diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 50407846..d89a8b0c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 all : skynet snlua.so logger.so skynet.so gate.so client.so connection.so client skynet-master
 
-skynet : skynet_main.c skynet_handle.c skynet_module.c skynet_mq.c skynet_server.c skynet_start.c skynet_timer.c skynet_error.c skynet_harbor.c
-	gcc -Wall -g -Wl,-E -o $@ $^ -lpthread -ldl -lrt -Wl,-E -llua -lm -lzmq
+skynet : skynet_main.c skynet_handle.c skynet_module.c skynet_mq.c skynet_server.c skynet_start.c skynet_timer.c skynet_error.c skynet_harbor.c master/master.c
+	gcc -Wall -g -Wl,-E -o $@ $^ -Imaster -lpthread -ldl -lrt -Wl,-E -llua -lm -lzmq
 
 logger.so : skynet_logger.c
 	gcc -Wall -g -fPIC --shared $^ -o $@
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ connection.so : connection/connection.c connection/main.c
 client : client.c
 	gcc -Wall -g $^ -o $@ -lpthread
 
-skynet-master : master/master.c
-	gcc -g -Wall -o $@ $^ -lzmq
+skynet-master : master/master.c master/main.c
+	gcc -g -Wall -Imaster -o $@ $^ -lzmq
 
 clean :
 	rm skynet client skynet-master *.so
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 918a3a56..b3e97628 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ make
 Run these in different console
 
 ```
-./skynet-master		# Launch master server first
-./skynet config		# Launch first skynet node  (Gate server)
+./skynet config		# Launch first skynet node  (Gate server) and a skynet-master (see config for standalone option)
 ./skynet config_log	# Launch second skynet node (Global logger server)
 ./clinet 127.0.0.1 8888	# Launch a client, and try to input some words.
 ```
@@ -20,8 +19,7 @@ Run these in different console
 ## Test connection server
 
 ```
-./skynet-master		# Launch master server first
-./skynet 		# Launch first skynet node 
+./skynet 		# Launch skynet
 ./nc -l 8000		# Listen on port 8000 
 ```
 
diff --git a/config b/config
index ecdef693..3bda9c32 100644
--- a/config
+++ b/config
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ harbor = 1
 address = "tcp://127.0.0.1:2525"
 master = "tcp://127.0.0.1:2012"
 start = "main.lua"
+standalone = true
diff --git a/master/Makefile b/master/Makefile
index fae7e177..0246855c 100644
--- a/master/Makefile
+++ b/master/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 all : master test
 
-master : master.c
+master : master.c main.c
 	gcc -g -Wall -o $@ $^ -lzmq
 
 test : test.c
 	gcc -g -Wall -o $@ $^ -lzmq
+
+clean :
+	rm master test
diff --git a/master/main.c b/master/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4e83cc43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/master/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include "skynet_master.h"
+#include <zmq.h>
+
+int 
+main (int argc, char * argv[]) {
+	const char * default_port = "tcp://127.0.0.1:2012";
+	if (argc > 1) {
+		default_port = argv[2];
+	}
+
+	void *context = zmq_init (1);
+
+	skynet_master(context, default_port);
+
+	zmq_term (context);
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/master/master.c b/master/master.c
index 7c0aeaf8..9eb3f72d 100644
--- a/master/master.c
+++ b/master/master.c
@@ -217,22 +217,16 @@ update(void * responder, struct hashmap *map, zmq_msg_t * msg) {
 	query(responder, map, key);
 }
 
-int 
-main (int argc, char * argv[]) {
-	const char * default_port = "tcp://127.0.0.1:2012";
-	if (argc > 1) {
-		default_port = argv[2];
-	}
-
-	void *context = zmq_init (1);
+void 
+skynet_master(void * context, const char * port) {
 	void *responder = zmq_socket (context, ZMQ_REP);
 
-	int r = zmq_bind(responder, default_port);
+	int r = zmq_bind(responder, port);
 	if (r < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't bind to %s\n",default_port);
-		return 1;
+		fprintf(stderr, "Can't bind to %s\n",port);
+		exit(1);
 	}
-	printf("Start master on %s\n",default_port);
+	printf("Start master on %s\n", port);
 
 	struct hashmap *map = _hash_new(context);
 
@@ -245,6 +239,5 @@ main (int argc, char * argv[]) {
 	}
 
 	zmq_close (responder);
-	zmq_term (context);
-	return 0;
 }
+
diff --git a/master/skynet_master.h b/master/skynet_master.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d249d3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/master/skynet_master.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#ifndef SKYNET_MASTER_H
+#define SKYNET_MASTER_H
+
+void skynet_master(void * context, const char * port);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/skynet_harbor.c b/skynet_harbor.c
index f5fe2a1d..ca91fba1 100644
--- a/skynet_harbor.c
+++ b/skynet_harbor.c
@@ -617,12 +617,11 @@ register_harbor(void *request, const char *local, int harbor) {
 }
 
 void 
-skynet_harbor_init(const char * master, const char *local, int harbor) {
+skynet_harbor_init(void * context, const char * master, const char *local, int harbor) {
 	if (harbor <=0 || harbor>255 || strlen(local) > 512) {
 		fprintf(stderr,"Invalid harbor id\n");
 		exit(1);
 	}
-	void *context = zmq_init (1);
 	void *request = zmq_socket (context, ZMQ_REQ);
 	int r = zmq_connect(request, master);
 	if (r<0) {
diff --git a/skynet_harbor.h b/skynet_harbor.h
index 27d3557b..235420d9 100644
--- a/skynet_harbor.h
+++ b/skynet_harbor.h
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ void skynet_harbor_message_close(struct skynet_message * message);
 
 // harbor worker thread
 void * skynet_harbor_dispatch_thread(void *ud);
-void skynet_harbor_init(const char * master, const char *local, int harbor);
+void skynet_harbor_init(void * context, const char * master, const char *local, int harbor);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/skynet_imp.h b/skynet_imp.h
index 5a20e545..a9eedf11 100644
--- a/skynet_imp.h
+++ b/skynet_imp.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ struct skynet_config {
 	const char * master;
 	const char * local;
 	const char * start;
+	int standalone;
 };
 
 void skynet_start(struct skynet_config * config);
diff --git a/skynet_main.c b/skynet_main.c
index e75e0876..da15bb7a 100644
--- a/skynet_main.c
+++ b/skynet_main.c
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@ optint(lua_State *L, const char *key, int opt) {
 	return n;
 }
 
+static int
+optboolean(lua_State *L, const char *key, int opt) {
+	lua_getglobal(L, key);
+	int n = lua_toboolean(L,-1);
+	lua_pop(L,1);
+	if (n==0)
+		return opt;
+	return n;
+}
+
 static const char *
 optstring(lua_State *L, const char *key,const char * opt) {
 	lua_getglobal(L, key);
@@ -61,6 +71,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	config.master = optstring(L,"master","tcp://127.0.0.1:2012");
 	config.start = optstring(L,"start","main.lua");
 	config.local = optstring(L,"address","tcp://127.0.0.1:2525");
+	config.standalone = optboolean(L,"standalone",0);
 	lua_close(L);
 
 	skynet_start(&config);
diff --git a/skynet_start.c b/skynet_start.c
index 50b9c714..1b5e8e12 100644
--- a/skynet_start.c
+++ b/skynet_start.c
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 #include "skynet_module.h"
 #include "skynet_timer.h"
 #include "skynet_harbor.h"
+#include "skynet_master.h"
 
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <zmq.h>
 
 static void *
 _timer(void *p) {
@@ -46,10 +48,36 @@ _start(int thread) {
 	}
 }
 
+struct master_arg {
+	void * context;
+	const char * port;
+};
+
+static void *
+_master_thread(void *ud) {
+	struct master_arg * args = ud;
+	skynet_master(args->context, args->port);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static void
+_start_master(void * context, const char * port) {
+	pthread_t pid;
+	struct master_arg args;
+	args.context = context;
+	args.port = port;
+	pthread_create(&pid, NULL, _master_thread, &args);
+}
+
 void 
 skynet_start(struct skynet_config * config) {
+	void *context = zmq_init (1);
+	assert(context);
+	if (config->standalone) {
+		_start_master(context, config->master);
+	}
 	// harbor must be init first
-	skynet_harbor_init(config->master , config->local, config->harbor);
+	skynet_harbor_init(context, config->master , config->local, config->harbor);
 	skynet_handle_init(config->harbor);
 	skynet_mq_init(config->mqueue_size);
 	skynet_module_init(config->module_path);