diff --git a/ldpd/control.c b/ldpd/control.c
index 5c530e1b70..d40e0342c1 100644
--- a/ldpd/control.c
+++ b/ldpd/control.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ struct ctl_conns	 ctl_conns;
 static int		 control_fd;
 
 int
-control_init(void)
+control_init(char *path)
 {
 	struct sockaddr_un	 s_un;
 	int			 fd;
@@ -51,28 +51,28 @@ control_init(void)
 
 	memset(&s_un, 0, sizeof(s_un));
 	s_un.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-	strlcpy(s_un.sun_path, ctl_sock_path, sizeof(s_un.sun_path));
+	strlcpy(s_un.sun_path, path, sizeof(s_un.sun_path));
 
-	if (unlink(ctl_sock_path) == -1)
+	if (unlink(path) == -1)
 		if (errno != ENOENT) {
-			log_warn("%s: unlink %s", __func__, ctl_sock_path);
+			log_warn("%s: unlink %s", __func__, path);
 			close(fd);
 			return (-1);
 		}
 
 	old_umask = umask(S_IXUSR|S_IXGRP|S_IWOTH|S_IROTH|S_IXOTH);
 	if (bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&s_un, sizeof(s_un)) == -1) {
-		log_warn("%s: bind: %s", __func__, ctl_sock_path);
+		log_warn("%s: bind: %s", __func__, path);
 		close(fd);
 		umask(old_umask);
 		return (-1);
 	}
 	umask(old_umask);
 
-	if (chmod(ctl_sock_path, S_IRUSR|S_IWUSR|S_IRGRP|S_IWGRP) == -1) {
+	if (chmod(path, S_IRUSR|S_IWUSR|S_IRGRP|S_IWGRP) == -1) {
 		log_warn("%s: chmod", __func__);
 		close(fd);
-		(void)unlink(ctl_sock_path);
+		(void)unlink(path);
 		return (-1);
 	}
 
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ control_listen(void)
 }
 
 void
-control_cleanup(void)
+control_cleanup(char *path)
 {
 	accept_del(control_fd);
 	close(control_fd);
-	unlink(ctl_sock_path);
+	unlink(path);
 }
 
 /* ARGSUSED */
diff --git a/ldpd/control.h b/ldpd/control.h
index 32c49fdf87..0e66a1636a 100644
--- a/ldpd/control.h
+++ b/ldpd/control.h
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ TAILQ_HEAD(ctl_conns, ctl_conn);
 
 extern struct ctl_conns ctl_conns;
 
-int	control_init(void);
+int	control_init(char *);
 int	control_listen(void);
-void	control_cleanup(void);
+void	control_cleanup(char *);
 int	control_imsg_relay(struct imsg *);
 
 #endif	/* _CONTROL_H_ */
diff --git a/ldpd/lde.c b/ldpd/lde.c
index c4a610b6d3..ed8274bec7 100644
--- a/ldpd/lde.c
+++ b/ldpd/lde.c
@@ -152,12 +152,9 @@ zclient_sync_init(u_short instance)
 
 /* label decision engine */
 void
-lde(const char *user, const char *group, u_short instance)
+lde(void)
 {
 	struct thread		 thread;
-	struct timeval		 now;
-
-	ldeconf = config_new_empty();
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SETPROCTITLE
 	setproctitle("label decision engine");
@@ -165,18 +162,6 @@ lde(const char *user, const char *group, u_short instance)
 	ldpd_process = PROC_LDE_ENGINE;
 	log_procname = log_procnames[PROC_LDE_ENGINE];
 
-	/* drop privileges */
-	if (user)
-		lde_privs.user = user;
-	if (group)
-		lde_privs.group = group;
-	zprivs_init(&lde_privs);
-
-#ifdef HAVE_PLEDGE
-	if (pledge("stdio recvfd unix", NULL) == -1)
-		fatal("pledge");
-#endif
-
 	master = thread_master_create();
 
 	/* setup signal handler */
@@ -195,21 +180,38 @@ lde(const char *user, const char *group, u_short instance)
 		fatal(NULL);
 	imsg_init(&iev_main_sync->ibuf, LDPD_FD_SYNC);
 
-	/* start the LIB garbage collector */
-	lde_gc_start_timer();
-
-	gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
-	global.uptime = now.tv_sec;
-
-	/* Init synchronous zclient and label list */
-	zclient_sync_init(instance);
-	lde_label_list_init();
+	/* create base configuration */
+	ldeconf = config_new_empty();
 
 	/* Fetch next active thread. */
 	while (thread_fetch(master, &thread))
 		thread_call(&thread);
 }
 
+void
+lde_init(struct ldpd_init *init)
+{
+	/* drop privileges */
+	if (init->user)
+		lde_privs.user = init->user;
+	if (init->group)
+		lde_privs.group = init->group;
+	zprivs_init(&lde_privs);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_PLEDGE
+	if (pledge("stdio recvfd unix", NULL) == -1)
+		fatal("pledge");
+#endif
+
+	/* start the LIB garbage collector */
+	lde_gc_start_timer();
+
+	/* Init synchronous zclient and label list */
+	zclient_serv_path_set(init->zclient_serv_path);
+	zclient_sync_init(init->instance);
+	lde_label_list_init();
+}
+
 static void
 lde_shutdown(void)
 {
@@ -553,6 +555,14 @@ lde_dispatch_parent(struct thread *thread)
 			iev_ldpe->handler_write = ldp_write_handler;
 			iev_ldpe->ev_write = NULL;
 			break;
+		case IMSG_INIT:
+			if (imsg.hdr.len != IMSG_HEADER_SIZE +
+			    sizeof(struct ldpd_init))
+				fatalx("INIT imsg with wrong len");
+
+			memcpy(&init, imsg.data, sizeof(init));
+			lde_init(&init);
+			break;
 		case IMSG_RECONF_CONF:
 			if ((nconf = malloc(sizeof(struct ldpd_conf))) ==
 			    NULL)
diff --git a/ldpd/lde.h b/ldpd/lde.h
index 57791cd1b0..3349d4ca00 100644
--- a/ldpd/lde.h
+++ b/ldpd/lde.h
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ extern struct nbr_tree	 lde_nbrs;
 extern struct thread	*gc_timer;
 
 /* lde.c */
-void		 lde(const char *, const char *, u_short instance);
+void		 lde(void);
+void		 lde_init(struct ldpd_init *);
 int		 lde_imsg_compose_parent(int, pid_t, void *, uint16_t);
 int		 lde_imsg_compose_ldpe(int, uint32_t, pid_t, void *, uint16_t);
 int		 lde_acl_check(char *, int, union ldpd_addr *, uint8_t);
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpd.c b/ldpd/ldpd.c
index 5fbdf52ec2..bdf7097323 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpd.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldpd.c
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@
 #include "libfrr.h"
 
 static void		 ldpd_shutdown(void);
-static pid_t		 start_child(enum ldpd_process, char *, int, int,
-			    const char *, const char *, const char *, const char *);
+static pid_t		 start_child(enum ldpd_process, char *, int, int);
 static int		 main_dispatch_ldpe(struct thread *);
 static int		 main_dispatch_lde(struct thread *);
 static int		 main_imsg_send_ipc_sockets(struct imsgbuf *,
@@ -77,6 +76,7 @@ DEFINE_QOBJ_TYPE(l2vpn)
 DEFINE_QOBJ_TYPE(ldpd_conf)
 
 struct ldpd_global	 global;
+struct ldpd_init	 init;
 struct ldpd_conf	*ldpd_conf, *vty_conf;
 
 static struct imsgev	*iev_ldpe, *iev_ldpe_sync;
@@ -200,12 +200,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int			 lflag = 0, eflag = 0;
 	int			 pipe_parent2ldpe[2], pipe_parent2ldpe_sync[2];
 	int			 pipe_parent2lde[2], pipe_parent2lde_sync[2];
-	char			*ctl_sock_custom_path = NULL;
 	char			*ctl_sock_name;
-	const char		*user = NULL;
-	const char		*group = NULL;
-	u_short			 instance = 0;
-	const char		*instance_char = NULL;
 
 	ldpd_process = PROC_MAIN;
 	log_procname = log_procnames[ldpd_process];
@@ -242,17 +237,14 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				 * sensible config
 				 */
 				ctl_sock_name = (char *)LDPD_SOCKET;
-			ctl_sock_custom_path = optarg;
-			strlcpy(ctl_sock_path, ctl_sock_custom_path,
-			    sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
+			strlcpy(ctl_sock_path, optarg, sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
 			strlcat(ctl_sock_path, "/", sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
 			strlcat(ctl_sock_path, ctl_sock_name,
 			    sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
 			break;
 		case 'n':
-			instance = atoi(optarg);
-			instance_char = optarg;
-			if (instance < 1)
+			init.instance = atoi(optarg);
+			if (init.instance < 1)
 				exit(0);
 			break;
 		case 'L':
@@ -267,8 +259,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	user = ldpd_privs.user;
-	group = ldpd_privs.group;
+	strlcpy(init.user, ldpd_privs.user, sizeof(init.user));
+	strlcpy(init.group, ldpd_privs.group, sizeof(init.group));
+	strlcpy(init.ctl_sock_path, ctl_sock_path, sizeof(init.ctl_sock_path));
+	strlcpy(init.zclient_serv_path, zclient_serv_path_get(),
+	    sizeof(init.zclient_serv_path));
 
 	argc -= optind;
 	argv += optind;
@@ -286,9 +281,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    LOG_CONS | LOG_NDELAY | LOG_PID, LOG_DAEMON);
 
 	if (lflag)
-		lde(user, group, instance);
+		lde();
 	else if (eflag)
-		ldpe(user, group, ctl_sock_path);
+		ldpe();
 
 	if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, PF_UNSPEC, pipe_parent2ldpe) == -1)
 		fatal("socketpair");
@@ -317,11 +312,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* start children */
 	lde_pid = start_child(PROC_LDE_ENGINE, saved_argv0,
-	    pipe_parent2lde[1], pipe_parent2lde_sync[1],
-	    user, group, ctl_sock_custom_path, instance_char);
+	    pipe_parent2lde[1], pipe_parent2lde_sync[1]);
 	ldpe_pid = start_child(PROC_LDP_ENGINE, saved_argv0,
-	    pipe_parent2ldpe[1], pipe_parent2ldpe_sync[1],
-	    user, group, ctl_sock_custom_path, instance_char);
+	    pipe_parent2ldpe[1], pipe_parent2ldpe_sync[1]);
 
 	/* drop privileges */
 	zprivs_init(&ldpd_privs);
@@ -389,6 +382,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	if (main_imsg_send_ipc_sockets(&iev_ldpe->ibuf, &iev_lde->ibuf))
 		fatal("could not establish imsg links");
+	main_imsg_compose_both(IMSG_INIT, &init, sizeof(init));
 	main_imsg_compose_both(IMSG_DEBUG_UPDATE, &ldp_debug,
 	    sizeof(ldp_debug));
 	main_imsg_send_config(ldpd_conf);
@@ -453,11 +447,9 @@ ldpd_shutdown(void)
 }
 
 static pid_t
-start_child(enum ldpd_process p, char *argv0, int fd_async, int fd_sync,
-    const char *user, const char *group, const char *ctl_sock_custom_path,
-    const char *instance)
+start_child(enum ldpd_process p, char *argv0, int fd_async, int fd_sync)
 {
-	char	*argv[13];
+	char	*argv[3];
 	int	 argc = 0;
 	pid_t	 pid;
 
@@ -488,29 +480,6 @@ start_child(enum ldpd_process p, char *argv0, int fd_async, int fd_sync,
 		argv[argc++] = (char *)"-E";
 		break;
 	}
-	if (user) {
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)"-u";
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)user;
-	}
-	if (group) {
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)"-g";
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)group;
-	}
-	if (ctl_sock_custom_path) {
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)"--ctl_socket";
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)ctl_sock_custom_path;
-	}
-	/* zclient serv path */
-#ifdef HAVE_TCP_ZEBRA
-#else
-	argv[argc++] = (char *)"-z";
-	argv[argc++] = (char *)zclient_serv_path_get();
-#endif
-	/* instance */
-	if (instance) {
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)"-n";
-		argv[argc++] = (char *)instance;
-	}
 	argv[argc++] = NULL;
 
 	execvp(argv0, argv);
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpd.h b/ldpd/ldpd.h
index 759f1d0da5..97239ed08e 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpd.h
+++ b/ldpd/ldpd.h
@@ -147,7 +147,16 @@ enum imsg_type {
 	IMSG_LOG,
 	IMSG_ACL_CHECK,
 	IMSG_GET_LABEL_CHUNK,
-	IMSG_RELEASE_LABEL_CHUNK
+	IMSG_RELEASE_LABEL_CHUNK,
+	IMSG_INIT
+};
+
+struct ldpd_init {
+	char		 user[256];
+	char		 group[256];
+	char		 ctl_sock_path[MAXPATHLEN];
+	char		 zclient_serv_path[MAXPATHLEN];
+	u_short		 instance;
 };
 
 union ldpd_addr {
@@ -510,7 +519,6 @@ struct ldpd_af_global {
 struct ldpd_global {
 	int			 cmd_opts;
 	int			 sighup;
-	time_t			 uptime;
 	struct in_addr		 rtr_id;
 	struct ldpd_af_global	 ipv4;
 	struct ldpd_af_global	 ipv6;
@@ -655,6 +663,7 @@ struct ctl_pw {
 
 extern struct ldpd_conf		*ldpd_conf, *vty_conf;
 extern struct ldpd_global	 global;
+extern struct ldpd_init		 init;
 
 /* parse.y */
 struct ldpd_conf	*parse_config(char *);
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpe.c b/ldpd/ldpe.c
index e82416276b..1248d4f86e 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpe.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldpe.c
@@ -103,47 +103,17 @@ static struct quagga_signal_t ldpe_signals[] =
 
 /* label distribution protocol engine */
 void
-ldpe(const char *user, const char *group, const char *ctl_path)
+ldpe(void)
 {
 	struct thread		 thread;
 
-	leconf = config_new_empty();
-
 #ifdef HAVE_SETPROCTITLE
 	setproctitle("ldp engine");
 #endif
 	ldpd_process = PROC_LDP_ENGINE;
 	log_procname = log_procnames[ldpd_process];
 
-	LIST_INIT(&global.addr_list);
-	RB_INIT(&global.adj_tree);
-	TAILQ_INIT(&global.pending_conns);
-	if (inet_pton(AF_INET, AllRouters_v4, &global.mcast_addr_v4) != 1)
-		fatal("inet_pton");
-	if (inet_pton(AF_INET6, AllRouters_v6, &global.mcast_addr_v6) != 1)
-		fatal("inet_pton");
-#ifdef __OpenBSD__
-	global.pfkeysock = pfkey_init();
-#endif
-
-	/* drop privileges */
-	if (user)
-		ldpe_privs.user = user;
-	if (group)
-		ldpe_privs.group = group;
-	zprivs_init(&ldpe_privs);
-
-	strlcpy(ctl_sock_path, ctl_path, sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
-	if (control_init() == -1)
-		fatalx("control socket setup failed");
-
-#ifdef HAVE_PLEDGE
-	if (pledge("stdio cpath inet mcast recvfd", NULL) == -1)
-		fatal("pledge");
-#endif
-
   	master = thread_master_create();
-	accept_init();
 
 	/* setup signal handler */
 	signal_init(master, array_size(ldpe_signals), ldpe_signals);
@@ -161,7 +131,45 @@ ldpe(const char *user, const char *group, const char *ctl_path)
 		fatal(NULL);
 	imsg_init(&iev_main_sync->ibuf, LDPD_FD_SYNC);
 
+	/* create base configuration */
+	leconf = config_new_empty();
+
+	/* Fetch next active thread. */
+	while (thread_fetch(master, &thread))
+		thread_call(&thread);
+}
+
+void
+ldpe_init(struct ldpd_init *init)
+{
+	/* drop privileges */
+	if (init->user)
+		ldpe_privs.user = init->user;
+	if (init->group)
+		ldpe_privs.group = init->group;
+	zprivs_init(&ldpe_privs);
+
+	/* listen on ldpd control socket */
+	strlcpy(ctl_sock_path, init->ctl_sock_path, sizeof(ctl_sock_path));
+	if (control_init(ctl_sock_path) == -1)
+		fatalx("control socket setup failed");
+	TAILQ_INIT(&ctl_conns);
+	control_listen();
+
+#ifdef HAVE_PLEDGE
+	if (pledge("stdio cpath inet mcast recvfd", NULL) == -1)
+		fatal("pledge");
+#endif
+
+	LIST_INIT(&global.addr_list);
+	RB_INIT(&global.adj_tree);
+	TAILQ_INIT(&global.pending_conns);
+	if (inet_pton(AF_INET, AllRouters_v4, &global.mcast_addr_v4) != 1)
+		fatal("inet_pton");
+	if (inet_pton(AF_INET6, AllRouters_v6, &global.mcast_addr_v6) != 1)
+		fatal("inet_pton");
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
+	global.pfkeysock = pfkey_init();
 	if (sysdep.no_pfkey == 0)
 		pfkey_ev = thread_add_read(master, ldpe_dispatch_pfkey,
 		    NULL, global.pfkeysock);
@@ -175,16 +183,10 @@ ldpe(const char *user, const char *group, const char *ctl_path)
 	global.ipv6.ldp_edisc_socket = -1;
 	global.ipv6.ldp_session_socket = -1;
 
-	/* listen on ldpd control socket */
-	TAILQ_INIT(&ctl_conns);
-	control_listen();
-
 	if ((pkt_ptr = calloc(1, IBUF_READ_SIZE)) == NULL)
 		fatal(__func__);
 
-	/* Fetch next active thread. */
-	while (thread_fetch(master, &thread))
-		thread_call(&thread);
+	accept_init();
 }
 
 static void
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ ldpe_shutdown(void)
 	msgbuf_clear(&iev_main_sync->ibuf.w);
 	close(iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd);
 
-	control_cleanup();
+	control_cleanup(ctl_sock_path);
 	config_clear(leconf);
 
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
@@ -352,6 +354,14 @@ ldpe_dispatch_main(struct thread *thread)
 			iev_lde->handler_write = ldp_write_handler;
 			iev_lde->ev_write = NULL;
 			break;
+		case IMSG_INIT:
+			if (imsg.hdr.len != IMSG_HEADER_SIZE +
+			    sizeof(struct ldpd_init))
+				fatalx("INIT imsg with wrong len");
+
+			memcpy(&init, imsg.data, sizeof(init));
+			ldpe_init(&init);
+			break;
 		case IMSG_CLOSE_SOCKETS:
 			af = imsg.hdr.peerid;
 
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpe.h b/ldpd/ldpe.h
index a3f41a8b9f..2c1ba46c6b 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpe.h
+++ b/ldpd/ldpe.h
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ int	 tlv_decode_fec_elm(struct nbr *, struct ldp_msg *, char *,
 	    uint16_t, struct map *);
 
 /* ldpe.c */
-void		 ldpe(const char *, const char *, const char *);
+void		 ldpe(void);
+void		 ldpe_init(struct ldpd_init *);
 int		 ldpe_imsg_compose_parent(int, pid_t, void *,
 		    uint16_t);
 int		 ldpe_imsg_compose_lde(int, uint32_t, pid_t, void *,