diff --git a/udevcontrol.c b/udevcontrol.c
index a983f22..4220eda 100644
--- a/udevcontrol.c
+++ b/udevcontrol.c
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *e
 			ctrl_msg.type = UDEVD_CTRL_START_EXEC_QUEUE;
 		else if (!strcmp(arg, "reload_rules"))
 			ctrl_msg.type = UDEVD_CTRL_RELOAD_RULES;
+		else if (!strcmp(arg, "restart"))
+			ctrl_msg.type = UDEVD_CTRL_RESTART;
 		else if (!strncmp(arg, "log_priority=", strlen("log_priority="))) {
 			intval = (int *) ctrl_msg.buf;
 			val = &arg[strlen("log_priority=")];
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *e
 				"  stop_exec_queue        keep udevd from executing events, queue only\n"
 				"  start_exec_queue       execute events, flush queue\n"
 				"  reload_rules           reloads the rules files\n"
+				"  restart                tells udevd to restart itself\n"
 				"  max_childs=<N>         maximum number of childs\n"
 				"  max_childs_running=<N> maximum number of childs running at the same time\n"
 				"  --help                 print this help text\n\n");
diff --git a/udevd.c b/udevd.c
index bb956b5..6e8f6df 100644
--- a/udevd.c
+++ b/udevd.c
@@ -703,6 +703,13 @@ static void get_ctrl_msg(void)
 		info("udevd message (RELOAD_RULES) received");
 		reload_config = 1;
 		break;
+	case UDEVD_CTRL_RESTART: {
+		char *argv[2] = { "/proc/self/exe", NULL };
+		info("udevd message (RESTART) received");
+		if (execve(argv[0], argv, environ) == -1)
+			err("unable to restart udevd: %s", strerror(errno));
+		break;
+	}
 	default:
 		err("unknown control message type");
 	}
@@ -847,6 +854,9 @@ static int init_udevd_socket(void)
 
 	/* enable receiving of the sender credentials */
 	setsockopt(udevd_sock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_PASSCRED, &feature_on, sizeof(feature_on));
+	retval = fcntl(udevd_sock, F_GETFD);
+	if (retval != -1)
+		fcntl(udevd_sock, F_SETFD, retval | FD_CLOEXEC);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/udevd.h b/udevd.h
index fce86e7..d681da5 100644
--- a/udevd.h
+++ b/udevd.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ enum udevd_ctrl_msg_type {
 	UDEVD_CTRL_SET_MAX_CHILDS,
 	UDEVD_CTRL_SET_MAX_CHILDS_RUNNING,
 	UDEVD_CTRL_RELOAD_RULES,
+	UDEVD_CTRL_RESTART,
 };
 
 struct udevd_ctrl_msg {