diff --git a/writer/jfjoch_writer.cpp b/writer/jfjoch_writer.cpp
index 9067ba29..57f2ef8d 100644
--- a/writer/jfjoch_writer.cpp
+++ b/writer/jfjoch_writer.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <csignal>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 #include "../common/Logger.h"
 #include "StreamWriter.h"
 #include "../common/print_license.h"
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ void print_usage() {
     logger.Info("Usage ./jfjoch_writer {options} <address of the ZeroMQ data source>");
     logger.Info("");
     logger.Info("Available options:");
-    logger.Info("-T                                   Use raw TCP/IP instead of ZeroMQ");
+    logger.Info("-T      | --tcp                      Use raw TCP/IP instead of ZeroMQ");
+    logger.Info("-j<int> | --nproc=<int>              Number of forks (only with -T)");
     logger.Info("-d<int> | --root_dir=<int>           Root directory for file writing");
     logger.Info("-r<int> | --zmq_repub_port=<int>     ZeroMQ port for PUSH socket to republish images");
     logger.Info("-f<int> | --zmq_file_port=<int>      ZeroMQ port for PUB socket to inform about finalized files");
@@ -37,7 +39,8 @@ static void sigHandler (int sig){
         case SIGHUP:
         default:
             quitok = true;
-            writer->Cancel();
+            if (writer != nullptr)
+                writer->Cancel();
             break;
     }
 }
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     int32_t zmq_repub_port = -1;
     int32_t zmq_file_port = -1;
+    int32_t nforks = 1;
     std::string root_dir = "";
     std::optional<int32_t> rcv_watermark;
     std::optional<int32_t> repub_watermark;
@@ -77,14 +81,23 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
             {"rcv_watermark", required_argument, 0, 'w'},
             {"repub_watermark", required_argument, 0, 'W'},
             {"verbose", required_argument, 0, 'v'},
+            {"tcp", no_argument, 0, 'T'},
+            {"nproc", required_argument, 0, 'j'},
             {0, 0, 0, 0}
     };
 
     int option_index = 0;
     int opt;
     bool raw_tcp = false;
-    while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "?hH:r:f:R:d:W:w:vT",long_options, &option_index)) != -1 ) {
+    while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "?hH:r:f:R:d:W:w:vTj:",long_options, &option_index)) != -1 ) {
         switch (opt) {
+            case 'j':
+                nforks = atoi(optarg);
+                if (nforks <= 0) {
+                    logger.Error("-j must be a positive integer");
+                    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                }
+                break;
             case 'T':
                 raw_tcp = true;
                 break;
@@ -137,6 +150,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
+    if (nforks > 1 && !raw_tcp) {
+        logger.Error("-j option is only compatible with -T (raw TCP)");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    if (raw_tcp && zmq_repub_port > 0) {
+        logger.Error("Republish option at the moment only possible with ZeroMQ socket (no -T");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     if (!root_dir.empty()) {
         try {
             std::filesystem::current_path(root_dir);
@@ -163,6 +186,50 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         logger.Info("Images are republished via ZeroMQ PUSH socket {:s}", repub_zmq_addr);
     }
 
+    std::vector<pid_t> children;
+    if (nforks > 1) {
+        if (setpgid(0, 0) != 0) {
+            logger.Warning("Failed to create dedicated process group; group shutdown may be less reliable");
+        }
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < nforks; i++) {
+            pid_t pid = fork();
+            if (pid == 0) {
+                // Child: continue to normal writer initialization.
+                children.clear();
+                break;
+            } else if (pid < 0) {
+                logger.Error("Cannot fork child {}", i);
+                for (pid_t cpid : children) {
+                    kill(cpid, SIGTERM);
+                }
+                for (pid_t cpid : children) {
+                    waitpid(cpid, nullptr, 0);
+                }
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            } else {
+                children.push_back(pid);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!children.empty()) {
+            // Parent manager process only.
+            std::vector<int> sigs{SIGQUIT, SIGINT, SIGTERM, SIGHUP};
+            setUpUnixSignals(sigs);
+
+            while (!quitok)
+                pause();
+
+            for (pid_t cpid : children) {
+                kill(cpid, SIGTERM);
+            }
+            for (pid_t cpid : children) {
+                waitpid(cpid, nullptr, 0);
+            }
+            exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+        }
+    }
+
     ZMQContext context;
 
     std::unique_ptr<ImagePuller> puller;