diff --git a/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js b/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
index dc279e3b..e0ac1d38 100644
--- a/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
+++ b/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
@@ -121,17 +121,43 @@ export function stateDispatcher(data) {
 export function eventDispatcher(data) {
   data = JSON.parse(data);
 
-  // get ptt state as a first test
-  stateStore.ptt_state = data.ptt;
-
-  var message = "";
-  if (data["freedata"] == "modem-message") {
     // break early if we received a dummy callsign
     // thats a kind of hotfix, as long as the modem isnt handling this better
     if (data["dxcallsign"] == "AA0AA-0" || data["dxcallsign"] == "ZZ9YY-0") {
       return;
     }
 
+
+    // get ptt state as a first test
+    stateStore.ptt_state = data.ptt;
+
+    // catch modem related events
+    if (data["freedata"] == "modem-event") {
+
+        switch (data["event"]) {
+          case "start":
+            displayToast("success", "bi-arrow-left-right", "Modem started", 5000);
+            return;
+
+          case "stop":
+            displayToast("success", "bi-arrow-left-right", "Modem stopped", 5000);
+            return;
+
+          case "restart":
+            displayToast("secondary", "bi-bootstrap-reboot", "Modem restarted", 5000);
+            return;
+
+          case "failed":
+            displayToast("danger", "bi-bootstrap-reboot", "Modem startup failed | bad config?", 5000);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+/*
+
+  var message = "";
+  if (data["freedata"] == "modem-message") {
+
     console.log(data);
 
     switch (data["fec"]) {
@@ -341,4 +367,5 @@ export function eventDispatcher(data) {
       }
     }
   }
+  */
 }
diff --git a/modem/server.py b/modem/server.py
index 76f2b107..e724bd14 100644
--- a/modem/server.py
+++ b/modem/server.py
@@ -70,9 +70,8 @@ def index():
 @app.route('/config', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
 def config():
     if request.method in ['POST']:
-        app.modem_service.put("stop")
         set_config = app.config_manager.write(request.json)
-        app.modem_service.put("start")
+        app.modem_service.put("restart")
         if not set_config:
             response = api_response(None, 'error writing config')
         else:
diff --git a/modem/service_manager.py b/modem/service_manager.py
index 03916611..975ba5ab 100644
--- a/modem/service_manager.py
+++ b/modem/service_manager.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import data_handler
 import modem
 import structlog
 import audio
+import ujson as json
+
 
 class SM:
     def __init__(self, app):
@@ -26,26 +28,54 @@ class SM:
         while True:
             cmd = self.modem_service.get()
             if cmd in ['start'] and not self.modem:
-                audio_test = audio.test_audio_devices(self.config['AUDIO']['input_device'], self.config['AUDIO']['output_device'])
-                print(audio_test)
-                if False not in audio_test and None not in audio_test and not self.states.is_modem_running:
-                    self.log.info("starting modem....")
-                    self.modem = modem.RF(self.config, self.modem_events, self.modem_fft, self.modem_service, self.states)
-                    self.data_handler = data_handler.DATA(self.config, self.modem_events)
-                    self.states.set("is_modem_running", True)
-
-                else:
-                    self.log.warning("starting modem failed", input_test=audio_test[0], output_test=audio_test[1])
-                    self.states.set("is_modem_running", False)
+                self.log.info("------------------ FreeDATA ------------------")
+                self.log.info("------------------  MODEM   ------------------")
+                self.start_modem()
+            elif cmd in ['stop'] and self.modem:
+                self.stop_modem()
+                # we need to wait a bit for avoiding a portaudio crash
+                threading.Event().wait(0.5)
 
+            elif cmd in ['restart']:
+                self.stop_modem()
+                # we need to wait a bit for avoiding a portaudio crash
+                threading.Event().wait(0.5)
+                if self.start_modem():
+                    self.modem_events.put(json.dumps({"freedata": "modem-event", "event": "restart"}))
 
             else:
-                    print("--------------------------------------")
-                    self.log.info("stopping modem....")
-                    del self.modem
-                    del self.data_handler
-                    self.modem = False
-                    self.data_handler = False
-                    self.states.set("is_modem_running", False)
+                self.log.warning("[SVC] modem command processing failed", cmd=cmd, state=self.states.is_modem_running)
 
-            threading.Event().wait(0.5)
+
+    def start_modem(self):
+        audio_test = self.test_audio()
+        if False not in audio_test and None not in audio_test and not self.states.is_modem_running:
+            self.log.info("starting modem....")
+            self.modem = modem.RF(self.config, self.modem_events, self.modem_fft, self.modem_service, self.states)
+            self.data_handler = data_handler.DATA(self.config, self.modem_events)
+            self.states.set("is_modem_running", True)
+            return True
+        elif self.states.is_modem_running:
+            self.log.warning("modem already running")
+            return False
+
+        else:
+            self.log.warning("starting modem failed", input_test=audio_test[0], output_test=audio_test[1])
+            self.states.set("is_modem_running", False)
+            self.modem_events.put(json.dumps({"freedata": "modem-event", "event": "failed"}))
+            return False
+
+    def stop_modem(self):
+        self.log.info("stopping modem....")
+        del self.modem
+        del self.data_handler
+        self.modem = False
+        self.data_handler = False
+        self.states.set("is_modem_running", False)
+
+    def test_audio(self):
+        audio_test = audio.test_audio_devices(self.config['AUDIO']['input_device'],
+                                              self.config['AUDIO']['output_device'])
+        self.log.info("tested audio devices", result=audio_test)
+
+        return audio_test
\ No newline at end of file