diff --git a/etcd/etcd.go b/etcd/etcd.go
index 9dee5c0e..a3d5f348 100644
--- a/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -262,6 +262,9 @@ type EmbdEtcd struct { // EMBeddeD etcd
 	// NoNetwork causes this to use unix:// sockets instead of TCP for
 	// connections.
 	NoNetwork bool
+	// NoMagic turns off some things which aren't needed when used with a
+	// simple Seeds and NoServer option.
+	NoMagic bool
 
 	// Chooser is the implementation of the algorithm that decides which
 	// hosts to add or remove to grow and shrink the cluster.
@@ -418,6 +421,10 @@ func (obj *EmbdEtcd) Validate() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if obj.NoMagic && !obj.NoServer {
+		return fmt.Errorf("we need Magic if we're a Server")
+	}
+
 	if _, err := etcdUtil.CopyURLs(obj.Seeds); err != nil { // this will validate
 		return errwrap.Wrapf(err, "the Seeds are not valid")
 	}
@@ -1215,11 +1222,13 @@ func (obj *EmbdEtcd) Run() error {
 	obj.activateExit4.Ack()
 
 	// startup endpoints watcher (to learn about other servers)
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(unblockCtx)
-	defer cancel() // cleanup on close...
-	if err := obj.runEndpoints(ctx); err != nil {
-		obj.activateExit5.Ack()
-		return err
+	if !obj.NoMagic { // disable possibly buggy code for now
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(unblockCtx)
+		defer cancel() // cleanup on close...
+		if err := obj.runEndpoints(ctx); err != nil {
+			obj.activateExit5.Ack()
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	obj.activateExit5.Ack()
 	// We don't set state, we only watch others, so nothing to defer close!
diff --git a/lib/main.go b/lib/main.go
index 200453d1..a0b5d750 100644
--- a/lib/main.go
+++ b/lib/main.go
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	// clustering or opening tcp ports to the outside.
 	NoNetwork bool `arg:"--no-network,env:MGMT_NO_NETWORK" help:"run single node instance without clustering or opening tcp ports to the outside"`
 
+	// NoMagic turns off some things which aren't needed when used with a
+	// simple Seeds and NoServer option.
+	NoMagic bool `arg:"--no-magic" help:"do not do any etcd magic (for simple clients)"`
+
 	// NoPgp disables pgp functionality.
 	NoPgp bool `arg:"--no-pgp" help:"don't create pgp keys"`
 
@@ -511,6 +515,7 @@ func (obj *Main) Run() error {
 
 		NoServer:  obj.NoServer,
 		NoNetwork: obj.NoNetwork,
+		NoMagic:   obj.NoMagic,
 
 		Chooser: &chooser.DynamicSize{
 			IdealClusterSize: obj.idealClusterSize,
diff --git a/setup/svc.go b/setup/svc.go
index de5c5754..b33ce9e7 100644
--- a/setup/svc.go
+++ b/setup/svc.go
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ func (obj *Svc) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		if obj.SetupSvcArgs.NoServer {
 			argv = append(argv, "--no-server")
+			argv = append(argv, "--no-magic") // XXX: fix this workaround
 		}
 
 		argv = append(argv, "empty $OPTS")