diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/ip/gping.c b/sys/src/cmd/ip/gping.c
index ad5d89172..ebc8d57ac 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/ip/gping.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/ip/gping.c
@@ -630,16 +630,6 @@ lostval(Machine *m, long *v, long *vmax, long *mark)
 	*vmax = 100;
 }
 
-jmp_buf catchalarm;
-
-void
-alarmed(void *a, char *s)
-{
-	if(strcmp(s, "alarm") == 0)
-		notejmp(a, catchalarm, 1);
-	noted(NDFLT);
-}
-
 void
 usage(void)
 {
@@ -1030,7 +1020,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 	colinit();
 	einit(Emouse);
-	notify(nil);
 	startproc(mouseproc, 0);
 	display->locking = 1;	/* tell library we're using the display lock */
 
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/stats.c b/sys/src/cmd/stats.c
index fec34af03..2b70c8ad2 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/stats.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/stats.c
@@ -710,12 +710,12 @@ initmach(Machine *m, char *name)
 
 jmp_buf catchalarm;
 
-void
+int
 alarmed(void *a, char *s)
 {
 	if(strcmp(s, "alarm") == 0)
 		notejmp(a, catchalarm, 1);
-	noted(NDFLT);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ readmach(Machine *m, int init)
 			eresized(0);
 	}
 	if(m->remote){
-		notify(alarmed);
+		atnotify(alarmed, 1);
 		alarm(5000);
 	}
 	if(needswap(init) && loadbuf(m, &m->swapfd) && readswap(m, a))
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ readmach(Machine *m, int init)
 			 m->temp[n] = a[0];
 	if(m->remote){
 		alarm(0);
-		notify(nil);
+		atnotify(alarmed, 0);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1410,7 +1410,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 	colinit();
 	einit(Emouse);
-	notify(nil);
 	startproc(mouseproc, Mouseproc);
 	pids[Mainproc] = getpid();
 	display->locking = 1;	/* tell library we're using the display lock */
diff --git a/sys/src/libdraw/event.c b/sys/src/libdraw/event.c
index bb4b60179..8b0ad5e64 100644
--- a/sys/src/libdraw/event.c
+++ b/sys/src/libdraw/event.c
@@ -346,39 +346,33 @@ eforkslave(ulong key)
 }
 
 static int
-enote(void *v, char *s)
+enote(void*, char *s)
 {
-	char t[1];
 	int i, pid;
 
-	USED(v, s);
-	pid = getpid();
-	if(pid != parentpid){
-		for(i=0; i<nslave; i++){
-			if(pid == eslave[i].pid){
-				t[0] = MAXSLAVE;
-				write(epipe[1], t, 1);
-				break;
-			}
-		}
+	if(strncmp(s, "sys:", 4) == 0 || strcmp(s, "alarm") == 0)
 		return 0;
-	}
-	close(epipe[0]);
-	epipe[0] = -1;
-	close(epipe[1]);
-	epipe[1] = -1;
-	for(i=0; i<nslave; i++){
+	pid = getpid();
+	for(i=0; i<nslave; i++)
 		if(pid == eslave[i].pid)
-			continue;	/* don't kill myself */
-		postnote(PNPROC, eslave[i].pid, "die");
-	}
-	return 0;
+			return 1;
+	if(pid != parentpid)
+		return 0;
+	exits("killed");
+	return 1;
 }
 
 static void
 ekill(void)
 {
-	enote(0, 0);
+	int i, pid;
+
+	pid = getpid();
+	for(i=0; i<nslave; i++){
+		if(pid == eslave[i].pid)
+			continue;	/* don't kill myself */
+		postnote(PNPROC, eslave[i].pid, "die");
+	}
 }
 
 Mouse