diff --git a/src/stroke/stroke.c b/src/stroke/stroke.c
index 3edf38e80..7b8751dd9 100644
--- a/src/stroke/stroke.c
+++ b/src/stroke/stroke.c
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ struct stroke_token {
     stroke_keyword_t kw;
 };
 
+static int output_verbosity = 1; /* CONTROL */
+
 static char* push_string(stroke_msg_t *msg, char *string)
 {
 	unsigned long string_start = msg->length;
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ static int send_stroke_msg (stroke_msg_t *msg)
 	ctl_addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
 	strcpy(ctl_addr.sun_path, STROKE_SOCKET);
 
-	msg->output_verbosity = 1; /* CONTROL */
+	msg->output_verbosity = output_verbosity;
 
 	sock = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
 	if (sock < 0)
@@ -91,11 +93,11 @@ static int send_stroke_msg (stroke_msg_t *msg)
 
 		/* we prompt if we receive a magic keyword */
 		if ((byte_count >= 12 &&
-			 strcmp(buffer + byte_count - 12, "Passphrase:\n") == 0) ||
+			 streq(buffer + byte_count - 12, "Passphrase:\n")) ||
 			(byte_count >= 10 &&
-			 strcmp(buffer + byte_count - 10, "Password:\n") == 0) ||
+			 streq(buffer + byte_count - 10, "Password:\n")) ||
 			(byte_count >= 5 &&
-			 strcmp(buffer + byte_count - 5, "PIN:\n") == 0))
+			 streq(buffer + byte_count - 5, "PIN:\n")))
 		{
 			/* remove trailing newline */
 			pass = strrchr(buffer, '\n');
@@ -415,9 +417,15 @@ static void exit_usage(char *error)
 	printf("  Initiate a connection:\n");
 	printf("    stroke up NAME\n");
 	printf("    where: NAME is a connection name added with \"stroke add\"\n");
+	printf("  Initiate a connection without blocking:\n");
+	printf("    stroke up-nb NAME\n");
+	printf("    where: NAME is a connection name added with \"stroke add\"\n");
 	printf("  Terminate a connection:\n");
 	printf("    stroke down NAME\n");
 	printf("    where: NAME is a connection name added with \"stroke add\"\n");
+	printf("  Terminate a connection without blocking:\n");
+	printf("    stroke down-nb NAME\n");
+	printf("    where: NAME is a connection name added with \"stroke add\"\n");
 	printf("  Terminate a connection by remote srcip:\n");
 	printf("    stroke down-srcip START [END]\n");
 	printf("    where: START and optional END define the clients source IP\n");
@@ -507,6 +515,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			}
 			res = del_connection(argv[2]);
 			break;
+		case STROKE_UP_NOBLK:
+			output_verbosity = -1;
+			/* fall-through */
 		case STROKE_UP:
 			if (argc < 3)
 			{
@@ -514,6 +525,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			}
 			res = initiate_connection(argv[2]);
 			break;
+		case STROKE_DOWN_NOBLK:
+			output_verbosity = -1;
+			/* fall-through */
 		case STROKE_DOWN:
 			if (argc < 3)
 			{
@@ -573,7 +587,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case STROKE_LIST_ALGS:
 		case STROKE_LIST_PLUGINS:
 		case STROKE_LIST_ALL:
-			res = list(token->kw, argc > 2 && strcmp(argv[2], "--utc") == 0);
+			res = list(token->kw, argc > 2 && streq(argv[2], "--utc"));
 			break;
 		case STROKE_REREAD_SECRETS:
 		case STROKE_REREAD_CACERTS:
diff --git a/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.h b/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.h
index d96dc7af8..4a1016277 100644
--- a/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.h
+++ b/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.h
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ typedef enum {
 	STROKE_ROUTE,
 	STROKE_UNROUTE,
 	STROKE_UP,
+	STROKE_UP_NOBLK,
 	STROKE_DOWN,
+	STROKE_DOWN_NOBLK,
 	STROKE_DOWN_SRCIP,
 	STROKE_REKEY,
 	STROKE_LOGLEVEL,
diff --git a/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.txt b/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.txt
index 17692b1fa..1aef896c6 100644
--- a/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.txt
+++ b/src/stroke/stroke_keywords.txt
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ delete,          STROKE_DELETE
 route,           STROKE_ROUTE
 unroute,         STROKE_UNROUTE
 up,              STROKE_UP
+up-nb,           STROKE_UP_NOBLK
 down,            STROKE_DOWN
+down-nb,         STROKE_DOWN_NOBLK
 down-srcip,      STROKE_DOWN_SRCIP
 rekey,           STROKE_REKEY
 loglevel,        STROKE_LOGLEVEL