diff --git a/tecs/instr_hosts.c b/tecs/instr_hosts.c
index 02bcad5..844bdaa 100644
--- a/tecs/instr_hosts.c
+++ b/tecs/instr_hosts.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "myc_fortran.h"
 
@@ -16,15 +17,15 @@ static Instrument list[]={
     { "FOCUS", "lnsa16.psi.ch", 9753, "FOCUS" , 1},
     { "TASP",  "lnsa12.psi.ch", 9753, "TASP",   1},
     { "TASP0", "lnsa09.psi.ch", 9753, NULL    , 0},
-    { "RITA",  "rita2.psi.ch", 9753, NULL    , 0},
-    { "PREP",  "lnsa01.psi.ch", 9753, NULL    , 0},
-    { "AREA",  "lnsa01.psi.ch", 9751, NULL    , 0},
-    { "TEST",  "lnsa15.psi.ch", 9753, "lnslib", 2}
+    { "RITA",  "pc4345.psi.ch", 9753, NULL    , 0},
+    { "PREP",  "lnsa15.psi.ch", 9753, "lnslib", 2},
+    { "AREA",  "lnsa15.psi.ch", 9751, "lnslib", 2},
+    { "TEST",  "lnsa15.psi.ch", 9755, "lnslib", 2}
   };
 
 int InstrHost(char *input, char *instr, char *host, char *user, char *pcod
     , int instr_len, int host_len, int user_len, int pcod_len) {
-  char buf[256];
+  char buf[256], *lnscode;
   int i, j;
   struct tm tim;
   time_t t;
@@ -56,7 +57,12 @@ int InstrHost(char *input, char *instr, char *host, char *user, char *pcod
     } else if (list[j].cod == 2) {
       time(&t);
       tim=*localtime(&t);
-      sprintf(pcod, "%02dlns%d", tim.tm_year % 100, tim.tm_mon/6+1);
+      lnscode=getenv("LNSCODE");
+      if (lnscode == NULL) {
+        sprintf(pcod, "%02dlns%d", tim.tm_year % 100, tim.tm_mon/6+1);
+      } else {
+        sprintf(pcod, "%02dlns%s", tim.tm_year % 100, lnscode);
+      }
     } else {
       str_ncpy(pcod, " ", pcod_len);
     }
diff --git a/tecs/instr_hosts.h b/tecs/instr_hosts.h
index d94cd2a..13dc308 100644
--- a/tecs/instr_hosts.h
+++ b/tecs/instr_hosts.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#ifndef _MYC_STR_H_
-#define _MYC_STR_H_
+#ifndef _INSTR_HOSTS_H_
+#define _INSTR_HOSTS_H_
 
 int InstrHost(char *input, char *instr, char *host, char *user, char *pcod
     , int instr_len, int host_len, int user_len, int pcod_len);
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ int InstrHost(char *input, char *instr, char *host, char *user, char *pcod
    output is: instrument name, host name, user name and pcod (the code needed to enter...)
 */
 
-#endif /* _MYC_STR_H_ */
+#endif /* _INSTR_HOSTS_H_ */
diff --git a/tecs/rstart.c b/tecs/rstart.c
index c858af6..3cfadb1 100644
--- a/tecs/rstart.c
+++ b/tecs/rstart.c
@@ -4,15 +4,32 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <netdb.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 #include "myc_str.h"
 #include "instr_hosts.h"
 
 int rexec(char **host, int port, char *user, char *passwd, char *command, int *err_file_desc);
 
+char *secure_arg(char *cmd, int size, char *arg) {
+  int i;
+/* make sure that argument is a harmless identifier and no hacker code */
+  for (i=0; i<size-strlen(cmd)-2; i++) {
+    if (arg[i]=='\0') { /* end of arg reached */
+      strcat(cmd, " ");
+      strcat(cmd, arg);
+      return cmd;
+    }
+    if (! isalnum(arg[i]) && arg[i] != '_') {
+      return NULL;
+    }
+  }
+  return NULL;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   int port, i, j, l, fd;
   char inst[32], cmd[256], host[256], user[64], pcod[64];
-  char *hostp;
+  char *hostp, *arg;
   struct tm tim;
   time_t t;
   
@@ -32,10 +49,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   str_copy(cmd, "");
   for (i=2; i<argc; i++) {
     if (0==strcmp(argv[i], "sics")) {
-      str_append(cmd, "bin/startsics\n");
+      if (i<argc) {
+        i++; arg=argv[i];
+      } else {
+        arg="";
+      }
+      str_append(cmd, "bin/startsics");
+      secure_arg(cmd, sizeof(cmd), arg);
+      str_append(cmd, "\n");
     } else if (0==strcmp(argv[i], "tecs")) {
-      if (i<argc) i++; /* skip argument */
-      str_append(cmd, "bin/startecs\n");
+      if (i<argc) {
+        i++; arg=argv[i];
+      } else {
+        arg="";
+      }
+      str_append(cmd, "bin/startecs");
+      secure_arg(cmd, sizeof(cmd), arg);
+      str_append(cmd, "\n");
     } else {
       printf("unknown server %s\n", argv[i]);
       return 0;
@@ -47,6 +77,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   if (fd<0) {
     perror("rexec"); return -1;
   }
+  puts(cmd);
   close(fd);
   return 0;
 }