diff --git a/Miner.py b/Miner.py
index ccb92ea..db0157b 100644
--- a/Miner.py
+++ b/Miner.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ def __init__(self, device_index, options):
 		self.accept_hist = []
 		self.rate = self.estimated_rate = 0
 
+		self.idle = True
+
 	def start(self):
 		self.should_stop = False
 		Thread(target=self.mining_thread).start()
@@ -41,4 +43,10 @@ def update_rate(self, now, iterations, t, targetQ, rate_divisor=1000):
 		self.estimated_rate = Decimal(new_accept) * (targetQ) / min(int(now - self.start_time), self.options.estimate) / 1000
 		self.estimated_rate = Decimal(self.estimated_rate) / 1000
 
-		self.switch.status_updated(self)
\ No newline at end of file
+		self.switch.status_updated(self)
+
+	def on_idle(self):
+		pass
+
+	def on_active(self):
+		pass
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/OpenCLMiner.py b/OpenCLMiner.py
index f1a1725..b158a2e 100644
--- a/OpenCLMiner.py
+++ b/OpenCLMiner.py
@@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ def __init__(self, device_index, options):
 				if self.adapterIndex:
 					self.adapterIndex = self.adapterIndex[self.device_index].iAdapterIndex
 
+	def on_idle(self):
+		self.idle = True
+		say_line('%s is now idle', (self.id()))
+
+	def on_active(self):
+		self.idle = False
+		say_line('%s is now active', (self.id()))
+
 	def id(self):
 		return str(self.options.platform) + ':' + str(self.device_index) + ':' + self.device_name
 
@@ -204,7 +212,7 @@ def mining_thread(self):
 					self.kernel.set_arg(18, f[3])
 					self.kernel.set_arg(19, f[4])
 
-			if temperature < self.cutoff_temp:
+			if temperature < self.cutoff_temp and not self.idle:
 				self.kernel.set_arg(14, pack('I', base))
 				cl.enqueue_nd_range_kernel(queue, self.kernel, (global_threads,), (self.worksize,))
 
@@ -215,7 +223,10 @@ def mining_thread(self):
 			else:
 				threads_run_pace = 0
 				last_rated_pace = time()
-				sleep(self.cutoff_interval)
+				if self.idle:
+					sleep(1)
+				else:
+					sleep(self.cutoff_interval)
 
 			now = time()
 			if self.adapterIndex != None:
@@ -226,7 +237,7 @@ def mining_thread(self):
 						temperature = self.get_temperature()
 
 			t = now - last_rated_pace
-			if t > 1:
+			if t > 1 and threads_run_pace != 0:
 				rate = (threads_run_pace / t) / rate_divisor
 				last_rated_pace = now; threads_run_pace = 0
 				r = last_hash_rate / rate
diff --git a/poclbm.py b/poclbm.py
index cc87f78..f022913 100755
--- a/poclbm.py
+++ b/poclbm.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from util import if_else, tokenize
 from version import VERSION
 import log
+import signal
 import socket
 
 
@@ -68,10 +69,22 @@ def socketwrap(family=socket.AF_INET, type=socket.SOCK_STREAM, proto=0):
 
 options.device = tokenize(options.device, 'device', [])
 
+switch = None
+
+def signal_handler(signum, frame):
+	if switch:
+		for miner in switch.miners:
+			if signum == signal.SIGUSR1:
+				miner.on_idle()
+			elif signum == signal.SIGUSR2:
+				miner.on_active()
+
+signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1, signal_handler)
+signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR2, signal_handler)
+
 options.cutoff_temp = tokenize(options.cutoff_temp, 'cutoff_temp', [95], float)
 options.cutoff_interval = tokenize(options.cutoff_interval, 'cutoff_interval', [0.01], float)
 
-switch = None
 try:
 	switch = Switch(options)
 
@@ -102,4 +115,4 @@ def socketwrap(family=socket.AF_INET, type=socket.SOCK_STREAM, proto=0):
 
 	if not options.no_ocl:
 		OpenCLMiner.shutdown()
-sleep(1.1)
\ No newline at end of file
+sleep(1.1)