diff --git a/bin/glance-control b/bin/glance-control
index 658c22592d..5b583048d2 100755
--- a/bin/glance-control
+++ b/bin/glance-control
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ And command is one of:
 And CONFPATH is the optional configuration file to use."""
 
 
+def gated_by(predicate):
+    def wrap(f):
+        def wrapped_f(*args):
+            if predicate:
+                return f(*args)
+            else:
+                return None
+        return wrapped_f
+    return wrap
+
+
 def pid_files(server, conf):
     pid_files = []
     if conf.pid_file:
@@ -80,25 +91,26 @@ def pid_files(server, conf):
         yield pid_file, pid
 
 
-def do_start(server, conf, args):
-    server_type = '-'.join(server.split('-')[:-1])
+def do_start(verb, server, conf, args):
+    if verb != 'Respawn':
+        for pid_file, pid in pid_files(server, conf):
+            if os.path.exists('/proc/%s' % pid):
+                print "%s appears to already be running: %s" % \
+                      (server, pid_file)
+                return
+            else:
+                print "Removing stale pid file %s" % pid_file
+                os.unlink(pid_file)
 
-    for pid_file, pid in pid_files(server, conf):
-        if os.path.exists('/proc/%s' % pid):
-            print "%s appears to already be running: %s" % (server, pid_file)
-            return
-        else:
-            print "Removing stale pid file %s" % pid_file
-            os.unlink(pid_file)
-
-    try:
-        resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE,
-                (MAX_DESCRIPTORS, MAX_DESCRIPTORS))
-        resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_DATA,
-                (MAX_MEMORY, MAX_MEMORY))
-    except ValueError:
-        print "Unable to increase file descriptor limit.  Running as non-root?"
-    os.environ['PYTHON_EGG_CACHE'] = '/tmp'
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE,
+                    (MAX_DESCRIPTORS, MAX_DESCRIPTORS))
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_DATA,
+                    (MAX_MEMORY, MAX_MEMORY))
+        except ValueError:
+            action = 'increase file descriptor limit'
+            print 'Unable to %s.  Running as non-root?' % action
+        os.environ['PYTHON_EGG_CACHE'] = '/tmp'
 
     def write_pid_file(pid_file, pid):
         dir, file = os.path.split(pid_file)
@@ -113,18 +125,6 @@ def do_start(server, conf, args):
         fp.write('%d\n' % pid)
         fp.close()
 
-    def await_child(pid):
-        if conf.await_child:
-            bail_time = time.time() + conf.await_child
-            while time.time() < bail_time:
-                reported_pid, status = os.waitpid(pid, os.WNOHANG)
-                if reported_pid == pid:
-                    global exitcode
-                    # the exit code is encoded in 2nd least significant byte
-                    exitcode = status >> 8
-                    break
-                time.sleep(0.05)
-
     def redirect_to_null(fds):
         with open(os.devnull, 'r+b') as nullfile:
             for desc in fds:  # close fds
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ def do_start(server, conf, args):
         else:
             redirect_to_null(output)
 
+    @gated_by(conf.capture_output)
     def close_stdio_on_exec():
         fds = [sys.stdin.fileno(), sys.stdout.fileno(), sys.stderr.fileno()]
         for desc in fds:  # set close on exec flag
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ def do_start(server, conf, args):
 
     def launch(pid_file, conf_file=None):
         args = [server]
-        print 'Starting %s' % server,
+        print '%sing %s' % (verb, server),
         if conf_file:
             args += ['--config-file', conf_file]
             print 'with %s' % conf_file,
@@ -176,23 +177,37 @@ def do_start(server, conf, args):
             try:
                 os.execlp('%s' % server, *args)
             except OSError, e:
-                sys.exit('unable to launch %s. Got error: %s'
-                         % (server, "%s" % e))
+                msg = 'unable to launch %s. Got error: %s' % (server, e)
+                sys.exit(msg)
             sys.exit(0)
         else:
             write_pid_file(pid_file, pid)
             await_child(pid)
+            return pid
 
-    if not conf.pid_file:
-        pid_file = '/var/run/glance/%s.pid' % server
-    else:
-        pid_file = os.path.abspath(conf.pid_file)
+    @gated_by(conf.await_child)
+    def await_child(pid):
+        bail_time = time.time() + conf.await_child
+        while time.time() < bail_time:
+            reported_pid, status = os.waitpid(pid, os.WNOHANG)
+            if reported_pid == pid:
+                global exitcode
+                exitcode = os.WEXITSTATUS(status)
+                break
+            time.sleep(0.05)
+
+    pid_file = get_pid_file(server, conf)
 
     conf_file = None
     if args and os.path.exists(args[0]):
         conf_file = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(args[0]))
 
-    launch(pid_file, conf_file)
+    return launch(pid_file, conf_file)
+
+
+def get_pid_file(pid, conf):
+    return os.path.abspath(conf.pid_file) if conf.pid_file else \
+           '/var/run/glance/%s.pid' % server
 
 
 def do_stop(server, conf, args, graceful=False):
@@ -205,15 +220,15 @@ def do_stop(server, conf, args, graceful=False):
     pfiles = pid_files(server, conf)
     for pid_file, pid in pfiles:
         did_anything = True
+        try:
+            os.unlink(pid_file)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
         try:
             print 'Stopping %s  pid: %s  signal: %s' % (server, pid, sig)
             os.kill(pid, sig)
         except OSError:
             print "Process %d not running" % pid
-        try:
-            os.unlink(pid_file)
-        except OSError:
-            pass
     for pid_file, pid in pfiles:
         for _junk in xrange(150):  # 15 seconds
             if not os.path.exists('/proc/%s' % pid):
@@ -246,11 +261,22 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                         default=False,
                         help='Capture stdout/err in syslog '
                         'instead of discarding'),
+            cfg.BoolOpt('respawn',
+                        default=False,
+                        help='Restart service on unexpected death'),
         ]
     conf.register_cli_opts(opts)
 
     args = conf()
 
+    @gated_by(conf.await_child)
+    @gated_by(conf.respawn)
+    def mutually_exclusive():
+        sys.stderr.write('--await-child and --respawn are mutually exclusive')
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    mutually_exclusive()
+
     if len(args) < 2:
         conf.print_usage()
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -276,9 +302,33 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                "command in this list: %(command_list)s" % locals())
         sys.exit(msg)
 
+    @gated_by(conf.respawn)
+    def anticipate_respawn(children):
+        while children:
+            pid, status = os.wait()
+            if pid in children:
+                (server, conf, args) = children.pop(pid)
+                pid_file = get_pid_file(server, conf)
+                running = os.path.exists(pid_file)
+                one_second_ago = time.time() - 1
+                bouncing = (running and
+                            os.path.getmtime(pid_file) >= one_second_ago)
+                if running and not bouncing:
+                    args = (server, conf, args)
+                    new_pid = do_start('Respawn', *args)
+                    children[new_pid] = args
+                else:
+                    rsn = 'bouncing' if bouncing else 'deliberately stopped'
+                    print 'Supressed respawn as %s was %s.' % (server, rsn)
+
     if command == 'start':
+        children = {}
         for server in servers:
-            do_start(server, conf, args)
+            args = (server, conf, args)
+            pid = do_start('Start', *args)
+            children[pid] = args
+
+        anticipate_respawn(children)
 
     if command == 'stop':
         for server in servers:
@@ -292,7 +342,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         for server in servers:
             do_stop(server, conf, args)
         for server in servers:
-            do_start(server, conf, args)
+            do_start('Restart', server, conf, args)
 
     if command == 'reload' or command == 'force-reload':
         for server in servers:
diff --git a/doc/source/controllingservers.rst b/doc/source/controllingservers.rst
index 2679b633a3..870b0a3717 100644
--- a/doc/source/controllingservers.rst
+++ b/doc/source/controllingservers.rst
@@ -177,6 +177,18 @@ Glance server programs, and you can specify (as the example above shows)
 a configuration file when starting the server.
 
 
+In order for your launched glance service to be monitored for unexpected death
+and respawned if necessary, use the following option:
+
+
+  $ sudo glance-control [service] start --respawn ...
+
+
+Note that this will cause ``glance-control`` itself to remain running. Also note
+that deliberately stopped services are not respawned, neither are rapidly bouncing
+services (where process death occurred within one second of the last launch).
+
+
 By default, output from glance services is discarded when launched with ``glance-control``.
 In order to capture such output via syslog, use the following option:
 
diff --git a/glance/tests/functional/__init__.py b/glance/tests/functional/__init__.py
index 42647ee129..2c6fbb4eaf 100644
--- a/glance/tests/functional/__init__.py
+++ b/glance/tests/functional/__init__.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class Server(object):
 
         return self.conf_file_name
 
-    def start(self, expected_exitcode=0, **kwargs):
+    def start(self, expect_exit=True, expected_exitcode=0, **kwargs):
         """
         Starts the server.
 
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class Server(object):
         return execute(cmd,
                        no_venv=self.no_venv,
                        exec_env=self.exec_env,
+                       expect_exit=expect_exit,
                        expected_exitcode=expected_exitcode)
 
     def stop(self):
@@ -156,7 +157,8 @@ class Server(object):
         cmd = ("%(server_control)s %(server_name)s stop "
                "%(conf_file_name)s --pid-file=%(pid_file)s"
                % self.__dict__)
-        return execute(cmd, no_venv=self.no_venv, exec_env=self.exec_env)
+        return execute(cmd, no_venv=self.no_venv, exec_env=self.exec_env,
+                       expect_exit=True)
 
 
 class ApiServer(Server):
@@ -449,6 +451,7 @@ class FunctionalTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def start_server(self,
                      server,
                      expect_launch,
+                     expect_exit=True,
                      expected_exitcode=0,
                      **kwargs):
         """
@@ -460,18 +463,22 @@ class FunctionalTest(unittest.TestCase):
         :param server: the server to launch
         :param expect_launch: true iff the server is expected to
                               successfully start
+        :param expect_exit: true iff the launched server is expected
+                            to exit in a timely fashion
         :param expected_exitcode: expected exitcode from the launcher
         """
         self.cleanup()
 
         # Start up the requested server
-        exitcode, out, err = server.start(expected_exitcode=expected_exitcode,
+        exitcode, out, err = server.start(expect_exit=expect_exit,
+                                          expected_exitcode=expected_exitcode,
                                           **kwargs)
+        if expect_exit:
+            self.assertEqual(expected_exitcode, exitcode,
+                             "Failed to spin up the requested server. "
+                             "Got: %s" % err)
 
-        self.assertEqual(expected_exitcode, exitcode,
-                         "Failed to spin up the requested server. "
-                         "Got: %s" % err)
-        self.assertTrue(re.search("Starting glance-[a-z]+ with", out))
+            self.assertTrue(re.search("Starting glance-[a-z]+ with", out))
 
         self.wait_for_servers([server.bind_port], expect_launch)
 
@@ -551,6 +558,19 @@ class FunctionalTest(unittest.TestCase):
             time.sleep(0.05)
         self.assertFalse(expect_launch, "Unexpected server launch status")
 
+    def stop_server(self, server, name):
+        """
+        Called to stop a single server in a normal fashion using the
+        glance-control stop method to gracefully shut the server down.
+
+        :param server: the server to stop
+        """
+        # Spin down the requested server
+        exitcode, out, err = server.stop()
+        self.assertEqual(0, exitcode,
+                         "Failed to spin down the %s server. Got: %s" %
+                         (err, name))
+
     def stop_servers(self):
         """
         Called to stop the started servers in a normal fashion. Note
@@ -562,20 +582,10 @@ class FunctionalTest(unittest.TestCase):
         """
 
         # Spin down the API and default registry server
-        exitcode, out, err = self.api_server.stop()
-        self.assertEqual(0, exitcode,
-                         "Failed to spin down the API server. "
-                         "Got: %s" % err)
+        self.stop_server(self.api_server, 'API server')
+        self.stop_server(self.registry_server, 'Registry server')
+        self.stop_server(self.scrubber_daemon, 'Scrubber daemon')
 
-        exitcode, out, err = self.registry_server.stop()
-        self.assertEqual(0, exitcode,
-                         "Failed to spin down the Registry server. "
-                         "Got: %s" % err)
-
-        exitcode, out, err = self.scrubber_daemon.stop()
-        self.assertEqual(0, exitcode,
-                         "Failed to spin down the Scrubber daemon. "
-                         "Got: %s" % err)
         # If all went well, then just remove the test directory.
         # We only want to check the logs and stuff if something
         # went wrong...
diff --git a/glance/tests/functional/test_api.py b/glance/tests/functional/test_api.py
index 0e63bde7ba..39f663c49a 100644
--- a/glance/tests/functional/test_api.py
+++ b/glance/tests/functional/test_api.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import datetime
 import hashlib
 import httplib2
 import json
-import os
 import tempfile
 
 from glance.common import utils
@@ -1293,6 +1292,8 @@ class TestApi(functional.FunctionalTest):
         """
         self.cleanup()
         self.api_server.default_store = 'shouldnotexist'
+
+        # ensure failure exit code is available to assert on
         self.api_server.server_control_options += ' --await-child=1'
 
         # ensure that the API server fails to launch
diff --git a/glance/tests/functional/test_respawn.py b/glance/tests/functional/test_respawn.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd4dc3a2c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glance/tests/functional/test_respawn.py
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2012 Red Hat, Inc
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+"""Functional test case for the glance-control --respawn option """
+
+import httplib2
+import os
+import time
+import socket
+import signal
+import sys
+import time
+
+from glance.tests import functional
+from glance.tests.utils import execute, skip_if_disabled
+
+
+class TestRespawn(functional.FunctionalTest):
+
+    """Functional test for glance-control --respawn """
+
+    def get_versions(self):
+        path = "http://%s:%d" % ("0.0.0.0", self.api_port)
+        http = httplib2.Http()
+        response, content = http.request(path, 'GET')
+        self.assertEqual(response.status, 300)
+
+    def get_pid(self):
+        return int(open(self.api_server.pid_file).read().strip())
+
+    def kill_server(self):
+        pid = self.get_pid()
+        os.killpg(pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+        return pid
+
+    def wait_for(self, predicate):
+        count = 0
+        while count < 50:
+            if predicate():
+                break
+            else:
+                time.sleep(0.1)
+                count += 1
+        self.assertTrue(predicate())
+
+    def connection_unavailable(self, type):
+        try:
+            self.get_versions()
+            self.fail('%s server should not be respawned' % type)
+        except socket.error:
+            exc_value = sys.exc_info()[1]
+            self.assertTrue('Connection refused' in exc_value or
+                            'ECONNREFUSED' in exc_value)
+
+    @skip_if_disabled
+    def test_respawn(self):
+        """
+        We test that the '--respawn' option causes the API server
+        to be respawned after death but not after a deliberate stop
+        """
+        self.cleanup()
+        self.api_server.server_control_options += ' --respawn'
+
+        # start API server, allowing glance-control to continue running
+        self.start_server(self.api_server,
+                          expect_launch=True,
+                          expect_exit=False,
+                          **self.__dict__.copy())
+
+        # ensure the service pid has been cached
+        pid_cached = lambda: os.path.exists(self.api_server.pid_file)
+        self.wait_for(pid_cached)
+
+        # ensure glance-control has had a chance to waitpid on child
+        time.sleep(1)
+
+        # verify server health with version negotiation
+        self.get_versions()
+
+        # server is killed ungracefully
+        old_pid = self.kill_server()
+
+        # ... but should be respawned
+
+        # wait for pid to cycle
+        pid_changed = lambda: old_pid != self.get_pid()
+        self.wait_for(pid_changed)
+
+        # ensure API service port is re-activated
+        self.wait_for_servers([self.api_server.bind_port])
+
+        # verify server health with version negotiation
+        self.get_versions()
+
+        # deliberately stop server, it should not be respawned
+        proc_file = '/proc/%d' % self.get_pid()
+        self.stop_server(self.api_server, 'API server')
+
+        # ensure last server process has gone away
+        process_died = lambda: not os.path.exists(proc_file)
+        self.wait_for(process_died)
+
+        # deliberately stopped server should not be respawned
+        self.wait_for_servers([self.api_server.bind_port], False)
+
+        # ensure the server has not been respawned
+        self.connection_unavailable('deliberately stopped')
+
+    @skip_if_disabled
+    def test_bouncing(self):
+        """
+        We test that the '--respawn' option doesn't cause bouncing
+        API server to be respawned
+        """
+        self.cleanup()
+        self.api_server.server_control_options += ' --respawn'
+        self.api_server.default_store = 'shouldnotexist'
+
+        # start API server, allowing glance-control to continue running
+        self.start_server(self.api_server,
+                          expect_launch=False,
+                          expect_exit=False,
+                          **self.__dict__.copy())
+
+        # ensure the service pid has been cached
+        pid_cached = lambda: os.path.exists(self.api_server.pid_file)
+        self.wait_for(pid_cached)
+
+        # ensure glance-control has had a chance to waitpid on child
+        time.sleep(1)
+
+        # bouncing server should not be respawned
+        self.wait_for_servers([self.api_server.bind_port], False)
+
+        # ensure server process has gone away
+        process_died = lambda: not os.path.exists('/proc/%d' % self.get_pid())
+        self.wait_for(process_died)
+
+        # ensure the server has not been respawned
+        self.connection_unavailable('bouncing')
diff --git a/glance/tests/utils.py b/glance/tests/utils.py
index e421611711..3b0960ef5e 100644
--- a/glance/tests/utils.py
+++ b/glance/tests/utils.py
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ def execute(cmd,
             raise_error=True,
             no_venv=False,
             exec_env=None,
+            expect_exit=True,
             expected_exitcode=0):
     """
     Executes a command in a subprocess. Returns a tuple
@@ -187,6 +188,7 @@ def execute(cmd,
                      variables; values may be callables, which will
                      be passed the current value of the named
                      environment variable
+    :param expect_exit: Optional flag true iff timely exit is expected
     :param expected_exitcode: expected exitcode from the launcher
     """
 
@@ -221,10 +223,16 @@ def execute(cmd,
                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                                env=env)
-    result = process.communicate()
-    (out, err) = result
-    exitcode = process.returncode
-    if process.returncode != expected_exitcode and raise_error:
+    if expect_exit:
+        result = process.communicate()
+        (out, err) = result
+        exitcode = process.returncode
+    else:
+        out = ''
+        err = ''
+        exitcode = 0
+
+    if exitcode != expected_exitcode and raise_error:
         msg = "Command %(cmd)s did not succeed. Returned an exit "\
               "code of %(exitcode)d."\
               "\n\nSTDOUT: %(out)s"\