diff --git a/mxqd.c b/mxqd.c
index 933a8638..f3de16b0 100644
--- a/mxqd.c
+++ b/mxqd.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ volatile sig_atomic_t global_sigterm_cnt=0;
 volatile sig_atomic_t global_sigquit_cnt=0;
 volatile sig_atomic_t global_sigrestart_cnt=0;
 
+static sigset_t all_signals;
 
 int mxq_redirect_output(char *stdout_fname, char *stderr_fname);
 void server_free(struct mxq_server *server);
@@ -734,6 +735,8 @@ static int init_child_process(struct mxq_group_list *glist, struct mxq_job *job)
 
     reset_signals();
 
+    sigprocmask(SIG_UNBLOCK,&all_signals,NULL);
+
     passwd = getpwuid(group->user_uid);
     if (!passwd) {
         mx_log_err("job=%s(%d):%lu:%lu getpwuid(): %m",
@@ -2303,29 +2306,31 @@ int recover_from_previous_crash(struct mxq_server *server)
     return res;
 }
 
-/**********************************************************************/
-static void no_handler(int sig) {}
-
-static void sig_handler(int sig)
+static void process_signal(struct mxq_server *server,int sig,int extra)
 {
-    if (sig == SIGINT) {
-      global_sigint_cnt++;
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (sig == SIGTERM) {
-      global_sigterm_cnt++;
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (sig == SIGQUIT) {
-      global_sigquit_cnt++;
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (sig == SIGUSR1) {
-      global_sigrestart_cnt++;
-      return;
+    switch (sig) {
+        case SIGINT:
+            mx_log_info("received sigint");
+            global_sigint_cnt++;
+            break;
+        case SIGTERM:
+            mx_log_info("received sigterm");
+            global_sigterm_cnt++;
+            break;
+        case SIGQUIT:
+            mx_log_info("received sigquit");
+            global_sigquit_cnt++;
+            break;
+        case SIGUSR1:
+            mx_log_info("received sigusr2");
+            global_sigrestart_cnt++;
+            break;
+        case SIGCHLD:
+            mx_log_info("received sigchld");
+            break;
+        default:
+            mx_log_warning("received signal %d (unexpected!)",sig);
+            break;
     }
 }
 
@@ -2342,11 +2347,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     int res;
     int fail = 0;
+    struct timespec poll_interval={0,0};
+    siginfo_t siginfo;
 
     int saved_argc;
     _mx_cleanup_free_ char *saved_argv_str = NULL;
     _mx_cleanup_free_ char *saved_cwd = NULL;
 
+    sigfillset(&all_signals);
 
     /*** server init ***/
 
@@ -2391,14 +2399,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     /*** main loop ***/
 
-    signal(SIGINT,  sig_handler);
-    signal(SIGTERM, sig_handler);
-    signal(SIGQUIT, sig_handler);
-    signal(SIGUSR1, sig_handler);
-    signal(SIGTSTP, SIG_IGN);
-    signal(SIGTTIN, SIG_IGN);
-    signal(SIGTTOU, SIG_IGN);
-    signal(SIGCHLD, no_handler);
+    sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK,&all_signals,NULL);
 
     res = recover_from_previous_crash(server);
     if (res < 0) {
@@ -2412,6 +2413,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     server_dump(server);
 
     while (!global_sigint_cnt && !global_sigterm_cnt && !global_sigquit_cnt && !global_sigrestart_cnt && !fail) {
+        mx_log_debug("main loop - wait for signals max %ld sec",poll_interval.tv_sec);
+        res=sigtimedwait(&all_signals,&siginfo,&poll_interval);
+        if (res>0)
+            process_signal(server,res,siginfo.si_int);
+
         slots_returned  = catchall(server);
         slots_returned += fspool_scan(server);
 
@@ -2436,7 +2442,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             assert(!group_cnt);
             mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_IDLE);
             mx_log_info("Nothing to do. Sleeping for a short while. (1 second)");
-            sleep(1);
+            poll_interval.tv_sec=1;
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -2449,7 +2455,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_FULL);
             }
             mx_log_info("All slots running. Sleeping for a short while (7 seconds).");
-            sleep(7);
+            poll_interval.tv_sec=7;
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -2457,8 +2463,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         if (slots_started == -1) {
             mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_WAITING);
             mx_log_info("no slots_started => we have users waiting for free slots. Sleeping (3 seconds).");
-            sleep(3);
             slots_started = 0;
+            poll_interval.tv_sec=3;
             continue;
         } else if (slots_started) {
             mx_log_info("slots_started=%lu :: Main Loop started %lu slots.", slots_started, slots_started);
@@ -2468,11 +2474,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             if (!server->jobs_running) {
                 mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_IDLE);
                 mx_log_info("Tried Hard and nobody is doing anything. Sleeping for a long while (15 seconds).");
-                sleep(15);
+                poll_interval.tv_sec=15;
             } else {
                 mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_RUNNING);
                 mx_log_info("Tried Hard. But have done nothing. Sleeping for a very short while (3 seconds).");
-                sleep(3);
+                poll_interval.tv_sec=3;
             }
             continue;
         }
@@ -2488,6 +2494,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     /* while not quitting and not restarting -> wait for and collect all running jobs */
 
     mxq_daemon_set_status(server->mysql, daemon, MXQ_DAEMON_STATUS_TERMINATING);
+    poll_interval.tv_sec=1;
     while (server->jobs_running && !global_sigquit_cnt && !global_sigrestart_cnt && !fail) {
         slots_returned  = catchall(server);
         slots_returned += fspool_scan(server);
@@ -2515,7 +2522,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                             server->jobs_running,
                             global_sigint_cnt,
                             global_sigterm_cnt);
-        sleep(1);
+        mx_log_debug("termination loop - wait for signals max %ld sec",poll_interval.tv_sec);
+        res=sigtimedwait(&all_signals,&siginfo,&poll_interval);
+        if (res>0)
+            process_signal(server,res,siginfo.si_int);
     }
 
     mxq_daemon_shutdown(server->mysql, daemon);