diff --git a/bin/pump b/bin/pump
index c141ff026..7e96190f4 100755
--- a/bin/pump
+++ b/bin/pump
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ var launchApps = function(config) {
     }
 
     // Useful for some processes in each worker
-    config.workers = cnt;
+    config.workers = cnt > 0 ? 1 : cnt;
 
-    if (cluster.isMaster) {
+    if (cluster.isMaster && config.children !== 0) {
 
         Dispatch.start(log);
 
diff --git a/lib/pumpsocket.js b/lib/pumpsocket.js
index 4dce1c072..8cc19bce0 100644
--- a/lib/pumpsocket.js
+++ b/lib/pumpsocket.js
@@ -52,7 +52,12 @@ var connect = function(app, log) {
         id2conn = {},
         follow = function(url, id) {
             if (!_.has(url2id, url)) {
-                cluster.worker.send({cmd: "follow", url: url});
+                var msg = {cmd: "follow", url: url};
+                if (app.config.children !== 0) {
+                    cluster.worker.send(msg);
+                } else {
+                    handleWorkerMessage(msg);
+                }
                 url2id[url] = [id];
             }
             if (!_.contains(url2id[url], id)) {
@@ -66,7 +71,12 @@ var connect = function(app, log) {
             if (_.has(url2id, url) && _.contains(url2id[url], id)) {
                 url2id[url].splice(url2id[url].indexOf(id), 1);
                 if (url2id[url].length === 0) {
-                    cluster.worker.send({cmd: "unfollow", url: url});
+                    var msg = {cmd: "unfollow", url: url};
+                    if (app.config.children !== 0) {
+                        cluster.worker.send(msg);
+                    } else {
+                        handleWorkerMessage(msg);
+                    }
                     delete url2id[url];
                 }
             }
@@ -254,56 +264,57 @@ var connect = function(app, log) {
                     }
                 }
             );
-        };
-
-    cluster.worker.on("message", function(msg) {
-        var ids;
-        if (msg.cmd == "update") {
-            ids = url2id[msg.url];
-            slog.info({activity: msg.activity.id, connections: (ids) ? ids.length : 0}, "Delivering activity to connections");
-            if (ids && ids.length) {
-                _.each(ids, function(id) {
-                    var act, profile, conn = id2conn[id];
-                    if (!conn) {
-                        return;
-                    }
-                    act = new Activity(msg.activity);
-                    Step(
-                        function() {
-                            var profile = (conn.user) ? conn.user.profile : null;
-                            act.checkRecipient(profile, this);
-                        },
-                        function(err, ok) {
-                            if (err) throw err;
-                            if (!ok) {
-                                conn.log.info({activity: msg.activity.id}, "No access; not delivering activity");
-                                return;
-                            }
-                            addLiked(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            addLikers(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            addShared(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            firstFewReplies(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            firstFewShares(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            if (act.object.isFollowable()) {
-                                addFollowed(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
-                            }
-                        },
-                        function(err) {
-                            var tosend;
-                            if (err) {
-                                conn.log.error({err: err}, "Error finishing object");
-                            } else {
-                                tosend = _.pick(msg, "cmd", "url");
-                                tosend.activity = act;
-                                conn.log.info({activity: msg.activity.id}, "Delivering activity");
-                                conn.write(JSON.stringify(tosend));
-                            }
+        },
+        handleWorkerMessage = function(msg) {
+            var ids;
+            if (msg.cmd == "update") {
+                ids = url2id[msg.url];
+                slog.info({activity: msg.activity.id, connections: (ids) ? ids.length : 0}, "Delivering activity to connections");
+                if (ids && ids.length) {
+                    _.each(ids, function(id) {
+                        var act, profile, conn = id2conn[id];
+                        if (!conn) {
+                            return;
                         }
-                    );
-                });
+                        act = new Activity(msg.activity);
+                        Step(
+                            function() {
+                                var profile = (conn.user) ? conn.user.profile : null;
+                                act.checkRecipient(profile, this);
+                            },
+                            function(err, ok) {
+                                if (err) throw err;
+                                if (!ok) {
+                                    conn.log.info({activity: msg.activity.id}, "No access; not delivering activity");
+                                    return;
+                                }
+                                addLiked(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                addLikers(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                addShared(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                firstFewReplies(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                firstFewShares(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                if (act.object.isFollowable()) {
+                                    addFollowed(profile, [act.object], this.parallel());
+                                }
+                            },
+                            function(err) {
+                                var tosend;
+                                if (err) {
+                                    conn.log.error({err: err}, "Error finishing object");
+                                } else {
+                                    tosend = _.pick(msg, "cmd", "url");
+                                    tosend.activity = act;
+                                    conn.log.info({activity: msg.activity.id}, "Delivering activity");
+                                    conn.write(JSON.stringify(tosend));
+                                }
+                            }
+                        );
+                    });
+                }
             }
-        }
-    });
+        };
+
+    cluster.worker.on("message", handleWorkerMessage);
 
     server = sockjs.createServer(options);