diff --git a/client/snapClient.cpp b/client/snapClient.cpp
index 3650c940..18406914 100644
--- a/client/snapClient.cpp
+++ b/client/snapClient.cpp
@@ -61,104 +61,116 @@ PcmDevice getPcmDevice(const std::string& soundcard)
 
 int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	string soundcard;
-	string ip;
-//	int bufferMs;
-	size_t port;
-	size_t latency;
-	bool runAsDaemon;
-	bool listPcmDevices;
-
-	po::options_description desc("Allowed options");
-	desc.add_options()
-	("help,h", "produce help message")
-	("version,v", "show version number")
-	("list,l", po::bool_switch(&listPcmDevices)->default_value(false), "list pcm devices")
-	("ip,i", po::value<string>(&ip), "server IP")
-	("port,p", po::value<size_t>(&port)->default_value(98765), "server port")
-	("soundcard,s", po::value<string>(&soundcard)->default_value("default"), "index or name of the soundcard")
-	("daemon,d", po::bool_switch(&runAsDaemon)->default_value(false), "daemonize")
-	("latency", po::value<size_t>(&latency)->default_value(0), "latency")
-	;
-
-	po::variables_map vm;
-	po::store(po::parse_command_line(argc, argv, desc), vm);
-	po::notify(vm);
-
-	std::clog.rdbuf(new Log("snapclient", LOG_DAEMON));
-
-	if (vm.count("help"))
+	try
 	{
-		cout << desc << "\n";
-		return 1;
-	}
+		string soundcard;
+		string ip;
+	//	int bufferMs;
+		size_t port;
+		size_t latency;
+		int runAsDaemon;
+		bool listPcmDevices;
 
-	if (vm.count("version"))
-	{
-		cout << "snapclient v" << VERSION << "\n"
-			 << "Copyright (C) 2014 BadAix (snapcast@badaix.de).\n"
-			 << "License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.\n"
-			 << "This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.\n"
-			 << "There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.\n\n"
-			 << "Written by Johannes M. Pohl.\n";
-		return 1;
-	}
+		po::options_description desc("Allowed options");
+		desc.add_options()
+		("help,h", "produce help message")
+		("version,v", "show version number")
+		("list,l", po::bool_switch(&listPcmDevices)->default_value(false), "list pcm devices")
+		("ip,i", po::value<string>(&ip), "server IP")
+		("port,p", po::value<size_t>(&port)->default_value(98765), "server port")
+		("soundcard,s", po::value<string>(&soundcard)->default_value("default"), "index or name of the soundcard")
+		("daemon,d", po::value<int>(&runAsDaemon)->implicit_value(-5), "daemonize, optional process priority [-20..19]")
+		("latency", po::value<size_t>(&latency)->default_value(0), "latency of the soundcard")
+		;
 
-	if (listPcmDevices)
-	{
-		vector<PcmDevice> pcmDevices = Player::pcm_list();
-		for (auto dev: pcmDevices)
+		po::variables_map vm;
+		po::store(po::parse_command_line(argc, argv, desc), vm);
+		po::notify(vm);
+
+		std::clog.rdbuf(new Log("snapclient", LOG_DAEMON));
+
+		if (vm.count("help"))
 		{
-			cout << dev.idx << ": " << dev.name << "\n"
-				 << dev.description << "\n\n";
+			cout << desc << "\n";
+			return 1;
 		}
-		return 1;
-	}
 
-    signal(SIGHUP, signal_handler);
-    signal(SIGTERM, signal_handler);
-    signal(SIGINT, signal_handler);
-
-	if (runAsDaemon)
-	{
-		daemonize("/var/run/snapclient.pid");
-		setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, -5);
-		logS(kLogNotice) << "daemon started" << std::endl;
-	}
-
-	PcmDevice pcmDevice = getPcmDevice(soundcard);
-	if (pcmDevice.idx == -1)
-	{
-		cout << "soundcard \"" << soundcard << "\" not found\n";
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	if (!vm.count("ip"))
-	{
-		BrowseAvahi browseAvahi;
-		AvahiResult avahiResult;
-		while (!g_terminated)
+		if (vm.count("version"))
 		{
-			if (browseAvahi.browse("_snapcast._tcp", AVAHI_PROTO_INET, avahiResult, 5000))
+			cout << "snapclient v" << VERSION << "\n"
+				 << "Copyright (C) 2014 BadAix (snapcast@badaix.de).\n"
+				 << "License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.\n"
+				 << "This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.\n"
+				 << "There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.\n\n"
+				 << "Written by Johannes M. Pohl.\n";
+			return 1;
+		}
+
+		if (listPcmDevices)
+		{
+			vector<PcmDevice> pcmDevices = Player::pcm_list();
+			for (auto dev: pcmDevices)
 			{
-				ip = avahiResult.ip_;
-				port = avahiResult.port_;
-				std::cout << ip << ":" << port << "\n";
-				break;
+				cout << dev.idx << ": " << dev.name << "\n"
+					 << dev.description << "\n\n";
+			}
+			return 1;
+		}
+
+	    signal(SIGHUP, signal_handler);
+	    signal(SIGTERM, signal_handler);
+	    signal(SIGINT, signal_handler);
+
+		if (vm.count("daemon"))
+		{
+			daemonize("/var/run/snapclient.pid");
+			if (runAsDaemon < -20)
+				runAsDaemon = -20;
+			else if (runAsDaemon > 19)
+				runAsDaemon = 10;
+			setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, runAsDaemon);
+			logS(kLogNotice) << "daemon started" << std::endl;
+		}
+
+		PcmDevice pcmDevice = getPcmDevice(soundcard);
+		if (pcmDevice.idx == -1)
+		{
+			cout << "soundcard \"" << soundcard << "\" not found\n";
+			return 1;
+		}
+
+		if (!vm.count("ip"))
+		{
+			BrowseAvahi browseAvahi;
+			AvahiResult avahiResult;
+			while (!g_terminated)
+			{
+				if (browseAvahi.browse("_snapcast._tcp", AVAHI_PROTO_INET, avahiResult, 5000))
+				{
+					ip = avahiResult.ip_;
+					port = avahiResult.port_;
+					std::cout << ip << ":" << port << "\n";
+					break;
+				}
 			}
 		}
-	}
 
-	Controller controller;
-	if (!g_terminated)
+		Controller controller;
+		if (!g_terminated)
+		{
+			controller.start(pcmDevice, ip, port, latency);
+			while(!g_terminated)
+				usleep(100*1000);
+			controller.stop();
+		}
+	}
+	catch (const std::exception& e)
 	{
-		controller.start(pcmDevice, ip, port, latency);
-		while(!g_terminated)
-			usleep(100*1000);
-		controller.stop();
+		logS(kLogErr) << "Exception: " << e.what() << std::endl;
 	}
-	daemonShutdown();
 
+	logS(kLogNotice) << "daemon terminated." << endl;
+	daemonShutdown();
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/snapServer.cpp b/server/snapServer.cpp
index b7ca6c04..977894c2 100644
--- a/server/snapServer.cpp
+++ b/server/snapServer.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 	try
 	{
 		ControlServerSettings settings;
-		bool runAsDaemon;
+		int runAsDaemon;
 		string sampleFormat;
 
 		po::options_description desc("Allowed options");
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		("sampleformat,s", po::value<string>(&sampleFormat)->default_value("44100:16:2"), "sample format")
 		("codec,c", po::value<string>(&settings.codec)->default_value("flac"), "transport codec [flac|ogg|pcm][:options]. Type codec:? to get codec specific options")
 		("fifo,f", po::value<string>(&settings.fifoName)->default_value("/tmp/snapfifo"), "name of the input fifo file")
-		("daemon,d", po::bool_switch(&runAsDaemon)->default_value(false), "daemonize")
+		("daemon,d", po::value<int>(&runAsDaemon)->implicit_value(-5), "daemonize, optional process priority [-20..19]")
 		("buffer,b", po::value<int32_t>(&settings.bufferMs)->default_value(1000), "buffer [ms]")
 		;
 
@@ -102,10 +102,14 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		signal(SIGTERM, signal_handler);
 		signal(SIGINT, signal_handler);
 
-		if (runAsDaemon)
+		if (vm.count("daemon"))
 		{
 			daemonize("/var/run/snapserver.pid");
-			setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, -5);
+			if (runAsDaemon < -20)
+				runAsDaemon = -20;
+			else if (runAsDaemon > 19)
+				runAsDaemon = 10;
+			setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, runAsDaemon);
 			logS(kLogNotice) << "daemon started." << endl;
 		}
 
@@ -114,6 +118,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		services.push_back(AvahiService("_snapcast._tcp", settings.port));
 		publishAvahi.publish(services);
 
+		if (settings.bufferMs < 400)
+			settings.bufferMs = 400;
 		settings.sampleFormat = sampleFormat;
 		ControlServer* controlServer = new ControlServer(settings);
 		controlServer->start();
@@ -128,6 +134,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
 	logS(kLogNotice) << "daemon terminated." << endl;
 	daemonShutdown();
+	return 0;
 }