diff --git a/grzegorz/mpv.py b/grzegorz/mpv.py
index 763d51a..5307212 100644
--- a/grzegorz/mpv.py
+++ b/grzegorz/mpv.py
@@ -1,24 +1,30 @@
 import os
 import asyncio
 import json
-from shlex import quote
+import time
+import shlex
+import traceback
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from . import nyasync
 
 
 class MPV:
-    _ipc_endpoint = 'mpv_ipc.socket'
+    # TODO: move this to /tmp or /var/run ?
+    # TODO: make it configurable with an env variable?
+    _ipc_endpoint = Path("mpv_ipc.socket")
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.requests = nyasync.Queue()
         self.responses = nyasync.Queue()
         self.events = nyasync.Queue()
 
-    async def run(self):
-        self.proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
+    @classmethod
+    def mpv_command(cls) -> List[str]:
+        return [
             'mpv',
-            '--input-ipc-server=' + quote(self._ipc_endpoint),
+            f'--input-ipc-server={str(cls._ipc_endpoint)}',
             '--idle',
             '--force-window',
             '--fullscreen',
@@ -26,41 +32,79 @@ class MPV:
             '--load-unsafe-playlists',
             '--keep-open', # Keep last frame of video on end of video
             #'--no-input-default-bindings',
+        ]
+
+    async def run(self, is_restarted=False, **kw):
+        if self._ipc_endpoint.is_socket():
+            print("Socket found, try connecting instead of starting our own mpv!")
+            self.proc = None # we do not own the socket
+            await self.connect(**kw)
+        else:
+            print("Starting mpv...")
+            self.proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(*self.mpv_command())
+            await asyncio.gather(
+                self.ensure_running(),
+                self.connect(**kw),
             )
 
-        while self.is_running():
+    async def connect(self, *, timeout=10):
+        t = time.time()
+        while self.is_running and time.time() - t < timeout:
             try:
-                self.ipc_conn = await nyasync.unix_connection(self._ipc_endpoint)
+                self.ipc_conn = await nyasync.UnixConnection.from_path(str(self._ipc_endpoint))
                 break
             except (FileNotFoundError, ConnectionRefusedError):
                 continue
             await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
         else:
-            raise Exception("MPV died before socket connected")
-        
-        self._future = asyncio.gather(
-            self.ensure_running(),
+            if time.time() - t >= timeout:
+                #raise TimeoutError
+
+                # assume the socket is dead, and start our own instance
+                print("Socket not responding. Will try deleting it and start mpv ourselves!")
+                self._ipc_endpoint.unlink()
+                return await self.run()
+            else:
+                raise Exception("MPV died before socket connected")
+
+        print("Connected to mpv!")
+        # TODO: in this state we are unable to detect if the connection is lost
+
+        self._future_connect = asyncio.gather(
             self.process_outgoing(),
             self.process_incomming(),
         )
-        await self._future
+        await self._future_connect
 
-    def _cleanup(self):
-        if os.path.exists(self._ipc_endpoint):
-            os.remove(self._ipc_endpoint)
-        self._future.cancel()#reduces a lot of errors on exit
+    def _cleanup_connection(self):
+        assert self.proc is not None # we must own the socket
+        self._future_connect.cancel() # reduces a lot of errors on exit
+        if self._ipc_endpoint.is_socket():
+            self._ipc_endpoint.unlink()
 
-    def is_running(self):
-        return self.proc.returncode is None
+    @property
+    def is_running(self) -> bool:
+        if self.proc is None: # we do not own the socket
+            # TODO: can i check the read and writer?
+            return self._ipc_endpoint.is_socket()
+        else:
+            return self.proc.returncode is None
 
     async def ensure_running(self):
         await self.proc.wait()
-        self._cleanup()
-        raise Exception("MPV died unexpectedly")
+        print("MPV suddenly stopped...")
+        self._cleanup_connection()
+        await self.run()
 
     async def process_outgoing(self):
         async for request in self.requests:
-            self.ipc_conn.write(json.dumps(request).encode('utf-8'))
+            try:
+                encoded = json.dumps(request).encode('utf-8')
+            except Exception as e:
+                print("Unencodable request:", request)
+                traceback.print_exception(e)
+                continue
+            self.ipc_conn.write(encoded)
             self.ipc_conn.write(b'\n')
 
     async def process_incomming(self):
@@ -207,3 +251,8 @@ class MPVControl:
     async def playlist_set_looping(self, value: bool):
         resp = await self.send_request({"command":["set_property", "loop-playlist", "inf" if value else "no"]})
         return resp["error"] == "success"
+
+
+# CLI entrypoint
+def print_mpv_command():
+    print(*map(shlex.quote, MPV.mpv_command()))
diff --git a/grzegorz/nyasync.py b/grzegorz/nyasync.py
index fd684e3..cc51ba4 100644
--- a/grzegorz/nyasync.py
+++ b/grzegorz/nyasync.py
@@ -53,15 +53,16 @@ class Condition:
         with await self.monitor:
             self.monitor.notify_all()
 
-async def unix_connection(path):
-    endpoints = await asyncio.open_unix_connection(path)
-    return UnixConnection(*endpoints)
-
 class UnixConnection:
     def __init__(self, reader: StreamReader, writer: StreamWriter):
         self.reader: StreamReader = reader
         self.writer: StreamWriter = writer
 
+    @classmethod
+    async def from_path(cls, path):
+        endpoints = await asyncio.open_unix_connection(path)
+        return cls(*endpoints)
+
     def __aiter__(self):
         return self.reader.__aiter__()