diff --git a/github-fast-env.rb b/github-fast-env.rb
index 5c02010..ba98e6c 100755
--- a/github-fast-env.rb
+++ b/github-fast-env.rb
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ end
 log "info", "connected to control socket"
 
 encoded_script_path = Base64.encode64(script_path).delete("\n")
-$control_socket.puts "new v1 #{encoded_script_path}"
+$control_socket.puts "new v1 named-pipes #{encoded_script_path}"
 
 pipes = {"stdin" => nil, "stdout" => nil, "stderr" => nil}
 
diff --git a/github-fast-envd.rb b/github-fast-envd.rb
index ab6d491..5cf9262 100755
--- a/github-fast-envd.rb
+++ b/github-fast-envd.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 require "base64"
 require "socket"
 
-require "/data/github/current/config/environment"
+#require "/data/github/current/config/environment"
 
 class ClientError < StandardError
 	def initialize(message)
@@ -85,6 +85,38 @@ def read_command(control_socket)
 	return command, arguments
 end
 
+def set_up_named_pipes(control_socket, connection_id)
+	stdin = open_pipe(connection_id, "stdin")
+	control_socket.puts "stdin #{stdin}"
+	stdin = File::open(stdin, "r")
+	stdin.sync = true
+
+	stdout = open_pipe(connection_id, "stdout")
+	control_socket.puts "stdout #{stdout}"
+	stdout = File::open(stdout, "w")
+	stdout.sync = true
+
+	stderr = open_pipe(connection_id, "stderr")
+	control_socket.puts "stderr #{stderr}"
+	stderr = File::open(stderr, "w")
+	stderr.sync = true
+
+	$stderr.puts "  set up named pipes"
+
+	control_socket.puts "ready"
+
+	response = control_socket.readline.strip
+
+	if response != "ready"
+		raise ClientError.new "invalid command"
+		Kernel.exit!
+	end
+
+	$stdin.reopen(stdin)
+	$stdout.reopen(stdout)
+	$stderr.reopen(stderr)
+end
+
 while true
 	control_socket = control_server.accept
 	$stderr.puts "- new connection"
@@ -96,14 +128,24 @@ while true
 			raise ClientError.new "unexpected command"
 		end
 
-		if arguments.length != 2
+		if arguments.length != 3
 			raise ClientError.new "malformed command"
 		end
 
-		if arguments[0] != "v1"
-			raise ClientError.new "unsupported protocol version"
+		protocol_version = arguments[0]
+
+		if protocol_version != "v1"
+			raise ClientError.new "unsupported protocol version (#{protocol_version})"
 		end
 
+		mode = arguments[1]
+
+		if not ["named-pipes", "pseudoterminal"].include?(mode)
+			raise ClientError.new "unknown mode (#{mode})"
+		end
+
+		script_path = Base64.decode64(arguments[2])
+
 		connection_id += 1
 
 		child_process = fork {
@@ -113,46 +155,21 @@ while true
 
 			exit_code = "unknown"
 
+			if mode == "named-pipes"
+				set_up_named_pipes(control_socket, connection_id)
+			else
+				raise ClientError.new "not yet implemented"
+			end
+
+			original_stderr.puts "  executing script " + script_path
+
 			begin
-				stdin = open_pipe(connection_id, "stdin")
-				control_socket.puts "stdin #{stdin}"
-				stdin = File::open(stdin, "r")
-				# TODO: reconsider
-				stdin.sync = true
-
-				stdout = open_pipe(connection_id, "stdout")
-				control_socket.puts "stdout #{stdout}"
-				stdout = File::open(stdout, "w")
-				stdout.sync = true
-
-				stderr = open_pipe(connection_id, "stderr")
-				control_socket.puts "stderr #{stderr}"
-				stderr = File::open(stderr, "w")
-				stderr.sync = true
-
-				$stderr.puts "  set up pipes"
-				control_socket.puts "ready"
-
-				response = control_socket.readline.strip
-
-				if response != "ready"
-					raise ClientError.new "invalid command"
-					Kernel.exit!
-				end
-
-				script_path = Base64.decode64(arguments[1])
-				$stderr.puts "  executing script " + script_path
-
-				$stdin.reopen(stdin)
-				$stdout.reopen(stdout)
-				$stderr.reopen(stderr)
-
 				begin
 					load script_path, true
 				rescue SystemExit => error
 					original_stderr.puts "  exit code: #{error.status}"
 					exit_code = error.status
-				rescue => error
+				rescue StandardError => error
 					$stdin = original_stdin
 					$stdout = original_stdout
 					$stderr = original_stderr