diff --git a/config.toml.example b/config.toml.example
index 735c18e7f8d0d097475a016dc2a6ce7fceec36c9..7d9e794d6e9de50701bd9922bfcc5ce0e8c98b89 100644
--- a/config.toml.example
+++ b/config.toml.example
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ paths = [
 # must be 6 characters or less
 callsign = "NOCALL"
 
+# Comment this section out if you're not using
+# APRS for control
+[control]
+kiss = "localhost:8001"
+
 # used for authenticating incoming
 # APRS packets. Note that this is a
 # signature, *not* encryption
@@ -20,7 +25,7 @@ callsign = "NOCALL"
 secret = "changeme"
 
 # command to burst the balloon
-burst_command = "echo 'boom!'"
+burst_command = ">&2 echo 'boom!'"
 
 # command to cut down the payload
-cutdown_command = "echo 'snip'"
+cutdown_command = ">&2 echo 'snip'"
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index ff3aba2fb844d8db5d395930813d843b9e7d654e..97de0df44d0b728e3c0bc33d190d3d35d2fb1d46 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -4,14 +4,20 @@ use anyhow::{bail, Context};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Clone)]
-pub struct Config {
-    pub paths: Vec<PathBuf>,
-    pub callsign: String,
+pub struct ControlConfig {
     pub secret: String,
     pub burst_command: String,
     pub cutdown_command: String,
 }
 
+#[derive(Deserialize, Clone)]
+pub struct Config {
+    pub paths: Vec<PathBuf>,
+    pub callsign: String,
+
+    pub control: Option<ControlConfig>,
+}
+
 impl Config {
     pub fn load() -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
         let file_contents = read_conf_file()?;
diff --git a/src/control.rs b/src/control.rs
index 5cff55f76e5c90c97259df78f6be34e8a5b79d9e..99bf5166f559f5a50f51a973c4c2a48e33580c08 100644
--- a/src/control.rs
+++ b/src/control.rs
@@ -60,15 +60,17 @@ impl Controller {
     // used to request HD images, as well as
     // to initiate burst/cutdown
     fn aprs_thread(config: Config, tx: Sender<u8>) {
-        let mut handler = CommandHandler::new(
-            config.callsign,
-            config.secret,
-            config.burst_command,
-            config.cutdown_command,
-            tx,
-        );
-
-        handler.process_forever();
+        if let Some(ctrl) = config.control {
+            let mut handler = CommandHandler::new(
+                config.callsign,
+                ctrl.secret,
+                ctrl.burst_command,
+                ctrl.cutdown_command,
+                tx,
+            );
+
+            handler.process_forever();
+        }
     }
 
     // manages our transceiver