diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c1d19ae..a968c71 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ gocui: build
 	./zookeeper --gui gocui
 
 gocui-debugging: build
-	./zookeeper --gui gocui --gui-file ~/go/src/go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui/gocui.so  >/tmp/forge.log 2>&1
+	./zookeeper --gui gocui --gui-file ~/go/src/go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui/gocui.so
+	# ./zookeeper --gui gocui --gui-file ~/go/src/go.wit.com/toolkits/gocui/gocui.so  >/tmp/forge.log 2>&1
 
 build: goimports vet
 	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 39e206f..945ff6a 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type args struct {
 	Verbose bool `arg:"--verbose"          default:"false"  help:"talk more"`
 	Daemon  bool `arg:"--daemon"           default:"false"  help:"run in daemon mode"`
 	Port    int  `arg:"--port"             default:"8080"   help:"port to run on"`
+	NoPort  bool `arg:"--no-port"                              help:"don't open socket"`
 }
 
 func (args) Version() string {
diff --git a/http.go b/http.go
index f0b5e07..7711300 100644
--- a/http.go
+++ b/http.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func startHTTP() {
 	http.HandleFunc("/", okHandler)
 
 	p := fmt.Sprintf(":%d", argv.Port)
-	log.Println("Running on port", p)
+	log.Println("zookeeper main startHTTP() Running on port", p)
 
 	err := http.ListenAndServe(p, nil)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c4467fc..f8a0fb1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -21,15 +21,27 @@ var BUILDTIME string
 var resources embed.FS
 
 func main() {
+	log.Warn("zookeeper PID:", os.Getpid(), os.Args)
 	var pp *arg.Parser
-	gui.InitArg()
-	pp = arg.MustParse(&argv)
+	gui.InitArg()             // include the 'gui' package command line arguements
+	pp = arg.MustParse(&argv) // parse the command line
 
 	if pp == nil {
 		pp.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
+	// check if the binary is being called to test
+	// if the plugin can actually loaded. This is a hack
+	// around needing a Test() plugin load function in GO
+	if gui.IsGoPluginTestHack() {
+		argv.NoPort = true
+		gui.CheckPlugin()
+		os.Exit(0)
+		// if argv.GuiCheck != "" {
+		// }
+	}
+
 	if argv.Daemon {
 		// turn off timestamps for STDOUT (systemd adds them)
 		log.DaemonMode(true)
@@ -45,9 +57,11 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	// me.upgrade = make(map[string]bool) // used to trigger upgrade attempts
 
+	// log.Sleep(3)
+
 	go NewWatchdog()
-
-	go startHTTP()
-
+	if !argv.NoPort {
+		go startHTTP()
+	}
 	doGui()
 }