diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/swaync-service-dispatcher b/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/swaync-service-dispatcher
index cf1387829..f7414a9c0 100755
--- a/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/swaync-service-dispatcher
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/swaync-service-dispatcher
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ usage() {
   echo "swaync-service-dispatcher <action> <service>"
   echo ""
   echo "actions:"
-  echo "- swaync-service-dispatcher print <service>"
-  echo "  - prints 'true' or 'false' based on if the service is wanted-up (i.e. started or starting)"
-  echo "- swaync-service-dispatcher toggle <service>"
-  echo "  - if the service is up, takes it down, and vice versa"
+  echo "- print <service>"
+  echo "  prints 'true' or 'false' based on if the service is wanted-up (i.e. started or starting)"
+  echo "- up <service>"
+  echo "- down <service>"
+  echo "- toggle <service>"
   exit 1
 }
 
@@ -58,6 +59,13 @@ case "$action" in
         ;;
     esac
     ;;
+  # these aren't needed by swaync; just handy because i can never remember how to use s6
+  (up)
+    startService
+    ;;
+  (down)
+    stopService
+    ;;
   (*)
     usage
     ;;