diff --git a/src/runtime/src/comms.rs b/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
index d02d974..78021d0 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
@@ -722,47 +722,72 @@ pub fn main(timer: GlobalTimer, cfg: Config) {
     mgmt::start(cfg);
 
     task::spawn(async move {
-        let connection = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(1, 1));
-        let terminate = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(0, 1));
+        let enter_idle = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(1, 1));
+        let term_idle = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(0, 1));
+        let enter_conn = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(0, 1));
+        let term_conn = Rc::new(Semaphore::new(0, 1));
         loop {
-            let mut stream = TcpStream::accept(1381, 0x10_000, 0x10_000).await.unwrap();
 
-            if connection.try_wait().is_none() {
-                // there is an existing connection
-                terminate.signal();
-                connection.async_wait().await;
-            }
+            // start idle kernel first
+            let control_cop = control.clone();
+            let idle_kernel_clone = idle_kernel.clone();
 
-            let control = control.clone();
-            let idle_kernel = idle_kernel.clone();
-            let connection = connection.clone();
-            let terminate = terminate.clone();
-            let up_destinations = up_destinations.clone();
-            let aux_mutex = aux_mutex.clone();
-            let routing_table = drtio_routing_table.clone();
-
-            // we make sure the value of terminate is 0 before we start
-            let _ = terminate.try_wait();
+            let enter_idle_clone = enter_idle.clone();
+            let term_idle_clone = term_idle.clone();
+            let enter_conn_clone = enter_conn.clone();
+            
+            let up_destinations_clone = up_destinations.clone();
+            let aux_mutex_clone = aux_mutex.clone();
+            let routing_table_clone = drtio_routing_table.clone();
             task::spawn(async move {
-                let routing_table = routing_table.borrow();
+                enter_idle_clone.async_wait().await;
+                let routing_table = routing_table_clone.borrow();
                 select_biased! {
                     _ = (async {
-                        let _ = handle_connection(&mut stream, control.clone(), &up_destinations, &aux_mutex, &routing_table, timer)
-                            .await
-                            .map_err(|e| warn!("connection terminated: {}", e));
-                        if let Some(buffer) = &*idle_kernel {
-                            info!("Loading idle kernel");
-                            let _ = load_kernel(&buffer, &control, None)
+                        info!("Loading idle kernel");
+                        if let Some(buffer) = &*idle_kernel_clone {
+                            let _ = load_kernel(&buffer, &control_clone, None)
                                 .await.map_err(|_| warn!("error loading idle kernel"));
                             info!("Running idle kernel");
-                            let _ = handle_run_kernel(None, &control, &up_destinations, &aux_mutex, &routing_table, timer)
+                            let _ = handle_run_kernel(None, &control_clone, &up_destinations_clone, &aux_mutex_clone, &routing_table, timer)
                                 .await.map_err(|_| warn!("error running idle kernel"));
                             info!("Idle kernel terminated");
+                        } else {
+                            info!("No idle kernel found");
                         }
                     }).fuse() => (),
-                    _ = terminate.async_wait().fuse() => ()
+                    _ = term_idle_clone.async_wait().fuse() => ()
                 }
-                connection.signal();
+                enter_conn_clone.signal()
+            });
+
+            let mut stream = TcpStream::accept(1381, 0x10_000, 0x10_000).await.unwrap();
+           
+            term_conn.signal();
+            term_idle.signal();
+            enter_conn.async_wait().await;
+            let _ = term_conn.try_wait();
+            let _ = term_idle.try_wait();
+            
+            let control_clone = control.clone();
+            let enter_idle_clone = enter_idle.clone();
+            let term_conn_clone = enter_conn.clone();
+            
+            let up_destinations_clone = up_destinations.clone();
+            let aux_mutex_clone = aux_mutex.clone();
+            let routing_table_clone = drtio_routing_table.clone();
+
+            task::spawn(async move {
+                let routing_table = routing_table_clone.borrow();
+                select_biased! {
+                    _ = (async {
+                        let _ = handle_connection(&mut stream, control_clone.clone(), &up_destinations_clone, &aux_mutex_clone, &routing_table, timer)
+                            .await
+                            .map_err(|e| warn!("connection terminated: {}", e));
+                    }).fuse() => (),
+                    _ = term_conn_clone.async_wait().fuse() => ()
+                }
+                enter_idle_clone.signal();
                 let _ = stream.flush().await;
                 let _ = stream.abort().await;
             });