diff --git a/Netdisco/Makefile.PL b/Netdisco/Makefile.PL
index 368abbd1..92226919 100644
--- a/Netdisco/Makefile.PL
+++ b/Netdisco/Makefile.PL
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ requires 'Archive::Extract' => 0;
 requires 'CGI::Expand' => 2.05;
 requires 'Data::Printer' => 0;
 requires 'DBD::Pg' => 0;
-requires 'DBD::SQLite' => 1.37;
 requires 'DBIx::Class' => 0.08250;
 requires 'DBIx::Class::Helpers' => 2.018004;
 requires 'Daemon::Control' => 0.001000;
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ requires 'MIME::Base64' => 3.13;
 requires 'Module::Find' => 0.12;
 requires 'Module::Load' => 0.32;
 requires 'Moo' => 1.001000;
-requires 'MCE' => 1.408;
+requires 'MCE' => 1.515;
 requires 'Net::Domain' => 1.23;
 requires 'Net::DNS' => 0.72;
 requires 'Net::LDAP' => 0;
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ requires 'Plack' => 1.0023;
 requires 'Plack::Middleware::Expires' => 0.03;
 requires 'Plack::Middleware::ReverseProxy' => 0.15;
 requires 'Role::Tiny' => 1.002005;
+requires 'Sereal' => 0;
 requires 'Socket6' => 0.23;
 requires 'Starman' => 0.4008;
 requires 'SNMP::Info' => 3.18;
diff --git a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
index d3585cf5..5cfcb5eb 100755
--- a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
+++ b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
@@ -24,16 +24,13 @@ use App::Netdisco;
 use Dancer qw/:moose :script/;
 warning sprintf "App::Netdisco %s backend", ($App::Netdisco::VERSION || 'HEAD');
 
-# local job queue management
-use App::Netdisco::Daemon::LocalQueue ':all';
 use App::Netdisco::Util::Daemon;
-
-# needed to quench AF_INET6 symbol errors
-use NetAddr::IP::Lite ':lower';
-use List::Util 'sum';
+use NetAddr::IP::Lite ':lower'; # to quench AF_INET6 symbol errors
 use Role::Tiny::With;
+
 use MCE::Signal '-setpgrp';
-use MCE;
+use MCE::Flow Sereal => 1;
+use MCE::Queue;
 
 # set temporary MCE files' location in home directory
 my $home = ($ENV{NETDISCO_HOME} || $ENV{HOME});
@@ -43,78 +40,109 @@ mkdir $tmp_dir if ! -d $tmp_dir;
 setpgrp(0,0); # only portable variety of setpgrp
 prctl 'netdisco-daemon: master';
 
-my $mce = MCE->new(
-  spawn_delay => 0.15,
-  job_delay   => 1.15,
-  tmp_dir     => $tmp_dir,
-  user_func    => sub { $_[0]->worker_body },
-  on_post_exit => \&restart_this_worker,
-  user_tasks   => build_tasks_list(),
-)->run();
+# shared local job queue
+my $Q = MCE::Queue->new;
 
-sub build_tasks_list {
-  # NB MCE does not like max_workers => 0
-  my $tasks = [];
+mce_flow {
+  task_name => [qw/ scheduler manager poller /],
+  max_workers => [ 1, 1, 'AUTO * 2' ], # FIXME allow setting override
+  tmp_dir => $tmp_dir,
+  on_post_exit => sub { MCE->restart_worker() },
+}, _mk_wkr('Scheduler'), _mk_wkr('Manager'), _mk_wkr('Poller');
 
-  push @$tasks, {
-    max_workers => 1,
-    user_begin => worker_factory('Manager'),
-  } if num_workers() > 0;
-
-  push @$tasks, {
-    max_workers => 1,
-    user_begin => worker_factory('Scheduler'),
-  } if setting('schedule');
-
-  my @logmsg = ();
-  foreach my $key (keys %{setting('job_type_keys')}) {
-      my $val = setting('job_type_keys')->{$key};
-
-      setting('workers')->{$val} = 2
-        if !defined setting('workers')->{$val};
-
-      push @logmsg, setting('workers')->{$val} ." $key";
-      push @$tasks, {
-        max_workers => setting('workers')->{$val},
-        user_begin => worker_factory($key),
-      } if setting('workers')->{$val};
-  }
-
-  info sprintf "MCE will load: %s Manager, %s Scheduler, %s",
-    (num_workers() ? 1 : 0),
-    (setting('schedule') ? 1 : 0),
-    (join ', ', @logmsg);
-
-  return $tasks;
-}
-
-sub num_workers {
-  return sum( 0, map { setting('workers')->{$_} }
-                     values %{setting('job_type_keys')} );
-}
-
-sub worker_factory {
+sub _mk_wkr {
   my $role = shift;
   return sub {
     my $self = shift;
     my $wid = $self->wid;
+    $self->{Q} = $Q; # FIXME make it a method
+
     prctl sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s %s: init', $wid, lc($role);
     info "applying role $role to worker $wid";
 
-    # $self->sendto('stderr', ">>> worker $wid starting with role $role\n");
-    Role::Tiny->apply_roles_to_object($self, "App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::$role");
+    # post-fork, become manager, scheduler, poller, etc
+    Role::Tiny->apply_roles_to_object(
+      $self => "App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::$role");
 
     $self->worker_begin if $self->can('worker_begin');
+    $self->worker_body;
   };
 }
 
-sub restart_this_worker {
-  my ($self, $e) = @_;
-  reset_jobs($e->{wid});
+#use List::Util 'sum';
+#sub num_workers {
+#  return sum( 0, map { setting('workers')->{$_} }
+#                     values %{setting('job_type_keys')} );
+#}
 
-  debug "restarting worker $e->{wid}";
-  $self->restart_worker($e->{wid});
-}
+#sub restart_this_worker {
+#  my ($self, $e) = @_;
+#  reset_jobs($e->{wid});
+#
+#  debug "restarting worker ". MCE->wid();
+#  MCE->restart_worker();
+#  $self->restart_worker($e->{wid});
+#}
+
+#sub build_tasks_list {
+#  # NB MCE does not like max_workers => 0
+#  my $tasks = [];
+#
+#  push @$tasks, {
+#    max_workers => 1,
+#    user_begin => worker_factory('Manager'),
+#  } if num_workers() > 0;
+#
+#  push @$tasks, {
+#    max_workers => 1,
+#    user_begin => worker_factory('Scheduler'),
+#  } if setting('schedule');
+#
+#  my @logmsg = ();
+#  foreach my $key (keys %{setting('job_type_keys')}) {
+#      my $val = setting('job_type_keys')->{$key};
+#
+#      setting('workers')->{$val} = 2
+#        if !defined setting('workers')->{$val};
+#
+#      push @logmsg, setting('workers')->{$val} ." $key";
+#      push @$tasks, {
+#        max_workers => setting('workers')->{$val},
+#        user_begin => worker_factory($key),
+#      } if setting('workers')->{$val};
+#  }
+#
+#  info sprintf "MCE will load: %s Manager, %s Scheduler, %s",
+#    (num_workers() ? 1 : 0),
+#    (setting('schedule') ? 1 : 0),
+#    (join ', ', @logmsg);
+#
+#  return $tasks;
+#}
+
+#sub worker_factory {
+#  my $role = shift;
+#  return sub {
+#    my $self = shift;
+#    my $wid = $self->wid;
+#    prctl sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s %s: init', $wid, lc($role);
+#    info "applying role $role to worker $wid";
+#
+#    # $self->sendto('stderr', ">>> worker $wid starting with role $role\n");
+#    Role::Tiny->apply_roles_to_object($self, "App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::$role");
+#
+#    $self->worker_begin if $self->can('worker_begin');
+#  };
+#}
+
+#my $mce = MCE->new(
+#  spawn_delay => 0.15,
+#  job_delay   => 1.15,
+#  tmp_dir     => $tmp_dir,
+#  user_func    => sub { $_[0]->worker_body },
+#  on_post_exit => \&restart_this_worker,
+#  user_tasks   => build_tasks_list(),
+#)->run();
 
 =head1 NAME
 
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
index e73d981d..4a0c60c4 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
@@ -9,13 +9,6 @@ __PACKAGE__->table("admin");
 __PACKAGE__->add_columns(
   "job",
   { data_type => "integer", is_nullable => 0 },
-
-  "type", # Poller, Interactive, etc
-  { data_type => "text", is_nullable => 0 },
-
-  "wid", # worker ID, only != 0 once taken
-  { data_type => "integer", is_nullable => 0, default_value => 0 },
-
   "entered",
   { data_type => "timestamp", is_nullable => 1 },
   "started",
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Common.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Common.pm
index 55c7f00d..edc0bda5 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Common.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Common.pm
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::Common;
 
 use Dancer qw/:moose :syntax :script/;
+use Dancer::Plugin::DBIC 'schema';
 
 use Try::Tiny;
 use App::Netdisco::Util::Daemon;
@@ -8,7 +9,7 @@ use App::Netdisco::Util::Daemon;
 use Role::Tiny;
 use namespace::clean;
 
-use App::Netdisco::JobQueue qw/jq_take jq_defer jq_complete/;
+use App::Netdisco::JobQueue qw/jq_defer jq_complete/;
 
 sub worker_body {
   my $self = shift;
@@ -19,9 +20,11 @@ sub worker_body {
 
   while (1) {
       prctl sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s %s: idle', $wid, lc($type);
-      my $jobs = jq_take($self->wid, $type);
+      my $jobs = [ $self->{Q}->dequeue(1) ]; # FIXME multiple take, take type, thaw
 
       foreach my $job (@$jobs) {
+          next unless defined $job;
+          $job = schema('daemon')->dclone( $job );
           my $target = $self->munge_action($job->action);
 
           try {
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
index 10f19928..ea1a9d04 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use Role::Tiny;
 use namespace::clean;
 
 use App::Netdisco::JobQueue qw/jq_locked jq_getsome jq_lock/;
+use MCE::Util 'get_ncpu';
 
 sub worker_begin {
   my $self = shift;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ sub worker_begin {
   if (scalar @jobs) {
       info sprintf "mgr (%s): found %s jobs booked to this processing node",
         $wid, scalar @jobs;
-      $self->do('add_jobs', @jobs);
+      $self->{Q}->enqueue(@jobs); # FIXME priority and freeze
   }
 }
 
@@ -37,8 +38,8 @@ sub worker_body {
   return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for manager... quitting"
     if setting('workers')->{'no_manager'};
 
-  my $num_slots = sum( 0, map { setting('workers')->{$_} }
-                              values %{setting('job_type_keys')} );
+  # FIXME really the best strategy?
+  my $num_slots = (MCE::Util::get_ncpu() * 2) - $self->{Q}->pending();
 
   while (1) {
       debug "mgr ($wid): getting potential jobs for $num_slots workers";
@@ -48,25 +49,18 @@ sub worker_body {
       # TODO also check for stale jobs in Netdisco DB
       foreach my $job ( jq_getsome($num_slots) ) {
 
-          # check for available local capacity
-          my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action};
-          next unless $job_type and $self->do('capacity_for', $job_type);
-
-          debug sprintf "mgr (%s): processing node has capacity for job %s (%s)",
-            $wid, $job->id, $job->action;
-
           # mark job as running
           next unless jq_lock($job);
           info sprintf "mgr (%s): job %s booked out for this processing node",
             $wid, $job->id;
 
           # copy job to local queue
-          $self->do('add_jobs', $job);
+          $self->{Q}->enqueue($job); # FIXME priority and freeze
       }
 
       debug "mgr ($wid): sleeping now...";
       prctl sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s manager: idle', $wid;
-      sleep( setting('workers')->{sleep_time} || 2 );
+      sleep( setting('workers')->{sleep_time} || 1 );
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Scheduler.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Scheduler.pm
index f7252ca3..bf1c0795 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Scheduler.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Scheduler.pm
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ use App::Netdisco::JobQueue qw/jq_insert/;
 sub worker_begin {
   my $self = shift;
   my $wid = $self->wid;
+
+  return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for scheduler... skip begin"
+    unless setting('scheduler');
+
   debug "entering Scheduler ($wid) worker_begin()";
 
   foreach my $action (keys %{ setting('schedule') }) {
@@ -34,6 +38,9 @@ sub worker_body {
   my $self = shift;
   my $wid = $self->wid;
 
+  return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for scheduler... quitting"
+    unless setting('scheduler');
+
   while (1) {
       # sleep until some point in the next minute
       my $naptime = 60 - (time % 60) + int(rand(45));
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue.pm
index 6c72b2c5..da832c28 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue.pm
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ our @EXPORT_OK = qw/
   jq_queued
   jq_log
   jq_userlog
-  jq_take
   jq_lock
   jq_defer
   jq_complete
@@ -64,12 +63,6 @@ Returns a list of jobs which have been entered into the queue by the passed
 C<$user>. Jobs are returned as objects which implement the Netdisco job
 instance interface (see below).
 
-=head2 jq_take( $wid, $type, $max? )
-
-Searches in the queue for jobs of type C<$type> and if up to C<$max> are
-available, will book them out to the worker with ID C<$wid>. The default
-number of booked jobs is 1.
-
 =head2 jq_lock( $job )
 
 Marks a job in the queue as booked out to this processing node (denoted by the
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
index dc66f6af..ae321e54 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/JobQueue/PostgreSQL.pm
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ our @EXPORT_OK = qw/
   jq_queued
   jq_log
   jq_userlog
-  jq_take
   jq_lock
   jq_defer
   jq_complete
@@ -35,9 +34,8 @@ sub jq_getsome {
     );
 
   while (my $job = $rs->next) {
-      my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action} or next;
       push @returned, schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
-        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns, type => $job_type });
+        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns });
   }
   return @returned;
 }
@@ -50,9 +48,8 @@ sub jq_locked {
     ->search({status => "queued-$fqdn"});
 
   while (my $job = $rs->next) {
-      my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action} or next;
       push @returned, schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
-        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns, type => $job_type });
+        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns });
   }
   return @returned;
 }
@@ -76,9 +73,8 @@ sub jq_log {
   });
 
   while (my $job = $rs->next) {
-      my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action} or next;
       push @returned, schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
-        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns, type => $job_type });
+        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns });
   }
   return @returned;
 }
@@ -93,28 +89,12 @@ sub jq_userlog {
   });
 
   while (my $job = $rs->next) {
-      my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action} or next;
       push @returned, schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
-        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns, type => $job_type });
+        ->new_result({ $job->get_columns });
   }
   return @returned;
 }
 
-# PostgreSQL engine depends on LocalQueue, which is accessed synchronously via
-# the main daemon process. This is only used by daemon workers which can use
-# MCE ->do() method.
-sub jq_take {
-  my ($wid, $type) = @_;
-  Module::Load::load 'MCE';
-
-  # be polite to SQLite database (that is, local CPU)
-  debug "$type ($wid): sleeping now...";
-  sleep(1);
-
-  debug "$type ($wid): asking for a job";
-  MCE->do('take_jobs', $wid, $type);
-}
-
 sub jq_lock {
   my $job = shift;
   my $fqdn = hostfqdn || 'localhost';
@@ -143,18 +123,11 @@ sub jq_lock {
   return $happy;
 }
 
-# PostgreSQL engine depends on LocalQueue, which is accessed synchronously via
-# the main daemon process. This is only used by daemon workers which can use
-# MCE ->do() method.
 sub jq_defer {
   my $job = shift;
   my $happy = false;
 
   try {
-    # other local workers are polling the central queue, so
-    # to prevent a race, first delete the job in our local queue
-    MCE->do('release_jobs', $job->id);
-
     # lock db row and update to show job is available
     schema('netdisco')->txn_do(sub {
       schema('netdisco')->resultset('Admin')
diff --git a/Netdisco/share/config.yml b/Netdisco/share/config.yml
index 1818672e..397a344f 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/config.yml
+++ b/Netdisco/share/config.yml
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ port_control_reasons:
 workers:
   interactives: 1
   pollers: 10
-  sleep_time: 2
+  sleep_time: 1
   queue: PostgreSQL
 
 dns: