diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 0e8124c..28af4a7 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -10,13 +10,12 @@ Usage: mrci <argument>
 <Arguments>
 
  -help                   : display usage information about this application.
- -start                  : start a new host instance in the background. (non-blocking)
  -stop                   : stop the current host instance if one is currently running.
  -about                  : display versioning/warranty information about this application.
  -addr {ip_address:port} : set the listening address and port for TCP clients.
  -status                 : display status information about the host instance if it is currently running.
  -reset_root             : reset the root account password to the default password.
- -host                   : this starts a blocking host instance. for internal use only.
+ -host                   : start a new host instance. (this blocks).
  -public_cmds            : run the internal module to list it's public commands. for internal use only.
  -exempt_cmds            : run the internal module to list it's rank exempt commands. for internal use only.
  -user_cmds              : run the internal module to list it's user commands. for internal use only.
diff --git a/linux_build.sh b/linux_build.sh
index ec81851..509192b 100644
--- a/linux_build.sh
+++ b/linux_build.sh
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ installer_file="$2"
 
 src_dir="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 bin_name="mrci"
-app_version="2.1.2"
+app_version="2.1.3"
 app_name="MRCI"
 install_dir="/opt/$bin_name"
+var_dir="/var/opt/$bin_name"
 bin_dir="/usr/bin"
 tmp_dir="$HOME/.cache/mrci_build"
-user="$USER"
 
 if [ ! -d "$qt_dir" ]; then
 
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ fi
  
 if [ -d "$tmp_dir" ]; then
  
- rm -rfv $tmp_dir
+ rm -rf $tmp_dir
   
 fi
 
 if [ $? -eq 0 -a -d "$qt_dir" ]; then
 
   mkdir -vp $tmp_dir
-  cp -rv $src_dir/. $tmp_dir
+  cp -r $src_dir/. $tmp_dir
   cd $tmp_dir
   qmake -config release
  
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ if [ $? -eq 0 -a -d "$qt_dir" ]; then
     echo "export QTDIR=$install_dir" >> $startup_script
     echo "export QT_PLUGIN_PATH=$install_dir" >> $startup_script
     echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"$install_dir/lib:\$LD_LIBRARY_PATH\"" >> $startup_script
+    echo "export MRCI_DB_PATH=$var_dir/data.db" >> $startup_script
     echo "$install_dir/$bin_name \$1 \$2 \$3" >> $startup_script
    
     echo "#!/bin/sh" > $setup_script
@@ -77,43 +78,57 @@ if [ $? -eq 0 -a -d "$qt_dir" ]; then
     echo "if [ ! -d \"$install_dir\" ]; then" >> $setup_script
     echo " sudo mkdir -p $install_dir" >> $setup_script
     echo "fi" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -rfv ./lib $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -rfv ./sqldrivers $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -fv ./$bin_name $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -fv ./$bin_name.sh $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -fv ./uninstall.sh $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo cp -fv ./$bin_name.service /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name@$USER.service" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod 755 $install_dir/$bin_name" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod 755 $install_dir/$bin_name.sh" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod 755 $install_dir/uninstall.sh" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod 755 $install_dir" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod -R 755 $install_dir/lib" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod -R 755 $install_dir/sqldrivers" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo chmod 755 /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name@$USER.service" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo ln -sf $install_dir/$bin_name.sh $bin_dir/$bin_name" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo systemctl start $bin_name@$USER" >> $setup_script
-    echo "sudo systemctl enable $bin_name@$USER" >> $setup_script
-    echo "echo \"\nInstallation finished. If you ever need to uninstall this application, run this command:\n\"" >> $setup_script
-    echo "echo \"   sh $install_dir/uninstall.sh\n\"" >> $setup_script
+    echo "if [ ! -d \"$var_dir\" ]; then" >> $setup_script
+    echo " sudo mkdir -p $var_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "fi" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -rfv ./lib $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -rfv ./sqldrivers $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -fv ./$bin_name $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -fv ./$bin_name.sh $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -fv ./uninstall.sh $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "cp -fv ./$bin_name.service /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name.service" >> $setup_script
+    echo "useradd -r $bin_name" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod 755 $install_dir/$bin_name" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod 755 $install_dir/$bin_name.sh" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod 755 $install_dir/uninstall.sh" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod 755 $install_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod -R 755 $install_dir/lib" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod -R 755 $install_dir/sqldrivers" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod 755 /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name.service" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chown -R $bin_name:$bin_name $var_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "chmod -R 755 $var_dir" >> $setup_script
+    echo "ln -sf $install_dir/$bin_name.sh $bin_dir/$bin_name" >> $setup_script
+    echo "systemctl start $bin_name" >> $setup_script
+    echo "systemctl enable $bin_name" >> $setup_script
+    echo "if [ \$? -eq 0 ]; then" >> $setup_script
+    echo " echo \"\nInstallation finished. If you ever need to uninstall this application, run this command:\n\"" >> $setup_script
+    echo " echo \"   $install_dir/uninstall.sh\n\"" >> $setup_script
+    echo "fi" >> $setup_script
     
     echo "[Unit]" > $service_file
-    echo "Description=$app_name host" >> $service_file
+    echo "Description=$app_name Host Daemon" >> $service_file
     echo "After=network.target" >> $service_file
     echo "" >> $service_file
     echo "[Service]" >> $service_file
     echo "Type=simple" >> $service_file
-    echo "User=%i" >> $service_file
+    echo "User=$bin_name" >> $service_file
+    echo "Restart=on-failure" >> $service_file
+    echo "RestartSec=5" >> $service_file
+    echo "TimeoutStopSec=infinity" >> $service_file
     echo "ExecStart=/usr/bin/env $bin_name -host" >> $service_file
+    echo "ExecStop=/usr/bin/env $bin_name -stop" >> $service_file
     echo "" >> $service_file
     echo "[Install]" >> $service_file
     echo "WantedBy=multi-user.target" >> $service_file
      
     echo "#!/bin/sh" > $uninstall_script
-    echo "sudo systemctl -q stop $bin_name@$USER" >> $uninstall_script
-    echo "sudo systemctl -q disable $bin_name@$USER" >> $uninstall_script
-    echo "sudo rm -v /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name@$USER.service" >> $uninstall_script
-    echo "sudo rm -v $bin_dir/$bin_name" >> $uninstall_script
-    echo "sudo rm -rv $install_dir" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "systemctl -q stop $bin_name" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "systemctl -q disable $bin_name" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "rm -v /etc/systemd/system/$bin_name.service" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "rm -v $bin_dir/$bin_name" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "rm -rv $install_dir" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "chown -R root:root $var_dir" >> $uninstall_script
+    echo "deluser $bin_name" >> $uninstall_script
     
     chmod +x $setup_script
     
diff --git a/src/db.h b/src/db.h
index 165d8cd..e359307 100644
--- a/src/db.h
+++ b/src/db.h
@@ -37,25 +37,27 @@
 #include "shell.h"
 
 #define APP_NAME   "MRCI"
-#define APP_VER    "2.1.2"
+#define APP_VER    "2.1.3"
 #define APP_TARGET "mrci"
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
 
 #define DEFAULT_MAILBIN   "%COMSPEC%"
 #define DEFAULT_MAIL_SEND "echo %message_body% | mutt -s %subject% %target_email%"
-#define DEFAULT_DB_PATH   "%LOCALAPPDATA%\\%EXENAME%\\data.db"
+#define DEFAULT_DB_PATH   "%PROGRAMDATA%\\mrci\\data.db"
+#define DEFAULT_WORK_DIR  "%PROGRAMDATA%\\mrci"
 
 #else
 
 #define DEFAULT_MAILBIN   "/bin/sh"
 #define DEFAULT_MAIL_SEND "-c \"echo %message_body% | mutt -s %subject% %target_email%\""
-#define DEFAULT_DB_PATH   "$HOME/.$EXENAME/data.db"
+#define DEFAULT_DB_PATH   "/var/opt/mrci/data.db"
+#define DEFAULT_WORK_DIR  "/var/opt/mrci"
 
 #endif
 
 #define ENV_DB_PATH             "MRCI_DB_PATH"
-#define ENV_EXENAME             "EXENAME"
+#define ENV_WORK_DIR            "MRCI_WORK_DIR"
 #define ROOT_USER               "root"
 #define SUBJECT_SUB             "%subject%"
 #define MSG_SUB                 "%message_body%"
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index f60509c..c51577b 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -60,13 +60,12 @@ void showHelp()
     txtOut << "Usage: " << APP_TARGET << " <argument>" << endl << endl;
     txtOut << "<Arguments>" << endl << endl;
     txtOut << " -help                   : display usage information about this application." << endl;
-    txtOut << " -start                  : start a new host instance in the background. (non-blocking)" << endl;
     txtOut << " -stop                   : stop the current host instance if one is currently running." << endl;
     txtOut << " -about                  : display versioning/warranty information about this application." << endl;
     txtOut << " -addr {ip_address:port} : set the listening address and port for TCP clients." << endl;
     txtOut << " -status                 : display status information about the host instance if it is currently running." << endl;
     txtOut << " -reset_root             : reset the root account password to the default password shown below." << endl;
-    txtOut << " -host                   : this starts a blocking host instance. for internal use only." << endl;
+    txtOut << " -host                   : start a new host instance. (this blocks)" << endl;
     txtOut << " -public_cmds            : run the internal module to list it's public commands. for internal use only." << endl;
     txtOut << " -exempt_cmds            : run the internal module to list it's rank exempt commands. for internal use only." << endl;
     txtOut << " -user_cmds              : run the internal module to list it's user commands. for internal use only." << endl;
@@ -110,12 +109,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     serializeThread(app.thread());
 
-    QDir::setCurrent(QDir::homePath());
+    QString workDir = expandEnvVariables(qEnvironmentVariable(ENV_WORK_DIR, DEFAULT_WORK_DIR));
+
+    QDir::setCurrent(workDir);
     QCoreApplication::setApplicationName(APP_NAME);
     QCoreApplication::setApplicationVersion(APP_VER);
 
-    qputenv(ENV_EXENAME, APP_TARGET);
-
     QString     err;
     QStringList args   = QCoreApplication::arguments();
     bool        dbFail = false;
@@ -225,17 +224,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             }
         }
     }
-    else if (args.contains("-start", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
-    {
-        if (dbFail)
-        {
-            soeDueToDbErr(&ret);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            QProcess::startDetached(QCoreApplication::applicationFilePath(), QStringList() << "-host");
-        }
-    }
     else if (args.contains("-stop", Qt::CaseInsensitive) || args.contains("-status", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
     {
         ret = shellToHost(args, app);