diff --git a/electrum b/electrum
index ff402a1c1..f9a4a26a3 100755
--- a/electrum
+++ b/electrum
@@ -313,22 +313,21 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         sys.exit(0)
 
     if cmdname == 'gui':
-        fd = daemon.get_fd_or_server(config)
-        if isinstance(fd, int):
+        fd, server = daemon.get_fd_or_server(config)
+        if fd is not None:
             d = daemon.Daemon(config, fd)
             d.start()
             d.init_gui(config, plugins)
             sys.exit(0)
         else:
-            server = fd
             result = server.gui(config_options)
 
     elif cmdname == 'daemon':
         subcommand = config.get('subcommand')
         assert subcommand in ['start', 'stop', 'status']
         if subcommand == 'start':
-            fd = daemon.get_fd_or_server(config)
-            if isinstance(fd, int):
+            fd, server = daemon.get_fd_or_server(config)
+            if fd is not None:
                 pid = os.fork()
                 if pid:
                     print_stderr("starting daemon (PID %d)" % pid)
@@ -343,7 +342,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                 d.join()
                 sys.exit(0)
             else:
-                server = fd
                 result = server.daemon(config_options)
         else:
             server = daemon.get_server(config)
diff --git a/lib/daemon.py b/lib/daemon.py
index cd219796e..b4c514ed8 100644
--- a/lib/daemon.py
+++ b/lib/daemon.py
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ def get_fd_or_server(config):
     lockfile = get_lockfile(config)
     while True:
         try:
-            return os.open(lockfile, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | os.O_WRONLY)
+            return os.open(lockfile, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | os.O_WRONLY), None
         except OSError:
             pass
         server = get_server(config)
         if server is not None:
-            return server
+            return None, server
         # Couldn't connect; remove lockfile and try again.
         remove_lockfile(lockfile)