diff --git a/example/index.js b/example/index.js
index 963f8a37..c309e6d2 100755
--- a/example/index.js
+++ b/example/index.js
@@ -1,46 +1,63 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 
+/**
+ * bitcoind.js example
+ */
+
 process.title = 'bitcoind.js';
 
 var util = require('util');
+
+/**
+ * bitcoind
+ */
+
 var bitcoind = require('../')();
 
 var genesisBlock = '0x000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f';
 var genesisTx = '0x4a5e1e4baab89f3a32518a88c31bc87f618f76673e2cc77ab2127b7afdeda33b';
 
-bitcoind.start(function(err) {
-  bitcoind.on('error', function(err) {
-    console.log('bitcoind: error="%s"', err.message);
+bitcoind.on('error', function(err) {
+  print('bitcoind: error="%s"', err.message);
+});
+
+bitcoind.on('open', function(status) {
+  print('bitcoind: status="%s"', status);
+
+  // getBlocks(bitcoind);
+
+  // bitcoind.on('block', function(block) {
+  //   print('Found block:');
+  //   print(block);
+  // });
+
+  // bitcoind.on('tx', function(tx) {
+  //   print('Found tx:');
+  //   print(tx);
+  // });
+
+  bitcoind.once('tx', function(tx) {
+    print('Broadcasting tx...');
+    return tx.broadcast(function(err, hash, tx) {
+      if (err) throw err;
+      print('tx hash: %s', hash);
+      print(tx);
+    });
   });
-  bitcoind.on('open', function(status) {
-    console.log('bitcoind: status="%s"', status);
-    // getBlocks(bitcoind);
-    // bitcoind.on('block', function(block) {
-    //   print('Found block:');
-    //   print(block);
-    // });
-    // bitcoind.on('tx', function(tx) {
-    //   print('Found tx:');
-    //   print(tx);
-    // });
-    bitcoind.once('tx', function(tx) {
-      console.log('Broadcasting tx...');
-      tx.broadcast(function(err, hash, tx) {
-        if (err) throw err;
-        console.log('tx hash: %s', hash);
-        print(tx);
-      });
-    });
-    bitcoind.on('mptx', function(mptx) {
-      print('Found mempool tx:');
-      print(mptx);
-    });
+
+  bitcoind.on('mptx', function(mptx) {
+    print('Found mempool tx:');
+    print(mptx);
   });
 });
 
+/**
+ * Helpers
+ */
+
 function getBlocks(bitcoind) {
-  setTimeout(function() {
-    (function next(hash) {
+  return setTimeout(function() {
+    return (function next(hash) {
       return bitcoind.getBlock(hash, function(err, block) {
         if (err) return print(err.message);
         print(block);
@@ -56,7 +73,7 @@ function getBlocks(bitcoind) {
           });
         }
         if (process.argv[2] === '-r' && block.nextblockhash) {
-          setTimeout(next.bind(null, block.nextblockhash), 500);
+          return setTimeout(next.bind(null, block.nextblockhash), 500);
         }
       });
     })(genesisBlock);
@@ -68,5 +85,8 @@ function inspect(obj) {
 }
 
 function print(obj) {
+  if (typeof obj === 'string') {
+    return process.stdout.write(util.format.apply(util, arguments) + '\n');
+  }
   return process.stdout.write(inspect(obj) + '\n');
 }
diff --git a/lib/bitcoind.js b/lib/bitcoind.js
index 4b48e2a7..5ccbf877 100644
--- a/lib/bitcoind.js
+++ b/lib/bitcoind.js
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ function Bitcoin(options) {
   this.options = options;
 
   Bitcoin.global = this;
+
+  this.on('newListener', function(name) {
+    if (name === 'open') {
+      self.start();
+    }
+  });
 }
 
 Bitcoin.prototype.__proto__ = EventEmitter.prototype;
@@ -40,6 +46,9 @@ Bitcoin.prototype.__proto__ = EventEmitter.prototype;
 Bitcoin.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   var self = this;
 
+  if (this._started) return;
+  this._started = true;
+
   var none = {};
   var isSignal = {};
   var sigint = { name: 'SIGINT', signal: isSignal };