diff --git a/common/signals.go b/common/signals.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..067bf340
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/signals.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+	"runtime"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+// A subsystem/server/... that can be stopped or queried about the status with a signal
+type SignalsReceiver interface {
+	Status() string
+	Stop() error
+}
+
+func SignalHandlerLoop(ss ...SignalsReceiver) {
+	sigs := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
+	signal.Notify(sigs, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGQUIT, syscall.SIGUSR1)
+	buf := make([]byte, 1<<20)
+	for {
+		sig := <-sigs
+		switch sig {
+		case syscall.SIGINT:
+			Info.Printf("=== received SIGINT ===\n*** exiting\n")
+			for _, subsystem := range ss {
+				subsystem.Stop()
+			}
+			os.Exit(0)
+		case syscall.SIGQUIT:
+			stacklen := runtime.Stack(buf, true)
+			Info.Printf("=== received SIGQUIT ===\n*** goroutine dump...\n%s\n*** end\n", buf[:stacklen])
+		case syscall.SIGUSR1:
+			for _, subsystem := range ss {
+				Info.Printf("=== received SIGUSR1 ===\n*** status...\n%s\n*** end\n", subsystem.Status())
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/router/router.go b/router/router.go
index 63f0641f..f6118761 100644
--- a/router/router.go
+++ b/router/router.go
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ func (router *Router) Start() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (router *Router) Stop() error {
+	// TODO: perform greceful shutdown...
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (router *Router) UsingPassword() bool {
 	return router.Password != nil
 }
diff --git a/weavedns/main.go b/weavedns/main.go
index ae1e06e8..6a888896 100644
--- a/weavedns/main.go
+++ b/weavedns/main.go
@@ -9,9 +9,6 @@ import (
 	weavenet "github.com/weaveworks/weave/net"
 	"net"
 	"os"
-	"os/signal"
-	"runtime"
-	"syscall"
 )
 
 var version = "(unreleased version)"
@@ -90,30 +87,11 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	Info.Println("Upstream", srv.Upstream)
 
-	Debug.Printf("Starting the signals handler")
-	go handleSignals(srv)
-
+	go SignalHandlerLoop(srv)
 	go weavedns.ListenHTTP(version, srv, domain, zone, httpPort)
+
 	err = srv.Start()
 	if err != nil {
-		Error.Fatal("Failed to start the WeaveDNS server", err)
-	}
-}
-
-func handleSignals(s *weavedns.DNSServer) {
-	sigs := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(sigs, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGQUIT)
-	buf := make([]byte, 1<<20)
-	for {
-		sig := <-sigs
-		switch sig {
-		case syscall.SIGINT:
-			Info.Printf("=== received SIGINT ===\n*** exiting\n")
-			s.Stop()
-			os.Exit(0)
-		case syscall.SIGQUIT:
-			stacklen := runtime.Stack(buf, true)
-			Info.Printf("=== received SIGQUIT ===\n*** goroutine dump...\n%s\n*** end\n", buf[:stacklen])
-		}
+		Error.Fatal("[main] Failed to start the WeaveDNS server: ", err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/weaver/main.go b/weaver/main.go
index 614d1db7..12335c57 100644
--- a/weaver/main.go
+++ b/weaver/main.go
@@ -7,16 +7,15 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/davecheney/profile"
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
+	. "github.com/weaveworks/weave/common"
 	weavenet "github.com/weaveworks/weave/net"
 	weave "github.com/weaveworks/weave/router"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
-	"os/signal"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
-	"syscall"
 )
 
 var version = "(unreleased version)"
@@ -126,7 +125,8 @@ func main() {
 	if httpAddr != "" {
 		go handleHTTP(router, httpAddr)
 	}
-	handleSignals(router)
+
+	SignalHandlerLoop(router)
 }
 
 func options() map[string]string {
@@ -209,19 +209,3 @@ func handleHTTP(router *weave.Router, httpAddr string) {
 		log.Fatal("Unable to create http server", err)
 	}
 }
-
-func handleSignals(router *weave.Router) {
-	sigs := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(sigs, syscall.SIGQUIT, syscall.SIGUSR1)
-	buf := make([]byte, 1<<20)
-	for {
-		sig := <-sigs
-		switch sig {
-		case syscall.SIGQUIT:
-			stacklen := runtime.Stack(buf, true)
-			log.Printf("=== received SIGQUIT ===\n*** goroutine dump...\n%s\n*** end\n", buf[:stacklen])
-		case syscall.SIGUSR1:
-			log.Printf("=== received SIGUSR1 ===\n*** status...\n%s\n*** end\n", router.Status())
-		}
-	}
-}