diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 28734d6e7..5206bd07b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -286,67 +286,73 @@ else
 fi
 AC_SUBST(PPPD_PLUGIN_DIR)
 
-# DHCP client
-AC_ARG_WITH([dhcp-client], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-dhcp-client=dhcpcd|dhclient], [path to the chosen dhcp client]))
+# dhclient support
+AC_ARG_WITH([dhclient], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-dhclient=yes|no|path], [Enable dhclient 4.x support]))
 # If a full path is given, use that and do not test if it works or not.
-case "${with_dhcp_client}" in
+case "${with_dhclient}" in
 	/*)
-		DHCP_CLIENT_PATH="${with_dhcp_client}"
-		AC_MSG_NOTICE(using the DHCP client ${DHCP_CLIENT_PATH})
+		DHCLIENT_PATH="${with_dhclient}"
+		AC_MSG_NOTICE(using dhclient at ${DHCLIENT_PATH})
+		;;
+	no)	AC_MSG_NOTICE(dhclient support disabled)
+		;;
+	*)
+		AC_MSG_CHECKING(for dhclient)
+		# NM only works with ISC dhclient - other derivatives don't have
+		# the same userland.  NM also requires dhclient 4.x since older
+		# versions do not have IPv6 support.
+		for path in /sbin /usr/sbin /usr/pkg/sbin /usr/local/sbin; do
+			test -x "${path}/dhclient" || continue
+			case `"$path/dhclient" --version 2>&1` in
+				"isc-dhclient-4"*) DHCLIENT_PATH="$path/dhclient"; break;;
+			esac
+		done
+		if test -n "${DHCLIENT_PATH}"; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT($DHCLIENT_PATH)
+		else
+			AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+		fi
 		;;
 esac
-if test -z "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH" -a \( -z "$with_dhcp_client" -o x`basename "$with_dhcp_client"` = "xdhclient" \); then
-	# We only work with ISC dhclient - the FreeBSD and OpenBSD derivatives don't have the same userland.
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING(for dhclient)
-	for client in "$with_dhcp_client" /sbin/dhclient /usr/pkg/sbin/dhclient /usr/local/sbin/dhclient; do
-		test -x "$client" || continue
-		case `"$client" --version 2>&1` in
-			"isc-dhclient-"*) DHCP_CLIENT_PATH="$client"; break;;
-		esac
-	done
-	if test -z "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH"; then
-		AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-		if test -n "$with_dhcp_client"; then
-			AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find ISC dhclient])
+
+# dhcpcd support
+AC_ARG_WITH([dhcpcd], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-dhcpcd=yes|no|path], [Enable dhcpcd 4.x support]))
+# If a full path is given, use that and do not test if it works or not.
+case "${with_dhcpcd}" in
+	/*)
+		DHCPCD_PATH="${with_dhcpcd}"
+		AC_MSG_NOTICE(using dhcpcd at ${DHCPCD_PATH})
+		;;
+	no)	AC_MSG_NOTICE(dhcpcd support disabled)
+		;;
+	*)
+		AC_MSG_CHECKING(for dhcpcd)
+		# We fully work with upstream dhcpcd-4
+		for path in /sbin /usr/sbin /usr/pkg/sbin /usr/local/sbin; do
+			test -x "${path}/dhclient" || continue
+			case `"$path/dhcpcd" --version 2>/dev/null` in
+				"dhcpcd "[123]*);;
+				"dhcpcd "*) DHCP_CLIENT_PATH="$path/dhcpcd"; break;;
+			esac
+		done
+		if test -n "${DHCPCD_PATH}"; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT($DHCPCD_PATH)
+		else
+			AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
 		fi
-	else
-		AC_MSG_RESULT($DHCP_CLIENT_PATH)
-	fi
-fi
-if test -z "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH" -a \( -z "$with_dhcp_client" -o x`basename "$with_dhcp_client"` = "xdhcpcd" \); then
-	test -n "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH" && echo bar
-	# We fully work with upstream dhcpcd-4
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for dhcpcd])
-	for client in "$with_dhcp_client" /sbin/dhcpcd /usr/pkg/sbin/dhcpcd /usr/local/sbin/dhcpcd; do
-		test -x "$client" || continue
-		case `"$client" --version 2>/dev/null` in
-			"dhcpcd "[123]*);;
-			"dhcpcd "*) DHCP_CLIENT_PATH="$client"; break;;
-		esac
-	done
-	if test -z "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH"; then
-		AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-		if test -n "$with_dhcp_client"; then
-			AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find dhcpcd-4 or newer])
-		fi
-	else
-		AC_MSG_RESULT($DHCP_CLIENT_PATH)
-	fi
-fi
-if test -z "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH"; then
+		;;
+esac
+
+if test -z "$DHCPCD_PATH" -a -z "$DHCLIENT_PATH"; then
 	# DHCP clients are not a build time dependency, only runtime.
 	# dhclient has been the longtime default for NM and it's in /sbin
 	# in most distros, so use it.
 	AC_MSG_WARN([Could not find a suitable DHCP client])
-	DHCP_CLIENT_PATH=/sbin/dhclient
+	DHCLIENT_PATH=/sbin/dhclient
 	AC_MSG_WARN([Falling back to ISC dhclient, ${DHCP_CLIENT_PATH}])
 fi
-AC_SUBST(DHCP_CLIENT_PATH)
-DHCP_CLIENT=`basename "$DHCP_CLIENT_PATH"`
-if test "$DHCP_CLIENT" != "dhclient" -a "$DHCP_CLIENT" != "dhcpcd"; then
-	AC_MSG_ERROR([No backend for the DHCP client ${DHCP_CLIENT}])
-fi
-AC_SUBST(DHCP_CLIENT)
+AC_SUBST(DHCLIENT_PATH)
+AC_SUBST(DHCPCD_PATH)
 
 # resolvconf support
 AC_ARG_WITH([resolvconf],
@@ -492,12 +498,25 @@ NetworkManager.pc
 AC_OUTPUT
 
 echo
-echo Distribution targeting: ${with_distro}
+echo Distribution target: ${with_distro}
 echo 'if this is not correct, please specifiy your distro with --with-distro=DISTRO'
 
+echo 
+
+if test -n "${DHCLIENT_PATH}"; then
+	echo ISC dhclient support: ${DHCLIENT_PATH}
+else
+	echo ISC dhclient support: no
+fi
+
+if test -n "${DHCPCD_PATH}"; then
+	echo dhcpcd support: ${DHCPCD_PATH}
+else
+	echo dhcpcd support: no
+fi
+
 echo
 echo Building documentation: ${with_docs}
-echo
 echo Building tests: ${with_tests}
 echo
 
diff --git a/src/NetworkManager.c b/src/NetworkManager.c
index 09a4320c7..a6639b8c8 100644
--- a/src/NetworkManager.c
+++ b/src/NetworkManager.c
@@ -302,7 +302,10 @@ done:
 }
 
 static gboolean
-parse_config_file (const char *filename, char **plugins, GError **error)
+parse_config_file (const char *filename,
+                   char **plugins,
+                   char **dhcp_client,
+                   GError **error)
 {
 	GKeyFile *config;
 
@@ -321,6 +324,8 @@ parse_config_file (const char *filename, char **plugins, GError **error)
 	if (*error)
 		return FALSE;
 
+	*dhcp_client = g_key_file_get_value (config, "main", "dhcp", NULL);
+
 	g_key_file_free (config);
 	return TRUE;
 }
@@ -435,7 +440,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	gboolean become_daemon = FALSE;
 	gboolean g_fatal_warnings = FALSE;
 	char *pidfile = NULL, *user_pidfile = NULL;
-	char *config = NULL, *plugins = NULL;
+	char *config = NULL, *plugins = NULL, *dhcp = NULL;
 	char *state_file = NM_DEFAULT_SYSTEM_STATE_FILE;
 	gboolean wifi_enabled = TRUE, net_enabled = TRUE, wwan_enabled = TRUE;
 	gboolean success;
@@ -498,7 +503,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* Parse the config file */
 	if (config) {
-		if (!parse_config_file (config, &plugins, &error)) {
+		if (!parse_config_file (config, &plugins, &dhcp, &error)) {
 			g_warning ("Config file %s invalid: (%d) %s.",
 			           config,
 			           error ? error->code : -1,
@@ -507,7 +512,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	} else {
 		config = NM_DEFAULT_SYSTEM_CONF_FILE;
-		if (!parse_config_file (config, &plugins, &error)) {
+		if (!parse_config_file (config, &plugins, &dhcp, &error)) {
 			g_warning ("Default config file %s invalid: (%d) %s.",
 			           config,
 			           error ? error->code : -1,
@@ -620,9 +625,9 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	dhcp_mgr = nm_dhcp_manager_get ();
+	dhcp_mgr = nm_dhcp_manager_new (dhcp ? dhcp : "dhclient", &error);
 	if (!dhcp_mgr) {
-		nm_warning ("Failed to start the DHCP manager.");
+		nm_warning ("Failed to start the DHCP manager: %s.", error->message);
 		goto done;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/Makefile.am b/src/dhcp-manager/Makefile.am
index 711c2a505..ff9041c39 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/Makefile.am
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ libdhcp_manager_la_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DSYSCONFDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)\" \
 	-DLIBEXECDIR=\"$(libexecdir)\" \
 	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\"$(localstatedir)\" \
-	-DDHCP_CLIENT_PATH=\"$(DHCP_CLIENT_PATH)\"
+	-DDHCLIENT_PATH=\"$(DHCLIENT_PATH)\" \
+	-DDHCPCD_PATH=\"$(DHCPCD_PATH)\"
 
 libdhcp_manager_la_LIBADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/marshallers/libmarshallers.la \
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-client.h b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-client.h
index 0e5d81229..5cf77737e 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-client.h
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-client.h
@@ -114,9 +114,5 @@ NMIP4Config *nm_dhcp_client_get_ip4_config   (NMDHCPClient *self, gboolean test)
 /* Backend helpers */
 void nm_dhcp_client_stop_existing (const char *pid_file, const char *binary_name);
 
-/* Implemented by the backends */
-GSList *nm_dhcp_backend_get_lease_config (const char *iface,
-                                          const char *uuid);
-
 #endif /* NM_DHCP_CLIENT_H */
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
index c47d155b0..7eec31d31 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ add_lease_option (GHashTable *hash, char *line)
 }
 
 GSList *
-nm_dhcp_backend_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid)
+nm_dhcp_dhclient_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid)
 {
 	GSList *parsed = NULL, *iter, *leases = NULL;
 	char *contents = NULL;
@@ -469,13 +469,13 @@ real_ip4_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (!g_file_test (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-		nm_warning (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH " does not exist.");
+	if (!g_file_test (DHCLIENT_PATH, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
+		nm_warning (DHCLIENT_PATH " does not exist.");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* Kill any existing dhclient from the pidfile */
-	binary_name = g_path_get_basename (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH);
+	binary_name = g_path_get_basename (DHCLIENT_PATH);
 	nm_dhcp_client_stop_existing (priv->pid_file, binary_name);
 	g_free (binary_name);
 
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ real_ip4_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 	}
 
 	argv = g_ptr_array_new ();
-	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) DHCP_CLIENT_PATH);
+	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) DHCLIENT_PATH);
 
 	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) "-d");
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.h b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.h
index bad6452f7..db9f73d25 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.h
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.h
@@ -41,5 +41,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 GType nm_dhcp_dhclient_get_type (void);
 
+GSList *nm_dhcp_dhclient_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid);
+
 #endif /* NM_DHCP_DHCLIENT_H */
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
index ba210eda6..fb1fd1bf1 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 
 GSList *
-nm_dhcp_backend_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid)
+nm_dhcp_dhcpcd_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid)
 {
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -83,18 +83,18 @@ real_ip4_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (!g_file_test (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-		nm_warning (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH " does not exist.");
+	if (!g_file_test (DHCPCD_PATH, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
+		nm_warning (DHCPCD_PATH " does not exist.");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* Kill any existing dhclient from the pidfile */
-	binary_name = g_path_get_basename (DHCP_CLIENT_PATH);
+	binary_name = g_path_get_basename (DHCPCD_PATH);
 	nm_dhcp_client_stop_existing (priv->pid_file, binary_name);
 	g_free (binary_name);
 
 	argv = g_ptr_array_new ();
-	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) DHCP_CLIENT_PATH);
+	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) DHCPCD_PATH);
 
 	g_ptr_array_add (argv, (gpointer) "-B");	/* Don't background on lease (disable fork()) */
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.h b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.h
index f564bc7f7..9a9812941 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.h
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.h
@@ -41,5 +41,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 GType nm_dhcp_dhcpcd_get_type (void);
 
+GSList *nm_dhcp_dhcpcd_get_lease_config (const char *iface, const char *uuid);
+
 #endif /* NM_DHCP_DHCPCD_H */
 
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.c b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.c
index f1a84cdd4..59fc2536d 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.c
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 #include "nm-dhcp-manager.h"
 #include "nm-dhcp-dhclient.h"
+#include "nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.h"
 #include "nm-marshal.h"
 #include "nm-utils.h"
 #include "nm-dbus-manager.h"
@@ -46,8 +47,14 @@
 #define NM_DHCP_CLIENT_DBUS_SERVICE "org.freedesktop.nm_dhcp_client"
 #define NM_DHCP_CLIENT_DBUS_IFACE   "org.freedesktop.nm_dhcp_client"
 
+static NMDHCPManager *singleton = NULL;
+
+typedef GSList * (*GetLeaseConfigFunc) (const char *iface, const char *uuid);
+
 typedef struct {
-	guint32             next_id;
+	GType               client_type;
+	GetLeaseConfigFunc  get_lease_config_func;
+
 	NMDBusManager *     dbus_mgr;
 	GHashTable *        clients;
 	DBusGProxy *        proxy;
@@ -219,23 +226,36 @@ out:
 	g_free (reason);
 }
 
-static NMDHCPManager *
-nm_dhcp_manager_new (void)
+NMDHCPManager *
+nm_dhcp_manager_new (const char *client, GError **error)
 {
-	NMDHCPManager *manager;
 	NMDHCPManagerPrivate *priv;
 	DBusGConnection *g_connection;
 
-	manager = g_object_new (NM_TYPE_DHCP_MANAGER, NULL);
-	priv = NM_DHCP_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (manager);
+	g_warn_if_fail (singleton == NULL);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (client != NULL, NULL);
+
+	singleton = g_object_new (NM_TYPE_DHCP_MANAGER, NULL);
+	priv = NM_DHCP_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (singleton);
+
+	/* Figure out which DHCP client to use */
+	if (!strcmp (client, "dhclient") && strlen (DHCLIENT_PATH)) {
+		priv->client_type = NM_TYPE_DHCP_DHCLIENT;
+		priv->get_lease_config_func = nm_dhcp_dhclient_get_lease_config;
+	} else if (!strcmp (client, "dhcpcd") && strlen (DHCPCD_PATH)) {
+		priv->client_type = NM_TYPE_DHCP_DHCPCD;
+		priv->get_lease_config_func = nm_dhcp_dhcpcd_get_lease_config;
+	} else {
+		g_set_error (error, 0, 0, "unknown or missing DHCP client '%s'", client);
+		goto error;
+	}
 
 	priv->clients = g_hash_table_new_full (g_direct_hash, g_direct_equal,
 	                                       NULL,
 	                                       (GDestroyNotify) g_object_unref);
 	if (!priv->clients) {
-		nm_warning ("Error: not enough memory to initialize DHCP manager tables");
-		g_object_unref (manager);
-		return NULL;
+		g_set_error_literal (error, 0, 0, "not enough memory to initialize DHCP manager");
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	priv->dbus_mgr = nm_dbus_manager_get ();
@@ -245,9 +265,8 @@ nm_dhcp_manager_new (void)
 	                                         "/",
 	                                         NM_DHCP_CLIENT_DBUS_IFACE);
 	if (!priv->proxy) {
-		nm_warning ("Error: could not init DHCP manager proxy");
-		g_object_unref (manager);
-		return NULL;
+		g_set_error_literal (error, 0, 0, "not enough memory to initialize DHCP manager proxy");
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	dbus_g_proxy_add_signal (priv->proxy,
@@ -256,11 +275,16 @@ nm_dhcp_manager_new (void)
 	                         G_TYPE_INVALID);
 
 	dbus_g_proxy_connect_signal (priv->proxy, "Event",
-								 G_CALLBACK (nm_dhcp_manager_handle_event),
-								 manager,
-								 NULL);
+	                             G_CALLBACK (nm_dhcp_manager_handle_event),
+	                             singleton,
+	                             NULL);
 
-	return manager;
+	return singleton;
+
+error:
+	g_object_unref (singleton);
+	singleton = NULL;
+	return singleton;
 }
 
 #define STATE_ID_TAG "state-id"
@@ -416,7 +440,7 @@ nm_dhcp_manager_get_lease_config (NMDHCPManager *self,
 	g_return_val_if_fail (iface != NULL, NULL);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (uuid != NULL, NULL);
 
-	return nm_dhcp_backend_get_lease_config (iface, uuid);
+	return NM_DHCP_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (self)->get_lease_config_func (iface, uuid);
 }
 
 NMIP4Config *
@@ -443,23 +467,13 @@ nm_dhcp_manager_test_ip4_options_to_config (const char *iface,
 NMDHCPManager *
 nm_dhcp_manager_get (void)
 {
-	static NMDHCPManager *singleton = NULL;
-
-	if (!singleton)
-		singleton = nm_dhcp_manager_new ();
-	else
-		g_object_ref (singleton);
-
-	g_assert (singleton);
-	return singleton;
+	g_warn_if_fail (singleton != NULL);
+	return g_object_ref (singleton);
 }
 
 static void
 nm_dhcp_manager_init (NMDHCPManager *manager)
 {
-	NMDHCPManagerPrivate *priv = NM_DHCP_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (manager);
-
-	priv->next_id = 1;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -468,10 +482,12 @@ dispose (GObject *object)
 	NMDHCPManagerPrivate *priv = NM_DHCP_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (object);
 	GList *values, *iter;
 
-	values = g_hash_table_get_values (priv->clients);
-	for (iter = values; iter; iter = g_list_next (iter))
-		remove_client (NM_DHCP_MANAGER (object), NM_DHCP_CLIENT (iter->data));
-	g_list_free (values);
+	if (priv->clients) {
+		values = g_hash_table_get_values (priv->clients);
+		for (iter = values; iter; iter = g_list_next (iter))
+			remove_client (NM_DHCP_MANAGER (object), NM_DHCP_CLIENT (iter->data));
+		g_list_free (values);
+	}
 
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_dhcp_manager_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
@@ -486,9 +502,12 @@ finalize (GObject *object)
 		priv->hostname_provider = NULL;
 	}
 
-	g_hash_table_destroy (priv->clients);
-	g_object_unref (priv->proxy);
-	g_object_unref (priv->dbus_mgr);
+	if (priv->clients)
+		g_hash_table_destroy (priv->clients);
+	if (priv->proxy)
+		g_object_unref (priv->proxy);
+	if (priv->dbus_mgr)
+		g_object_unref (priv->dbus_mgr);
 
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_dhcp_manager_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.h b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.h
index 7c82ca59a..441d9fce1 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.h
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-manager.h
@@ -70,4 +70,7 @@ NMIP4Config *nm_dhcp_manager_test_ip4_options_to_config (const char *iface,
                                                          GHashTable *options,
                                                          const char *reason);
 
+/* Only for NetworkManager.c */
+NMDHCPManager *nm_dhcp_manager_new (const char *client, GError **error);
+
 #endif /* NM_DHCP_MANAGER_H */