diff --git a/uvrrpd.c b/uvrrpd.c
index 9bca432..a56ca67 100644
--- a/uvrrpd.c
+++ b/uvrrpd.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ unsigned long reg = 0UL;
 int background = 1;
 char *loglevel = NULL;
 char *pidfile_name = NULL;
+char *ctrlfile_name = NULL;
 
 /* local methods */
 static void signal_handler(int sig);
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@ static int pidfile_init(int vrid);
 static void pidfile_unlink(void);
 static void pidfile_check(int vrid);
 static void pidfile(int vrid);
+static int ctrlfile_init(int vrid);
+static void ctrlfile_unlink(void);
+static void ctrlfile(int vrid, int *fd);
 
 /**
  * main() - entry point
@@ -81,6 +85,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* logs */
 	log_open("uvrrpd", (char const *) loglevel);
 
+	/* init and open control file fifo */
+	ctrlfile_init(vrrp.vrid);
+	ctrlfile(vrrp.vrid, &vrrp.ctrl.fd);
+
 	/* open sockets */
 	if ((vrrp_net_socket(&vnet) != 0) || (vrrp_net_socket_xmit(&vnet) != 0))
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -133,6 +141,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	log_close();
 	free(loglevel);
 	pidfile_unlink();
+	ctrlfile_unlink();
 	free(pidfile_name);
 
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
@@ -337,3 +346,59 @@ static void pidfile(int vrid)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 }
+
+
+/**
+ * ctrlfile_init()
+ */
+static int ctrlfile_init(int vrid)
+{
+	int max_len = NAME_MAX + PATH_MAX;
+	if (ctrlfile_name == NULL) {
+		ctrlfile_name = malloc(max_len);
+		if (ctrlfile_name == NULL) {
+			log_error("vrid %d :: malloc - %m", vrid);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		snprintf(ctrlfile_name, max_len, CTRLFILE_NAME, vrid);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * ctrlfile_unlink()
+ */
+static void ctrlfile_unlink()
+{
+	if (ctrlfile_name)
+		unlink(ctrlfile_name);
+}
+
+/**
+ * ctrlfile()
+ */
+static void ctrlfile(int vrid, int *fd)
+{
+	if (fd == NULL) {
+		log_error("vrid %d :: invalid use of ctrlfile(), fd NULL", vrid);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	ctrlfile_unlink();
+	if (mkfifo(ctrlfile_name, 0600) != 0) {
+		log_error("vrid %d :: error while creating control fifo %s: %m", vrid,
+			  ctrlfile_name);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	atexit(ctrlfile_unlink);
+
+	*fd = open(ctrlfile_name, O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK);
+	if (*fd == -1) {
+		log_error("vrid %d :: error while opening control fifo %s: %m", vrid,
+			  ctrlfile_name);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/uvrrpd.h b/uvrrpd.h
index ef4048b..42874df 100644
--- a/uvrrpd.h
+++ b/uvrrpd.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "bits.h"
 
 #define PIDFILE_NAME	stringify(PATHRUN) "/uvrrpd_%d.pid"
+#define CTRLFILE_NAME	stringify(PATHRUN) "/uvrrpd_ctrl.%d"
 
 /** 
  * uvrrpd_control
diff --git a/vrrp.h b/vrrp.h
index 1129b20..064c79e 100644
--- a/vrrp.h
+++ b/vrrp.h
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ struct vrrp {
 	char *scriptname;
 	char **argv;
 
+	/* control cmd fifo */
+	struct vrrp_ctrl ctrl;
+
 	struct vrrp_timer adv_timer;
 	struct vrrp_timer masterdown_timer;
 };
diff --git a/vrrp_options.c b/vrrp_options.c
index f7f3d56..ebd16fa 100644
--- a/vrrp_options.c
+++ b/vrrp_options.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 extern int background;
 extern char *loglevel;
 extern char *pidfile_name;
+extern char *ctrlfile_name;
 
 /**
  * vrrp_usage()
@@ -59,8 +60,10 @@ static void vrrp_usage(void)
 		"  -a, --auth pass           Simple text password (only in VRRPv2)\n"
 		"  -f, --foreground          Execute uvrrpd in foreground\n"
 		"  -s, --script              Path of hook script (default "stringify(PATH)"/vrrp-switch.sh)\n"
-		"  -F  --pidfile name        Create pid file 'name'\n"
+		"  -F  --pidfile name        Change pid file 'name'\n"
 		"                            Default "stringify(PATHRUN)"/uvrrp_${vrid}.pid\n"
+		"  -C  --control name        Change control file 'name'\n"
+		"                            Default "stringify(PATHRUN)"/uvrrpd_ctrl.${vrid}\n"
 		"  -d, --debug\n" "  -h, --help\n");
 }
 
@@ -85,13 +88,14 @@ int vrrp_options(struct vrrp *vrrp, struct vrrp_net *vnet, int argc,
 		{"foreground", no_argument, 0, 'f'},
 		{"script", required_argument, 0, 's'},
 		{"pidfile", required_argument, 0, 'F'},
+		{"control", required_argument, 0, 'C'},
 		{"debug", no_argument, 0, 'd'},
 		{"help", no_argument, 0, 'h'},
 		{NULL, 0, 0, 0}
 	};
 
 	while ((optc =
-		getopt_long(argc, argv, "v:i:p:t:P:r:6a:fs:F:dh", opts,
+		getopt_long(argc, argv, "v:i:p:t:P:r:6a:fs:F:C:dh", opts,
 			    NULL)) != EOF) {
 		switch (optc) {
 
@@ -233,6 +237,11 @@ int vrrp_options(struct vrrp *vrrp, struct vrrp_net *vnet, int argc,
 			pidfile_name = strndup(optarg, NAME_MAX + PATH_MAX);
 			break;
 
+			/* control file (fifo) */
+		case 'C':
+			ctrlfile_name = strndup(optarg, NAME_MAX + PATH_MAX);
+			break;
+
 			/* debug */
 		case 'd':
 			loglevel = strndup("debug", 6);