diff --git a/handyrl/worker.py b/handyrl/worker.py
index 0cf47b6..1b8bb85 100755
--- a/handyrl/worker.py
+++ b/handyrl/worker.py
@@ -197,36 +197,31 @@ def __init__(self, args):
 
     def run(self):
         # prepare listening connections
-        def entry_server(port):
-            print('started entry server %d' % port)
-            conn_acceptor = accept_socket_connections(port=port)
-            while True:
-                conn = next(conn_acceptor)
-                worker_args = conn.recv()
-                print('accepted connection from %s!' % worker_args['address'])
-                worker_args['base_worker_id'] = self.total_worker_count
-                self.total_worker_count += worker_args['num_parallel']
-                args = copy.deepcopy(self.args)
-                args['worker'] = worker_args
-                conn.send(args)
-                conn.close()
-            print('finished entry server')
-
         def worker_server(port):
             print('started worker server %d' % port)
             conn_acceptor = accept_socket_connections(port=port)
             while True:
                 conn = next(conn_acceptor)
-                self.add_connection(conn)
+                type, worker_args = conn.recv()
+                if type == 'entry':
+                    print('accepted connection from %s!' % worker_args['address'])
+                    worker_args['base_worker_id'] = self.total_worker_count
+                    self.total_worker_count += worker_args['num_parallel']
+                    args = copy.deepcopy(self.args)
+                    args['worker'] = worker_args
+                    conn.send(args)
+                    conn.close()
+                else:
+                    self.add_connection(conn)
             print('finished worker server')
 
-        threading.Thread(target=entry_server, args=(9999,), daemon=True).start()
+        # use thread list of super class
         threading.Thread(target=worker_server, args=(9998,), daemon=True).start()
 
 
 def entry(worker_args):
-    conn = connect_socket_connection(worker_args['server_address'], 9999)
-    conn.send(worker_args)
+    conn = connect_socket_connection(worker_args['server_address'], 9998)
+    conn.send(('entry', worker_args))
     args = conn.recv()
     conn.close()
     return args
@@ -250,6 +245,7 @@ def run(self):
         try:
             for i in range(self.args['num_gathers']):
                 conn = connect_socket_connection(self.args['server_address'], 9998)
+                conn.send(('worker', None))
                 p = mp.Process(target=gather_loop, args=(args, conn, i))
                 p.start()
                 conn.close()