diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 446b0f7c42..1db84c307a 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ var fs = require('fs'),
 	semver = require('semver'),
 	winston = require('winston'),
 	path = require('path'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 	pkg = require('./package.json'),
 	utils = require('./public/src/utils.js');
 
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ if(os.platform() === 'linux') {
 	});
 }
 
-if (!cluster.isWorker) {
+if (!process.send) {
 	// If run using `node app`, log GNU copyright info along with server info
 	winston.info('NodeBB v' + pkg.version + ' Copyright (C) 2013-2014 NodeBB Inc.');
 	winston.info('This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.');
@@ -98,6 +97,11 @@ function loadConfig() {
 		views_dir: path.join(__dirname, 'public/templates')
 	});
 
+	if (!nconf.get('isCluster')) {
+		nconf.set('isPrimary', 'true');
+		nconf.set('isCluster', 'false');
+	}
+
 	// Ensure themes_path is a full filepath
 	nconf.set('themes_path', path.resolve(__dirname, nconf.get('themes_path')));
 	nconf.set('core_templates_path', path.join(__dirname, 'src/views'));
@@ -119,13 +123,11 @@ function start() {
 	nconf.set('port', urlObject.port || nconf.get('port') || nconf.get('PORT') || 4567);
 	nconf.set('upload_url', relativePath + '/uploads/');
 
-	if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+	if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 		winston.info('Time: %s', (new Date()).toString());
 		winston.info('Initializing NodeBB v%s', pkg.version);
 		winston.verbose('* using configuration stored in: %s', configFile);
-	}
 
-	if (cluster.isWorker && process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
 		var host = nconf.get(nconf.get('database') + ':host'),
 			storeLocation = host ? 'at ' + host + (host.indexOf('/') === -1 ? ':' + nconf.get(nconf.get('database') + ':port') : '') : '';
 
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ function start() {
 					webserver.init();
 					sockets.init(webserver.server);
 
-					if (cluster.isWorker && process.env.handle_jobs === 'true') {
+					if (nconf.get('isPrimary')) {
 						require('./src/notifications').init();
 						require('./src/user').startJobs();
 					}
@@ -191,13 +193,13 @@ function start() {
 								meta.js.cache = message.cache;
 								meta.js.map = message.map;
 								meta.js.hash = message.hash;
-								winston.verbose('[cluster] Client-side javascript and mapping propagated to worker %s', cluster.worker.id);
+								winston.verbose('[cluster] Client-side javascript and mapping propagated to worker %s', process.pid);
 							break;
 							case 'css-propagate':
 								meta.css.cache = message.cache;
 								meta.css.acpCache = message.acpCache;
 								meta.css.hash = message.hash;
-								winston.verbose('[cluster] Stylesheets propagated to worker %s', cluster.worker.id);
+								winston.verbose('[cluster] Stylesheets propagated to worker %s', process.pid);
 							break;
 						}
 					});
@@ -212,11 +214,7 @@ function start() {
 				} else {
 					winston.warn('Your NodeBB schema is out-of-date. Please run the following command to bring your dataset up to spec:');
 					winston.warn('    ./nodebb upgrade');
-					if (cluster.isWorker) {
-						cluster.worker.kill();
-					} else {
-						process.exit();
-					}
+					process.exit();
 				}
 			});
 		});
diff --git a/loader.js b/loader.js
index 8c8ad20491..a788a0ca26 100644
--- a/loader.js
+++ b/loader.js
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ var	nconf = require('nconf'),
 	fs = require('fs'),
 	url = require('url'),
 	path = require('path'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
+	fork = require('child_process').fork,
+
 	async = require('async'),
 	logrotate = require('logrotate-stream'),
 
@@ -15,9 +16,8 @@ var	nconf = require('nconf'),
 	output = logrotate({ file: __dirname + '/logs/output.log', size: '1m', keep: 3, compress: true }),
 	silent = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'development',
 	numProcs,
-	handles = {},
-	handleIndex = 0,
-	server,
+
+	workers = [],
 
 	Loader = {
 		timesStarted: 0,
@@ -32,11 +32,6 @@ var	nconf = require('nconf'),
 	};
 
 Loader.init = function(callback) {
-	cluster.setupMaster({
-		exec: "app.js",
-		silent: silent
-	});
-	Loader.primaryWorker = 1;
 
 	if (silent) {
 		console.log = function(value) {
@@ -60,84 +55,9 @@ Loader.displayStartupMessages = function(callback) {
 	callback();
 };
 
-Loader.addClusterEvents = function(callback) {
-	cluster.on('fork', function(worker) {
-		worker.on('message', function(message) {
-			if (message && typeof message === 'object' && message.action) {
-				var otherWorkers;
-
-				switch (message.action) {
-					case 'ready':
-						if (Loader.js.cache) {
-							worker.send({
-								action: 'js-propagate',
-								cache: Loader.js.cache,
-								map: Loader.js.map,
-								hash: Loader.js.hash
-							});
-						}
-
-						if (Loader.css.cache) {
-							worker.send({
-								action: 'css-propagate',
-								cache: Loader.css.cache,
-								acpCache: Loader.css.acpCache,
-								hash: Loader.css.hash
-							});
-						}
-					break;
-					case 'restart':
-						console.log('[cluster] Restarting...');
-						Loader.restart(function(err) {
-							console.log('[cluster] Restarting...');
-						});
-					break;
-					case 'reload':
-						console.log('[cluster] Reloading...');
-						Loader.reload();
-					break;
-					case 'js-propagate':
-						Loader.js.cache = message.cache;
-						Loader.js.map = message.map;
-						Loader.js.hash = message.hash;
-
-						Loader.notifyWorkers({
-							action: 'js-propagate',
-							cache: message.cache,
-							map: message.map,
-							hash: message.hash
-						}, worker.id);
-					break;
-					case 'css-propagate':
-						Loader.css.cache = message.cache;
-						Loader.css.acpCache = message.acpCache;
-						Loader.css.hash = message.hash;
-
-						Loader.notifyWorkers({
-							action: 'css-propagate',
-							cache: message.cache,
-							acpCache: message.acpCache,
-							hash: message.hash
-						}, worker.id);
-					break;
-					case 'listening':
-						if (message.primary) {
-							Loader.primaryWorker = parseInt(worker.id, 10);
-						}
-					break;
-					case 'config:update':
-						Loader.notifyWorkers(message);
-					break;
-				}
-			}
-		});
-	});
+Loader.addWorkerEvents = function(worker) {
 
-	cluster.on('listening', function(worker) {
-		console.log('[cluster] Child Process (' + worker.process.pid + ') listening for connections.');
-	});
-
-	cluster.on('exit', function(worker, code, signal) {
+	worker.on('exit', function(code, signal) {
 		if (code !== 0) {
 			if (Loader.timesStarted < numProcs*3) {
 				Loader.timesStarted++;
@@ -153,118 +73,134 @@ Loader.addClusterEvents = function(callback) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		console.log('[cluster] Child Process (' + worker.process.pid + ') has exited (code: ' + code + ', signal: ' + signal +')');
+		console.log('[cluster] Child Process (' + worker.pid + ') has exited (code: ' + code + ', signal: ' + signal +')');
 		if (!worker.suicide) {
-			console.log('[cluster] Spinning up another process...');
+		 	console.log('[cluster] Spinning up another process...');
 
-			var wasPrimary = parseInt(worker.id, 10) === Loader.primaryWorker;
-			forkWorker(wasPrimary);
+		 	forkWorker(worker.index, worker.isPrimary);
 		}
 	});
 
-	cluster.on('disconnect', function(worker) {
-		console.log('[cluster] Child Process (' + worker.process.pid + ') has disconnected');
-	});
+	worker.on('message', function(message) {
+		if (message && typeof message === 'object' && message.action) {
+			var otherWorkers;
 
-	callback();
+			switch (message.action) {
+				case 'ready':
+					if (Loader.js.cache) {
+						worker.send({
+							action: 'js-propagate',
+							cache: Loader.js.cache,
+							map: Loader.js.map,
+							hash: Loader.js.hash
+						});
+					}
+
+					if (Loader.css.cache) {
+						worker.send({
+							action: 'css-propagate',
+							cache: Loader.css.cache,
+							acpCache: Loader.css.acpCache,
+							hash: Loader.css.hash
+						});
+					}
+				break;
+				case 'restart':
+					console.log('[cluster] Restarting...');
+					Loader.restart(function(err) {
+						console.log('[cluster] Restarting...');
+					});
+				break;
+				case 'reload':
+					console.log('[cluster] Reloading...');
+					Loader.reload();
+				break;
+				case 'js-propagate':
+					Loader.js.cache = message.cache;
+					Loader.js.map = message.map;
+					Loader.js.hash = message.hash;
+
+					Loader.notifyWorkers({
+						action: 'js-propagate',
+						cache: message.cache,
+						map: message.map,
+						hash: message.hash
+					}, worker.pid);
+				break;
+				case 'css-propagate':
+					Loader.css.cache = message.cache;
+					Loader.css.acpCache = message.acpCache;
+					Loader.css.hash = message.hash;
+
+					Loader.notifyWorkers({
+						action: 'css-propagate',
+						cache: message.cache,
+						acpCache: message.acpCache,
+						hash: message.hash
+					}, worker.pid);
+				break;
+				case 'listening':
+					if (message.primary) {
+						Loader.primaryWorker = parseInt(worker.pid, 10);
+					}
+				break;
+				case 'config:update':
+					Loader.notifyWorkers(message);
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	});
 };
 
 Loader.start = function(callback) {
 	console.log('Clustering enabled: Spinning up ' + numProcs + ' process(es).\n');
 
-	for(var x=0; x<numProcs; ++x) {
-		forkWorker(x === 0);
+	for (var x=0; x<numProcs; ++x) {
+		forkWorker(x, x === 0);
 	}
 
-	var urlObject = url.parse(nconf.get('url'));
-	var port = urlObject.port || nconf.get('port') || nconf.get('PORT') || 4567;
- 	nconf.set('port', port);
-
-	server = net.createServer(function(connection) {
-		// remove this once node 0.12.x ships, see https://github.com/elad/node-cluster-socket.io/issues/4
-		connection._handle.readStop();
-
-		var workers = clusterWorkers();
-		var worker = workers[workerIndex(connection.remoteAddress, numProcs)];
-
-		if (worker) {
-			handles[handleIndex] = connection._handle;
-
-			worker.send({action: 'sticky-session:connection', handleIndex: handleIndex}, connection);
-			handleIndex ++;
-		} else {
-			console.log('Cant find worker! Worker count : ' + workers.length);
-		}
-
-	}).listen(port);
-
 	if (callback) {
 		callback();
 	}
 };
 
-function forkWorker(isPrimary) {
-	var worker = cluster.fork({
-			cluster_setup: isPrimary,
-			handle_jobs: isPrimary
-		}),
-		output = logrotate({ file: __dirname + '/logs/output.log', size: '1m', keep: 3, compress: true });
-
-	if (silent) {
-		worker.process.stdout.pipe(output);
-		worker.process.stderr.pipe(output);
-	}
+function forkWorker(index, isPrimary) {
+	var urlObject = url.parse(nconf.get('url'));
+	var port = urlObject.port || nconf.get('port') || nconf.get('PORT') || 4567;
 
-	worker.on('message', function(message) {
-		if (!message || message.action !== 'sticky-session:accept') {
-			return;
+	var worker = fork('app.js', [], {
+		silent: silent,
+		env: {
+			isPrimary: isPrimary,
+			isCluster: true,
+			port: parseInt(port, 10) + index
 		}
-		var _handle = handles[message.handleIndex];
+	});
 
-		if (_handle) {
-			_handle.close();
+	worker.index = index;
+	worker.isPrimary = isPrimary;
 
-			delete handles[message.handleIndex];
-		}
-	});
-}
+	workers[index] = worker;
 
-function workerIndex(ip, numProcs) {
-	var s = '';
-	for (var i = 0, _len = ip.length; i < _len; i++) {
-		if (parseInt(ip[i], 10)) {
-			s += ip[i];
-		}
-	}
-	return Number(s) % numProcs || 0;
-}
+	Loader.addWorkerEvents(worker);
 
-function clusterWorkers() {
-	var workers = [];
+	var output = logrotate({ file: __dirname + '/logs/output.log', size: '1m', keep: 3, compress: true });
 
-	for(var i in cluster.workers) {
-		workers.push(cluster.workers[i]);
+	if (silent) {
+		worker.stdout.pipe(output);
+		worker.stderr.pipe(output);
 	}
-
-	return workers;
 }
 
 Loader.restart = function(callback) {
-	console.log('[cluster] closing server');
-
 	killWorkers();
 
-	closeHandles();
-
-	server.close(function() {
-		console.log('[cluster] server closed');
-		Loader.start();
-	});
+	Loader.start();
 };
 
 Loader.reload = function() {
-	Object.keys(cluster.workers).forEach(function(worker_id) {
-		cluster.workers[worker_id].send({
+	workers.forEach(function(worker) {
+		worker.send({
 			action: 'reload'
 		});
 	});
@@ -275,31 +211,20 @@ Loader.stop = function() {
 
 	// Clean up the pidfile
 	fs.unlinkSync(__dirname + '/pidfile');
-
-	server.close();
 };
 
 function killWorkers() {
-	Object.keys(cluster.workers).forEach(function(id) {
-		cluster.workers[id].kill();
+	workers.forEach(function(worker) {
+		worker.suicide = true;
+		worker.kill();
 	});
 }
 
-function closeHandles() {
-	for(var h in handles) {
-		var handle = handles[h];
-		if (handle) {
-			handle.close();
-			delete handles[h];
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-Loader.notifyWorkers = function (msg, worker_id) {
-	worker_id = parseInt(worker_id, 10);
-	Object.keys(cluster.workers).forEach(function(id) {
-		if (parseInt(id, 10) !== worker_id) {
-			cluster.workers[id].send(msg);
+Loader.notifyWorkers = function (msg, worker_pid) {
+	worker_pid = parseInt(worker_pid, 10);
+	workers.forEach(function(worker) {
+		if (parseInt(worker.pid, 10) !== worker_pid) {
+			worker.send(msg);
 		}
 	});
 };
@@ -330,7 +255,6 @@ if (nconf.get('daemon') !== false) {
 async.series([
 	Loader.init,
 	Loader.displayStartupMessages,
-	Loader.addClusterEvents,
 	Loader.start
 ], function(err) {
 	if (err) {
diff --git a/src/meta/css.js b/src/meta/css.js
index 3ec2a9e586..5021e9b302 100644
--- a/src/meta/css.js
+++ b/src/meta/css.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ var winston = require('winston'),
 	less = require('less'),
 	crypto = require('crypto'),
 	async = require('async'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 
 	plugins = require('../plugins'),
 	emitter = require('../emitter'),
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 	Meta.css.defaultBranding = {};
 
 	Meta.css.minify = function(callback) {
-		if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+		if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 			winston.verbose('[meta/css] Minifying LESS/CSS');
 			db.getObjectFields('config', ['theme:type', 'theme:id'], function(err, themeData) {
 				var themeId = (themeData['theme:id'] || 'nodebb-theme-vanilla'),
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 					}
 				], function(err, minified) {
 					// Propagate to other workers
-					if (cluster.isWorker) {
+					if (process.send) {
 						process.send({
 							action: 'css-propagate',
 							cache: minified[0],
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 				});
 			});
 		} else {
-			winston.verbose('[meta/css] Cluster worker ' + cluster.worker.id + ' skipping LESS/CSS compilation');
+			winston.verbose('[meta/css] Cluster worker ' + process.pid + ' skipping LESS/CSS compilation');
 			if (typeof callback === 'function') {
 				callback();
 			}
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 			acpCachePath = path.join(__dirname, '../../public/admin.css');
 		fs.exists(cachePath, function(exists) {
 			if (exists) {
-				if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+				if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 					winston.verbose('[meta/css] (Experimental) Reading stylesheets from file');
 					async.map([cachePath, acpCachePath], fs.readFile, function(err, files) {
 						Meta.css.cache = files[0];
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 		});
 	};
 
-	function minify(source, paths, destination, callback) {	
+	function minify(source, paths, destination, callback) {
 		less.render(source, {
 			paths: paths,
 			compress: true
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 			}
 
 			// Save the compiled CSS in public/ so things like nginx can serve it
-			if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+			if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 				Meta.css.commitToFile(destination);
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/meta/js.js b/src/meta/js.js
index 6f5f3f1bce..c653a15de9 100644
--- a/src/meta/js.js
+++ b/src/meta/js.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ var winston = require('winston'),
 	_ = require('underscore'),
 	os = require('os'),
 	nconf = require('nconf'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 	fs = require('fs'),
 
 	plugins = require('../plugins'),
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 	};
 
 	Meta.js.minify = function(minify, callback) {
-		if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+		if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 			var minifier = Meta.js.minifierProc = fork('minifier.js'),
 				onComplete = function(err) {
 					if (err) {
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 					winston.verbose('[meta/js] Minification complete');
 					minifier.kill();
 
-					if (cluster.isWorker) {
+					if (process.send) {
 						process.send({
 							action: 'js-propagate',
 							cache: Meta.js.cache,
@@ -214,7 +213,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 			mapPath = path.join(__dirname, '../../public/nodebb.min.js.map');
 		fs.exists(scriptPath, function(exists) {
 			if (exists) {
-				if (!cluster.isWorker || process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+				if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 					winston.verbose('[meta/js] (Experimental) Reading client-side scripts from file');
 					async.map([scriptPath, mapPath], fs.readFile, function(err, files) {
 						Meta.js.cache = files[0];
diff --git a/src/meta/sounds.js b/src/meta/sounds.js
index 90a78dfe1d..65843b1beb 100644
--- a/src/meta/sounds.js
+++ b/src/meta/sounds.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ var path = require('path'),
 	rimraf = require('rimraf'),
 	mkdirp = require('mkdirp'),
 	async = require('async'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 
 	plugins = require('../plugins'),
 	db = require('../database');
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ module.exports = function(Meta) {
 	Meta.sounds = {};
 
 	Meta.sounds.init = function(callback) {
-		if (cluster.isWorker && process.env.cluster_setup === 'true') {
+		if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true') {
 			var	soundsPath = path.join(__dirname, '../../public/sounds');
 
 			plugins.fireHook('filter:sounds.get', [], function(err, filePaths) {
diff --git a/src/meta/templates.js b/src/meta/templates.js
index 859a68627d..faf2208b46 100644
--- a/src/meta/templates.js
+++ b/src/meta/templates.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ var mkdirp = require('mkdirp'),
 	path = require('path'),
 	fs = require('fs'),
 	nconf = require('nconf'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 
 	emitter = require('../emitter'),
 	plugins = require('../plugins'),
@@ -16,7 +15,7 @@ var mkdirp = require('mkdirp'),
 	Templates = {};
 
 Templates.compile = function(callback) {
-	if (cluster.isWorker && process.env.cluster_setup !== 'true') {
+	if (nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'false') {
 		emitter.emit('templates:compiled');
 		if (callback) {
 			callback();
@@ -31,8 +30,8 @@ Templates.compile = function(callback) {
 		themeConfig = require(nconf.get('theme_config'));
 
 	if (themeConfig.baseTheme) {
-		var pathToBaseTheme = path.join(nconf.get('themes_path'), themeConfig.baseTheme),
-			baseTemplatesPath = require(path.join(pathToBaseTheme, 'theme.json')).templates;
+		var pathToBaseTheme = path.join(nconf.get('themes_path'), themeConfig.baseTheme);
+		baseTemplatesPath = require(path.join(pathToBaseTheme, 'theme.json')).templates;
 
 		if (!baseTemplatesPath){
 			baseTemplatesPath = path.join(pathToBaseTheme, 'templates');
diff --git a/src/socket.io/admin.js b/src/socket.io/admin.js
index de824c3457..54e220920e 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/admin.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/admin.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 var	async = require('async'),
 	winston = require('winston'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 	fs = require('fs'),
 	path = require('path'),
 
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ SocketAdmin.before = function(socket, method, next) {
 
 SocketAdmin.reload = function(socket, data, callback) {
 	events.logWithUser(socket.uid, ' is reloading NodeBB');
-	if (cluster.isWorker) {
+	if (process.send) {
 		process.send({
 			action: 'reload'
 		});
diff --git a/src/webserver.js b/src/webserver.js
index 6d29ce2c4b..26e0ca7d9f 100644
--- a/src/webserver.js
+++ b/src/webserver.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ var path = require('path'),
 	server,
 	winston = require('winston'),
 	async = require('async'),
-	cluster = require('cluster'),
 
 	emailer = require('./emailer'),
 	meta = require('./meta'),
@@ -82,11 +81,7 @@ if(nconf.get('ssl')) {
 		console.log(err.stack);
 		if (err.code === 'EADDRINUSE') {
 			winston.error('NodeBB address in use, exiting...');
-			if (cluster.isWorker) {
-				cluster.worker.kill();
-			} else {
-				process.exit(0);
-			}
+			process.exit(0);
 		} else {
 			throw err;
 		}
@@ -103,9 +98,7 @@ if(nconf.get('ssl')) {
 		logger.init(app);
 
 		var	bind_address = ((nconf.get('bind_address') === "0.0.0.0" || !nconf.get('bind_address')) ? '0.0.0.0' : nconf.get('bind_address')) + ':' + port;
-		if (cluster.isWorker) {
-			port = 0;
-		}
+
 		server.listen(port, nconf.get('bind_address'), function(err) {
 			if (err) {
 				winston.info('NodeBB was unable to listen on: ' + bind_address);
@@ -117,7 +110,7 @@ if(nconf.get('ssl')) {
 				process.send({
 					action: 'listening',
 					bind_address: bind_address,
-					primary: process.env.handle_jobs === 'true'
+					primary: nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true'
 				});
 			}
 
@@ -125,13 +118,4 @@ if(nconf.get('ssl')) {
 		});
 	};
 
-	process.on('message', function(message, connection) {
-		if (!message || message.action !== 'sticky-session:connection') {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		process.send({action: 'sticky-session:accept', handleIndex: message.handleIndex});
-		server.emit('connection', connection);
-	});
-
 }(WebServer));