Index: uspace/srv/devman/devman.c
===================================================================
--- uspace/srv/devman/devman.c	(revision ebcb05a569ef3a706553a41bd6a44277cc63277f)
+++ uspace/srv/devman/devman.c	(revision d0f3692cd796e355ef06a628781331e028cc878a)
@@ -555,17 +555,4 @@
 }
 
-/** Remember the driver's phone.
- *
- * @param driver	The driver.
- * @param phone		The phone to the driver.
- */
-void set_driver_phone(driver_t *driver, sysarg_t phone)
-{
-	fibril_mutex_lock(&driver->driver_mutex);
-	assert(driver->state == DRIVER_STARTING);
-	driver->phone = phone;
-	fibril_mutex_unlock(&driver->driver_mutex);
-}
-
 /** Notify driver about the devices to which it was assigned.
  *
@@ -685,4 +672,5 @@
 	list_initialize(&drv->devices);
 	fibril_mutex_initialize(&drv->driver_mutex);
+	drv->phone = -1;
 }
 
Index: uspace/srv/devman/devman.h
===================================================================
--- uspace/srv/devman/devman.h	(revision ebcb05a569ef3a706553a41bd6a44277cc63277f)
+++ uspace/srv/devman/devman.h	(revision d0f3692cd796e355ef06a628781331e028cc878a)
@@ -88,5 +88,5 @@
 	
 	/** Phone asociated with this driver. */
-	sysarg_t phone;
+	int phone;
 	/** Name of the device driver. */
 	char *name;
@@ -316,5 +316,4 @@
 
 extern driver_t *find_driver(driver_list_t *, const char *);
-extern void set_driver_phone(driver_t *, sysarg_t);
 extern void initialize_running_driver(driver_t *, dev_tree_t *);
 
Index: uspace/srv/devman/main.c
===================================================================
--- uspace/srv/devman/main.c	(revision ebcb05a569ef3a706553a41bd6a44277cc63277f)
+++ uspace/srv/devman/main.c	(revision d0f3692cd796e355ef06a628781331e028cc878a)
@@ -95,5 +95,4 @@
 	/* Find driver structure. */
 	driver = find_driver(&drivers_list, drv_name);
-	
 	if (driver == NULL) {
 		log_msg(LVL_ERROR, "No driver named `%s' was found.", drv_name);
@@ -107,4 +106,30 @@
 	drv_name = NULL;
 	
+	fibril_mutex_lock(&driver->driver_mutex);
+	
+	if (driver->phone >= 0) {
+		/* We already have a connection to the driver. */
+		log_msg(LVL_ERROR, "Driver '%s' already started.\n",
+		    driver->name);
+		fibril_mutex_unlock(&driver->driver_mutex);
+		async_answer_0(iid, EEXISTS);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	
+	switch (driver->state) {
+	case DRIVER_NOT_STARTED:
+		/* Somebody started the driver manually. */
+		log_msg(LVL_NOTE, "Driver '%s' started manually.\n",
+		    driver->name);
+		driver->state = DRIVER_STARTING;
+		break;
+	case DRIVER_STARTING:
+		/* The expected case */
+		break;
+	case DRIVER_RUNNING:
+		/* Should not happen since we do not have a connected phone */
+		assert(false);
+	}
+	
 	/* Create connection to the driver. */
 	log_msg(LVL_DEBUG, "Creating connection to the `%s' driver.",
@@ -113,4 +138,5 @@
 	ipc_callid_t callid = async_get_call(&call);
 	if (IPC_GET_IMETHOD(call) != IPC_M_CONNECT_TO_ME) {
+		fibril_mutex_unlock(&driver->driver_mutex);
 		async_answer_0(callid, ENOTSUP);
 		async_answer_0(iid, ENOTSUP);
@@ -119,5 +145,7 @@
 	
 	/* Remember driver's phone. */
-	set_driver_phone(driver, IPC_GET_ARG5(call));
+	driver->phone = IPC_GET_ARG5(call);
+	
+	fibril_mutex_unlock(&driver->driver_mutex);
 	
 	log_msg(LVL_NOTE, 
@@ -578,5 +606,5 @@
 		method = DRIVER_CLIENT;
 	
-	if (driver->phone <= 0) {
+	if (driver->phone < 0) {
 		log_msg(LVL_ERROR, 
 		    "Could not forward to driver `%s' (phone is %d).",
@@ -618,5 +646,5 @@
 	dev = fun->dev;
 	
-	if (dev->state != DEVICE_USABLE || dev->drv->phone <= 0) {
+	if (dev->state != DEVICE_USABLE || dev->drv->phone < 0) {
 		async_answer_0(iid, EINVAL);
 		return;