diff --git a/podder/handlers.py b/podder/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b261a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/podder/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2016 the original author or authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+from common.utils.dockerhelpers import create_host_config, create_container, start_container, create_networking_config, \
+    get_all_running_containers, inspect_container, remove_container
+
+from structlog import get_logger
+
+log = get_logger()
+
+INSTANCE_ID_KEY = 'com.docker.compose.container-number'
+INSTANCE_NAME_KEY = 'name'
+
+
+def check(event):
+    return ('from' in event) and\
+           ('Actor' in event and 'Attributes' in event['Actor'] and\
+                        INSTANCE_ID_KEY in event['Actor']['Attributes']) and\
+           ('Actor' in event and 'Attributes' in event['Actor'] and\
+                        INSTANCE_NAME_KEY in event['Actor']['Attributes'])
+
+def get_entry(key, dico, mandatory = False, noneval=None):
+    if key in dico:
+        return dico[key]
+    if mandatory:
+        raise Exception('Key {} must be in container config'.format(key))
+    return noneval
+
+def obtain_network_name(data):
+    return data['NetworkSettings']['Networks'].keys()
+
+
+def create_network_config(network, links):
+    if links is None:
+        return None
+    # Assuming only one network exists....
+    return create_networking_config(network[0], { l : l for l in links})
+
+
+def process_value(value):
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    if isinstance(value, dict):
+        return value
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        retval = {}
+        for item in value:
+            if not isinstance(item, int) and ':' in item:
+                item_split = item.split(':')
+                retval[item_split[0]] = item_split[1]
+            else:
+                retval[item] = None
+        return retval
+    raise Exception('Cannot handle {}'.format(value))
+
+def construct_container_spec(config):
+    container_spec = {}
+    container_spec['image'] = get_entry('image', config, mandatory=True)
+    #TODO need to rewrite command to connect to right service instance
+    container_spec['command'] = get_entry('command', config, mandatory=True)
+    container_spec['environment'] = get_entry('environment', config, noneval={})
+    container_spec['ports'] = get_entry('ports', config)
+    container_spec['volumes'] = get_entry('volumes', config)
+    return container_spec
+
+def service_shutdown(service, instance_name, config):
+    containers = get_all_running_containers()
+    for container in containers:
+        info = inspect_container(container['Id'])
+        envs = info['Config']['Env']
+        for env in envs:
+            for name in env.split('='):
+                if name == instance_name:
+                    log.info('Removing container {}'.format(container['Names']))
+                    remove_container(container['Id'])
+
+def start_slaves(service, instance_name, instance_id, data, config):
+    if service not in config['services']:
+        log.debug('Unknown service {}'.format(service))
+        return
+    for slave in config['services'][service]['slaves']:
+        if slave not in config['slaves']:
+            log.debug('Unknown slave service {}'.format(slave))
+            continue
+        network = obtain_network_name(data)
+        netcfg = create_network_config(network, get_entry('links', config['slaves'][slave]))
+        container_spec = construct_container_spec(config['slaves'][slave])
+        container_spec['networking_config'] = netcfg
+        if 'volumes' in container_spec:
+            container_spec['host_config'] = create_host_config(
+                process_value(container_spec['volumes']),
+                process_value(container_spec['ports']))
+        container_spec['name'] = 'podder_%s_%s' % (slave, instance_id)
+
+        container_spec['environment']['PODDER_MASTER'] = instance_name
+
+        container = create_container(container_spec)
+        start_container(container)
+
+
+def stop_slaves(service, instance_name, instance_id, data, config):
+    log.info('Stopping slaves for {}'.format(instance_name))
+    if service in config['services']:
+        service_shutdown(service, instance_name, config)
+    else:
+        # handle slave shutdown; restart him
+        pass
+
+
+def handler_start(event, data, config):
+    if not check(event):
+        log.debug('event {} is invalid'.format(event) )
+        return
+    service = event['from']
+    instance_name = event['Actor']['Attributes'][INSTANCE_NAME_KEY]
+    instance_id = event['Actor']['Attributes'][INSTANCE_ID_KEY]
+    start_slaves(service, instance_name, instance_id, data, config)
+
+def handler_stop(event, data, config):
+    if not check(event):
+        log.debug('event {} is invalid'.format(event) )
+        return
+    service = event['from']
+    instance_name = event['Actor']['Attributes'][INSTANCE_NAME_KEY]
+    instance_id = event['Actor']['Attributes'][INSTANCE_ID_KEY]
+    stop_slaves(service, instance_name, instance_id, data, config)
+