launcher->compositor->session_signal,
+			       launcher->compositor);
+		break;
+	default:
+		weston_log("unexpected event from weston-launch\n");
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
 }
 
 struct weston_launcher *
 weston_launcher_connect(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 {
 	struct weston_launcher *launcher;
+	struct wl_event_loop *loop;
 	int fd;
 
 	fd = weston_environment_get_fd("WESTON_LAUNCHER_SOCK");
@@ -183,6 +164,16 @@ weston_launcher_connect(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 	launcher->compositor = compositor;
 	launcher->fd = fd;
 
+	loop = wl_display_get_event_loop(compositor->wl_display);
+	launcher->source = wl_event_loop_add_fd(loop, launcher->fd,
+						WL_EVENT_READABLE,
+						weston_launcher_data,
+						launcher);
+	if (launcher->source == NULL) {
+		free(launcher);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return launcher;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/launcher-util.h b/src/launcher-util.h
index a3a704114..5fa9248dd 100644
--- a/src/launcher-util.h
+++ b/src/launcher-util.h
@@ -38,8 +38,5 @@ weston_launcher_destroy(struct weston_launcher *launcher);
 int
 weston_launcher_open(struct weston_launcher *launcher,
 		     const char *path, int flags);
-int
-weston_launcher_drm_set_master(struct weston_launcher *launcher,
-			       int drm_fd, char master);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/tty.c b/src/tty.c
index f05f55bd1..2ac7236cf 100644
--- a/src/tty.c
+++ b/src/tty.c
@@ -219,18 +219,20 @@ tty_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor, int tty_nr)
 		goto err_kdkbmode;
 	}
 
-	mode.mode = VT_PROCESS;
-	mode.relsig = SIGUSR1;
-	mode.acqsig = SIGUSR1;
-	if (ioctl(tty->fd, VT_SETMODE, &mode) < 0) {
-		weston_log("failed to take control of vt handling\n");
-		goto err_kdmode;
-	}
+	if (compositor->launcher == NULL) {
+		mode.mode = VT_PROCESS;
+		mode.relsig = SIGUSR1;
+		mode.acqsig = SIGUSR1;
+		if (ioctl(tty->fd, VT_SETMODE, &mode) < 0) {
+			weston_log("failed to take control of vt handling\n");
+			goto err_kdmode;
+		}
 
-	tty->vt_source =
-		wl_event_loop_add_signal(loop, SIGUSR1, vt_handler, tty);
-	if (!tty->vt_source)
-		goto err_vtmode;
+		tty->vt_source =
+			wl_event_loop_add_signal(loop, SIGUSR1, vt_handler, tty);
+		if (!tty->vt_source)
+			goto err_vtmode;
+	}
 
 	return tty;
 
@@ -283,7 +285,8 @@ tty_destroy(struct tty *tty)
 	if (tty->input_source)
 		wl_event_source_remove(tty->input_source);
 
-	wl_event_source_remove(tty->vt_source);
+	if (tty->vt_source)
+		wl_event_source_remove(tty->vt_source);
 
 	tty_reset(tty);
 
diff --git a/src/weston-launch.c b/src/weston-launch.c
index 80c06a817..87f46417c 100644
--- a/src/weston-launch.c
+++ b/src/weston-launch.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct weston_launch {
 	int tty;
 	int ttynr;
 	int sock[2];
+	int drm_fd;
 	struct passwd *pw;
 
 	int signalfd;
@@ -223,6 +224,8 @@ setup_signals(struct weston_launch *wl)
 	sigaddset(&mask, SIGCHLD);
 	sigaddset(&mask, SIGINT);
 	sigaddset(&mask, SIGTERM);
+	sigaddset(&mask, SIGUSR1);
+	sigaddset(&mask, SIGUSR2);
 	ret = sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &mask, NULL);
 	assert(ret == 0);
 
@@ -243,48 +246,15 @@ setenv_fd(const char *env, int fd)
 }
 
 static int
-handle_setmaster(struct weston_launch *wl, struct msghdr *msg, ssize_t len)
+send_reply(struct weston_launch *wl, int reply)
 {
-	int ret = -1;
-	struct cmsghdr *cmsg;
-	struct weston_launcher_set_master *message;
-	union cmsg_data *data;
+	int len;
 
-	if (len != sizeof(*message)) {
-		error(0, 0, "missing value in setmaster request");
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	message = msg->msg_iov->iov_base;
-
-	cmsg = CMSG_FIRSTHDR(msg);
-	if (!cmsg ||
-	    cmsg->cmsg_level != SOL_SOCKET ||
-	    cmsg->cmsg_type != SCM_RIGHTS) {
-		error(0, 0, "invalid control message");
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	data = (union cmsg_data *) CMSG_DATA(cmsg);
-	if (data->fd == -1) {
-		error(0, 0, "missing drm fd in socket request");
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	if (message->set_master)
-		ret = drmSetMaster(data->fd);
-	else
-		ret = drmDropMaster(data->fd);
-
-	close(data->fd);
-out:
 	do {
-		len = send(wl->sock[0], &ret, sizeof ret, 0);
+		len = send(wl->sock[0], &reply, sizeof reply, 0);
 	} while (len < 0 && errno == EINTR);
-	if (len < 0)
-		return -1;
 
-	return 0;
+	return len;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -354,6 +324,9 @@ err0:
 	if (len < 0)
 		return -1;
 
+	if (major(s.st_rdev) == DRM_MAJOR)
+		wl->drm_fd = fd;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -388,9 +361,6 @@ handle_socket_msg(struct weston_launch *wl)
 	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_OPEN:
 		ret = handle_open(wl, &msg, len);
 		break;
-	case WESTON_LAUNCHER_DRM_SET_MASTER:
-		ret = handle_setmaster(wl, &msg, len);
-		break;
 	}
 
 	return ret;
@@ -451,6 +421,16 @@ handle_signal(struct weston_launch *wl)
 		if (wl->child)
 			kill(wl->child, sig.ssi_signo);
 		break;
+	case SIGUSR1:
+		send_reply(wl, WESTON_LAUNCHER_DEACTIVATE);
+		drmDropMaster(wl->drm_fd);
+		ioctl(wl->tty, VT_RELDISP, 1);
+		break;
+	case SIGUSR2:
+		ioctl(wl->tty, VT_RELDISP, VT_ACKACQ);
+		drmSetMaster(wl->drm_fd);
+		send_reply(wl, WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE);
+		break;
 	default:
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -462,6 +442,7 @@ static int
 setup_tty(struct weston_launch *wl, const char *tty)
 {
 	struct stat buf;
+	struct vt_mode mode = { 0 };
 	char *t;
 
 	if (!wl->new_user) {
@@ -500,6 +481,12 @@ setup_tty(struct weston_launch *wl, const char *tty)
 		wl->ttynr = minor(buf.st_rdev);
 	}
 
+	mode.mode = VT_PROCESS;
+	mode.relsig = SIGUSR1;
+	mode.acqsig = SIGUSR2;
+	if (ioctl(wl->tty, VT_SETMODE, &mode) < 0)
+		error(1, errno, "failed to take control of vt handling\n");
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/weston-launch.h b/src/weston-launch.h
index 5be013efc..e20c4c713 100644
--- a/src/weston-launch.h
+++ b/src/weston-launch.h
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@
 
 enum weston_launcher_opcode {
 	WESTON_LAUNCHER_OPEN,
-	WESTON_LAUNCHER_DRM_SET_MASTER
+};
+
+enum weston_launcher_event {
+	WESTON_LAUNCHER_SUCCESS,
+	WESTON_LAUNCHER_ACTIVATE,
+	WESTON_LAUNCHER_DEACTIVATE
 };
 
 struct weston_launcher_message {
@@ -38,9 +43,4 @@ struct weston_launcher_open {
 	char path[0];
 };
 
-struct weston_launcher_set_master {
-	struct weston_launcher_message header;
-	int set_master;
-};
-
 #endif