diff --git a/i3bar/include/child.h b/i3bar/include/child.h
index 38132e5d..d1c46890 100644
--- a/i3bar/include/child.h
+++ b/i3bar/include/child.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #ifndef CHILD_H_
 #define CHILD_H_
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
 #define STDIN_CHUNK_SIZE 1024
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -21,6 +23,16 @@ typedef struct {
      * even an int8_t, but still…
      */
     uint32_t version;
+
+    bool stopped;
+    /**
+     * The signal requested by the client to inform it of the hidden state of i3bar
+     */
+    int stop_signal;
+    /**
+     * The signal requested by the client to inform it of theun hidden state of i3bar
+     */
+    int cont_signal;
 } i3bar_child;
 
 /*
diff --git a/i3bar/include/parse_json_header.h b/i3bar/include/parse_json_header.h
index 6495eeb1..79efddc6 100644
--- a/i3bar/include/parse_json_header.h
+++ b/i3bar/include/parse_json_header.h
@@ -13,15 +13,12 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-/*
- * Determines the JSON i3bar protocol version from the given buffer. In case
- * the buffer does not contain valid JSON, or no version field is found, this
- * function returns -1. The amount of bytes consumed by parsing the header is
- * returned in *consumed (if non-NULL).
- *
- * The return type is an int32_t to avoid machines with different sizes of
- * 'int' to allow different values here. It’s highly unlikely we ever exceed
- * even an int8_t, but still…
+/**
+ * Parse the JSON protocol header to determine protocol version and features.
+ * In case the buffer does not contain a valid header (invalid JSON, or no
+ * version field found), the 'correct' field of the returned header is set to
+ * false. The amount of bytes consumed by parsing the header is returned in
+ * *consumed (if non-NULL).
  *
  */
 void parse_json_header(i3bar_child *child, const unsigned char *buffer, int length, unsigned int *consumed);
diff --git a/i3bar/src/child.c b/i3bar/src/child.c
index f3832d9c..e4c0f357 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/child.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/child.c
@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@ void stdin_io_first_line_cb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_io *watcher, int revents) {
      * in the future, but for now, we just discard it. */
     parse_json_header(&child, buffer, rec, &consumed);
     if (child.version > 0) {
+        /* If hide-on-modifier is set, we start of by sending the
+         * child a SIGSTOP, because the bars aren't mapped at start */
+        if (config.hide_on_modifier) {
+            stop_child();
+        }
         read_json_input(buffer + consumed, rec - consumed);
     } else {
         /* In case of plaintext, we just add a single block and change its
@@ -330,12 +335,6 @@ void start_child(char *command) {
 
                 dup2(fd[0], STDIN_FILENO);
 
-                /* If hide-on-modifier is set, we start of by sending the
-                 * child a SIGSTOP, because the bars aren't mapped at start */
-                if (config.hide_on_modifier) {
-                    stop_child();
-                }
-
                 break;
         }
     }
@@ -361,7 +360,8 @@ void start_child(char *command) {
  */
 void kill_child_at_exit(void) {
     if (child.pid > 0) {
-        kill(child.pid, SIGCONT);
+        if (child.cont_signal > 0 && child.stopped)
+            kill(child.pid, child.cont_signal);
         kill(child.pid, SIGTERM);
     }
 }
@@ -373,7 +373,8 @@ void kill_child_at_exit(void) {
  */
 void kill_child(void) {
     if (child.pid > 0) {
-        kill(child.pid, SIGCONT);
+        if (child.cont_signal > 0 && child.stopped)
+            kill(child.pid, child.cont_signal);
         kill(child.pid, SIGTERM);
         int status;
         waitpid(child.pid, &status, 0);
@@ -386,8 +387,9 @@ void kill_child(void) {
  *
  */
 void stop_child(void) {
-    if (child.pid > 0) {
-        kill(child.pid, SIGSTOP);
+    if (child.stop_signal > 0 && !child.stopped) {
+        child.stopped = true;
+        kill(child.pid, child.stop_signal);
     }
 }
 
@@ -396,7 +398,8 @@ void stop_child(void) {
  *
  */
 void cont_child(void) {
-    if (child.pid > 0) {
-        kill(child.pid, SIGCONT);
+    if (child.cont_signal > 0 && child.stopped) {
+        child.stopped = false;
+        kill(child.pid, child.cont_signal);
     }
 }
diff --git a/i3bar/src/parse_json_header.c b/i3bar/src/parse_json_header.c
index a3fefb8a..80ec5af8 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/parse_json_header.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/parse_json_header.c
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 
 static enum {
     KEY_VERSION,
+    KEY_STOP_SIGNAL,
+    KEY_CONT_SIGNAL,
     NO_KEY
 } current_key;
 
@@ -43,6 +45,12 @@ static int header_integer(void *ctx, long val) {
         case KEY_VERSION:
             child->version = val;
             break;
+        case KEY_STOP_SIGNAL:
+            child->stop_signal = val;
+            break;
+        case KEY_CONT_SIGNAL:
+            child->cont_signal = val;
+            break;
         default:
             break;
     }
@@ -59,6 +67,10 @@ static int header_map_key(void *ctx, const unsigned char *stringval, unsigned in
 #endif
     if (CHECK_KEY("version")) {
         current_key = KEY_VERSION;
+    } else if (CHECK_KEY("stop_signal")) {
+        current_key = KEY_STOP_SIGNAL;
+    } else if (CHECK_KEY("cont_signal")) {
+        current_key = KEY_CONT_SIGNAL;
     }
     return 1;
 }
@@ -79,6 +91,8 @@ static yajl_callbacks version_callbacks = {
 
 static void child_init(i3bar_child *child) {
     child->version = 0;
+    child->stop_signal = SIGSTOP;
+    child->cont_signal = SIGCONT;
 }
 
 /*