diff --git a/worker/agent.go b/worker/agent.go
index 7a9f70d..7ca3b44 100644
--- a/worker/agent.go
+++ b/worker/agent.go
@@ -72,7 +72,21 @@ func (a *agent) Work() {
 }
 
 func (a *agent) Close() {
-	a.conn.Close()
+	if a.conn != nil {
+		a.conn.Close()
+	}
+}
+
+func (a *agent) Grab() {
+	outpack := getOutPack()
+	outpack.dataType = GRAB_JOB_UNIQ
+	a.write(outpack)
+}
+
+func (a *agent) PreSleep() {
+	outpack := getOutPack()
+	outpack.dataType = PRE_SLEEP
+	a.write(outpack)
 }
 
 // read length bytes from the socket
diff --git a/worker/worker.go b/worker/worker.go
index 6b935e7..cd46657 100644
--- a/worker/worker.go
+++ b/worker/worker.go
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ func (worker *Worker) handleInPack(inpack *inPack) {
 		}
 	}()
 	switch inpack.dataType {
+	case NO_JOB:
+		inpack.a.PreSleep()
+	case NOOP:
+		inpack.a.Grab()
 	case ERROR:
 		worker.err(GetError(inpack.data))
 	case JOB_ASSIGN, JOB_ASSIGN_UNIQ:
@@ -165,6 +169,20 @@ func (worker *Worker) handleInPack(inpack *inPack) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (worker *Worker) Ready() (err error) {
+	for _, v := range worker.agents {
+		if err = v.Connect(); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		go v.Work()
+	}
+	worker.Reset()
+	for funcname, f := range worker.funcs {
+		worker.addFunc(funcname, f.timeout)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 // Main loop
 func (worker *Worker) Work() {
 	defer func() {
@@ -173,14 +191,6 @@ func (worker *Worker) Work() {
 		}
 	}()
 	worker.running = true
-	for _, v := range worker.agents {
-		v.Connect()
-		go v.Work()
-	}
-	worker.Reset()
-	for funcname, f := range worker.funcs {
-		worker.addFunc(funcname, f.timeout)
-	}
 	var inpack *inPack
 	for inpack = range worker.in {
 		go worker.handleInPack(inpack)
@@ -267,6 +277,7 @@ func (worker *Worker) exec(inpack *inPack) (err error) {
 	outpack.data = r.data
 	if worker.running {
 		inpack.a.write(outpack)
+		inpack.a.Grab()
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/worker/worker_test.go b/worker/worker_test.go
index c875ff7..911aa9b 100644
--- a/worker/worker_test.go
+++ b/worker/worker_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package worker
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+"sync"
+"testing"
+)
 
 var worker *Worker
 
@@ -44,7 +47,20 @@ func TestWorkerRemoveFunc(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWork(t *testing.T) {
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	worker.JobHandler = func(job Job) error {
+		t.Logf("%s", job.Data())
+		wg.Done()
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err := worker.Ready(); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
 	go worker.Work()
+	wg.Add(1)
+	worker.Echo([]byte("Hello"))
+	wg.Wait()
 }
 
 func TestWorkerClose(t *testing.T) {