diff --git a/distrib/distrib.cc b/distrib/distrib.cc
index 8a5891e..de1b47d 100644
--- a/distrib/distrib.cc
+++ b/distrib/distrib.cc
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ int distrib::readHostFile(const char * filename)
     while ( ! ifs.eof() )
     {
         ifs >> host;
+        if ( ifs.eof() )
+            break;
         m_hosts.push_back(host);
     }
 
@@ -29,17 +31,18 @@ int distrib::readHostFile(const char * filename)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int distrib::connect()
+int distrib::connect(const std::vector<std::string> & client_options)
 {
     int err = 0;
     for (int i = 0, sz = m_hosts.size(); i < sz; i++)
     {
-        err += connect(m_hosts[i]);
+        err += connect(m_hosts[i], client_options);
     }
     return err;
 }
 
-int distrib::connect(const string & host)
+int distrib::connect(const string & host,
+                     const std::vector<std::string> & client_options)
 {
     int id = fork();
     if (id < 0)         /* check for fork() error */
@@ -55,10 +58,30 @@ int distrib::connect(const string & host)
     {
         char server_port_str[15];
         sprintf(server_port_str, "%d", m_serverport);
-        execlp("ssh", "ssh", host.c_str(),
-               "fart", "--host", m_servername.c_str(),
-                       "--port", server_port_str,
-               (char *) NULL);
+        vector<string> args;
+        args.push_back("ssh");
+        args.push_back(host);
+        args.push_back("fart");
+        args.push_back("--host");
+        args.push_back(m_servername);
+        args.push_back("--port");
+        args.push_back(server_port_str);
+        for (int i = 0, sz = client_options.size(); i < sz; i++)
+            args.push_back(client_options[i]);
+        const char * char_star_args[args.size() + 1];
+        for (int i = 0, sz = args.size(); i < sz; i++)
+            char_star_args[i] = args[i].c_str();
+        char_star_args[args.size()] = (char *) NULL;
+
+#if 0
+        /* debug */
+        cout << "executing: 'ssh', ";
+        for (int i = 0, sz = args.size(); i < sz; i++)
+            cout << "'" << char_star_args[i] << "', ";
+        cout << endl;
+#endif
+
+        execvp("ssh", (char * const *) char_star_args);
 
         /* we should not get here */
         cerr << "Error " << errno << " with execlp()!" << endl;
@@ -68,10 +91,8 @@ int distrib::connect(const string & host)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int distrib::startServer()
+int distrib::startServer(const std::vector<std::string> & client_options)
 {
-    connect();
-
     char hostname[1000];
     gethostname(&hostname[0], 1000);
     m_servername = hostname;
@@ -109,6 +130,8 @@ int distrib::startServer()
          << m_serverport
          << endl;
 
+    connect(client_options);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/distrib/distrib.h b/distrib/distrib.h
index e16a49c..df56465 100644
--- a/distrib/distrib.h
+++ b/distrib/distrib.h
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ class distrib
 {
     public:
         int readHostFile(const char * filename);
-        int startServer();
+        int startServer(const std::vector<std::string> & client_options);
         int startClient(const char * server, int port);
 
     protected:
-        int connect();
-        int connect(const std::string & host);
+        int connect(const std::vector<std::string> & client_options);
+        int connect(const std::string & host,
+                    const std::vector<std::string> & client_options);
 
         std::vector<std::string> m_hosts;
         std::vector<int> m_children;
diff --git a/main/Scene.cc b/main/Scene.cc
index 8632d5c..4f8abea 100644
--- a/main/Scene.cc
+++ b/main/Scene.cc
@@ -41,52 +41,68 @@ Scene::Scene(const map<string, const char *> & options,
         if (it->first == "width")
         {
             m_width = atoi(it->second);
+            m_client_options.push_back("--width");
+            m_client_options.push_back(it->second);
         }
         else if (it->first == "height")
         {
             m_height = atoi(it->second);
+            m_client_options.push_back("--height");
+            m_client_options.push_back(it->second);
         }
         else if (it->first == "multisample")
         {
             m_multisample_level = atoi(it->second);
+            m_client_options.push_back("--multisample");
+            m_client_options.push_back(it->second);
         }
         else if (it->first == "field-of-view")
         {
             m_vfov = atof(it->second);
+            m_client_options.push_back("--field-of-view");
+            m_client_options.push_back(it->second);
         }
         else if (it->first == "output-file")
         {
             m_output_file_name = it->second;
+            /* no client option necessary */
         }
         else if (it->first == "max-depth")
         {
             m_max_depth = atoi(it->second);
+            m_client_options.push_back("--max-depth");
+            m_client_options.push_back(it->second);
         }
         else if (it->first == "verbose")
         {
             m_verbose = true;
+            /* no client option necessary */
         }
         else if (it->first == "host")
         {
             m_server_name = it->second;
             m_server = false;
+            /* no client option necessary */
         }
         else if (it->first == "port")
         {
             m_server_port = atoi(it->second);
+            /* no client option necessary */
         }
         else if (it->first == "hosts")
         {
             m_hosts_file = it->second;
+            /* no client option necessary */
         }
     }
+    m_client_options.push_back(filename);
 
     /* start the distribution infrastructure */
     if (m_server)
     {
         if (m_hosts_file != "")
             m_distrib.readHostFile(m_hosts_file.c_str());
-        m_distrib.startServer();
+        m_distrib.startServer(m_client_options);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -108,7 +124,7 @@ Scene::~Scene()
 
 void Scene::render()
 {
-    if (m_verbose)
+    if (m_verbose && m_server)
     {
         cout << " *** Beginning scene render ***" << endl;
         cout << "Parameters:" << endl;
@@ -130,7 +146,7 @@ void Scene::render()
         }
     }
 
-    if (m_verbose)
+    if (m_verbose && m_server)
     {
         cout << " *** Ending scene render ***" << endl;
         cout << "Writing output file '" << m_output_file_name << '\'' << endl;
diff --git a/main/Scene.h b/main/Scene.h
index 38af097..a7697f7 100644
--- a/main/Scene.h
+++ b/main/Scene.h
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class Scene
         std::string m_hosts_file;
         int m_server_port;
         distrib m_distrib;
+        std::vector<std::string> m_client_options;
 
         /* framebuffer */
         unsigned char * m_data;
diff --git a/main/fart.cc b/main/fart.cc
index dbcafb9..3966cf2 100644
--- a/main/fart.cc
+++ b/main/fart.cc
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     int opt;
     int option_index;
     map<string, const char *> scene_options;
+    bool server = true;
 
     static const struct option long_options[] = {
         { "output-file",    required_argument, NULL, 'o' },
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
                 break;
             case 257:
                 scene_options["host"] = optarg;
+                server = false;
                 break;
             case 258:
                 scene_options["port"] = optarg;
@@ -104,29 +106,32 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 
     gettimeofday(&after, NULL);         /* stop timing */
 
-    double time_before = before.tv_sec + before.tv_usec / 1000000.0;
-    double time_after = after.tv_sec + after.tv_usec / 1000000.0;
-    double total_seconds = time_after - time_before;
-    cout << "Elapsed time: " << total_seconds << " seconds";
-
-    double seconds = total_seconds;
-    int days = (int) (seconds / (60.0 * 60.0 * 24.0));
-    seconds -= days * 60.0 * 60.0 * 24.0;
-    int hours = (int) (seconds / (60.0 * 60.0));
-    seconds -= hours * 60.0 * 60.0;
-    int minutes = (int) (seconds / 60.0);
-    seconds -= minutes * 60.0;
-    if (days || hours || minutes)
+    if (server)
     {
-        cout << " (";
-        if (days)
-            cout << days << " days, ";
-        if (days || hours)
-            cout << hours << " hours, ";
-        cout << minutes << " minutes, ";
-        cout << seconds << " seconds)";
+        double time_before = before.tv_sec + before.tv_usec / 1000000.0;
+        double time_after = after.tv_sec + after.tv_usec / 1000000.0;
+        double total_seconds = time_after - time_before;
+        cout << "Elapsed time: " << total_seconds << " seconds";
+
+        double seconds = total_seconds;
+        int days = (int) (seconds / (60.0 * 60.0 * 24.0));
+        seconds -= days * 60.0 * 60.0 * 24.0;
+        int hours = (int) (seconds / (60.0 * 60.0));
+        seconds -= hours * 60.0 * 60.0;
+        int minutes = (int) (seconds / 60.0);
+        seconds -= minutes * 60.0;
+        if (days || hours || minutes)
+        {
+            cout << " (";
+            if (days)
+                cout << days << " days, ";
+            if (days || hours)
+                cout << hours << " hours, ";
+            cout << minutes << " minutes, ";
+            cout << seconds << " seconds)";
+        }
+        cout << endl;
     }
-    cout << endl;
 
     return 0;
 }