diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py b/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
index d916e37..a8e5aa8 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/client_protocol.py
@@ -246,7 +246,19 @@ class JMTakerClientProtocolFactory(protocol.ClientFactory):
         return JMTakerClientProtocol(self, self.taker)
 
 
-def start_reactor(host, port, factory, ish=True): #pragma: no cover
+def start_reactor(host, port, factory, ish=True, daemon=False): #pragma: no cover
     #(Cannot start the reactor in tests)
+    if daemon:
+        try:
+            from jmdaemon import JMDaemonServerProtocolFactory
+        except ImportError:
+            jlog.error("Cannot start daemon without jmdaemon package; "
+                       "either install it, and restart, or, if you want "
+                       "to run the daemon separately, edit the DAEMON "
+                       "section of the config. Quitting.")
+            return
+        dfactory = JMDaemonServerProtocolFactory()
+        reactor.listenTCP(port, dfactory)
+
     reactor.connectTCP(host, port, factory)
     reactor.run(installSignalHandlers=ish)
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
index 7b6ed15..fa6e814 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@ required_options = {'BLOCKCHAIN': ['blockchain_source', 'network'],
 
 defaultconfig = \
     """
+[DAEMON]
+#set to 1 to run the daemon service within this process;
+#set to 0 if the daemon is run separately (using script joinmarketd.py)
+no_daemon = 1
+#port on which daemon serves; note that communication still
+#occurs over this port even if no_daemon = 1
+daemon_port = 27183
+#currently, running the daemon on a remote host is
+#*NOT* supported, so don't change this variable
+daemon_host = localhost
+
 [BLOCKCHAIN]
 blockchain_source = blockr
 #options: blockr, bitcoin-rpc, regtest
diff --git a/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/irc.py b/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/irc.py
index 4a530af..3918604 100644
--- a/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/irc.py
+++ b/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/irc.py
@@ -56,9 +56,10 @@ class TxIRCFactory(protocol.ClientFactory):
     def clientConnectionLost(self, connector, reason):
         log.info('IRC connection lost: ' + str(reason))
         if not self.wrapper.give_up:
-            log.info('Attempting to reconnect...')
-            reactor.callLater(self.wrapper.reconnect_interval,
-                              connector.connect())
+            if reactor.running:
+                log.info('Attempting to reconnect...')
+                reactor.callLater(self.wrapper.reconnect_interval,
+                                  connector.connect())
 
     def clientConnectionFailed(self, connector, reason):
         log.info('IRC connection failed: ' + reason)
diff --git a/scripts/sendpayment.py b/scripts/sendpayment.py
index 47adec4..6813a3a 100644
--- a/scripts/sendpayment.py
+++ b/scripts/sendpayment.py
@@ -122,12 +122,6 @@ def main():
         dest='makercount',
         help='how many makers to coinjoin with, default random from 4 to 6',
         default=random.randint(4, 6))
-    parser.add_option('-p',
-                      '--port',
-                      type='int',
-                      dest='daemonport',
-                      help='port on which joinmarketd is running',
-                      default='27183')
     parser.add_option('-S',
                       '--schedule-file',
                       type='str',
@@ -316,7 +310,11 @@ def main():
                   order_chooser=chooseOrdersFunc,
                   callbacks=(filter_orders_callback, None, taker_finished))
     clientfactory = JMTakerClientProtocolFactory(taker)
-    start_reactor("localhost", options.daemonport, clientfactory)
+    nodaemon = jm_single().config.getint("DAEMON", "no_daemon")
+    daemon = True if nodaemon == 1 else False
+    start_reactor(jm_single().config.get("DAEMON", "daemon_host"),
+                  jm_single().config.getint("DAEMON", "daemon_port"),
+                  clientfactory, daemon=daemon)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()