diff --git a/configfile.c b/configfile.c
index 488b0063..8a4c4fcb 100644
--- a/configfile.c
+++ b/configfile.c
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ _parse_config(t_configuration_options *options, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *
 	memset(options->node_name, 0, sizeof(options->node_name));
 	memset(options->conninfo, 0, sizeof(options->conninfo));
 	memset(options->pg_bindir, 0, sizeof(options->pg_bindir));
+	memset(options->pgdata, 0, sizeof(options->pgdata));
 	options->replication_type = REPLICATION_TYPE_PHYSICAL;
 
 	/*
@@ -350,7 +351,10 @@ _parse_config(t_configuration_options *options, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *
 								 _( "value for \"replication_user\" must contain fewer than " STR(NAMEDATALEN) " characters"));
 		}
 		else if (strcmp(name, "pg_bindir") == 0)
-			strncpy(options->pg_bindir, value, MAXLEN);
+			strncpy(options->pg_bindir, value, MAXPGPATH);
+		else if (strcmp(name, "pgdata") == 0)
+			strncpy(options->pgdata, value, MAXPGPATH);
+
 		else if (strcmp(name, "replication_type") == 0)
 		{
 			if (strcmp(value, "physical") == 0)
diff --git a/configfile.h b/configfile.h
index e66a7a4e..d7474c29 100644
--- a/configfile.h
+++ b/configfile.h
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ typedef struct
 	char		node_name[MAXLEN];
 	char		conninfo[MAXLEN];
 	char		replication_user[NAMEDATALEN];
-	char		pg_bindir[MAXLEN];
+	char		pg_bindir[MAXPGPATH];
+	char		pgdata[MAXPGPATH];
 	int			replication_type;
 
 	/* log settings */
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 #define T_CONFIGURATION_OPTIONS_INITIALIZER { \
 		/* node information */ \
-		UNKNOWN_NODE_ID, "", "", "", "", REPLICATION_TYPE_PHYSICAL, \
+		UNKNOWN_NODE_ID, "", "", "", "", "", REPLICATION_TYPE_PHYSICAL,	\
 		/* log settings */ \
 		"", "", "", DEFAULT_LOG_STATUS_INTERVAL,	\
 		/* standby clone settings */ \
diff --git a/repmgr-action-node.c b/repmgr-action-node.c
index 06040140..15a71730 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-node.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-node.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static void format_archive_dir(char *archive_dir);
 static t_server_action parse_server_action(const char *action);
 
 static void _do_node_service_check(void);
-static void _do_node_service_list(void);
+static void _do_node_service_list(t_server_action action);
 
 void
 do_node_status(void)
@@ -292,13 +292,15 @@ do_node_check(void)
 void
 do_node_service(void)
 {
-	t_server_action action = parse_server_action(runtime_options.action);
+	t_server_action action;
+
+	action = parse_server_action(runtime_options.action);
 
 	if (action == ACTION_UNKNOWN)
 	{
 		log_error(_("unknown value \"%s\" provided for parameter --action"),
 				  runtime_options.action);
-		log_hint(_("valid values are \"start\", \"stop\" and \"restart\""));
+		log_hint(_("valid values are \"start\", \"stop\", \"restart\", \"reload\" and \"promote\""));
 		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
 	}
 
@@ -312,10 +314,19 @@ do_node_service(void)
 
 	if (runtime_options.list == true)
 	{
-		return _do_node_service_list();
+		return _do_node_service_list(action);
 	}
 
 
+	// do we need data directory?
+	//  - service command defined for action ? -> no
+	//   -> yes
+	//  - pgdata defined in config? OK
+	//
+	//  - connection available?
+	//     -> get data dir OK (superuser connection issue)
+
+
 	// perform action...
 	// --dry-run: print only
 }
@@ -328,12 +339,42 @@ _do_node_service_check(void)
 
 
 static void
-_do_node_service_list(void)
+_do_node_service_list(t_server_action action)
 {
 	char command[MAXLEN] = "";
 
-	char *data_dir = runtime_options.data_dir;
+	char data_dir[MAXPGPATH] = "";
 
+	bool data_dir_required = false;
+
+	/* do we need to provide a data directory for any of the actions? */
+	if (data_dir_required_for_action(ACTION_START))
+		data_dir_required = true;
+
+	if (data_dir_required_for_action(ACTION_STOP))
+		data_dir_required = true;
+
+	if (data_dir_required_for_action(ACTION_RESTART))
+		data_dir_required = true;
+
+	if (data_dir_required_for_action(ACTION_RELOAD))
+		data_dir_required = true;
+
+	if (data_dir_required_for_action(ACTION_PROMOTE))
+		data_dir_required = true;
+
+	if (data_dir_required == true)
+	{
+		get_node_data_directory(data_dir);
+	}
+
+	/* show command for specific action only */
+	if (action != ACTION_NONE)
+	{
+		get_server_action(action, command, data_dir);
+		printf("%s\n", command);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	puts(_("Following commands would be executed for each action:"));
 	puts("");
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index 42525b2b..c2cca016 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 		 * If --wait provided, loop for up `primary_response_timeout`
 		 * seconds before giving up
 		 */
-
+		// XXX ??? primary_follow_timeout
 		for (timer = 0; timer < config_file_options.primary_follow_timeout; timer++)
 		{
 			primary_conn = get_primary_connection_quiet(local_conn,
@@ -1327,8 +1327,6 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
 	}
 
-
-
 	/*
 	 * If 9.4 or later, and replication slots in use, we'll need to create a
 	 * slot on the new primary
diff --git a/repmgr-client-global.h b/repmgr-client-global.h
index 026b2ffc..d7cfdbab 100644
--- a/repmgr-client-global.h
+++ b/repmgr-client-global.h
@@ -169,6 +169,6 @@ extern bool remote_command(const char *host, const char *user, const char *comma
 
 /* server control functions */
 extern void get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir);
-
-
+extern bool data_dir_required_for_action(t_server_action action);
+extern void get_node_data_directory(char *data_dir_buf);
 #endif
diff --git a/repmgr-client.c b/repmgr-client.c
index fb9b8b71..1b6a7f0d 100644
--- a/repmgr-client.c
+++ b/repmgr-client.c
@@ -1185,6 +1185,7 @@ check_cli_parameters(const int action)
 		{
 			case STANDBY_CLONE:
 			case STANDBY_FOLLOW:
+			case NODE_SERVICE:
 				break;
 			default:
 				item_list_append_format(&cli_warnings,
@@ -1372,7 +1373,7 @@ action_name(const int action)
 		case NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG:
 			return "NODE RESTORE-CONFIG";
 		case NODE_SERVICE:
-			return "NODE_SERVICE";
+			return "NODE SERVICE";
 
 		case CLUSTER_SHOW:
 			return "CLUSTER SHOW";
@@ -2565,7 +2566,7 @@ get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir)
 {
 	PQExpBufferData command;
 
-	if (data_dir == NULL)
+	if (data_dir == NULL || data_dir[0] == '\0')
 		data_dir = "(none provided)";
 
 	switch(action)
@@ -2673,7 +2674,8 @@ get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir)
 		{
 			if (config_file_options.service_reload_command[0] != '\0')
 			{
-				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s", config_file_options.service_reload_command);
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s",
+								config_file_options.service_reload_command);
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -2704,7 +2706,8 @@ get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir)
 		{
 			if (config_file_options.service_promote_command[0] != '\0')
 			{
-				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s", config_file_options.service_promote_command);
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s",
+								config_file_options.service_promote_command);
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -2737,3 +2740,88 @@ get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir)
 	return;
 }
 
+bool
+data_dir_required_for_action(t_server_action action)
+{
+	switch(action)
+	{
+		case ACTION_NONE:
+			return false;
+
+		case ACTION_START:
+			if (config_file_options.service_start_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+
+		case ACTION_STOP:
+			if (config_file_options.service_stop_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+
+		case ACTION_RESTART:
+			if (config_file_options.service_restart_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+
+		case ACTION_RELOAD:
+			if (config_file_options.service_reload_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+
+		case ACTION_PROMOTE:
+			if (config_file_options.service_promote_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+
+		default:
+			return false;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+
+// optionally pass conn?
+void
+get_node_data_directory(char *data_dir_buf)
+{
+	PGconn *conn = NULL;
+	bool success = false;
+
+	if (config_file_options.pgdata[0] != '\0')
+	{
+		strncpy(data_dir_buf, config_file_options.pgdata, MAXPGPATH);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (strlen(config_file_options.conninfo))
+		conn = establish_db_connection(config_file_options.conninfo, true);
+	else
+		conn = establish_db_connection_by_params(&source_conninfo, true);
+
+	success = get_pg_setting(conn, "data_directory", data_dir_buf);
+
+	PQfinish(conn);
+
+	if (success == true)
+		return;
+
+	if (runtime_options.data_dir[0] != '\0')
+	{
+		strncpy(data_dir_buf, runtime_options.data_dir, MAXPGPATH);
+		return;
+	}
+
+
+	return;
+}
diff --git a/repmgr.conf.sample b/repmgr.conf.sample
index 4a99895c..a1c31153 100644
--- a/repmgr.conf.sample
+++ b/repmgr.conf.sample
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@
 
 # Optional configuration items
 # =============================================================================
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# General settings
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#pgdata                                 # The node's data directory; usually only required
+                                        # if the repmgr user is not a superuser
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Replication settings