diff --git a/src/freedombone-client b/src/freedombone-client
index 08cbe4e7..98fa4b08 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-client
+++ b/src/freedombone-client
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ function mesh_babel {
   echo 'fi' >> $babel_script
   echo '' >> $babel_script
   echo 'if [[ $1 == "start" ]]; then' >> $babel_script
+  echo '    if [ -f /tmp/meshtype ] ; then' >> $babel_script
+  echo '        echo "Mesh already running"' >> $babel_script
+  echo '        return' >> $babel_script
+  echo '    fi' >> $batman_script
   echo '    # install avahi' >> $babel_script
   echo '    apt-get -y install avahi-utils avahi-autoipd avahi-daemon avahi-dnsconfd' >> $babel_script
   echo '    sed -i "s|#host-name=.*|host-name=$(hostname)|g" /etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf' >> $babel_script
@@ -129,6 +133,7 @@ function mesh_babel {
   echo '        systemctl restart avahi-daemon' >> $babel_script
   echo '    else' >> $babel_script
   echo '        service avahi-daemon restart' >> $babel_script
+  echo '    echo "babel" > /tmp/meshtype' >> $babel_script
   echo '    fi' >> $babel_script
   echo 'fi' >> $babel_script
   echo '' >> $babel_script
@@ -242,6 +247,10 @@ function mesh_batman {
   echo 'fi' >> $batman_script
   echo '' >> $batman_script
   echo 'start() {' >> $batman_script
+  echo '    if [ -f /tmp/meshtype ] ; then' >> $batman_script
+  echo '        echo "Mesh already running"' >> $batman_script
+  echo '        return' >> $batman_script
+  echo '    fi' >> $batman_script
   echo '    if [ -z "$IFACE" ] ; then' >> $batman_script
   echo '        echo "error: unable to find wifi interface, not enabling batman-adv mesh"' >> $batman_script
   echo '        return' >> $batman_script
@@ -309,6 +318,7 @@ function mesh_batman {
   echo '    else' >> $batman_script
   echo '        service avahi-daemon restart' >> $batman_script
   echo '    fi' >> $batman_script
+  echo '    echo "batman" > /tmp/meshtype' >> $batman_script
   echo '}' >> $batman_script
   echo '' >> $batman_script
   echo 'stop() {' >> $batman_script
@@ -346,6 +356,7 @@ function mesh_batman {
   echo '    else' >> $batman_script
   echo '        service network-manager restart' >> $batman_script
   echo '    fi' >> $batman_script
+  echo '    rm -f /tmp/meshtype' >> $batman_script
   echo '}' >> $batman_script
   echo '' >> $batman_script
   echo 'if ! grep -q "$IFACE" /proc/net/dev; then' >> $batman_script
diff --git a/src/freedombone-mesh b/src/freedombone-mesh
index 488db801..ed6000bc 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-mesh
+++ b/src/freedombone-mesh
@@ -30,6 +30,18 @@
 
 IRC_PORT=6697
 PEERS_FILE=/tmp/meshpeers.txt
+
+if [ ! -f /usr/bin/batman ]; then
+    echo 'Mesh networking is not configured on your system'
+    echo 'Run freedombone-client to install the necessary packages'
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ ! -f /tmp/meshtype ]; then
+    sudo batman start
+    clear
+fi
+
 avahi-browse -at | awk -F ' ' '{print $4}' > $PEERS_FILE
 
 if [ ! -f $PEERS_FILE ]; then
@@ -76,9 +88,13 @@ fi
 if [ ! -f /usr/bin/irssi ]; then
     if [ ! -f /usr/local/bin/irssi ]; then
         echo 'You need irssi installed on your system'
+        sudo batman stop
         exit 3
     fi
 fi
+
+MESH_RUNNING=$(pgrep ngircd > /dev/null && echo Running)' >> /usr/bin/$WATCHDOG_SCRIPT_NAME
+
 irssi -c $AVAHI_DOMAIN -p $IRC_PORT -n $USER
 
 exit 0