diff --git a/usr/bin/NETMODE b/usr/bin/NETMODE
index d365d7a..30ea955 100755
--- a/usr/bin/NETMODE
+++ b/usr/bin/NETMODE
@@ -5,12 +5,22 @@ function show_usage() {
     echo ""
 }
 
-function configure_client() {
+function shut_it_all_down() {
+    #we are restarting, possibly with new config, or reversing dhcp roles
+    #kill 'em all, let the user sort them out
     /etc/init.d/odhcpd stop
+    pkill -9 dnsmasq #odhcpd starts dnsmasq but fails to stop it
+    pkill -9 udhcpc #this is the observed dhcp client
+    pkill -9 odhcpcd #just in case
+}
+
+function configure_client() {
+    shut_it_all_down
     uci set network.lan.proto='dhcp'
 }
 
 function configure_server() {
+    shut_it_all_down
     uci set network.lan.proto='static'
     uci set network.lan.ipaddr='172.16.24.1'
     uci set network.lan.netmask='255.255.255.0'
@@ -38,8 +48,7 @@ case $1 in
         ;;
     "AUTO")
         #make sure nothing interferes
-        /etc/init.d/odhcpd stop
-        pkill -9 odhcpcd
+        shut_it_all_down
         #this will exit 0 if a dhcp discovery/request packet is seen, and 124 if not
         sniffed="$(timeout 15 tcpdump -Z nobody -i eth0 -c 3 udp src port 68 and udp dst port 67 -v 2>&1)"
         if echo "${sniffed}" | grep -q 'DHCP-Message Option 53, length 1: Discover' && \