diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 02e2678..266e66a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(crmcluster, crm_peer_init, , missing="yes")
 AC_CHECK_LIB(uuid, uuid_unparse, , missing="yes")
 AC_CHECK_LIB(cmap, cmap_initialize, , HAVE_cmap=0)
 AC_CHECK_LIB(votequorum, votequorum_getinfo, , HAVE_votequorum=0)
+AC_CHECK_LIB(crmcommon, pacemakerd_api_new, HAVE_pacemakerd_api=1, HAVE_pacemakerd_api=0)
 
 dnl pacemaker >= 1.1.8
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS(crm/cluster.h)
@@ -125,6 +126,9 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(CHECK_TWO_NODE, test "$HAVE_cmap" = "1")
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CHECK_VOTEQUORUM_HANDLE, $HAVE_votequorum, Turn on periodic checking of votequorum-handle)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(CHECK_VOTEQUORUM_HANDLE, test "$HAVE_votequorum" = "1")
 
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(USE_PACEMAKERD_API, $HAVE_pacemakerd_api, Turn on synchronization between sbd & pacemakerd)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_PACEMAKERD_API, test "$HAVE_pacemakerd_api" = "1")
+
 CONFIGDIR=""
 AC_ARG_WITH(configdir,
     [  --with-configdir=DIR
diff --git a/src/sbd-pacemaker.c b/src/sbd-pacemaker.c
index 11e104d..3f9cec0 100644
--- a/src/sbd-pacemaker.c
+++ b/src/sbd-pacemaker.c
@@ -83,6 +83,43 @@ pe_free_working_set(pe_working_set_t *data_set)
 
 #endif
 
+static void clean_up(int rc);
+
+#if USE_PACEMAKERD_API
+#include <crm/common/pacemakerd_types.h>
+static char *admin_uuid = NULL;
+static pacemakerd_t *pacemakerd_api = NULL;
+time_t last_ok = (time_t) 0;
+
+static void
+ping_pacemakerd(void)
+{
+    pacemakerd_api->cmds->ping(pacemakerd_api,
+                    crm_system_name, admin_uuid, 0);
+}
+
+static void
+ping_callback(pacemakerd_t *pacemakerd,
+               time_t last_good,
+               enum pacemakerd_state state,
+               int rc, gpointer userdata)
+{
+    if ((last_good != (time_t) 0) && (rc == pcmk_ok)) {
+        switch (state) {
+            case pacemakerd_state_running:
+            case pacemakerd_state_shutting_down:
+                last_ok = last_good;
+                break;
+            case pacemakerd_state_shutdown_complete:
+                clean_up(EXIT_PCMK_SERVANT_GRACEFUL_SHUTDOWN);
+                break;
+            default:
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
 extern int disk_count;
 
 static void clean_up(int rc);
@@ -133,10 +170,13 @@ mon_cib_connection_destroy(gpointer user_data)
 		cib->cmds->signoff(cib);
 		/* retrigger as last one might have been skipped */
 		mon_refresh_state(NULL);
+
+#if !USE_PACEMAKERD_API
 		if (pcmk_clean_shutdown) {
 			/* assume a graceful pacemaker-shutdown */
 			clean_up(EXIT_PCMK_SERVANT_GRACEFUL_SHUTDOWN);
 		}
+#endif
 		/* getting here we aren't sure about the pacemaker-state
 		   so try to use the timeout to reconnect and get
 		   everything sorted out again
@@ -196,6 +236,13 @@ mon_timer_notify(gpointer data)
 		g_source_remove(timer_id_notify);
 	}
 
+#if USE_PACEMAKERD_API
+    {
+        time_t now = time(NULL);
+
+        if ((last_ok <= now) && (now - last_ok < timeout_watchdog)) {
+#endif
+
 	if (cib_connected) {
 		if (counter == counter_max) {
 			mon_retrieve_current_cib();
@@ -207,6 +254,13 @@ mon_timer_notify(gpointer data)
 			counter++;
 		}
 	}
+
+#if USE_PACEMAKERD_API
+		}
+	}
+	ping_pacemakerd();
+#endif
+
 	timer_id_notify = g_timeout_add(timeout_loop * 1000, mon_timer_notify, NULL);
 	return FALSE;
 }
@@ -517,6 +571,13 @@ clean_up(int rc)
 		cib = NULL;
 	}
 
+#if USE_PACEMAKERD_API
+	if (pacemakerd_api != NULL) {
+		pacemakerd_api->cmds->free(pacemakerd_api);
+		pacemakerd_api = NULL;
+	}
+#endif
+
 	if (rc >= 0) {
 		exit(rc);
 	}
@@ -526,11 +587,11 @@ clean_up(int rc)
 int
 servant_pcmk(const char *diskname, int mode, const void* argp)
 {
-	int exit_code = 0;
+    int exit_code = 0;
 
-        crm_system_name = strdup("sbd:pcmk");
-	cl_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Monitoring Pacemaker health");
-	set_proc_title("sbd: watcher: Pacemaker");
+    crm_system_name = strdup("sbd:pcmk");
+    cl_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Monitoring Pacemaker health");
+    set_proc_title("sbd: watcher: Pacemaker");
         setenv("PCMK_watchdog", "true", 1);
 
         if(debug == 0) {
@@ -539,12 +600,34 @@ servant_pcmk(const char *diskname, int mode, const void* argp)
         }
 
 
-	if (data_set == NULL) {
-		data_set = pe_new_working_set();
-	}
-	if (data_set == NULL) {
-		return -1;
-	}
+    if (data_set == NULL) {
+        data_set = pe_new_working_set();
+    }
+    if (data_set == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+#if USE_PACEMAKERD_API
+    admin_uuid = crm_strdup_printf("%lu", (unsigned long) getpid());
+    pacemakerd_api = pacemakerd_api_new();
+    if (pacemakerd_api == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    pacemakerd_api->cmds->set_ping_callback(pacemakerd_api,
+                    ping_callback, NULL);
+    do {
+        pacemakerd_api->cmds->connect(pacemakerd_api, crm_system_name);
+            if (pacemakerd_api->conn_state == pacemakerd_conn_disconnected) {
+                sleep(reconnect_msec / 1000);
+            }
+    } while (pacemakerd_api->conn_state == pacemakerd_conn_disconnected);
+    /* send a ping to pacemakerd to wake it up */
+    ping_pacemakerd();
+    /* cib should come up now as well so it's time
+     * to have the inquisitor have a closer look
+     */
+    notify_parent();
+#endif
 
 	if (current_cib == NULL) {
 		cib = cib_new();