diff --git a/libabyss/include/abyss/server.hpp b/libabyss/include/abyss/server.hpp
index b0f52441a..2c3192610 100644
--- a/libabyss/include/abyss/server.hpp
+++ b/libabyss/include/abyss/server.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ namespace abyss
       bool
       ShouldClose(llarp_time_t now) const;
 
+      /// return true if the host header is correct
+      virtual bool
+      ValidateHost(const std::string& host) const = 0;
+
      private:
       ConnImpl* m_Impl;
     };
diff --git a/libabyss/src/client.cpp b/libabyss/src/client.cpp
index dba23ba42..a5e712ca5 100644
--- a/libabyss/src/client.cpp
+++ b/libabyss/src/client.cpp
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ namespace abyss
           authgen << ", " << opt.first << "=" << opt.second;
         }
         m_SendHeaders.clear();
+        m_SendHeaders.emplace("Host", "localhost");
         m_SendHeaders.emplace("Authorization", authgen.str());
         SendRequest();
         return true;
@@ -320,6 +321,7 @@ namespace abyss
         std::string body;
         std::stringstream ss;
         body = m_RequestBody.dump();
+        m_SendHeaders.emplace("Host", "localhost");
         m_SendHeaders.emplace("Content-Type", "application/json");
         m_SendHeaders.emplace("Content-Length", std::to_string(body.size()));
         m_SendHeaders.emplace("Accept", "application/json");
diff --git a/libabyss/src/server.cpp b/libabyss/src/server.cpp
index 58848488e..e85c29cdd 100644
--- a/libabyss/src/server.cpp
+++ b/libabyss/src/server.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ namespace abyss
       {
         // TODO: header whitelist
         return name == string_view("content-type")
-            || name == string_view("content-length");
+            || name == string_view("content-length")
+            || name == string_view("host");
       }
 
       bool
@@ -162,6 +163,17 @@ namespace abyss
           {
             m_BodyParser.reset(json::MakeParser(contentLength));
           }
+          itr = Header.Headers.find("host");
+          if(itr == Header.Headers.end())
+          {
+            return WriteResponseSimple(400, "Bad Request", "text/plain",
+                                       "no host header provided");
+          }
+          if(not handler->ValidateHost(itr->second))
+          {
+            return WriteResponseSimple(400, "Bad Request", "text/plain",
+                                       "invalid host header");
+          }
         }
         if(!m_BodyParser->FeedData(buf, sz))
         {
diff --git a/llarp/rpc/rpc.cpp b/llarp/rpc/rpc.cpp
index 1da0999a5..5b2b603a9 100644
--- a/llarp/rpc/rpc.cpp
+++ b/llarp/rpc/rpc.cpp
@@ -285,12 +285,16 @@ namespace llarp
 
     struct Handler : public ::abyss::httpd::IRPCHandler
     {
+      std::string expectedHostname;
       AbstractRouter* router;
       std::unordered_map< std::string, std::function< Response() > > m_dispatch;
-      Handler(::abyss::httpd::ConnImpl* conn, AbstractRouter* r)
+      Handler(::abyss::httpd::ConnImpl* conn, AbstractRouter* r,
+              std::string hostname)
           : ::abyss::httpd::IRPCHandler(conn)
+          , expectedHostname(std::move(hostname))
           , router(r)
           , m_dispatch{
+                {"llarp.admin.die", [=]() { return KillRouter(); }},
                 {"llarp.admin.wakeup", [=]() { return StartRouter(); }},
                 {"llarp.admin.link.neighbor",
                  [=]() { return ListNeighbors(); }},
@@ -304,6 +308,12 @@ namespace llarp
 
       ~Handler() override = default;
 
+      bool
+      ValidateHost(const std::string& host) const override
+      {
+        return host == "localhost" || host == expectedHostname;
+      }
+
       Response
       StartRouter() const
       {
@@ -317,6 +327,15 @@ namespace llarp
         return router->ExtractStatus();
       }
 
+      Response
+      KillRouter() const
+      {
+        if(not router->IsRunning())
+          return {{"error", "already stopping"}};
+        router->Stop();
+        return {{"status", "OK"}};
+      }
+
       Response
       ListExitLevels() const
       {
@@ -416,11 +435,15 @@ namespace llarp
           : ::abyss::httpd::BaseReqHandler(reqtimeout), router(r)
       {
       }
+
+      std::string expectedHostname;
+
       AbstractRouter* router;
+
       ::abyss::httpd::IRPCHandler*
       CreateHandler(::abyss::httpd::ConnImpl* conn) override
       {
-        return new Handler(conn, router);
+        return new Handler(conn, router, expectedHostname);
       }
     };
 
@@ -447,15 +470,20 @@ namespace llarp
         sockaddr_in saddr;
         saddr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_LOOPBACK);
         saddr.sin_family      = AF_INET;
-        saddr.sin_port        = 0;
+        saddr.sin_port        = 1190;
 
         auto idx = addr.find_first_of(':');
         if(idx != std::string::npos)
         {
+          _handler.expectedHostname = addr.substr(0, idx);
           Addr netaddr{addr.substr(0, idx), addr.substr(1 + idx)};
           saddr.sin_addr.s_addr = netaddr.ton();
           saddr.sin_port        = htons(netaddr.port());
         }
+        else
+        {
+          _handler.expectedHostname = addr;
+        }
         return _handler.ServeAsync(router->netloop(), router->logic(),
                                    (const sockaddr*)&saddr);
       }
diff --git a/test/test_libabyss.cpp b/test/test_libabyss.cpp
index 2eb256bea..86a5da728 100644
--- a/test/test_libabyss.cpp
+++ b/test/test_libabyss.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,12 @@ struct ServerHandler : public abyss::httpd::IRPCHandler
   {
   }
 
+  bool
+  ValidateHost(const std::string & /*hostname */) const override
+  {
+    return true;
+  }
+  
   Response
   HandleJSONRPC(Method_t method, const Params& /*params*/)
   {