diff --git a/tests/distccd/test-script.py b/tests/distccd/test-script.py
index a5e35ee..ea12bd7 100644
--- a/tests/distccd/test-script.py
+++ b/tests/distccd/test-script.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     assert machine.shell is not None
 
 ls = "eza -lah --color=always --group-directories-first"
-
+testing_client = "/root/.nix-profile/libexec/dynix-testing-client.py"
 indent = functools.partial(textwrap.indent, prefix='  ')
 
 @beartype
@@ -70,13 +70,12 @@ def get_cli_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
     return args
 
 @beartype
-def dynix_append(option: str, value: Any):
+def dynix_append_cli(option: str, value: Any):
+    value = f'"{value}"' if isinstance(value, str) else value
     machine.succeed(f'''
         dynix append {shlex.quote(option)} {shlex.quote(str(value))}
     '''.strip())
 
-@beartype
-def do_apply():
     expr = textwrap.dedent("""
         (import <nixpkgs/nixos> { }).config.dynamicism.applyDynamicConfiguration { }
     """).strip()
@@ -85,49 +84,86 @@ def do_apply():
         nix run --show-trace --log-format raw-with-logs --impure -E {shlex.quote(expr)}
     """.strip())
 
+@beartype
+def dynix_append_daemon(option: str, value: Any):
+    import json
+    payload = json.dumps(dict(
+        action="append",
+        args=dict(
+            name=option,
+            value=value,
+        ),
+    ))
+
+    status = machine.succeed(f"echo '{payload}' | {testing_client} /run/user/0/dynix.sock")
+    machine.log(f"daemon replied with status {status}")
+    machine.wait_for_unit("distccd.service")
+
+@beartype
+def run_all_tests(machine: Machine, *, use_daemon: bool):
+    dynix_append = dynix_append_daemon if use_daemon else dynix_append_cli
+
+    dynix_out = machine.succeed("dynix --version")
+    assert "dynix" in dynix_out, f"dynix not in {dynix_out=}"
+
+    # Config should have our initial values.
+    args = get_cli_args()
+    assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
+    assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
+    assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
+
+    with machine.nested("must succeed: initial nixos-rebuild switch"):
+        machine.succeed("env PAGER= nixos-rebuild switch --log-format raw-with-logs --no-reexec --fallback")
+
+    # Config should not have changed.
+    args = get_cli_args()
+    assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
+    assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
+    assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
+
+    new_jobs = 4
+    dynix_append("services.distccd.maxJobs", new_jobs)
+
+    # Only jobs should have changed. The others should still be default.
+    args = get_cli_args()
+    assert args.jobs == new_jobs, f'{args.jobs=} != {new_jobs=}'
+    assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
+    assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
+
+    new_log_level = 'error'
+    dynix_append("services.distccd.logLevel", f'{new_log_level}')
+
+    args = get_cli_args()
+    assert args.jobs == new_jobs, f'{args.jobs=} != {new_jobs=}'
+    assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
+    assert args.log_level == new_log_level, f'{args.log_level=} != {new_log_level=}'
+
+    # And this should set everything back.
+    machine.succeed("env PAGER= nixos-rebuild switch --log-format raw-with-logs --no-reexec --fallback")
+    args = get_cli_args()
+    assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
+    assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
+    assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
+
+machine.start(allow_reboot=True)
 machine.wait_for_unit("default.target")
 machine.wait_for_unit("install-dynix.service")
+try:
+    run_all_tests(machine, use_daemon=False)
+except Exception as e:
+    machine.logger.error(f"ERROR during CLI tests: {e}")
+    raise
 
-dynix_out = machine.succeed("dynix --version")
-assert "dynix" in dynix_out, f"dynix not in {dynix_out=}"
+machine.reboot()
 
-# Config should have our initial values.
-args = get_cli_args()
-assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
-assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
-assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
-
-with machine.nested("must succeed: initial nixos-rebuild switch"):
-    machine.succeed("env PAGER= nixos-rebuild switch --log-format raw-with-logs --no-reexec --fallback")
-
-# Config should not have changed.
-args = get_cli_args()
-assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
-assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
-assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
-
-new_jobs = 4
-dynix_append("services.distccd.maxJobs", new_jobs)
-do_apply()
-
-# Only jobs should have changed. The others should still be default.
-args = get_cli_args()
-assert args.jobs == new_jobs, f'{args.jobs=} != {new_jobs=}'
-assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
-assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
-
-new_log_level = 'error'
-dynix_append("services.distccd.logLevel", f'"{new_log_level}"')
-do_apply()
-
-args = get_cli_args()
-assert args.jobs == new_jobs, f'{args.jobs=} != {new_jobs=}'
-assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
-assert args.log_level == new_log_level, f'{args.log_level=} != {new_log_level=}'
-
-# And this should set everything back.
-machine.succeed("env PAGER= nixos-rebuild switch --log-format raw-with-logs --no-reexec --fallback")
-args = get_cli_args()
-assert args.jobs == 12, f'{args.jobs=} != 12'
-assert args.job_lifetime == 900, f'{args.job_lifetime} != 900'
-assert args.log_level == 'warning', f'{args.log_level=} != warning'
+machine.wait_for_unit("default.target")
+machine.wait_for_unit("install-dynix.service")
+machine.succeed("systemctl start user@0.service")
+machine.wait_for_unit("user@0.service")
+machine.succeed("systemctl start dynix-daemon.service")
+machine.wait_for_unit("dynix-daemon.service")
+try:
+    run_all_tests(machine, use_daemon=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    machine.logger.error(f"ERROR during DAEMON tests: {e}")
+    raise
diff --git a/tests/dynix-vm-configuration.nix b/tests/dynix-vm-configuration.nix
index 677ef70..f7370ae 100644
--- a/tests/dynix-vm-configuration.nix
+++ b/tests/dynix-vm-configuration.nix
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ in
     path = [ config.nix.package ];
     serviceConfig = {
       Environment = [
-        "RUST_LOG=trace"
+        "RUST_LOG=info,dynix=trace"
       ];
       ExecSearchPath = [ "/run/current-system/sw/bin" ];
       SuccessExitStatus = [ "0" "2" ];