diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index 572f8369..68894cb2 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -149,6 +149,20 @@ load_cfg(const char *path, struct cmd_q *cmdq, char **cause)
 	return (found);
 }
 
+static void print_cfg_errors(void)
+{
+	u_int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < cfg_ncauses; i++) {
+		tmate_info("%s", cfg_causes[i]);
+		free(cfg_causes[i]);
+	}
+
+	free(cfg_causes);
+	cfg_causes = NULL;
+	cfg_ncauses = 0;
+}
+
 void
 cfg_default_done(__unused struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 {
@@ -158,6 +172,10 @@ cfg_default_done(__unused struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 
 #ifdef TMATE
 	tmate_session_start();
+	if (tmate_foreground && cfg_ncauses) {
+		print_cfg_errors();
+		exit(1);
+	}
 #endif
 
 	if (!RB_EMPTY(&sessions))
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 164abdd3..ad349972 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "tmux.h"
+#include "tmate.h"
 
 struct tmuxproc	*client_proc;
 struct tmuxpeer	*client_peer;
@@ -213,8 +214,56 @@ client_exit_message(void)
 #ifdef TMATE
 extern const struct cmd_entry cmd_attach_session_entry;
 extern const struct cmd_entry cmd_new_session_entry;
+
+/* For foreground mode */
+static int __argc;
+static char **__argv;
 #endif
 
+static void _run_initial_client_cmd(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	struct cmd_q *cmd_q;
+	struct cmd_list *cmdlist;
+	char *cause;
+	const char *default_argv[] = {"new-session"};
+
+	if (argc == 0) {
+		argc = 1;
+		argv = (char **)default_argv;
+	}
+
+	cmd_q = cmdq_new(NULL); /* No client */
+
+	if ((cmdlist = cmd_list_parse(argc, (char **)argv, NULL, 0, &cause)) == NULL) {
+		tmate_fatal("%s", cause);
+	}
+
+	cmdq_run(cmd_q, cmdlist, NULL);
+	cmd_list_free(cmdlist);
+	cmdq_free(cmd_q);
+
+	/* error messages land in cfg_causes */
+	extern char		**cfg_causes;
+	extern u_int		  cfg_ncauses;
+	int has_error = !!cfg_ncauses;
+	for (u_int i = 0; i < cfg_ncauses; i++) {
+		tmate_info("%s", cfg_causes[i]);
+		free(cfg_causes[i]);
+	}
+
+	free(cfg_causes);
+	cfg_causes = NULL;
+	cfg_ncauses = 0;
+
+	if (has_error)
+		exit(1);
+}
+
+void run_initial_client_cmd(void)
+{
+	_run_initial_client_cmd(__argc, __argv);
+}
+
 /* Client main loop. */
 int
 client_main(struct event_base *base, int argc, char **argv, int flags,
@@ -232,6 +281,8 @@ client_main(struct event_base *base, int argc, char **argv, int flags,
 	size_t			 size;
 #ifdef TMATE
 	int cant_nest = 0;
+	__argc = argc;
+	__argv = argv;
 #endif
 
 	/* Ignore SIGCHLD now or daemon() in the server will leave a zombie. */
diff --git a/cmd-new-session.c b/cmd-new-session.c
index 357ffed1..fb2f7eab 100644
--- a/cmd-new-session.c
+++ b/cmd-new-session.c
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ cmd_new_session_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	if (c == NULL)
 		detached = 1;
 
+	if (tmate_foreground)
+		detached = 1;
+
 	/* Is this client already attached? */
 	already_attached = 0;
 	if (c != NULL && c->session != NULL)
diff --git a/log.c b/log.c
index 018348cf..bc798778 100644
--- a/log.c
+++ b/log.c
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ static int	 log_level;
 static void	 log_event_cb(int, const char *);
 static void	 log_vwrite(const char *, va_list);
 
+static int is_log_stdout(void)
+{
+	return fileno(log_file) <= 2;
+}
+
 /* Log callback for libevent. */
 static void
 log_event_cb(__unused int severity, const char *msg)
@@ -53,6 +58,18 @@ log_get_level(void)
 	return (log_level);
 }
 
+void
+log_open_fp(FILE *f)
+{
+	if (log_file != NULL && !is_log_stdout())
+		fclose(log_file);
+
+	log_file = f;
+
+	setvbuf(log_file, NULL, _IOLBF, 0);
+	event_set_log_callback(log_event_cb);
+}
+
 /* Open logging to file. */
 void
 log_open(const char *name)
@@ -62,24 +79,18 @@ log_open(const char *name)
 	if (log_level == 0)
 		return;
 
-	if (log_file != NULL)
-		fclose(log_file);
-
 	xasprintf(&path, "tmate-%s-%ld.log", name, (long)getpid());
-	log_file = fopen(path, "w");
+	FILE *f = fopen(path, "w");
 	free(path);
-	if (log_file == NULL)
-		return;
-
-	setvbuf(log_file, NULL, _IOLBF, 0);
-	event_set_log_callback(log_event_cb);
+	if (f)
+		log_open_fp(f);
 }
 
 /* Close logging. */
 void
 log_close(void)
 {
-	if (log_file != NULL)
+	if (log_file != NULL && !is_log_stdout())
 		fclose(log_file);
 	log_file = NULL;
 
@@ -102,9 +113,16 @@ log_vwrite(const char *msg, va_list ap)
 		exit(1);
 
 	gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
-	if (fprintf(log_file, "%lld.%06d %s\n", (long long)tv.tv_sec,
-	    (int)tv.tv_usec, out) == -1)
-		exit(1);
+
+	if (is_log_stdout()) {
+		if (fprintf(log_file, "%s\n", out) == -1)
+			exit(1);
+	} else {
+		if (fprintf(log_file, "%lld.%06d %s\n", (long long)tv.tv_sec,
+			    (int)tv.tv_usec, out) == -1)
+			exit(1);
+	}
+
 	fflush(log_file);
 
 	free(out);
@@ -113,10 +131,13 @@ log_vwrite(const char *msg, va_list ap)
 
 /* Log a debug message. */
 void
-log_debug(const char *msg, ...)
+log_emit(int level, const char *msg, ...)
 {
 	va_list	ap;
 
+	if (log_level < level)
+		return;
+
 	va_start(ap, msg);
 	log_vwrite(msg, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
diff --git a/proc.c b/proc.c
index 27880f57..edd4a6f8 100644
--- a/proc.c
+++ b/proc.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ proc_start(const char *name, struct event_base *base, int forkflag,
 	struct tmuxproc	*tp;
 	struct utsname	 u;
 
-	if (forkflag) {
+	if (forkflag && !tmate_foreground) {
 		switch (fork()) {
 		case -1:
 			fatal("fork failed");
@@ -189,7 +189,13 @@ proc_start(const char *name, struct event_base *base, int forkflag,
 			fatalx("event_reinit failed");
 	}
 
-	log_open(name);
+	if (tmate_foreground) {
+		if (forkflag)
+			clear_signals(0);
+		log_open_fp(stdout);
+	} else {
+		log_open(name);
+	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SETPROCTITLE
 	setproctitle("%s (%s)", name, socket_path);
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index a2378959..05706769 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -152,14 +152,16 @@ server_start(struct event_base *base, int lockfd, char *lockfile)
 {
 	int	pair[2];
 
-	if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, PF_UNSPEC, pair) != 0)
-		fatal("socketpair failed");
+	if (!tmate_foreground)
+		if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, PF_UNSPEC, pair) != 0)
+			fatal("socketpair failed");
 
 	server_proc = proc_start("server", base, 1, server_signal);
 	if (server_proc == NULL) {
 		close(pair[1]);
 		return (pair[0]);
 	}
+
 	close(pair[0]);
 
 	if (log_get_level() > 3)
@@ -190,7 +192,8 @@ server_start(struct event_base *base, int lockfd, char *lockfile)
 	if (server_fd == -1)
 		fatal("couldn't create socket");
 	server_update_socket();
-	server_client_create(pair[1]);
+	if (!tmate_foreground)
+		server_client_create(pair[1]);
 
 	if (lockfd >= 0) {
 		unlink(lockfile);
@@ -207,11 +210,15 @@ server_start(struct event_base *base, int lockfd, char *lockfile)
 
 	server_add_accept(0);
 
+	if (tmate_foreground)
+		run_initial_client_cmd();
+
 	proc_loop(server_proc, server_loop);
 	status_prompt_save_history();
 #ifdef TMATE
 	unlink(socket_path);
 #endif
+
 	exit(0);
 }
 
@@ -361,6 +368,7 @@ server_signal(int sig)
 	int	fd;
 
 	switch (sig) {
+	case SIGINT:
 	case SIGTERM:
 		server_exit = 1;
 		server_send_exit();
diff --git a/session.c b/session.c
index 5a3b867a..91fb9c1d 100644
--- a/session.c
+++ b/session.c
@@ -215,10 +215,6 @@ session_destroy(struct session *s)
 
 	log_debug("session %s destroyed", s->name);
 
-#ifdef TMATE
-	tmate_write_fin();
-#endif
-
 	RB_REMOVE(sessions, &sessions, s);
 	notify_session_closed(s);
 
@@ -240,6 +236,23 @@ session_destroy(struct session *s)
 	free((void *)s->cwd);
 
 	session_unref(s);
+
+#ifdef TMATE
+	if (tmate_foreground && !server_exit) {
+		tmate_info("Shell exited, restarting");
+		/*
+		 * throttle restarts. This is a blocking sleep.
+		 * It's simpler than using a timer, but fairly harmless
+		 * from a blocking perspective.
+		 */
+		usleep(500*1000);
+		next_session_id = 0;
+		run_initial_client_cmd();
+	} else {
+		tmate_info("Session terminated");
+		tmate_write_fin();
+	}
+#endif
 }
 
 /* Check a session name is valid: not empty and no colons or periods. */
diff --git a/signal.c b/signal.c
index 19938638..f20a0257 100644
--- a/signal.c
+++ b/signal.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
+struct event	ev_sigint;
 struct event	ev_sighup;
 struct event	ev_sigchld;
 struct event	ev_sigcont;
@@ -40,15 +41,23 @@ set_signals(void (*handler)(int, short, void *), void *arg)
 	sigemptyset(&sigact.sa_mask);
 	sigact.sa_flags = SA_RESTART;
 	sigact.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
+#ifndef TMATE
 	if (sigaction(SIGINT, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#endif
 	if (sigaction(SIGPIPE, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
 	if (sigaction(SIGUSR2, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#ifndef TMATE
 	if (sigaction(SIGTSTP, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#endif
 
+#ifdef TMATE
+	signal_set(&ev_sigint, SIGINT, handler, arg);
+	signal_add(&ev_sigint, NULL);
+#endif
 	signal_set(&ev_sighup, SIGHUP, handler, arg);
 	signal_add(&ev_sighup, NULL);
 	signal_set(&ev_sigchld, SIGCHLD, handler, arg);
@@ -72,16 +81,24 @@ clear_signals(int after_fork)
 	sigemptyset(&sigact.sa_mask);
 	sigact.sa_flags = SA_RESTART;
 	sigact.sa_handler = SIG_DFL;
+#ifndef TMATE
 	if (sigaction(SIGINT, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#endif
 	if (sigaction(SIGPIPE, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
 	if (sigaction(SIGUSR2, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#ifndef TMATE
 	if (sigaction(SIGTSTP, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 		fatal("sigaction failed");
+#endif
 
 	if (after_fork) {
+#ifdef TMATE
+		if (sigaction(SIGINT, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
+			fatal("sigaction failed");
+#endif
 		if (sigaction(SIGHUP, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 			fatal("sigaction failed");
 		if (sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
@@ -95,6 +112,7 @@ clear_signals(int after_fork)
 		if (sigaction(SIGWINCH, &sigact, NULL) != 0)
 			fatal("sigaction failed");
 	} else {
+		event_del(&ev_sigint);
 		event_del(&ev_sighup);
 		event_del(&ev_sigchld);
 		event_del(&ev_sigcont);
diff --git a/tmate-msg.c b/tmate-msg.c
index 880e3905..a47f9e4d 100644
--- a/tmate-msg.c
+++ b/tmate-msg.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ void __tmate_status_message(const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 	char *message;
 
 	xvasprintf(&message, fmt, ap);
-	tmate_debug("%s", message);
+	tmate_info("%s", message);
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(c, &clients, entry) {
 		if (c && !(c->flags & CLIENT_READONLY))
diff --git a/tmate-session.c b/tmate-session.c
index 106687e1..5ab13511 100644
--- a/tmate-session.c
+++ b/tmate-session.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static void lookup_and_connect(void)
 
 	tmate_server_host = options_get_string(global_options,
 					       "tmate-server-host");
-	tmate_info("Looking up %s...", tmate_server_host);
+	tmate_debug("Looking up %s...", tmate_server_host);
 	(void)evdns_getaddrinfo(tmate_session.ev_dnsbase, tmate_server_host, NULL,
 				&hints, dns_cb, (void *)tmate_server_host);
 }
diff --git a/tmate-ssh-client.c b/tmate-ssh-client.c
index e33f4b17..66eb1716 100644
--- a/tmate-ssh-client.c
+++ b/tmate-ssh-client.c
@@ -171,12 +171,12 @@ static void request_passphrase(struct tmate_ssh_client *client)
 #define KEEPALIVE_IDLE		20
 #define KEEPALIVE_INTVL		10
 
-static void setup_socket(int fd)
+static void tune_socket_opts(int fd)
 {
 #define SSO(level, optname, val) ({							\
 	int _flag = val;								\
 	if (setsockopt(fd, level, optname, &(_flag), sizeof(int)) < 0) {		\
-		tmate_warn("setsockopt(" #level ", " #optname ", %d) failed", val);	\
+		tmate_debug("setsockopt(" #level ", " #optname ", %d) failed", val);	\
 	}										\
 })
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ static void setup_socket(int fd)
 #undef SSO
 }
 
-static void init_conn_fd(struct tmate_ssh_client *client)
+static void init_conn_fd(struct tmate_ssh_client *client, bool tune_socket)
 {
 	int fd;
 
@@ -207,7 +207,9 @@ static void init_conn_fd(struct tmate_ssh_client *client)
 	if ((fd = ssh_get_fd(client->session)) < 0)
 		return;
 
-	setup_socket(fd);
+	if (tune_socket)
+		tune_socket_opts(fd);
+
 	event_set(&client->ev_ssh, fd, EV_READ | EV_PERSIST, __on_ssh_client_event, client);
 	event_add(&client->ev_ssh, NULL);
 
@@ -267,14 +269,14 @@ static void on_ssh_client_event(struct tmate_ssh_client *client)
 	case SSH_CONNECT:
 		switch (ssh_connect(session)) {
 		case SSH_AGAIN:
-			init_conn_fd(client);
+			init_conn_fd(client, false);
 			return;
 		case SSH_ERROR:
 			kill_ssh_client(client, "Error connecting: %s",
 					ssh_get_error(session));
 			return;
 		case SSH_OK:
-			init_conn_fd(client);
+			init_conn_fd(client, true);
 
 			tmate_debug("Establishing connection to %s", client->server_ip);
 			client->state = SSH_AUTH_SERVER;
diff --git a/tmate.h b/tmate.h
index 7deb0ba6..9bf8e975 100644
--- a/tmate.h
+++ b/tmate.h
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
-#define tmate_debug(...) log_debug("[tmate] D " __VA_ARGS__)
-#define tmate_warn(...)  log_debug("[tmate] W " __VA_ARGS__)
-#define tmate_info(...)  log_debug("[tmate] I " __VA_ARGS__)
-#define tmate_fatal(...)    fatalx("[tmate] " __VA_ARGS__)
+#define tmate_debug(...) log_emit(LOG_DEBUG, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define tmate_info(...)  log_emit(LOG_INFO,  __VA_ARGS__)
+#define tmate_fatal(...) fatalx( __VA_ARGS__)
 
 /* tmate-msgpack.c */
 
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index d7cf8d97..60341f84 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ __dead void	 usage(void);
 static char	*make_label(const char *);
 
 #ifndef HAVE___PROGNAME
-char      *__progname = (char *) "tmux";
+char      *__progname = (char *) "tmate";
+#endif
+
+#ifdef TMATE
+int tmate_foreground;
 #endif
 
 __dead void
@@ -228,7 +232,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 
 	label = path = NULL;
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "2c:Cdf:lL:qS:uUVv")) != -1) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "2c:CdFf:lL:qS:uUVv")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 		case '2':
 			flags |= CLIENT_256COLOURS;
@@ -268,6 +272,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'v':
 			log_add_level();
 			break;
+		case 'F':
+			tmate_foreground = 1;
+			log_add_level();
+			unsetenv("TMUX");
+			break;
 		default:
 			usage();
 		}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 1ab784b7..3956e240 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1549,6 +1549,9 @@ extern struct options	*global_w_options;
 extern struct environ	*global_environ;
 extern struct timeval	 start_time;
 extern const char	*socket_path;
+#ifdef TMATE
+extern int tmate_foreground;
+#endif
 const char	*getshell(void);
 int		 checkshell(const char *);
 int		 areshell(const char *);
@@ -1875,6 +1878,7 @@ void signal_waiting_clients(const char *name);
 void	cmd_wait_for_flush(void);
 
 /* client.c */
+void run_initial_client_cmd(void);
 int	client_main(struct event_base *, int, char **, int, const char *);
 
 /* key-bindings.c */
@@ -1902,6 +1906,7 @@ void	alerts_queue(struct window *, int);
 void	alerts_check_session(struct session *);
 
 /* server.c */
+extern int server_exit;
 extern struct tmuxproc *server_proc;
 extern struct clients clients;
 extern struct cmd_find_state marked_pane;
@@ -2356,9 +2361,14 @@ struct event_base *osdep_event_init(void);
 /* log.c */
 void	log_add_level(void);
 int	log_get_level(void);
+void	log_open_fp(FILE *f);
 void	log_open(const char *);
 void	log_close(void);
-void printflike(1, 2) log_debug(const char *, ...);
+#define LOG_ERROR	0
+#define LOG_INFO	1
+#define LOG_DEBUG	2
+#define log_debug(...) log_emit(LOG_DEBUG+1, __VA_ARGS__)
+void printflike(2, 3) log_emit(int level, const char *, ...);
 __dead void printflike(1, 2) fatal(const char *, ...);
 __dead void printflike(1, 2) fatalx(const char *, ...);