diff --git a/speedwm.c b/speedwm.c
index a430448..bccacce 100644
--- a/speedwm.c
+++ b/speedwm.c
@@ -1010,6 +1010,16 @@ autostart_exec() {
 	const char *const *p;
 	size_t i = 0;
 
+    FILE *rsfile = fopen("/tmp/speedwm-isrestart", "r");
+
+    if (rsfile) {
+        /* delete autostart file and return */
+        if (remove("/tmp/speedwm-isrestart"))
+            fprintf(stderr, "speedwm: Failed to remove /tmp/speedwm-isrestart");
+
+        return;
+    }
+
 	/* count entries */
 	for (p = autostart; *p; autostart_len++, p++)
 		while (*++p);
@@ -4365,8 +4375,20 @@ quit(const Arg *arg)
 		}
 	}
 
-   if(arg->i) restart = 1;
-		running = 0;
+    /* it will not be 0 because 0 means exit, not restart */
+    if (arg->i) {
+       restart = 1;
+
+       FILE *rsfile = fopen("/tmp/speedwm-isrestart", "w");
+       int ws = fputs("\n", rsfile);
+
+       if (ws)
+           fprintf(stderr, "speedwm: failed to write restart file.\n");
+
+       fclose(rsfile);
+    }
+
+	running = 0;
 }
 
 Client *
@@ -6499,8 +6521,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     system("[ -e $HOME/.config/speedwm/speedwmrc ] && xrdb -override $HOME/.config/speedwm/speedwmrc");
 
     /* autostart */
-    if (!restart)
-        autostart_exec();
+    autostart_exec();
 
     /* load colors */
     #if USEXRESOURCES