diff --git a/Zotlabs/Daemon/Run.php b/Zotlabs/Daemon/Run.php
index a7987e47e..a8ca219bd 100644
--- a/Zotlabs/Daemon/Run.php
+++ b/Zotlabs/Daemon/Run.php
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ if (array_search( __file__ , get_included_files()) === 0) {
 class Run {
 
 	static public function Summon($arr) {
+		if (file_exists('maintenance_lock') || file_exists('cache/maintenance_lock')) {
+			return;
+		}
 		proc_run('php','Zotlabs/Daemon/Run.php',$arr);
 	}
 
diff --git a/Zotlabs/Web/WebServer.php b/Zotlabs/Web/WebServer.php
index c3a7fc391..a059d99d7 100644
--- a/Zotlabs/Web/WebServer.php
+++ b/Zotlabs/Web/WebServer.php
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ class WebServer {
 
 		require_once('boot.php');
 
+		if (file_exists('maintenance_lock') || file_exists('cache/maintenance_lock')) {
+			http_status_exit(503,'System unavailable');
+		}
+		
 		sys_boot();
 
 
diff --git a/util/maintenance b/util/maintenance
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..fbc06a574
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/maintenance
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# enable, disable or check the maintenance mode.
+# If enabled, web access and execution of background tasks are blocked.
+# Interaction with the server is only possible through foreground scripts
+# We look for the existence of two files: maintenance_lock and cache/maintenance_lock
+# and if either exist the system is locked. We attempt to create and remove both of these.
+# One or the other _may_ fail due to permissions or ownership issues but the other will
+# usually succeed. 
+
+if [ $# -ne 0 ]; then
+	action=$1
+else
+	if [ -f maintenance_lock -o -f cache/maintenance_lock ]; then
+		echo "Maintenance mode is enabled"
+	else
+		echo "Maintenance mode is disabled"
+	fi
+	echo Usage: $0 'on|off'
+	exit
+fi
+
+if [ $1 == 'on' ]; then
+	touch maintenance_lock > /dev/null 2>&1
+	touch cache/maintenance_lock > /dev/null 2>&1
+	if [ -f maintenance_lock -o -f cache/maintenance_lock ]; then
+		echo "Maintenance mode is enabled"
+	else
+		echo "Failed: Maintenance mode is disabled"
+	fi
+fi
+if [ $1 == 'off' ]; then
+	rm maintenance_lock > /dev/null 2>&1
+	rm cache/maintenance_lock > /dev/null 2>&1
+	if [ -f maintenance_lock -o -f cache/maintenance_lock ]; then
+		echo "Failed: Maintenance mode is enabled"
+	else
+		echo "Maintenance mode is disabled"
+	fi
+fi