diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py
index d4f619aae..100eae10b 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py
@@ -3,23 +3,57 @@
 import asyncio
 import argparse
 import os
+import logging
 
 from artiq.protocols.sync_struct import Subscriber
+from artiq.tools import verbosity_args, init_logger
+
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def get_argparser():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ARTIQ controller manager")
+    verbosity_args(parser)
     parser.add_argument(
         "-s", "--server", default="::1",
         help="hostname or IP of the master to connect to")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--port", default=3250, type=int,
         help="TCP port to use to connect to the master")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--retry-master", default=5.0, type=float,
+        help="retry timer for reconnecting to master")
     return parser
 
 
+class Controllers:
+    def __setitem__(self, k, v):
+        print("set {} {}".format(k, v))
+
+    def __delitem__(self, k):
+        print("del {}".format(k))
+
+    def delete_all(self):
+        print("delete all")
+
+
+class ControllerDB:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.current_controllers = Controllers()
+
+    def sync_struct_init(self, init):
+        if self.current_controllers is not None:
+            self.current_controllers.delete_all()
+        for k, v in init.items():
+            self.current_controllers[k] = v
+
+
 def main():
     args = get_argparser().parse_args()
+    init_logger(args)
+
+    controller_db = ControllerDB()
 
     if os.name == "nt":
         loop = asyncio.ProactorEventLoop()
@@ -27,14 +61,26 @@ def main():
     else:
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
     try:
-        subscriber = Subscriber("master_ddb", lambda x: x)
-        loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.connect(args.server, args.port))
-        try:
-            loop.run_forever()
-        finally:
-            loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.close())
+        subscriber = Subscriber("devices", controller_db.sync_struct_init)
+        while True:
+            try:
+                loop.run_until_complete(
+                    subscriber.connect(args.server, args.port))
+                try:
+                    loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.receive_task)
+                finally:
+                    loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.close())
+            except (ConnectionAbortedError, ConnectionError,
+                    ConnectionRefusedError, ConnectionResetError) as e:
+                logger.warning("Connection to master failed (%s: %s)",
+                    e.__class__.__name__, str(e))
+            else:
+                logger.warning("Connection to master lost")
+            logger.warning("Retrying in %.1f seconds", args.retry_master)
+            loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.sleep(args.retry_master))
     finally:
-        loop.close()    
+        loop.close()
+        controller_db.current_controllers.delete_all()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()