diff --git a/openlp/core/app.py b/openlp/core/app.py
index eb15c69b7..1ecca85f3 100644
--- a/openlp/core/app.py
+++ b/openlp/core/app.py
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ from PyQt5 import QtCore, QtWidgets
 from openlp.core.common import is_macosx, is_win
 from openlp.core.common.applocation import AppLocation
 from openlp.core.common.i18n import LanguageManager, UiStrings, translate
-from openlp.core.common.mixins import LogMixin
 from openlp.core.common.path import create_paths, copytree
 from openlp.core.common.registry import Registry
 from openlp.core.common.settings import Settings
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@ from openlp.core.ui.firsttimeform import FirstTimeForm
 from openlp.core.ui.firsttimelanguageform import FirstTimeLanguageForm
 from openlp.core.ui.mainwindow import MainWindow
 from openlp.core.ui.style import get_application_stylesheet
+from openlp.core.server import Server
 from openlp.core.version import check_for_update, get_version
 
 __all__ = ['OpenLP', 'main']
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ __all__ = ['OpenLP', 'main']
 log = logging.getLogger()
 
 
-class OpenLP(QtWidgets.QApplication, LogMixin):
+class OpenLP(QtWidgets.QApplication):
     """
     The core application class. This class inherits from Qt's QApplication
     class in order to provide the core of the application.
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class OpenLP(QtWidgets.QApplication, LogMixin):
         """
         self.is_event_loop_active = True
         result = QtWidgets.QApplication.exec()
-        self.shared_memory.detach()
+        self.server.close_server()
         return result
 
     def run(self, args):
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class OpenLP(QtWidgets.QApplication, LogMixin):
         # On Linux and FreeBSD, in order to set the WM_CLASS property for X11, we pass "OpenLP" in as a command line
         # argument. This interferes with files being passed in as command line arguments, so we remove it from the list.
         if 'OpenLP' in args:
+            print("remove2")
             args.remove('OpenLP')
         self.args.extend(args)
         # Decide how many screens we have and their size
@@ -135,23 +136,20 @@ class OpenLP(QtWidgets.QApplication, LogMixin):
         self.main_window.app_startup()
         return self.exec()
 
-    def is_already_running(self):
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_already_running():
         """
         Look to see if OpenLP is already running and ask if a 2nd instance is to be started.
         """
-        self.shared_memory = QtCore.QSharedMemory('OpenLP')
-        if self.shared_memory.attach():
-            status = QtWidgets.QMessageBox.critical(None, UiStrings().Error, UiStrings().OpenLPStart,
-                                                    QtWidgets.QMessageBox.StandardButtons(QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Yes |
-                                                                                          QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No))
-            if status == QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No:
-                return True
-            return False
-        else:
-            self.shared_memory.create(1)
-            return False
+        status = QtWidgets.QMessageBox.critical(None, UiStrings().Error, UiStrings().OpenLPStart,
+                                                QtWidgets.QMessageBox.StandardButtons(QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Yes |
+                                                                                      QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No))
+        if status == QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No:
+            return True
+        return False
 
-    def is_data_path_missing(self):
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_data_path_missing():
         """
         Check if the data folder path exists.
         """
@@ -383,11 +381,18 @@ def main(args=None):
     Registry().set_flag('no_web_server', args.no_web_server)
     application.setApplicationVersion(get_version()['version'])
     # Check if an instance of OpenLP is already running. Quit if there is a running instance and the user only wants one
-    if application.is_already_running():
-        sys.exit()
+    server = Server()
+    if server.is_another_instance_running():
+        if server.is_already_running():
+            server.post_to_server(qt_args)
+            server.close_server()
+            sys.exit()
+    else:
+        server.start_server()
+        application.server = server
     # If the custom data path is missing and the user wants to restore the data path, quit OpenLP.
     if application.is_data_path_missing():
-        application.shared_memory.detach()
+        server.close_server()
         sys.exit()
     # Upgrade settings.
     settings = Settings()
diff --git a/openlp/core/server.py b/openlp/core/server.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..340f95054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openlp/core/server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# vim: autoindent shiftwidth=4 expandtab textwidth=120 tabstop=4 softtabstop=4
+
+###############################################################################
+# OpenLP - Open Source Lyrics Projection                                      #
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Copyright (c) 2008-2018 OpenLP Developers                                   #
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it     #
+# under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free  #
+# Software Foundation; version 2 of the License.                              #
+#                                                                             #
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT #
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or       #
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for    #
+# more details.                                                               #
+#                                                                             #
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along     #
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59  #
+# Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA                          #
+###############################################################################
+
+
+from PyQt5 import QtCore
+from PyQt5 import QtNetwork
+
+from openlp.core.common.mixins import LogMixin
+
+
+class Server(QtCore.QObject, LogMixin):
+    """
+    The local server to handle OpenLP running in more than one instance and allows file
+    handles to be transferred from the new to the existing one.
+    """
+
+    def is_another_instance_running(self):
+        self._id = 'OpenLPDual'
+        # Is there another instance running?
+        self._outSocket = QtNetwork.QLocalSocket()
+        self._outSocket.connectToServer(self._id)
+        return self._outSocket.waitForConnected()
+
+    def post_to_server(self, args):
+        print(args)
+        if 'OpenLP' in args:
+            print("remove1")
+            args.remove('OpenLP')
+        # Yes, there is.
+        print("isRunning")
+        self._outStream = QtCore.QTextStream(self._outSocket)
+        self._outStream.setCodec('UTF-8')
+        self._outSocket.write(str.encode("".join(args)))
+        if not self._outSocket.waitForBytesWritten(10):
+            raise Exception(str(self._outSocket.errorString()))
+        self._outSocket.disconnectFromServer()
+        return False
+
+    def start_server(self):
+            # No, there isn't.
+            print("No it is not")
+            self._outSocket = None
+            self._outStream = None
+            self._inSocket = None
+            self._inStream = None
+            self._server = QtNetwork.QLocalServer()
+            self._server.listen(self._id)
+            self._server.newConnection.connect(self._on_new_connection)
+            return True
+
+    def _on_new_connection(self):
+        """
+        Handle a new connection to the server
+        :return:
+        """
+        if self._inSocket:
+            self._inSocket.readyRead.disconnect(self._on_ready_read)
+        self._inSocket = self._server.nextPendingConnection()
+        if not self._inSocket:
+            return
+        self._inStream = QtCore.QTextStream(self._inSocket)
+        self._inStream.setCodec('UTF-8')
+        self._inSocket.readyRead.connect(self._on_ready_read)
+
+    def _on_ready_read(self):
+        """
+        Read a record passed to the server and load a service
+        :return:
+        """
+        while True:
+            msg = self._inStream.readLine()
+            if msg:
+                self.log_debug("socket msg = " + msg)
+                Registry().get('service_manager').on_load_service_clicked(msg)
+
+    def close_server(self):
+        """
+        Shutdown to local socket server
+        :return:
+        """
+        if self._server:
+            self._server.close()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/servicemanager.py b/openlp/core/ui/servicemanager.py
index 2e5d29e4d..54ce48251 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/servicemanager.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/servicemanager.py
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ class ServiceManager(QtWidgets.QWidget, RegistryBase, Ui_ServiceManager, LogMixi
 
         :param load_file: The service file to the loaded.  Will be None is from menu so selection will be required.
         """
+        print(load_file)
         if self.is_modified():
             result = self.save_modified_service()
             if result == QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Cancel: