diff --git a/cmd/daemon.go b/cmd/daemon.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 1118d88d7..000000000
--- a/cmd/daemon.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"os/exec"
-	"os/signal"
-	"syscall"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/constants"
-)
-
-func daemonCmd() *cobra.Command {
-	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:    "daemon",
-		Run:    runDaemonCmd,
-		Hidden: true,
-	}
-	return cmd
-}
-
-func runDaemonCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	// get the location of the currently running steampipe process
-	executable, err := os.Executable()
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager start() - failed to get steampipe executable path: %s", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	// create command which will run steampipe plugin-manager
-	pluginManagerCmd := exec.Command(executable, "plugin-manager", "--install-dir", viper.GetString(constants.ArgInstallDir))
-	pluginManagerCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	pluginManagerCmd.Start()
-
-	// wait to be killed
-	sigchan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(sigchan,
-		syscall.SIGINT,
-		syscall.SIGKILL,
-		syscall.SIGTERM,
-		syscall.SIGQUIT)
-	<-sigchan
-
-	// kill our child
-	// NOTE we will not do this if kill -9 is run
-	pluginManagerCmd.Process.Kill()
-}
diff --git a/cmd/plugin-manager.go b/cmd/plugin_manager.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/plugin-manager.go
rename to cmd/plugin_manager.go
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 927a14c17..b012e5794 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ func AddCommands() {
 		checkCmd(),
 		serviceCmd(),
 		generateCompletionScriptsCmd(),
-		daemonCmd(),
 		pluginManagerCmd(),
 	)
 }
diff --git a/connection_watcher/connection_watcher.go b/connection_watcher/connection_watcher.go
index 70fa02827..48df5f92d 100644
--- a/connection_watcher/connection_watcher.go
+++ b/connection_watcher/connection_watcher.go
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ package connection_watcher
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify"
 	filehelpers "github.com/turbot/go-kit/files"
+	"github.com/turbot/go-kit/helpers"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/cmdconfig"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/constants"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/db/db_local"
@@ -47,11 +49,23 @@ func NewConnectionWatcher(onConnectionChanged func(configMap map[string]*pb.Conn
 		log.Printf("[WARN] Failed to reload connection config: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 
+	go func() {
+		// start the watcher after a delay (to avoid refereshing connections before/while steampipe is doing it)
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+		watcher.Start()
+	}()
+
 	log.Printf("[INFO] created ConnectionWatcher")
 	return w, nil
 }
 
 func (w *ConnectionWatcher) handleFileWatcherEvent([]fsnotify.Event) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			log.Printf("[WARN] ConnectionWatcher caught a panic: %s", helpers.ToError(r).Error())
+		}
+	}()
+
 	log.Printf("[TRACE] ConnectionWatcher handleFileWatcherEvent")
 	config, err := steampipeconfig.LoadConnectionConfig()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -68,6 +82,7 @@ func (w *ConnectionWatcher) handleFileWatcherEvent([]fsnotify.Event) {
 	steampipeconfig.GlobalConfig = config
 	// update the viper default based on this loaded config
 	cmdconfig.SetViperDefaults(config.ConfigMap())
+
 	refreshResult := client.RefreshConnectionAndSearchPaths()
 	if refreshResult.Error != nil {
 		fmt.Println()
diff --git a/db/db_local/start_database.go b/db/db_local/start_database.go
index d7d667bc8..827d3e505 100644
--- a/db/db_local/start_database.go
+++ b/db/db_local/start_database.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/utils"
 )
 
-// StartResult is a pseudoEnum for outcomes of Start
+// StartResult is a pseudoEnum for outcomes of StartNewInstance
 type StartResult int
 
 // StartListenType is a pseudoEnum of network binding for postgres
@@ -158,7 +158,13 @@ func StartDB(port int, listen StartListenType, invoker constants.Invoker) (start
 	}
 
 	// start the plugin manager
-	if err := plugin_manager.Start(); err != nil {
+	// get the location of the currently running steampipe process
+	executable, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager start() - failed to get steampipe executable path: %s", err)
+		return ServiceFailedToStart, err
+	}
+	if err := plugin_manager.StartNewInstance(executable); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[WARN] StartDB plugin manager failed to start: %s", err)
 		return ServiceFailedToStart, err
 	}
diff --git a/plugin_manager/lifecycle.go b/plugin_manager/lifecycle.go
index d2dc7665a..946833e15 100644
--- a/plugin_manager/lifecycle.go
+++ b/plugin_manager/lifecycle.go
@@ -4,53 +4,45 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
-	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-plugin"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe-plugin-sdk/logging"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/constants"
 	pb "github.com/turbot/steampipe/plugin_manager/grpc/proto"
 	pluginshared "github.com/turbot/steampipe/plugin_manager/grpc/shared"
 )
 
-// Start loads the plugin manager state, stops any previous instance and instantiates a new the plugin manager
-func Start() error {
+// StartNewInstance loads the plugin manager state, stops any previous instance and instantiates a new plugin manager
+func StartNewInstance(steampipeExecutablePath string) error {
 	// try to load the plugin manager state
-	state, err := loadPluginManagerState(true)
+	state, err := loadPluginManagerState()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager Start() - load state failed: %s", err)
+		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager StartNewInstance() - load state failed: %s", err)
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if state != nil {
-		log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager Start() found previous instance of plugin manager still running - stopping it")
+	if state != nil && state.Running {
+		log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager StartNewInstance() found previous instance of plugin manager still running - stopping it")
 		// stop the current instance
 		if err := stop(state); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("[WARN] failed to stop previous instance of plugin manager: %s", err)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	return start()
+	return start(steampipeExecutablePath)
 }
 
 // start plugin manager, without checking it is already running
-func start() error {
-	// create command which will start plugin-manager
-	// we have to spawn a separate process to do this so the plugin process itself is not an orphan
-
-	// get the location of the currently running steampipe process
-	executable, err := os.Executable()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager start() - failed to get steampipe executable path: %s", err)
-		return err
-	}
-	log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager start() - got steampipe exe path: %s", executable)
-
-	pluginManagerCmd := exec.Command(executable, "daemon", "--install-dir", viper.GetString(constants.ArgInstallDir))
+// we need to be provided with the exe path as we have no way of knowing where the steampipe exe it
+// when ther plugin mananager is first started by steampipe, we derive the exe path from the running process and
+// store it in the plugin manager state file - then if the fdw needs to start the plugin manager it knows how to
+func start(steampipeExecutablePath string) error {
+	// note: we assume the install dir has been assigned to constants.SteampipeDir
+	// - this is done both by the FDW and Steampipe
+	pluginManagerCmd := exec.Command(steampipeExecutablePath, "plugin-manager", "--install-dir", constants.SteampipeDir)
 	// set attributes on the command to ensure the process is not shutdown when its parent terminates
 	pluginManagerCmd.SysProcAttr = &syscall.SysProcAttr{
 		Setpgid: true,
@@ -62,12 +54,11 @@ func start() error {
 
 	// launch the plugin manager the plugin process
 	client := plugin.NewClient(&plugin.ClientConfig{
-		HandshakeConfig: pluginshared.Handshake,
-		Plugins:         pluginshared.PluginMap,
-		Cmd:             pluginManagerCmd,
-		AllowedProtocols: []plugin.Protocol{
-			plugin.ProtocolNetRPC, plugin.ProtocolGRPC},
-		Logger: logger,
+		HandshakeConfig:  pluginshared.Handshake,
+		Plugins:          pluginshared.PluginMap,
+		Cmd:              pluginManagerCmd,
+		AllowedProtocols: []plugin.Protocol{plugin.ProtocolGRPC},
+		Logger:           logger,
 	})
 	if _, err := client.Start(); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager start() failed to start GRPC client for plugin manager: %s", err)
@@ -75,10 +66,9 @@ func start() error {
 	}
 
 	// create a plugin manager state.
-	// NOTE: the pid returned by the reattach config is the pid of the daemon process
-	state := NewPluginManagerState(client.ReattachConfig())
+	state := NewPluginManagerState(steampipeExecutablePath, client.ReattachConfig())
 
-	log.Printf("[TRACE] start: started plugin manager, daemon pid %d", state.Pid)
+	log.Printf("[TRACE] start: started plugin manager, pid %d", state.Pid)
 
 	// now save the state
 	return state.Save()
@@ -87,11 +77,11 @@ func start() error {
 // Stop loads the plugin manager state and if a running instance is found, stop it
 func Stop() error {
 	// try to load the plugin manager state
-	state, err := loadPluginManagerState(true)
+	state, err := loadPluginManagerState()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if state == nil {
+	if state == nil || state.Running == false {
 		// nothing to do
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -130,19 +120,25 @@ func GetPluginManager() (pluginshared.PluginManager, error) {
 // it then returns a plugin manager client
 func getPluginManager(startIfNeeded bool) (pluginshared.PluginManager, error) {
 	// try to load the plugin manager state
-	state, err := loadPluginManagerState(true)
+	state, err := loadPluginManagerState()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[WARN] failed to load plugin manager state: %s", err.Error())
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// if we did not load it and there was no error, it means the plugin manager is not running
+	// we cannot start it as we do not know the correct steampipe exe path - which is stored in the state
+	// this is not expected - we would expect the plugin manager to have been started with the datatbase
 	if state == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugin manager is not running and there is no state file")
+	}
+	// if the plugin manager is not running, it must have crashed/terminated
+	if !state.Running {
 		log.Printf("[TRACE] GetPluginManager called but plugin manager not running")
+		// is we are not already recursing, start the plugin manager then recurse back into this function
 		if startIfNeeded {
-
-			log.Printf("[TRACE] calling Start()")
+			log.Printf("[TRACE] calling StartNewInstance()")
 			// start the plugin manager
-			if err := start(); err != nil {
+			if err := start(state.Executable); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			// recurse in, setting startIfNeeded to false to avoid further recursion on failure
diff --git a/plugin_manager/state.go b/plugin_manager/state.go
index 548a03407..5309eb504 100644
--- a/plugin_manager/state.go
+++ b/plugin_manager/state.go
@@ -20,10 +20,15 @@ type pluginManagerState struct {
 	ProtocolVersion int
 	Addr            *pb.SimpleAddr
 	Pid             int
+	// path to the steampipe executable
+	Executable string
+	// is the plugin manager running
+	Running bool
 }
 
-func NewPluginManagerState(reattach *plugin.ReattachConfig) *pluginManagerState {
+func NewPluginManagerState(executable string, reattach *plugin.ReattachConfig) *pluginManagerState {
 	return &pluginManagerState{
+		Executable:      executable,
 		Protocol:        reattach.Protocol,
 		ProtocolVersion: reattach.ProtocolVersion,
 		Addr:            pb.NewSimpleAddr(reattach.Addr),
@@ -48,21 +53,22 @@ func (s *pluginManagerState) Save() error {
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(constants.PluginManagerStateFilePath(), content, 0644)
 }
 
-func (s *pluginManagerState) verifyServiceRunning() (bool, error) {
+// check whether the plugin manager is running
+// it it is NOT, delete the state file
+// if it is, set the 'running property of the statefile to true
+func (s *pluginManagerState) verifyRunning() error {
 	pidExists, err := utils.PidExists(s.Pid)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to verify plugin manager is running: %s", err.Error())
-	}
-	if !pidExists {
+
+	// if we fail to determine if the plugin manager is running, assume it is NOT
+	if err == nil && pidExists {
+		s.Running = true
+	} else if err = s.delete(); err != nil {
 		// file is outdated - delete
-		if err := s.delete(); err != nil {
-			return false, err
-		}
-		// plugin manager is NOT running
-		return false, nil
+		log.Printf("[WARN] plugin manager is not running but failed to delete state file: %s", err.Error())
+		err = fmt.Errorf("plugin manager is not running but failed to delete state file: %s", err.Error())
 	}
-	// plugin manager IS running
-	return true, nil
+	// return error (which may be nil)
+	return err
 }
 
 // kill the plugin manager process and delete the state
@@ -85,7 +91,7 @@ func (s *pluginManagerState) delete() error {
 	return os.Remove(constants.PluginManagerStateFilePath())
 }
 
-func loadPluginManagerState(verify bool) (*pluginManagerState, error) {
+func loadPluginManagerState() (*pluginManagerState, error) {
 	if !helpers.FileExists(constants.PluginManagerStateFilePath()) {
 		log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager state file not found")
 		return nil, nil
@@ -101,15 +107,11 @@ func loadPluginManagerState(verify bool) (*pluginManagerState, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if verify {
-		if running, err := s.verifyServiceRunning(); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager is running, pid %d", s.Pid)
-			return nil, err
-		} else if !running {
-			log.Printf("[TRACE] plugin manager state file exists but pid %d is not running - deleting file", s.Pid)
-			return nil, nil
-		}
-
+	// check is the manager is running - this deletes that state file if it si not running,
+	// and set the 'Running' property on the state if it is
+	if err = s.verifyRunning(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	return s, nil
 }
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/run.sh b/tests/acceptance/run.sh
index 455abec41..fc6f32701 100755
--- a/tests/acceptance/run.sh
+++ b/tests/acceptance/run.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 if [[ ! ${MY_PATH} ]];
 then
   MY_PATH="`dirname \"$0\"`"              # relative
-  MY_PATH="`( cd \"$MY_PATH\" && pwd )`"  # absolutized and normalized  
+  MY_PATH="`( cd \"$MY_PATH\" && pwd )`"  # absolutized and normalized
 fi
 
 if [[ ! ${TIME_TO_QUERY} ]];
diff --git a/utils/file_watcher.go b/utils/file_watcher.go
index 7b76a5209..f8250a54d 100644
--- a/utils/file_watcher.go
+++ b/utils/file_watcher.go
@@ -83,8 +83,6 @@ func NewWatcher(opts *WatcherOptions) (*FileWatcher, error) {
 		watcher.addDirectory(d)
 	}
 
-	// start the watcher
-	watcher.start()
 	return watcher, nil
 }
 
@@ -95,7 +93,7 @@ func (w *FileWatcher) Close() {
 	w.closeChan <- true
 }
 
-func (w *FileWatcher) start() {
+func (w *FileWatcher) Start() {
 	// make an initial call to addWatches to add watches on existing files matching our criteria
 	w.addWatches()
 
diff --git a/workspace/workspace.go b/workspace/workspace.go
index 479204f0b..c0eaabb81 100644
--- a/workspace/workspace.go
+++ b/workspace/workspace.go
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ func (w *Workspace) SetupWatcher(client db_common.Client, errorHandler func(erro
 		return err
 	}
 	w.watcher = watcher
+	// start the watcher
+	watcher.Start()
 
 	// set the file watcher error handler, which will get called when there are parsing errors
 	// after a file watcher event