diff --git a/src/common/protocol.h b/src/common/protocol.h
--- a/src/common/protocol.h
+++ b/src/common/protocol.h
@@ -22,16 +22,16 @@
  */
 
 /**
-   generic, shared requests 
+   generic, shared requests
  */
 enum distren_request_type
   {
-    DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION = 1, /*< identifies the version of software being 
+    DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION = 1, /*< identifies the version of software being
 				   used by the sender and tells if it is a client or server */
-    DISTREN_REQUEST_PING = 2, 
+    DISTREN_REQUEST_PING = 2,
     DISTREN_REQUEST_PONG = 3,
     DISTREN_REQUEST_DISCONNECT = 4,
-    
+
     /**
        client->server only requests
     */
@@ -51,5 +51,7 @@ enum distren_request_type
        server->server
     */
     DISTREN_REQUEST_RENDERFRAME = 8,
-    DISTREN_REQUEST_DONEFRAME = 9
+    DISTREN_REQUEST_DONEFRAME = 9,
+    DISTREN_REQUEST_PROGRESS = 10, /*< tells another server of the progress of the first server's work at rendering */
+
   };
diff --git a/src/server/slave.c b/src/server/slave.c
--- a/src/server/slave.c
+++ b/src/server/slave.c
@@ -27,11 +27,15 @@
  * **********************************************************************************
 */
 
+// Provides DISTREN_REQUEST* which is in reality, DISTREN_SEND(signal)
+#include "protocol.h"
+
 int main(int argc, char *arvg[])
 {
 
 	///////////////////// Semi-pseudo Slave Code ///////////////////////////
 
+
 	int slavestatus = 0;
 
 	if('no username in config file, no key present'){
@@ -53,16 +57,15 @@ int main(int argc, char *arvg[])
 		exec_blender(jobname.blendfile, jobnum.framenum.JPG, jobnum); // (check the args, we'll need to adjust for different output formats)... set SLAVESTATUS=1 while rendering, SLAVESTATUS=2 when done
 	}
 	if(SLAVESTATUS==2){
-		tell_the_server("Completed");
 		fprintf(stderr, "Finished frame %d in job %d",framenum,jobnum);
 		SLAVESTATUS=0;
 	}
 	if(SLAVESTATUS==0){
-		tell_the_server("Idle");
+		tell_the_server(DISTREN_REQUEST_DONEFRAME);
 		fprintf(stderr, "Idle. No frames to render.");
 	}
 	while(SLAVESTATUS==1){
-		tell_the_server("Rendering");
+		tell_the_server(DISTREN_REQUEST_PROGRESS);
 		fprintf(stderr, "Rendering frame %d in job %d...",framenum,jobnum);
 		delay(1000); // or not... this should be more event-driven, but should still give a heartbeat to the server
 	}