diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.cpp
index 37f84a9b4..4c6b1d8a0 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ void ApplicationController::setWindow(QWindow *window)
     m_window = window;
 }
 
+void ApplicationController::restoreWindowState()
+{
+    if (!m_window)
+        return;
+    m_window->setWindowState(m_windowState);
+}
+
 void ApplicationController::loadFromFile(QString path)
 {
     if (!QFile::exists(path)) {
@@ -79,6 +86,11 @@ void ApplicationController::loadFromFile(QString path)
     restoreState(f.readAll());
 }
 
+void ApplicationController::setDaemonMode()
+{
+    m_daemonMode = true;
+}
+
 void ApplicationController::save(QString configName)
 {
     QDir d(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation));
@@ -440,12 +452,18 @@ void ApplicationController::restoreState(QByteArray bytes)
             m_window->setGeometry(r);
         }
 
-        m_window->setWindowState(static_cast<Qt::WindowState>(json.value("window-state").toInt()));
+        // we have to cache the state becuase it seems to be ignored
+        // before show is called();
+        m_windowState = static_cast<Qt::WindowState>(json.value("window-state").toInt());
+        m_window->setWindowState(m_windowState);
     }
     // background color
 
     for (auto c : json.value("canvases").toArray()) {
         auto cc = new CanvasConnection(this);
+        if (m_daemonMode)
+            cc->setAutoReconnect();
+
         cc->setNetworkAccess(m_netAccess);
         m_activeCanvases.append(cc);
         cc->restoreState(c.toObject());
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.h
index 26e2494f2..fcb2a70c4 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.h
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/applicationcontroller.h
@@ -52,8 +52,12 @@ public:
 
     void setWindow(QWindow* window);
 
+    void restoreWindowState();
+
     void loadFromFile(QString path);
 
+    void setDaemonMode();
+
     Q_INVOKABLE void query();
     Q_INVOKABLE void cancelQuery();
     Q_INVOKABLE void clearQuery();
@@ -146,7 +150,11 @@ private:
     QVariantList m_configs;
     QNetworkReply* m_query = nullptr;
     QVariantList m_snapshots;
+
     QWindow* m_window = nullptr;
+    Qt::WindowState m_windowState = Qt::WindowNoState;
+
+    bool m_daemonMode = false;
 };
 
 #endif // APPLICATIONCONTROLLER_H
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
index 8f34a398c..9f3ba6bda 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ CanvasConnection::CanvasConnection(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
             this, &CanvasConnection::onTextMessageReceived);
 
     m_destRect = QRectF(50, 50, 400, 400);
+    m_reconnectTimer = new QTimer(this);
+    m_reconnectTimer->setInterval(1000 * 10);
+    m_reconnectTimer->setSingleShot(true);
+    connect(m_reconnectTimer, &QTimer::timeout,
+            this, &CanvasConnection::reconnect);
 }
 
 CanvasConnection::~CanvasConnection()
@@ -61,6 +66,11 @@ void CanvasConnection::setRootPropertyPath(QByteArray path)
     emit rootPathChanged();
 }
 
+void CanvasConnection::setAutoReconnect()
+{
+    m_autoReconnect = true;
+}
+
 QJsonObject CanvasConnection::saveState() const
 {
     QJsonObject json;
@@ -104,6 +114,7 @@ void CanvasConnection::restoreSnapshot(QDataStream &ds)
 
 void CanvasConnection::reconnect()
 {
+    qDebug() << "starting connection attempt to:" << m_webSocketUrl;
     m_webSocket.open(m_webSocketUrl);
     setStatus(Connecting);
 }
@@ -185,6 +196,7 @@ FGQCanvasFontCache *CanvasConnection::fontCache() const
 
 void CanvasConnection::onWebSocketConnected()
 {
+    qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << m_webSocketUrl;
     m_localPropertyRoot.reset(new LocalProp{nullptr, NameIndexTuple("")});
     setStatus(Connected);
 }
@@ -272,10 +284,9 @@ void CanvasConnection::onWebSocketClosed()
 
     setStatus(Closed);
 
-    // if we're in automatic mode, start reconnection timer
-// update state
-
-    //   ui->stack->setCurrentIndex(0);
+    if (m_autoReconnect) {
+        m_reconnectTimer->start();
+    }
 }
 
 void CanvasConnection::setStatus(CanvasConnection::Status newStatus)
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.h
index 79de7e394..3bc9a5b22 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.h
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QRectF>
 #include <QPointer>
+#include <QTimer>
 
 class LocalProp;
 class QNetworkAccessManager;
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ public:
     void setNetworkAccess(QNetworkAccessManager *dl);
     void setRootPropertyPath(QByteArray path);
 
+    void setAutoReconnect();
+
     enum Status
     {
         NotConnected,
@@ -132,6 +135,9 @@ private:
 
     QWebSocket m_webSocket;
     QNetworkAccessManager* m_netAccess = nullptr;
+    QTimer* m_reconnectTimer = nullptr;
+    bool m_autoReconnect = false;
+
     std::unique_ptr<LocalProp> m_localPropertyRoot;
     QHash<int, QPointer<LocalProp>> idPropertyDict;
     Status m_status = NotConnected;
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
index 0c01e657d..cc8d6a798 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ CanvasPaintedDisplay::CanvasPaintedDisplay(QQuickItem* parent) :
 
 CanvasPaintedDisplay::~CanvasPaintedDisplay()
 {
-    qDebug() << "did destory canvas painted";
 }
 
 void CanvasPaintedDisplay::paint(QPainter *painter)
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ void CanvasPaintedDisplay::setCanvas(CanvasConnection *canvas)
 
     if (m_connection) {
         disconnect(m_connection, nullptr, this, nullptr);
-        m_rootElement.reset();
+        delete m_rootElement;
     }
 
     m_connection = canvas;
@@ -84,29 +83,35 @@ void CanvasPaintedDisplay::setCanvas(CanvasConnection *canvas)
 
 void CanvasPaintedDisplay::onConnectionDestroyed()
 {
+    qDebug() << "saw connection destroyed";
     m_connection = nullptr;
-    emit canvasChanged(m_connection);
+    delete m_rootElement;
 
-    m_rootElement.reset();
+    emit canvasChanged(m_connection);
 }
 
 void CanvasPaintedDisplay::onConnectionStatusChanged()
 {
     if ((m_connection->status() == CanvasConnection::Connected) ||
-            (m_connection->status() == CanvasConnection::Snapshot))
+        (m_connection->status() == CanvasConnection::Snapshot))
     {
         buildElements();
+    } else {
+        qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "clearing root element";
+        delete m_rootElement;
+        update();
     }
 }
 
 void CanvasPaintedDisplay::buildElements()
 {
-    m_rootElement.reset(new FGCanvasGroup(nullptr, m_connection->propertyRoot()));
+    qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO;
+    m_rootElement = new FGCanvasGroup(nullptr, m_connection->propertyRoot());
     // this is important to elements can discover their connection
     // by walking their parent chain
     m_rootElement->setParent(m_connection);
 
-    connect(m_rootElement.get(), &FGCanvasGroup::canvasSizeChanged,
+    connect(m_rootElement, &FGCanvasGroup::canvasSizeChanged,
             this, &CanvasPaintedDisplay::onCanvasSizeChanged);
 
     onCanvasSizeChanged();
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.h b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.h
index 31bdff856..6f5f3cc72 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.h
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 
 #include <QQuickPaintedItem>
+#include <QPointer>
 
 class CanvasConnection;
 class FGCanvasGroup;
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ private:
     void buildElements();
 
     CanvasConnection* m_connection = nullptr;
-    std::unique_ptr<FGCanvasGroup> m_rootElement;
+    QPointer<FGCanvasGroup> m_rootElement;
    // QQuickItem* m_rootItem = nullptr;
     QSizeF m_sourceSize;
 };
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvaselement.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvaselement.cpp
index 0a23521c3..e842a5603 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvaselement.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvaselement.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ FGCanvasElement::FGCanvasElement(FGCanvasGroup* pr, LocalProp* prop) :
 void FGCanvasElement::onPropDestroyed()
 {
     doDestroy();
-    const_cast<FGCanvasGroup*>(_parent)->removeChild(this);
+    if (_parent) {
+        const_cast<FGCanvasGroup*>(_parent)->removeChild(this);
+    }
     deleteLater();
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvastext.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvastext.cpp
index 5fa1bd5d5..1f60c3e63 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvastext.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/fgcanvastext.cpp
@@ -253,7 +253,6 @@ void FGCanvasText::markStyleDirty()
 
 void FGCanvasText::doDestroy()
 {
-    qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO;
     delete _quickItem;
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
index a33e6fd38..a3ccf20d7 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/main.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     quickView.rootContext()->setContextProperty("_application", &appController);
 
     if (argc > 1) {
+        appController.setDaemonMode();
         appController.loadFromFile(QString::fromLocal8Bit(argv[1]));
     } else {
         quickView.setWidth(1024);
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     quickView.setResizeMode(QQuickView::SizeRootObjectToView);
     quickView.show();
 
+    appController.restoreWindowState();
+
     int result = a.exec();
 
     return result;
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/qml/mainMenu.qml b/utils/fgqcanvas/qml/mainMenu.qml
index 5dd5d3a2a..7b12e0b87 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/qml/mainMenu.qml
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/qml/mainMenu.qml
@@ -31,6 +31,16 @@ Rectangle {
         onClicked: {
             uiVisible = !uiVisible;
         }
+
+        hoverEnabled: uiVisible
+        onMouseXChanged: idleTimer.restart()
+        onMouseYChanged: idleTimer.restart()
+    }
+
+    Timer {
+        id: idleTimer
+        interval: 1000 * 10
+        onTriggered:  { uiVisible = false; }
     }
 
     Repeater {
@@ -65,4 +75,6 @@ Rectangle {
         SnapshotsPanel { }
     }
 
+
+
 }