diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 47b2f4b37..368363875 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.10)
 set(PROJECT_NAME lokinet)
 project(${PROJECT_NAME} C CXX ASM)
 
+option(USE_LIBABYSS "enable libabyss" OFF)
+
 macro(add_cflags)
   set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${ARGN}")
 endmacro(add_cflags)
@@ -486,24 +488,27 @@ include_directories(llarp)
 set(RC_EXE rcutil)
 set(DNS_EXE dns)
 
-set(ABYSS libabyss)
 
-set(ABYSS_LIB abyss)
+set(ALL_SRC ${CLIENT_SRC} ${RC_SRC} ${EXE_SRC} ${DNS_SRC} ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC} ${LIB_SRC} ${TEST_SRC})
 
-set(ABYSS_EXE ${ABYSS_LIB}-main)
+if(USE_LIBABYSS)
+  set(ABYSS libabyss)
 
-include_directories(${ABYSS}/include)
+  set(ABYSS_LIB abyss)
 
-set(ABYSS_SRC
-  ${ABYSS}/src/http.cpp
-  ${ABYSS}/src/client.cpp
-  ${ABYSS}/src/server.cpp
-  ${ABYSS}/src/json.cpp)
+  set(ABYSS_EXE ${ABYSS_LIB}-main)
 
-add_library(${ABYSS_LIB} ${ABYSS_SRC})
+  include_directories(${ABYSS}/include)
 
+  set(ABYSS_SRC
+    ${ABYSS}/src/http.cpp
+    ${ABYSS}/src/client.cpp
+    ${ABYSS}/src/server.cpp
+    ${ABYSS}/src/json.cpp)
 
-set(ALL_SRC ${CLIENT_SRC} ${RC_SRC} ${EXE_SRC} ${DNS_SRC} ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC} ${LIB_SRC} ${TEST_SRC} ${ABYSS_SRC} ${ABYSS}/main.cpp)
+  add_library(${ABYSS_LIB} ${ABYSS_SRC})
+  set(ALL_SRC ${ALL_SRC} ${ABYSS_SRC} ${ABYSS}/main.cpp)
+endif()
 
 foreach(F ${ALL_SRC})
 set_source_files_properties(${F} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS -DLOG_TAG=\\\"${F}\\\")
@@ -517,8 +522,6 @@ else()
 add_executable(${RC_EXE} ${RC_SRC})
 add_executable(${EXE} ${EXE_SRC})
 add_executable(${CLIENT_EXE} ${CLIENT_SRC})
-add_executable(${ABYSS_EXE} ${ABYSS}/main.cpp)
-
 add_executable(${DNS_EXE} ${DNS_SRC})
 add_subdirectory(${GTEST_DIR})
 include_directories(${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR})
@@ -528,12 +531,15 @@ add_executable(${TEST_EXE} ${TEST_SRC})
 if(WITH_STATIC)
     add_library(${STATIC_LIB} STATIC ${LIB_SRC})
     add_library(${PLATFORM_LIB} STATIC ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC})
-    target_link_libraries(${PLATFORM_LIB} ${THREAD_LIB} ${ABYSS_LIB})
+    if(USE_LIBABYSS)
+      target_link_libraries(${PLATFORM_LIB} ${THREAD_LIB} ${ABYSS_LIB})
+    else()
+      target_link_libraries(${PLATFORM_LIB} ${THREAD_LIB})
+    endif()
     if(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "Linux")
       target_link_libraries(${PLATFORM_LIB} -lcap)
     endif()
     target_link_libraries(${STATIC_LIB} ${CRYPTOGRAPHY_LIB} ${LIBS} ${PLATFORM_LIB})
-    target_link_libraries(${ABYSS_EXE} ${STATIC_LIB})
     if(NOT WITH_SHARED)
 
       target_link_libraries(${EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB})
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3c337c7d5..74f4fbf66 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ TESTNET_CLIENTS ?= 50
 TESTNET_SERVERS ?= 50
 TESTNET_DEBUG ?= 0
 
+JSONRPC = OFF
+
 BUILD_ROOT = $(REPO)/build
 
-CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake '$(REPO)'")
+CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) '$(REPO)'")
 
 TARGETS = $(REPO)/lokinet
 SIGS = $(TARGETS:=.sig)
diff --git a/daemon/main.cpp b/daemon/main.cpp
index 0be488849..f1ef79f73 100644
--- a/daemon/main.cpp
+++ b/daemon/main.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
   int opt            = 0;
   bool genconfigOnly = false;
-  bool asRouter      = true;
+  bool asRouter      = false;
   bool overWrite     = false;
-  while((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "hgcf")) != -1)
+  while((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "hgcfr")) != -1)
   {
     switch(opt)
     {
@@ -82,7 +82,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         break;
       case 'c':
         genconfigOnly = true;
-        asRouter      = false;
+        break;
+      case 'r':
+#ifdef _WIN32
+        llarp::LogError("we will not run as relay because you're running windows, install a real operating system please");
+        return 1;
+#endif
+        asRouter = true;
         break;
       case 'f':
         overWrite = true;
diff --git a/libabyss/src/json.cpp b/libabyss/src/json.cpp
index 46e6169d8..5b6069b0e 100644
--- a/libabyss/src/json.cpp
+++ b/libabyss/src/json.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <cstring>
 #include <rapidjson/stringbuffer.h>
 #include <rapidjson/writer.h>
+#include <string>
 
 namespace abyss
 {
@@ -56,4 +57,4 @@ namespace abyss
     }
 
   }  // namespace json
-}  // namespace abyss
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // namespace abyss
diff --git a/llarp/ev.cpp b/llarp/ev.cpp
index 53ebb4f46..ae5a53a4a 100644
--- a/llarp/ev.cpp
+++ b/llarp/ev.cpp
@@ -222,4 +222,36 @@ namespace llarp
     delete connimpl;
     return -1;
   }
-}  // namespace llarp
\ No newline at end of file
+
+}  // namespace llarp
+
+  
+llarp::ev_io*
+llarp_ev_loop::bind_tcp(llarp_tcp_acceptor* tcp, const sockaddr* bindaddr)
+{
+  int fd = ::socket(bindaddr->sa_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+  if(fd == -1)
+    return nullptr;
+  socklen_t sz = sizeof(sockaddr_in);
+  if(bindaddr->sa_family == AF_INET6)
+  {
+      sz = sizeof(sockaddr_in6);
+  }
+  else if(bindaddr->sa_family == AF_UNIX)
+  {
+    sz = sizeof(sockaddr_un);
+  }
+  if(::bind(fd, bindaddr, sz) == -1)
+  {
+    ::close(fd);
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+  if(::listen(fd, 5) == -1)
+  {
+    ::close(fd);
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+  llarp::ev_io* serv = new llarp::tcp_serv(this, fd, tcp);
+  tcp->impl          = serv;
+  return serv;
+}
diff --git a/llarp/ev.hpp b/llarp/ev.hpp
index 921f7e910..8c04f0030 100644
--- a/llarp/ev.hpp
+++ b/llarp/ev.hpp
@@ -236,7 +236,11 @@ namespace llarp
     {
       if(_shouldClose)
         return -1;
+      #ifdef __linux__
       return ::send(fd, buf, sz, MSG_NOSIGNAL);  // ignore sigpipe
+      #else
+      return ::send(fd, buf, sz, 0 );
+      #endif
     }
 
     int
@@ -335,8 +339,8 @@ struct llarp_ev_loop
   virtual llarp::ev_io*
   create_tun(llarp_tun_io* tun) = 0;
 
-  virtual llarp::ev_io*
-  bind_tcp(llarp_tcp_acceptor* tcp, const sockaddr* addr) = 0;
+  llarp::ev_io*
+  bind_tcp(llarp_tcp_acceptor* tcp, const sockaddr* addr);
 
   /// register event listener
   virtual bool
diff --git a/llarp/ev_epoll.hpp b/llarp/ev_epoll.hpp
index 6e247527f..d6f1f3869 100644
--- a/llarp/ev_epoll.hpp
+++ b/llarp/ev_epoll.hpp
@@ -306,36 +306,6 @@ struct llarp_epoll_loop : public llarp_ev_loop
     return epoll_ctl(epollfd, EPOLL_CTL_DEL, ev->fd, nullptr) != -1;
   }
 
-  llarp::ev_io*
-  bind_tcp(llarp_tcp_acceptor* tcp, const sockaddr* bindaddr)
-  {
-    int fd = ::socket(bindaddr->sa_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
-    if(fd == -1)
-      return nullptr;
-    socklen_t sz = sizeof(sockaddr_in);
-    if(bindaddr->sa_family == AF_INET6)
-    {
-      sz = sizeof(sockaddr_in6);
-    }
-    else if(bindaddr->sa_family == AF_UNIX)
-    {
-      sz = sizeof(sockaddr_un);
-    }
-    if(::bind(fd, bindaddr, sz) == -1)
-    {
-      ::close(fd);
-      return nullptr;
-    }
-    if(::listen(fd, 5) == -1)
-    {
-      ::close(fd);
-      return nullptr;
-    }
-    llarp::ev_io* serv = new llarp::tcp_serv(this, fd, tcp);
-    tcp->impl          = serv;
-    return serv;
-  }
-
   llarp::ev_io*
   create_tun(llarp_tun_io* tun)
   {
diff --git a/llarp/ev_kqueue.hpp b/llarp/ev_kqueue.hpp
index f225b383e..c21a72ad5 100644
--- a/llarp/ev_kqueue.hpp
+++ b/llarp/ev_kqueue.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include <llarp/buffer.h>
 #include <llarp/net.h>
 
+#include <sys/un.h>
+
 #if __FreeBSD__ || __OpenBSD__ || __NetBSD__ || (__APPLE__ && __MACH__)
 // kqueue / kevent
 #include <sys/event.h>
diff --git a/llarp/rpc.cpp b/llarp/rpc.cpp
index e0644cfa5..8a0b1da74 100644
--- a/llarp/rpc.cpp
+++ b/llarp/rpc.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 #include <llarp/rpc.hpp>
-#include <libabyss.hpp>
 
 #include "router.hpp"
-
+#ifdef USE_ABYSS
+#include <libabyss.hpp>
+#endif
 namespace llarp
 {
   namespace rpc
   {
+#ifdef USE_ABYSS
     struct Handler : public ::abyss::http::IRPCHandler
     {
       llarp_router* router;
@@ -103,7 +105,18 @@ namespace llarp
                                    (const sockaddr*)&saddr);
       }
     };
+#else
+    struct ServerImpl
+    {
+      ServerImpl(llarp_router * r) {};
+      bool Start(const std::string & addr)
+      {
+        return true;
+      }
+    };
+#endif
 
+    
     Server::Server(llarp_router* r) : m_Impl(new ServerImpl(r))
     {
     }
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 5fd69fc5a..2d99282d5 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -15,24 +15,32 @@ Build requirements:
 * GNU Make
 * CMake
 * C++ 17 capable C++ compiler
-* rapidjson
+* rapidjson (if enabling jsonrpc server)
 
 To build:
 
     $ sudo apt install build-essential cmake git libcap-dev wget rapidjson-dev
     $ git clone https://github.com/loki-project/loki-network
     $ cd loki-network
-    $ make -j8
+    $ make -j8 JSONRPC=ON
     $ sudo make install
 
 ## Running
 
 **DO NOT RUN AS ROOT**, run as normal user.
 
+to run as client:
+
     $ lokinet -g
     $ lokinet-bootstrap
     $ lokinet
 
+to run as relay:
+
+   $ lokinet -r -g
+   $ lokinet-bootstrap
+   $ lokinet
+
 ## Usage
 
 see the [documentation](https://loki-project.github.io/loki-docs/Lokinet/LokinetOverview/) on how to get started.