diff --git a/event_loop.cpp b/event_loop.cpp
index db6d030..cf33097 100644
--- a/event_loop.cpp
+++ b/event_loop.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void event_loop(ImFont* monospace_font, Config& active_config, LogcatThread& log
     }
 
     // log_entries must not be mutated until the show logs button
-    main_window(log_entries_read == log_entries.size(), monospace_font,
+    main_window(log_entries_read == log_entries.size(), monospace_font, logcat_thread,
         logcat_entries, filtered_logcat_entry_offsets,
         active_config, inactive_config,
         &show_settings_window, &show_filters_window, &show_exclusions_window, &show_logs_window, run_event_loop);
diff --git a/logcat_thread.cpp b/logcat_thread.cpp
index 07d033e..0f13f2e 100644
--- a/logcat_thread.cpp
+++ b/logcat_thread.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #include <cstring>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 #include <sys/epoll.h>
 #include <system_error>
 
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ static inline void handle_fd(int fd, char* buf, size_t* used,
 }
 
 
-LogcatThread::LogcatThread() {
+LogcatThread::LogcatThread(const std::string* logcat_command) : _logcat_command(logcat_command) {
     int fds[2];
     struct epoll_event event = {.events = EPOLLIN | EPOLLET};
 
@@ -233,8 +235,141 @@ void LogcatThread::_run_epoll_round() {
     }
 }
 
+void LogcatThread::_try_reap(bool stop_requested) {
+    int wstatus;
+    int res = waitpid(this->_logcat_pid, &wstatus, WNOHANG);
+    if (res == -1) {
+        try {
+            throw_system_error("waitpid()");
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), e.what()};
+            print_log(log_entry);
+            this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+        }
+        return;
+    } else if (res != this->_logcat_pid) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    this->_logcat_pid = -1;
+    this->_logcat_process_kill_attempts = 0;
+    // just in case if the process was terminated mid-write
+    this->_stdout_buf_used = 0;
+    this->_stderr_buf_used = 0;
+    this->logcat_process_running.clear();
+
+    if (WIFEXITED(wstatus)) {
+        if (WEXITSTATUS(wstatus) && !stop_requested) {
+            LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), std::string("Logcat exited with ") + std::to_string(WEXITSTATUS(wstatus))};
+            print_log(log_entry);
+            this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+        }
+    } else if (WIFSIGNALED(wstatus)) {
+        if (!stop_requested) {
+            LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), std::string("Logcat exited with -") + std::to_string(WTERMSIG(wstatus))};
+            print_log(log_entry);
+            this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+        }
+    } else {
+        LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), std::string("Logcat disappeared (wstatus=") + std::to_string(wstatus) + ')'};
+        print_log(log_entry);
+        this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+    }
+}
+
+bool LogcatThread::_handle_stop_request() {
+    if (this->_logcat_pid == -1) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    int signal = this->_logcat_process_kill_attempts++ < 3 ? SIGTERM : SIGKILL;
+    if (!kill(this->_logcat_pid, signal)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    try {
+        throw_system_error("kill()");
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), e.what()};
+        print_log(log_entry);
+        this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool LogcatThread::_handle_start_request() {
+    if (this->_logcat_pid != -1) {
+        this->_handle_stop_request();
+        return false;
+    }
+    auto dup2_or_die = [](int oldfd, int newfd) {
+        if (dup2(oldfd, newfd) == newfd) {
+            return;
+        }
+        try {
+            throw_system_error(std::string("dup2(") + std::to_string(oldfd) + ", " + std::to_string(newfd) + ')');
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            print_log({time(nullptr), e.what()});
+        }
+        exit(1);
+    };
+    auto close_or_warn = [](int fd) {
+        if (!close(fd)) {
+            return;
+        }
+        try {
+            throw_system_error(std::string("close(") + std::to_string(fd) + ')');
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            print_log({time(nullptr), e.what()});
+        }
+    };
+
+    this->_logcat_pid = fork();
+    if (this->_logcat_pid == -1) {
+        try {
+            throw_system_error("fork()");
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), e.what()};
+            print_log(log_entry);
+            this->_put_if_not_stopped(std::move(log_entry));
+        }
+        return true;
+    } else if (this->_logcat_pid == 0) {
+        dup2_or_die(this->_stderr_write_fd, 2);
+        dup2_or_die(this->_stdout_write_fd, 1);
+        close_or_warn(this->_stdout_write_fd);
+        close_or_warn(this->_stderr_write_fd);
+        close_or_warn(this->_stdout_read_fd);
+        close_or_warn(this->_stderr_read_fd);
+        execlp("sh", "sh", "-c", this->_logcat_command->c_str(), nullptr);
+        try {
+            throw_system_error("execlp()");
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            print_log({time(nullptr), e.what()});
+        }
+        exit(1);
+    } else {
+        this->logcat_process_running.test_and_set();
+        return true;
+    }
+}
+
+bool LogcatThread::_run_process_round(LogcatProcessRequest request) {
+    bool task_done;
+    switch (request) {
+        case LogcatProcessRequest::None: task_done = false; break;
+        case LogcatProcessRequest::Start: task_done = this->_handle_start_request(); break;
+        case LogcatProcessRequest::Stop: task_done = this->_handle_stop_request(); break;
+    };
+
+    if (this->_logcat_pid != -1) {
+        this->_try_reap(request == LogcatProcessRequest::Stop);
+    }
+
+    return task_done;
+}
+
 void LogcatThread::_run(std::stop_token stoken) {
-    while (!stoken.stop_requested()) {
+    while (!stoken.stop_requested() || this->_logcat_pid != -1) {
 #ifndef NDEBUG
         if (this->debug_log_request.test()) {
             LogEntry log_entry = {time(nullptr), "A log entry from the logcat thread :D"};
@@ -244,5 +379,11 @@ void LogcatThread::_run(std::stop_token stoken) {
 #endif
 
         this->_run_epoll_round();
+
+        if (stoken.stop_requested() && this->_logcat_pid != -1) {
+            this->_run_process_round(LogcatProcessRequest::Stop);
+        } else if (this->_run_process_round(this->logcat_process_request.load())) {
+            this->logcat_process_request.store(LogcatProcessRequest::None);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/logcat_thread.h b/logcat_thread.h
index 98069a9..4636a32 100644
--- a/logcat_thread.h
+++ b/logcat_thread.h
@@ -8,18 +8,26 @@
 typedef std::variant<LogEntry, LogcatEntry> LogcatThreadItem;
 #define NEWLINE_BUF_SIZE 512 * 1024
 
+enum class LogcatProcessRequest {
+    None,
+    Start,
+    Stop,
+};
+
 class LogcatThread {
 public:
     // https://stackoverflow.com/a/2173764
     LogcatThread(const LogcatThread&) = delete;
     LogcatThread& operator=(const LogcatThread&) = delete;
 
-    LogcatThread();
+    LogcatThread(const std::string* logcat_command);
     ~LogcatThread();
     void request_stop();
     void join();
 
     AtomicRingBuffer<LogcatThreadItem> atomic_ring_buffer;
+    std::atomic<LogcatProcessRequest> logcat_process_request = LogcatProcessRequest::None;
+    std::atomic_flag logcat_process_running;
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
     std::atomic_flag debug_log_request;
@@ -28,18 +36,29 @@ public:
 private:
     void _put_if_not_stopped(LogcatThreadItem item);
     void _handle_line(char* buf, size_t length, bool is_stdout);
-    void _run_epoll_round();
     void _run(std::stop_token stoken);
+    void _run_epoll_round();
+
+    void _try_reap(bool stop_requested);
+    bool _handle_stop_request();
+    bool _handle_start_request();
+    bool _run_process_round(LogcatProcessRequest request);
 
     int _epoll_fd = -1;
     int _stdout_read_fd = -1;
     int _stdout_write_fd = -1;
     int _stderr_read_fd = -1;
     int _stderr_write_fd = -1;
+
     char _stdout_buf[NEWLINE_BUF_SIZE];
     size_t _stdout_buf_used = 0;
     char _stderr_buf[NEWLINE_BUF_SIZE];
     size_t _stderr_buf_used = 0;
+
+    pid_t _logcat_pid = -1;
+    char _logcat_process_kill_attempts = 0;
+    const std::string* _logcat_command;
+
     Buffer _current_buffer = Buffer::Unknown;
     std::stop_source _stop_source;
     std::thread _thread;
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index e96550c..d31b687 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ int main(int, char**) {
     bool run_event_loop = true;
     LogcatThread logcat_thread = [&]() {
         try {
-            return LogcatThread();
+            return LogcatThread(&config.logcat_command);
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
             fprintf(stderr, "Failed to spawn logcat thread: %s\n", e.what());
             exit(1);
diff --git a/misc.cpp b/misc.cpp
index 697fce1..38caae5 100644
--- a/misc.cpp
+++ b/misc.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,21 @@ bool ImGui::RedButton(const char* label) {
     ImGui::PushStyleColor(ImGuiCol_ButtonHovered, (ImVec4)ImColor::HSV(0.0f, 0.7f, 0.7f));
     ImGui::PushStyleColor(ImGuiCol_ButtonActive, (ImVec4)ImColor::HSV(0.0f, 0.8f, 0.8f));
 
-    int res = ImGui::Button(label);
+    bool res = ImGui::Button(label);
 
     ImGui::PopStyleColor(3);
     return res;
 }
+
+bool ImGui::Button(const char* label, bool enabled) {
+    if (!enabled) {
+        ImGui::BeginDisabled();
+    }
+
+    bool res = ImGui::Button(label);
+
+    if (!enabled) {
+        ImGui::EndDisabled();
+    }
+    return res;
+}
diff --git a/misc.h b/misc.h
index 46e1b8d..a6e3d08 100644
--- a/misc.h
+++ b/misc.h
@@ -10,5 +10,6 @@ void throw_system_error(std::string what);
 
 namespace ImGui {
     void TextUnformatted(const std::string& str);
-    bool RedButton(const char* text);
+    bool RedButton(const char* label);
+    bool Button(const char* label, bool enabled);
 }; // namespace ImGui
diff --git a/windows/main.cpp b/windows/main.cpp
index fcb8c1a..e3f6b79 100644
--- a/windows/main.cpp
+++ b/windows/main.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "../misc.h"
 #include "../logcat_entry.h"
+#include "../logcat_thread.h"
 #include "main.h"
 
 static inline void render_table(ImFont* monospace_font, std::vector<LogcatEntry>& logcat_entries, std::vector<size_t>& filtered_logcat_entry_offsets) {
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ static inline void render_table(ImFont* monospace_font, std::vector<LogcatEntry>
     ImGui::EndTable();
 }
 
-void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font,
+void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font, LogcatThread& logcat_thread,
         std::vector<LogcatEntry>& logcat_entries, std::vector<size_t>& filtered_logcat_entry_offsets,
         const Config& active_config, Config& inactive_config,
         bool* show_settings_window, bool* show_filters_window, bool* show_exclusions_window, bool* show_logs_window, bool* run_event_loop) {
@@ -71,19 +72,16 @@ void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font,
         inactive_config.monospace_font_size = active_config.monospace_font_size;
         *show_settings_window = true;
     }
-
     ImGui::SameLine();
     if (ImGui::Button("Filters") && !*show_filters_window) {
         copy_filters(inactive_config.filters, active_config.filters);
         *show_filters_window = true;
     }
-
     ImGui::SameLine();
     if (ImGui::Button("Exclusions") && !*show_exclusions_window) {
         copy_filters(inactive_config.exclusions, active_config.exclusions);
         *show_exclusions_window = true;
     }
-
     ImGui::SameLine();
     bool open_logs;
     if (!latest_log_entries_read) {
@@ -95,6 +93,32 @@ void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font,
         *show_logs_window = true;
     }
 
+    bool can_send_logcat_request = logcat_thread.logcat_process_request.load() == LogcatProcessRequest::None;
+    bool logcat_running = logcat_thread.logcat_process_running.test();
+    ImGui::AlignTextToFramePadding();
+    ImGui::TextUnformatted("Logcat:");
+    ImGui::SameLine();
+
+    if (!can_send_logcat_request) {
+        ImGui::BeginDisabled();
+    }
+
+    if (ImGui::Button("Start", !logcat_running)) {
+        logcat_thread.logcat_process_request.store(LogcatProcessRequest::Start);
+    }
+    ImGui::SameLine();
+    if (ImGui::Button("Stop", logcat_running)) {
+        logcat_thread.logcat_process_request.store(LogcatProcessRequest::Stop);
+    }
+    ImGui::SameLine();
+    if (ImGui::Button("Restart", logcat_running)) {
+        logcat_thread.logcat_process_request.store(LogcatProcessRequest::Start);
+    }
+
+    if (!can_send_logcat_request) {
+        ImGui::EndDisabled();
+    }
+
     ImGui::Separator();
     // copied from imgui/imgui_demo.cpp: [SECTION] Example App: Debug Console / ShowExampleAppConsole()
     // and [SECTION] Example App: Long Text / ShowExampleAppLongText()
diff --git a/windows/main.h b/windows/main.h
index f5b5bd4..9f4d7bf 100644
--- a/windows/main.h
+++ b/windows/main.h
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 
 #include "../config.h"
 #include "../logcat_entry.h"
+#include "../logcat_thread.h"
 
-void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font,
+void main_window(bool latest_log_entries_read, ImFont* monospace_font, LogcatThread& logcat_thread,
         std::vector<LogcatEntry>& logcat_entries, std::vector<size_t>& filtered_logcat_entry_offsets,
         const Config& active_config, Config& inactive_config,
         bool* show_settings_window, bool* show_filters_window, bool* show_exclusions_window, bool* show_logs_window, bool* run_event_loop);
diff --git a/windows/settings.cpp b/windows/settings.cpp
index d982914..199d2e0 100644
--- a/windows/settings.cpp
+++ b/windows/settings.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ void settings_window(Config& active_config, Config& inactive_config, bool* p_ope
         ImGui::End();
         return;
     }
-    // TODO actually have process control
     ImGui::TextUnformatted("Logcat command only takes effect when logcat is not running");
     ImGui::InputTextWithHint("Logcat command", "adb logcat -Dv 'threadtime UTC epoch usec uid'", &inactive_config.logcat_command);