diff --git a/src/ampswitch.cpp b/src/ampswitch.cpp
index f01b899..be48efa 100644
--- a/src/ampswitch.cpp
+++ b/src/ampswitch.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ CAmpSwitch::CAmpSwitch(int argc, char *argv[])
   m_jackshutdown  = false;
   m_switchedon    = false;
   m_samplecounter = 0;
+  m_usekodi       = false;
 
   struct option longoptions[] =
   {
@@ -58,11 +59,12 @@ CAmpSwitch::CAmpSwitch(int argc, char *argv[])
    {"off-command",   required_argument, NULL, 'f'},
    {"switch-time",   required_argument, NULL, 's'},
    {"trigger-level", required_argument, NULL, 't'},
+   {"kodi",          no_argument,       NULL, 'k'},
    {"help",          no_argument,       NULL, 'h'},
    {0, 0, 0, 0}
   };
 
-  const char* shortoptions = "n:f:s:t:h";
+  const char* shortoptions = "n:f:s:t:kh";
   int c;
   int optionindex = 0;
   while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, shortoptions, longoptions, &optionindex)) != -1)
@@ -102,6 +104,10 @@ CAmpSwitch::CAmpSwitch(int argc, char *argv[])
 
       m_triggerlevel = triggerlevel;
     }
+    else if (c == 'k')
+    {
+      m_usekodi = true;
+    }
     else if (c == '?')
     {
       exit(1);
@@ -131,6 +137,9 @@ bool CAmpSwitch::Setup()
   if (m_offcommand)
     printf("off command: \"%s\"\n", m_offcommand);
 
+  if (m_usekodi)
+    m_kodiclient.Start(); //start a thread that connects to Kodi's JSONRPC
+
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -212,6 +221,7 @@ void CAmpSwitch::PrintHelpMessage()
          "    -f, --off-command   command to execute when switching off\n"
          "    -s, --switch-time   minimum number of seconds between switches\n"
          "    -t, --trigger-level absolute value of trigger level\n"
+         "    -k, --kodi          use Kodi's JSONRPC to switch on when playback starts\n"
          "    -h, --help          print this message\n"
          "\n"
          );
diff --git a/src/ampswitch.h b/src/ampswitch.h
index fae25ea..60df974 100644
--- a/src/ampswitch.h
+++ b/src/ampswitch.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #define AMPSWITCH_H
 
 #include <jack/jack.h>
+#include "kodiclient.h"
 
 class CAmpSwitch
 {
@@ -64,6 +65,9 @@ class CAmpSwitch
 
     bool           m_switchedon;
     int            m_samplecounter;
+
+    bool           m_usekodi;
+    CKodiClient    m_kodiclient;
 };
 
 #endif //AMPSWITCH_H
diff --git a/src/kodiclient.cpp b/src/kodiclient.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24b8cdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kodiclient.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * ampswitch
+ * Copyright (C) Bob 2021
+ * 
+ * ampswitch is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ * Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ * 
+ * ampswitch is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ * 
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "kodiclient.h"
+#include <cstdio>
+
+void CKodiClient::Start()
+{
+  m_thread = std::thread(SProcess, this);
+}
+
+void CKodiClient::SProcess(CKodiClient* kodiclient)
+{
+  kodiclient->Process();
+}
+
+void CKodiClient::Process()
+{
+  printf("Kodi client started\n");
+}
diff --git a/src/kodiclient.h b/src/kodiclient.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d0d993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kodiclient.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * ampswitch
+ * Copyright (C) Bob 2021
+ * 
+ * ampswitch is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ * Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ * 
+ * ampswitch is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ * 
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <thread>
+
+class CKodiClient
+{
+  public:
+    void        Start();
+
+  private:
+    static void SProcess(CKodiClient* kodiclient);
+    void        Process();
+
+    std::thread m_thread;
+};
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 1cf13f8..f7a6eae 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -16,15 +16,18 @@ def configure(conf):
   conf.load('compiler_cxx')
 
   conf.check(header_name='jack/jack.h')
+  conf.check(header_name='boost/asio.hpp')
 
-  conf.check(lib='jack', uselib_store='jack', mandatory=False)
+  conf.check(lib='jack', uselib_store='jack', mandatory=True)
+  conf.check(lib='pthread', uselib_store='pthread', mandatory=False)
 
   conf.write_config_header('config.h')
 
 def build(bld):
   bld.program(source='src/main.cpp\
-                      src/ampswitch.cpp',
-              use=['jack'],
+                      src/ampswitch.cpp\
+                      src/kodiclient.cpp',
+              use=['jack', 'pthread'],
               includes='./src',
               cxxflags='-Wall -g',
               target='ampswitch')