diff --git a/FTL.h b/FTL.h
index 67922afb..f50f9825 100644
--- a/FTL.h
+++ b/FTL.h
@@ -248,12 +248,12 @@ extern unsigned char blockingstatus;
 extern char ** wildcarddomains;
 
 extern memoryStruct memory;
-extern bool runtest;
 
 extern char * username;
 extern char timestamp[16];
 extern bool flush;
 extern bool needGC;
+extern bool daemonmode;
 extern bool database;
 extern long int lastdbindex;
 extern bool travis;
diff --git a/args.c b/args.c
index 089fa5fd..e09c8b13 100644
--- a/args.c
+++ b/args.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #include "version.h"
 
 bool debug = false;
-bool runtest = false;
+bool daemonmode = true;
 bool travis = false;
 int argc_dnsmasq = 0;
 char **argv_dnsmasq = NULL;
@@ -82,11 +82,10 @@ void parse_args(int argc, char* argv[])
 		}
 
 		// Don't go into background
-		// This is a no-op but we still support it
-		// for backwards compatibility
 		if(strcmp(argv[i], "-f") == 0 ||
 		   strcmp(argv[i], "no-daemon") == 0)
 		{
+			daemonmode = false;
 			ok = true;
 		}
 
@@ -145,9 +144,8 @@ void parse_args(int argc, char* argv[])
 			printf("\t-v, version       Return version\n");
 			printf("\t-t, tag           Return git tag\n");
 			printf("\t-b, branch        Return git branch\n");
-			printf("\t                  process is running and exit\n");
-			printf("\t                  even if not (instead of\n");
-			printf("\t                  starting a new one)\n");
+			printf("\t-f, no-daemon     Don't go into daemon mode\n");
+			printf("\t-h, help          Display this help and exit\n");
 			printf("\tdnsmasq-test      Test syntax of dnsmasq's\n");
 			printf("\t                  config files and exit\n");
 			printf("\n\nOnline help: https://github.com/pi-hole/FTL\n");
diff --git a/daemon.c b/daemon.c
index 92ff614e..c535f857 100644
--- a/daemon.c
+++ b/daemon.c
@@ -9,10 +9,77 @@
 *  Please see LICENSE file for your rights under this license. */
 
 #include "FTL.h"
-#include <dirent.h>
 
 struct timeval t0[NUMTIMERS];
 
+void go_daemon(void)
+{
+	pid_t process_id = 0;
+	pid_t sid = 0;
+
+	// Create child process
+	process_id = fork();
+
+	// Indication of fork() failure
+	if (process_id < 0)
+	{
+		logg("fork failed!\n");
+		// Return failure in exit status
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	// PARENT PROCESS. Need to kill it.
+	if (process_id > 0)
+	{
+		printf("FTL started!\n");
+		// return success in exit status
+		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+	}
+
+	//unmask the file mode
+	umask(0);
+
+	//set new session
+	// creates a session and sets the process group ID
+	sid = setsid();
+	if(sid < 0)
+	{
+		// Return failure
+		logg("setsid failed!\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	// Create grandchild process
+	// Fork a second child and exit immediately to prevent zombies.  This
+	// causes the second child process to be orphaned, making the init
+	// process responsible for its cleanup.  And, since the first child is
+	// a session leader without a controlling terminal, it's possible for
+	// it to acquire one by opening a terminal in the future (System V-
+	// based systems).  This second fork guarantees that the child is no
+	// longer a session leader, preventing the daemon from ever acquiring
+	// a controlling terminal.
+	process_id = fork();
+
+	// Indication of fork() failure
+	if (process_id < 0)
+	{
+		logg("fork failed!\n");
+		// Return failure in exit status
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	// PARENT PROCESS. Need to kill it.
+	if (process_id > 0)
+	{
+		// return success in exit status
+		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+	}
+
+	savepid();
+
+	// Closing stdin, stdout and stderr is handled by dnsmasq
+}
+
 void timer_start(int i)
 {
 	if(i >= NUMTIMERS)
diff --git a/datastructure.c b/datastructure.c
index 9f3b0d32..3d9a3242 100644
--- a/datastructure.c
+++ b/datastructure.c
@@ -241,15 +241,18 @@ int detectStatus(const char *domain)
 	// Note that this is a really expensive subroutine and trying to match
 	// blocked domains against all configured wildcards will take some time
 	int i;
+
+	// Return early if no wildcard domains are defined
+	if(counters.wildcarddomains < 1)
+		return QUERY_CACHE;
+
 	validate_access("wildcarddomains", counters.wildcarddomains-1, false, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__, __FILE__);
 	for(i=0; i < counters.wildcarddomains; i++)
 	{
 		if(strcasecmp(wildcarddomains[i], domain) == 0)
 		{
 			// Exact match with wildcard domain
-			// if(debug)
-			// 	printf("%s / %s (exact wildcard match)\n",wildcarddomains[i], domain);
-			return 4;
+			return QUERY_WILDCARD;
 		}
 		// Create copy of domain under investigation
 		char * part = strdup(domain);
@@ -274,13 +277,11 @@ int detectStatus(const char *domain)
 			// Test for a match
 			if(strcasecmp(wildcarddomains[i], partbuffer) == 0)
 			{
-				// Free allocated memory before return'ing
+				// Free allocated memory before returning
 				free(part);
 				free(partbuffer);
 				// Return match with wildcard domain
-				// if(debug)
-				// 	printf("%s / %s (wildcard match)\n",wildcarddomains[i], partbuffer);
-				return 4;
+				return QUERY_WILDCARD;
 			}
 			if(strlen(partbuffer) > 0)
 			{
@@ -299,5 +300,5 @@ int detectStatus(const char *domain)
 	// wildcard blocking, but from e.g. an
 	// address=// configuration
 	// Answer as "cached"
-	return 3;
+	return QUERY_CACHE;
 }
diff --git a/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.c b/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.c
index c5e768b0..54a47da8 100644
--- a/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.c
+++ b/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.c
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ int main_dnsmasq (int argc, char **argv)
 	}
     }
 
-    FTL_start_threads();
+    FTL_fork_and_bind_sockets();
 
    log_err = log_start(ent_pw, err_pipe[1]);
 
diff --git a/dnsmasq_interface.c b/dnsmasq_interface.c
index 2f035010..7baa500a 100644
--- a/dnsmasq_interface.c
+++ b/dnsmasq_interface.c
@@ -735,10 +735,12 @@ pthread_t socket_listenthread;
 pthread_t DBthread;
 pthread_t GCthread;
 
-void FTL_start_threads(void)
+void FTL_fork_and_bind_sockets(void)
 {
-	// Save PID
-	savepid();
+	if(!debug && daemonmode)
+		go_daemon();
+	else
+		savepid();
 
 	// We will use the attributes object later to start all threads in detached mode
 	pthread_attr_t attr;
diff --git a/dnsmasq_interface.h b/dnsmasq_interface.h
index e7e7a20b..7872be16 100644
--- a/dnsmasq_interface.h
+++ b/dnsmasq_interface.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ void FTL_reply(unsigned short flags, char *name, struct all_addr *addr, int id);
 void FTL_cache(unsigned int flags, char *name, struct all_addr *addr, char * arg, int id);
 void FTL_dnssec(int status, int id);
 void FTL_dnsmasq_reload(void);
-void FTL_start_threads(void);
+void FTL_fork_and_bind_sockets(void);
 
 void FTL_forwarding_failed(struct server *server);
 int FTL_listsfile(char* filename, unsigned int index, FILE *f, int cache_size, struct crec **rhash, int hashsz);
diff --git a/socket.c b/socket.c
index eae35635..61944192 100644
--- a/socket.c
+++ b/socket.c
@@ -300,12 +300,12 @@ void *telnet_connection_handler_thread(void *socket_desc)
 	// Set connection type to telnet
 	istelnet[sock] = true;
 
-	int sockID = sock;
+	// Define buffer for client's message
 	char client_message[SOCKETBUFFERLEN] = "";
 
 	// Set thread name
 	char threadname[16];
-	sprintf(threadname,"telnet-%i",sockID);
+	sprintf(threadname,"telnet-%i",sock);
 	prctl(PR_SET_NAME,threadname,0,0,0);
 	//Receive from client
 	ssize_t n;