diff --git a/lib/daemon.php b/lib/daemon.php
index a0df00bdcc..72e8bc2028 100644
--- a/lib/daemon.php
+++ b/lib/daemon.php
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ if (!defined('LACONICA')) {
 
 class Daemon
 {
+    var $daemonize = true;
+
+    function __construct($daemonize = true)
+    {
+        $this->daemonize = $daemonize;
+    }
+
     function name()
     {
         return null;
@@ -129,12 +136,15 @@ class Daemon
             common_log(LOG_INFO, $this->name() . ' already running. Exiting.');
             exit(0);
         }
-        if ($this->background()) {
-            $this->writePidFile();
-            $this->changeUser();
-            $this->run();
-            $this->clearPidFile();
+
+        if ($this->daemonize) {
+            $this->background();
         }
+
+        $this->writePidFile();
+        $this->changeUser();
+        $this->run();
+        $this->clearPidFile();
     }
 
     function run()
diff --git a/lib/queuehandler.php b/lib/queuehandler.php
index ae403c65e2..c1c4f3309a 100644
--- a/lib/queuehandler.php
+++ b/lib/queuehandler.php
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ require_once(INSTALLDIR.'/classes/Notice.php');
 
 class QueueHandler extends Daemon
 {
-
     var $_id = 'generic';
 
-    function QueueHandler($id=null)
+    function __construct($id=null, $daemonize=true)
     {
+        parent::__construct($daemonize);
+
         if ($id) {
             $this->set_id($id);
         }