diff --git a/dbutils.c b/dbutils.c
index 3d7654e2..0993496b 100644
--- a/dbutils.c
+++ b/dbutils.c
@@ -3795,3 +3795,4 @@ unset_bdr_failover_handler(PGconn *conn)
 	PQclear(res);
 	return;
 }
+
diff --git a/dbutils.h b/dbutils.h
index 3dfd4e82..fe914cd3 100644
--- a/dbutils.h
+++ b/dbutils.h
@@ -254,6 +254,9 @@ typedef struct
 
 #define T_CONFIGFILE_LIST_INITIALIZER { 0, 0, NULL }
 
+
+/* global variables */
+
 extern int			server_version_num;
 
 /* macros */
@@ -412,5 +415,6 @@ void 		 get_bdr_other_node_name(PGconn *conn, int node_id, char *name_buf);
 
 bool		 am_bdr_failover_handler(PGconn *conn, int node_id);
 void		 unset_bdr_failover_handler(PGconn *conn);
-#endif /* dbutils.h */
+
+#endif /* _REPMGR_DBUTILS_H_ */
 
diff --git a/repmgr-action-node.c b/repmgr-action-node.c
index 0a2a77f2..06040140 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-node.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-node.c
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 
 static bool copy_file(const char *src_file, const char *dest_file);
 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);
 
 void
 do_node_status(void)
@@ -282,6 +286,103 @@ do_node_check(void)
 }
 
 
+// --action=...
+// --check
+// --list -> list what would be executed for each action, filter to --action
+void
+do_node_service(void)
+{
+	t_server_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\""));
+		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
+	}
+
+	if (runtime_options.check == true)
+	{
+		if (action != ACTION_NONE)
+			log_warning(_("--action not required for --check"));
+
+		return _do_node_service_check();
+	}
+
+	if (runtime_options.list == true)
+	{
+		return _do_node_service_list();
+	}
+
+
+	// perform action...
+	// --dry-run: print only
+}
+
+
+static void
+_do_node_service_check(void)
+{
+}
+
+
+static void
+_do_node_service_list(void)
+{
+	char command[MAXLEN] = "";
+
+	char *data_dir = runtime_options.data_dir;
+
+
+	puts(_("Following commands would be executed for each action:"));
+	puts("");
+
+	get_server_action(ACTION_START, command, data_dir);
+	printf("    start: \"%s\"\n", command);
+
+	get_server_action(ACTION_STOP, command, data_dir);
+	printf("     stop: \"%s\"\n", command);
+
+	get_server_action(ACTION_RESTART, command, data_dir);
+	printf("  restart: \"%s\"\n", command);
+
+	get_server_action(ACTION_RELOAD, command, data_dir);
+	printf("   reload: \"%s\"\n", command);
+
+	get_server_action(ACTION_PROMOTE, command, data_dir);
+	printf("  promote: \"%s\"\n", command);
+
+	puts("");
+
+}
+
+
+static t_server_action
+parse_server_action(const char *action_name)
+{
+	if (action_name[0] == '\0')
+		return ACTION_NONE;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(action_name, "start") == 0)
+		return ACTION_START;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(action_name, "stop") == 0)
+		return ACTION_STOP;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(action_name, "restart") == 0)
+		return ACTION_RESTART;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(action_name, "reload") == 0)
+		return ACTION_RELOAD;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(action_name, "promote") == 0)
+		return ACTION_PROMOTE;
+
+	return ACTION_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
+
 /*
  * Intended mainly for "internal" use by `node switchover`, which
  * calls this on the target server to archive any configuration files
diff --git a/repmgr-action-node.h b/repmgr-action-node.h
index 06e75285..22878b1e 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-node.h
+++ b/repmgr-action-node.h
@@ -10,5 +10,8 @@ extern void do_node_status(void);
 extern void do_node_check(void);
 extern void do_node_archive_config(void);
 extern void do_node_restore_config(void);
+extern void do_node_service(void);
+
+
 
 #endif /* _REPMGR_ACTION_NODE_H_ */
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index f314b679..42525b2b 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
 
 	log_notice(_("you can now start your PostgreSQL server"));
 
-	if (*config_file_options.service_start_command)
+	if (config_file_options.service_start_command[0] != '\n')
 	{
 		log_hint(_("for example : %s"),
 				 config_file_options.service_start_command);
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ check_barman_config(void)
 		log_error(_("unable to use directory %s"),
 				local_data_directory);
 		log_hint(_("use -F/--force option to force this directory to be overwritten"));
-			exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
+		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
 	}
 
 
@@ -1127,15 +1127,7 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 	 * For now we'll poll the server until the default timeout (60 seconds)
 	 */
 
-	if (*config_file_options.service_promote_command)
-	{
-		maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s", config_file_options.service_promote_command);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s -D %s promote",
-						make_pg_path("pg_ctl"), data_dir);
-	}
+	get_server_action(ACTION_PROMOTE, script, data_dir);
 
 	log_notice(_("promoting server using '%s'"),
 			   script);
@@ -1154,8 +1146,8 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < promote_check_timeout; i += promote_check_interval)
 	{
-
 		recovery_type = get_recovery_type(conn);
+
 		if (recovery_type == RECTYPE_PRIMARY)
 		{
 			promote_success = true;
@@ -1446,19 +1438,8 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 
 	// XXX here check if service is running!! if not, start
 	//     ensure that problem with pg_ctl output is caught here
-	if (*config_file_options.service_restart_command)
-	{
-		maxlen_snprintf(restart_command, "%s", config_file_options.service_restart_command);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		maxlen_snprintf(restart_command,
-						"%s %s -w -D %s -m fast restart",
-				        make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
-						config_file_options.pg_ctl_options,
-						data_dir);
-	}
 
+	get_server_action(ACTION_RESTART, restart_command, data_dir);
 
 	log_notice(_("restarting server using '%s'"),
 			   restart_command);
diff --git a/repmgr-client-global.h b/repmgr-client-global.h
index aa3bd8cd..026b2ffc 100644
--- a/repmgr-client-global.h
+++ b/repmgr-client-global.h
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ typedef struct
 	char		remote_user[MAXLEN];
 	char		superuser[MAXLEN];
 
-	/* node options */
+	/* general node options */
 	int			node_id;
 	char		node_name[MAXLEN];
 	char		data_dir[MAXPGPATH];
 
-	/* standby clone options */
+	/* "standby clone" options */
 	bool		copy_external_config_files;
 	int			copy_external_config_files_destination;
 	bool		fast_checkpoint;
@@ -69,11 +69,16 @@ typedef struct
 	char		wal_keep_segments[MAXLEN];
 	bool		without_barman;
 
-	/* standby register options */
+	/* "standby register" options */
 	bool		wait_register_sync;
 	int			wait_register_sync_seconds;
 
-	/* event options */
+	/* "node service" options */
+	char		action[MAXLEN];
+	bool		check;
+	bool		list;
+
+	/* "cluster event" options */
 	bool		all;
 	char		event[MAXLEN];
 	int			limit;
@@ -97,11 +102,13 @@ typedef struct
 		"",	"",				  \
 		/* node options */ \
 		UNKNOWN_NODE_ID, "", "", \
-		/* standby clone options */ \
+		/* "standby clone" options */ \
 		false, CONFIG_FILE_SAMEPATH, false, false, false, "", "", "", NO_UPSTREAM_NODE, false, "", false, \
-		/* standby register options */ \
+		/* "standby register" options */ \
 		false, 0, \
-		/* event options */ \
+		/* "node service" options */ \
+		"", false, false, \
+		/* "cluster event" options */ \
 		false, "", CLUSTER_EVENT_LIMIT,	\
 		"/tmp" \
 }
@@ -112,6 +119,17 @@ typedef enum {
 	pg_basebackup
 }	standy_clone_mode;
 
+typedef enum {
+	ACTION_UNKNOWN = -1,
+	ACTION_NONE,
+	ACTION_START,
+	ACTION_STOP,
+	ACTION_RESTART,
+	ACTION_RELOAD,
+	ACTION_PROMOTE
+} t_server_action;
+
+
 
 /* global configuration structures */
 extern t_runtime_options runtime_options;
@@ -149,4 +167,8 @@ extern void get_superuser_connection(PGconn **conn, PGconn **superuser_conn, PGc
 
 extern bool remote_command(const char *host, const char *user, const char *command, PQExpBufferData *outputbuf);
 
+/* server control functions */
+extern void get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir);
+
+
 #endif
diff --git a/repmgr-client.c b/repmgr-client.c
index ca860fdf..fb9b8b71 100644
--- a/repmgr-client.c
+++ b/repmgr-client.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
  * For internal use:
  * NODE ARCHIVE-CONFIG
  * NODE RESTORE-CONFIG
+ * NODE SERVICE
  */
 
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -302,8 +303,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				runtime_options.upstream_node_id = repmgr_atoi(optarg, "--upstream-node-id", &cli_errors, false);
 				break;
 
-			/* standby clone options *
-			 * --------------------- */
+			/* "standby clone" options *
+			 * ----------------------- */
 
 			/* -c/--fast-checkpoint */
 			case 'c':
@@ -383,8 +384,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				runtime_options.without_barman = true;
 				break;
 
-			/* standby register options *
-			 * --------------------- */
+			/* "standby register" options *
+			 * -------------------------- */
 
 			case OPT_REGISTER_WAIT:
 				runtime_options.wait_register_sync = true;
@@ -394,9 +395,24 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				}
 				break;
 
+			/* "node service" options *
+			 * ---------------------- */
 
-			/* event options *
-			 * ------------- */
+			/* --action (repmgr node service --action) */
+			case OPT_ACTION:
+				strncpy(runtime_options.action, optarg, MAXLEN);
+				break;
+
+			case OPT_LIST:
+				runtime_options.list = true;
+				break;
+
+			case OPT_CHECK:
+				runtime_options.check = true;
+				break;
+
+			/* "cluster event" options *
+			 * ----------------------- */
 
 			case OPT_EVENT:
 				strncpy(runtime_options.event, optarg, MAXLEN);
@@ -411,6 +427,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				runtime_options.all = true;
 				break;
 
+
+
 			/* logging options *
 			 * --------------- */
 
@@ -578,7 +596,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	 *	 { PRIMARY | MASTER } REGISTER |
 	 *	 STANDBY {REGISTER | UNREGISTER | CLONE [node] | PROMOTE | FOLLOW [node] | SWITCHOVER | REWIND} |
 	 *	 BDR { REGISTER | UNREGISTER } |
-	 *   NODE { STATUS } |
+	 *   NODE { STATUS | ARCHIVE-CONFIG | RESTORE-CONFIG | SERVICE } |
 	 *	 CLUSTER { CROSSCHECK | MATRIX | SHOW | CLEANUP | EVENT }
 	 *
 	 * [node] is an optional hostname, provided instead of the -h/--host optipn
@@ -656,6 +674,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				action = NODE_ARCHIVE_CONFIG;
 			else if (strcasecmp(repmgr_action, "RESTORE-CONFIG") == 0)
 				action = NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG;
+			else if (strcasecmp(repmgr_action, "SERVICE") == 0)
+				action = NODE_SERVICE;
 		}
 
 		else if (strcasecmp(repmgr_node_type, "CLUSTER") == 0)
@@ -972,11 +992,18 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case NODE_STATUS:
 			do_node_status();
 			break;
+		case NODE_CHECK:
+			do_node_check();
+			break;
 		case NODE_ARCHIVE_CONFIG:
 			do_node_archive_config();
 			break;
 		case NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG:
 			do_node_restore_config();
+			break;
+		case NODE_SERVICE:
+			do_node_service();
+			break;
 
 		/* CLUSTER */
 		case CLUSTER_SHOW:
@@ -1293,6 +1320,20 @@ check_cli_parameters(const int action)
 										action_name(action));
 		}
 	}
+
+	/* repmgr node service --action */
+	if (runtime_options.action)
+	{
+		switch (action)
+		{
+			case NODE_SERVICE:
+				break;
+			default:
+				item_list_append_format(&cli_warnings,
+										_("--action not required when executing %s"),
+										action_name(action));
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 
@@ -1330,6 +1371,8 @@ action_name(const int action)
 			return "NODE ARCHIVE-CONFIG";
 		case NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG:
 			return "NODE RESTORE-CONFIG";
+		case NODE_SERVICE:
+			return "NODE_SERVICE";
 
 		case CLUSTER_SHOW:
 			return "CLUSTER SHOW";
@@ -2513,3 +2556,184 @@ remote_command(const char *host, const char *user, const char *command, PQExpBuf
 }
 
 
+/* ======================== */
+/* server control functions */
+/* ======================== */
+
+void
+get_server_action(t_server_action action, char *script, char *data_dir)
+{
+	PQExpBufferData command;
+
+	if (data_dir == NULL)
+		data_dir = "(none provided)";
+
+	switch(action)
+	{
+		case ACTION_NONE:
+			script[0] = '\0';
+			return;
+
+		case ACTION_START:
+		{
+			if (config_file_options.service_start_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s",
+								config_file_options.service_start_command);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				initPQExpBuffer(&command);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					"%s %s -w -D ",
+					make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
+					config_file_options.pg_ctl_options);
+
+				appendShellString(
+					&command,
+					data_dir);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					" start");
+
+				strncpy(script, command.data, MAXLEN);
+
+				termPQExpBuffer(&command);
+			}
+
+			return;
+		}
+
+		case ACTION_STOP:
+		{
+			if (config_file_options.service_stop_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s",
+								config_file_options.service_stop_command);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				initPQExpBuffer(&command);
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					"%s %s -D ",
+					make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
+					config_file_options.pg_ctl_options);
+
+				appendShellString(
+					&command,
+					data_dir);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					" -m fast -W stop");
+
+				strncpy(script, command.data, MAXLEN);
+
+				termPQExpBuffer(&command);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		case ACTION_RESTART:
+		{
+			if (config_file_options.service_restart_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s",
+								config_file_options.service_restart_command);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				initPQExpBuffer(&command);
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					"%s %s -w -D ",
+					make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
+					config_file_options.pg_ctl_options);
+
+				appendShellString(
+					&command,
+					data_dir);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					" restart");
+
+				strncpy(script, command.data, MAXLEN);
+
+				termPQExpBuffer(&command);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		case ACTION_RELOAD:
+		{
+			if (config_file_options.service_reload_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s", config_file_options.service_reload_command);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				initPQExpBuffer(&command);
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					"%s %s -w -D ",
+					make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
+					config_file_options.pg_ctl_options);
+
+				appendShellString(
+					&command,
+					data_dir);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					" reload");
+
+				strncpy(script, command.data, MAXLEN);
+
+				termPQExpBuffer(&command);
+
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		case ACTION_PROMOTE:
+		{
+			if (config_file_options.service_promote_command[0] != '\0')
+			{
+				maxlen_snprintf(script, "%s", config_file_options.service_promote_command);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				initPQExpBuffer(&command);
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					"%s %s -w -D ",
+					make_pg_path("pg_ctl"),
+					config_file_options.pg_ctl_options);
+
+				appendShellString(
+					&command,
+					data_dir);
+
+				appendPQExpBuffer(
+					&command,
+					" promote");
+
+				strncpy(script, command.data, MAXLEN);
+
+				termPQExpBuffer(&command);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		default:
+			return;
+	}
+
+	return;
+}
+
diff --git a/repmgr-client.h b/repmgr-client.h
index 6c4b0744..22588a08 100644
--- a/repmgr-client.h
+++ b/repmgr-client.h
@@ -24,13 +24,14 @@
 #define BDR_UNREGISTER		   10
 #define NODE_STATUS			   11
 #define NODE_CHECK			   12
-#define NODE_ARCHIVE_CONFIG    13
-#define NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG    14
-#define CLUSTER_SHOW		   15
-#define CLUSTER_CLEANUP		   16
-#define CLUSTER_MATRIX		   17
-#define CLUSTER_CROSSCHECK	   18
-#define CLUSTER_EVENT		   19
+#define NODE_SERVICE		   13
+#define NODE_ARCHIVE_CONFIG    14
+#define NODE_RESTORE_CONFIG    15
+#define CLUSTER_SHOW		   16
+#define CLUSTER_CLEANUP		   17
+#define CLUSTER_MATRIX		   18
+#define CLUSTER_CROSSCHECK	   19
+#define CLUSTER_EVENT		   20
 
 /* command line options without short versions */
 #define OPT_HELP						   1
@@ -58,6 +59,10 @@
 #define OPT_ALL							   22
 #define OPT_DRY_RUN						   23
 #define OPT_UPSTREAM_NODE_ID			   24
+#define OPT_ACTION                         25
+#define OPT_CHECK                          26
+#define OPT_LIST                           27
+
 /* deprecated since 3.3 */
 #define OPT_DATA_DIR					   998
 #define OPT_NO_CONNINFO_PASSWORD		   999
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ static struct option long_options[] =
 	{"superuser", required_argument, NULL, 'S'},
 	{"username", required_argument, NULL, 'U'},
 
-/* node options */
+/* general node options */
 	{"pgdata", required_argument, NULL, 'D'},
 	{"node-id", required_argument, NULL, OPT_NODE_ID},
 	{"node-name", required_argument, NULL, OPT_NODE_NAME},
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ static struct option long_options[] =
 /* output options */
 	{"csv", no_argument, NULL, OPT_CSV},
 
-/* standby clone options */
+/* "standby clone" options */
 	{"copy-external-config-files", optional_argument, NULL, OPT_COPY_EXTERNAL_CONFIG_FILES},
 	{"fast-checkpoint", no_argument, NULL, 'c'},
 	{"wal-keep-segments", required_argument, NULL, 'w'},
@@ -110,10 +115,15 @@ static struct option long_options[] =
 	{"use-recovery-conninfo-password", no_argument, NULL, OPT_USE_RECOVERY_CONNINFO_PASSWORD},
 	{"without-barman", no_argument, NULL, OPT_WITHOUT_BARMAN},
 
-/* standby register options */
+/* "standby register" options */
 	{"wait-sync", optional_argument, NULL, OPT_REGISTER_WAIT},
 
-/* event options */
+/* "node service" options */
+	{"action", required_argument, NULL, OPT_ACTION},
+	{"check", no_argument, NULL, OPT_CHECK},
+	{"list", no_argument, NULL, OPT_LIST},
+
+/* "cluster event" options */
 	{"all", no_argument, NULL, OPT_ALL },
 	{"event", required_argument, NULL, OPT_EVENT },
 	{"limit", required_argument, NULL, OPT_LIMIT },
@@ -155,4 +165,4 @@ static void check_cli_parameters(const int action);
 static void write_primary_conninfo(char *line, t_conninfo_param_list *param_list);
 static bool write_recovery_file_line(FILE *recovery_file, char *recovery_file_path, char *line);
 
-#endif
+#endif /* _REPMGR_CLIENT_H_ */