diff --git a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
index fde44ba4..caed472e 100755
--- a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
+++ b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
@@ -1,88 +1,76 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env perl
 
-# fix for older Perl which warns about a bug in File::Slurp
-BEGIN {
-  no warnings 'portable';
-  use File::Slurp;
-}
-
 use FindBin;
 use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../lib";
 use App::Netdisco;
 
+# for netdisco app config
 use Dancer qw/:moose :script/;
-use Dancer::Plugin::DBIC 'schema';
 
-use Daemon::Generic::While1;
-use Parallel::Prefork;
-use Net::Domain 'hostfqdn';
+# callbacks and local job queue management
+use App::Netdisco::Daemon::Queue ':all';
+
+use MCE;
 use Role::Tiny;
-use Try::Tiny;
+use Path::Class 'dir';
 
-# Parallel::Prefork instance
-my $pp = undef;
+my $mce = MCE->new(
+  tmp_dir => dir($ENV{HOME}, 'tmp'),
+  spawn_delay => 0.15,
+  job_delay   => 0.15,
+  user_func    => \&call_worker_body,
+  on_post_exit => \&restart_worker,
+  user_tasks   => build_tasks_list(),
+)->run();
 
-# track worker pids and their roles
-my %workers = ();
-my $next_role = undef;
+sub call_worker_body {
+  my ($self) = @_;
+  $self->worker_body if $self->can('worker_body');
+}
 
-# must come after globals initialization
-newdaemon(
-  progname => 'netdisco-daemon',
-  ($> != 0 ? (pidbase => './') : ()),
-  logpriority => 'daemon.info',
-);
+sub restart_worker {
+  my ($self, $e) = @_;
+  reset_jobs($e->{wid});
+  $self->restart_worker($e->{wid});
+}
 
-sub gd_preconfig {
-  my $gd = shift;
-
-  # used for locking jobs in central Pg queue
-  $gd->{nd_host} = hostfqdn;
+sub build_tasks_list {
+  my $tasks = [{
+    max_workers => 1,
+    user_begin => worker_factory('Manager'),
+  }];
 
   set(daemon_pollers => 2)
     if !defined setting('daemon_pollers');
   set(daemon_interactives => 2)
     if !defined setting('daemon_interactives');
 
-  # need to do this after setting defaults
-  $pp = Parallel::Prefork->new(
-    max_workers => (1 + setting('daemon_pollers')
-                      + setting('daemon_interactives')),
-    spawn_interval => 2,
-    before_fork => \&set_next_worker_role,
-    after_fork  => \&register_worker,
-    on_child_reap => \&unregister_worker,
-    trap_signals => {
-      TERM => 'TERM',
-      INT  => 'TERM',
-    },
-  );
+  # XXX MCE does not like max_workers => 0
 
-  # do not remove this line - required by Daemon::Generic
-  return ();
+  push @$tasks, {
+    max_workers => setting('daemon_pollers'),
+    user_begin => worker_factory('Poller'),
+  } if setting('daemon_pollers');
+
+  push @$tasks, {
+    max_workers => setting('daemon_interactives'),
+    user_begin => worker_factory('Interactive'),
+  } if setting('daemon_interactives');
+
+  return $tasks;
 }
 
-# main loop
-sub gd_run_body {
-  my $gd = shift;
-
-  $gd->handle_term
-    if $pp->signal_received =~ m/^(?:TERM|INT)$/;
-
-  $pp->start(sub {
-    print STDERR ">>> new $next_role worker starting...\n";
-    with "App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::$next_role";
-    $gd->worker_begin if $gd->can('worker_begin');
-    $gd->worker_body;
-    $gd->worker_end if $gd->can('worker_end');
-  });
-
-  # I don't think Parallel::Prefork ever returns from start()
-  # until a child exits. Not sure this is ever reached.
-  $gd->gd_sleep( setting('daemon_sleep_time') || 5 )
-    if not $pp->signal_received;
+sub worker_factory {
+  my $role = shift;
+  return sub {
+    my $self = shift;
+    # with "App::Netdisco::Daemon::Worker::$role";
+    $self->worker_begin if $self->can('worker_begin');
+  };
 }
 
+__END__
+
 sub register_worker {
   my (undef, $pid) = @_;
   $workers{$pid} = $next_role;
@@ -102,44 +90,3 @@ sub unregister_worker {
   catch { warn "error reverting jobs for pid $pid: $_\n" };
 }
 
-sub set_next_worker_role {
-  my $pp = shift;
-  $next_role = _find_next_worker_role();
-}
-
-sub _find_next_worker_role {
-  my @cur = values %workers;
-  my $manager = scalar grep {$_ eq 'Manager'} @cur;
-  my $poller  = scalar grep {$_ eq 'Poller'} @cur;
-  my $inter   = scalar grep {$_ eq 'Interactive'} @cur;
-
-  return 'Manager' if $manager < 1;
-
-  my $need_poller = $poller < setting('daemon_pollers');
-  my $need_inter  = $inter < setting('daemon_interactives');
-
-  if ($need_poller and $need_inter) {
-      return (int(rand(2)) ? 'Interactive' : 'Poller');
-  }
-
-  return 'Interactive' if $need_inter;
-  return 'Poller' if $need_poller;
-}
-
-sub handle_term {
-  my $gd = shift;
-  $pp->wait_all_children;
-  $gd->gd_quit_event
-}
-
-# in case we screw up and die ourselves
-END {
-  if (defined $pp) {
-      $pp->signal_all_children('TERM');
-      $pp->wait_all_children;
-  }
-}
-
-# nullify this to permit Parallel::Prefork to register handlers instead
-sub gd_setup_signals {}
-
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
index 5aab62a6..3d4362a3 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/DB/Result/Admin.pm
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ __PACKAGE__->add_columns(
     data_type         => "integer",
     is_nullable       => 0,
   },
+
+  "role", # Poller, Interactive, etc
+  { data_type => "text", is_nullable => 0 },
+
+  "wid", # worker ID, only assigned once taken
+  { data_type => "integer", is_nullable => 1 },
+
   "started",
   { data_type => "timestamp", is_nullable => 1 },
   "finished",
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Queue.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Queue.pm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ff680a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Queue.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package App::Netdisco::Daemon::Queue;
+
+use Dancer qw/:moose :syntax :script/;
+use Dancer::Plugin::DBIC 'schema';
+use Try::Tiny;
+
+use base 'Exporter';
+our @EXPORT = ();
+our @EXPORT_OK = qw/ add_jobs take_jobs reset_jobs /;
+our %EXPORT_TAGS = ( all => \@EXPORT_OK );
+
+{
+    my $daemon = schema('daemon');
+
+    # deploy local db if not already done
+    try {
+        $daemon->storage->dbh_do(sub {
+          my ($storage, $dbh) = @_;
+          $dbh->selectrow_arrayref("SELECT * FROM admin WHERE 0 = 1");
+        });
+    }
+    catch {
+        $daemon->txn_do(sub {
+          $daemon->storage->disconnect;
+          $daemon->deploy;
+        });
+    };
+
+    $daemon->storage->disconnect;
+    if ($daemon->get_db_version < $daemon->schema_version) {
+        $daemon->txn_do(sub { $daemon->upgrade });
+    }
+
+    # empty local db of any stale queued jobs
+    $daemon->resultset('Admin')->delete;
+}
+
+sub add_jobs {
+  my ($jobs) = @_;
+  try { schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')->populate($jobs) }
+  catch { warn "error adding jobs: $_\n" };
+}
+
+sub take_jobs {
+  my ($wid, $role, $max) = @_;
+  my $jobs = [];
+
+  my $rs = schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
+    ->search({role => $role, status => 'queued'});
+
+  while (my $job = $rs->next) {
+      last if scalar $jobs eq $max;
+
+      try {
+          schema('daemon')->txn_do(sub {
+              my $row = schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')->find(
+                {job => $job->job},
+                {for => 'update'}
+              );
+
+              if ($row->status eq 'queued') {
+                  $row->update({status => 'taken', wid => $wid});
+                  push @$jobs, $row->get_columns;
+              }
+          });
+      };
+  }
+
+  return $jobs;
+}
+
+sub reset_jobs {
+  my ($wid) = @_;
+  try {
+      schema('daemon')->resultset('Admin')
+        ->search({wid => $wid})
+        ->update({wid => undef, status => 'queued', started => undef});
+  }
+  catch { warn "error resetting jobs for wid [$wid]: $_\n" };
+}
+
+1;