diff --git a/common/JackAPI.cpp b/common/JackAPI.cpp
index 6789d987..7a58f6de 100644
--- a/common/JackAPI.cpp
+++ b/common/JackAPI.cpp
@@ -277,6 +277,8 @@ extern "C"
     LIB_EXPORT void jack_uuid_unparse(jack_uuid_t, char buf[JACK_UUID_STRING_SIZE]);
     LIB_EXPORT int  jack_uuid_empty(jack_uuid_t);
 
+    LIB_EXPORT int  jack_client_reload_master(jack_client_t* ext_client);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
@@ -2140,3 +2142,17 @@ LIB_EXPORT int jack_uuid_empty(jack_uuid_t u)
 {
     return u == JACK_UUID_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
 }
+
+LIB_EXPORT int  jack_client_reload_master(jack_client_t* ext_client)
+{
+    JackGlobals::CheckContext("jack_client_reload_master");
+
+    JackClient* client = (JackClient*)ext_client;
+    if (client == NULL) {
+        jack_error("jack_client_reload_master called with a NULL client");
+        return -1;
+    } else {
+        WaitGraphChange();
+        return client->ClientReloadMaster();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/common/JackChannel.h b/common/JackChannel.h
index 56687043..35aeda8f 100644
--- a/common/JackChannel.h
+++ b/common/JackChannel.h
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ class JackClientChannelInterface
         virtual void ClientDeactivate(int refnum, int* result)
         {}
 
+        virtual void ClientReloadMaster(int* result)
+        {}
+
         virtual void PortRegister(int refnum, const char* name, const char* type, unsigned int flags, unsigned int buffer_size, jack_port_id_t* port_index, int* result)
         {}
         virtual void PortUnRegister(int refnum, jack_port_id_t port_index, int* result)
diff --git a/common/JackClient.cpp b/common/JackClient.cpp
index b8303ab0..01a00dee 100644
--- a/common/JackClient.cpp
+++ b/common/JackClient.cpp
@@ -502,6 +502,13 @@ int JackClient::Deactivate()
     if (IsRealTime()) {
         fThread.Kill();
     }
+	return result;
+}
+
+int JackClient::ClientReloadMaster()
+{
+    int result = -1;
+    fChannel->ClientReloadMaster(&result);
     return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/common/JackClient.h b/common/JackClient.h
index a0e506e7..d18fd774 100644
--- a/common/JackClient.h
+++ b/common/JackClient.h
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ class SERVER_EXPORT JackClient : public JackClientInterface, public JackRunnable
         virtual int Activate();
         virtual int Deactivate();
 
+        virtual int ClientReloadMaster();
+
         // Context
         virtual int SetBufferSize(jack_nframes_t buffer_size);
         virtual int SetFreeWheel(int onoff);
diff --git a/common/JackDriver.cpp b/common/JackDriver.cpp
index 8700b1c9..fb4bbf36 100644
--- a/common/JackDriver.cpp
+++ b/common/JackDriver.cpp
@@ -351,6 +351,11 @@ int JackDriver::Stop()
     return StopSlaves();
 }
 
+int JackDriver::Reload()
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int JackDriver::StartSlaves()
 {
     int res = 0;
diff --git a/common/JackDriver.h b/common/JackDriver.h
index c66e2500..9caa884a 100644
--- a/common/JackDriver.h
+++ b/common/JackDriver.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class SERVER_EXPORT JackDriverInterface
 
         virtual int Start() = 0;
         virtual int Stop() = 0;
+        virtual int Reload() = 0;
 
         virtual bool IsFixedBufferSize() = 0;
         virtual int SetBufferSize(jack_nframes_t buffer_size) = 0;
@@ -227,6 +228,7 @@ class SERVER_EXPORT JackDriver : public JackDriverClientInterface
 
         virtual int Start();
         virtual int Stop();
+        virtual int Reload();
 
         // For "master" driver
         int ProcessReadSlaves();
diff --git a/common/JackGenericClientChannel.cpp b/common/JackGenericClientChannel.cpp
index 96401d29..c8151240 100644
--- a/common/JackGenericClientChannel.cpp
+++ b/common/JackGenericClientChannel.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,13 @@ void JackGenericClientChannel::ClientDeactivate(int refnum, int* result)
     ServerSyncCall(&req, &res, result);
 }
 
+void JackGenericClientChannel::ClientReloadMaster(int *result)
+{
+    JackClientReloadMasterRequest req;
+    JackResult res;
+    ServerSyncCall(&req, &res, result);
+}
+
 void JackGenericClientChannel::PortRegister(int refnum, const char* name, const char* type, unsigned int flags, unsigned int buffer_size, jack_port_id_t* port_index, int* result)
 {
     JackPortRegisterRequest req(refnum, name, type, flags, buffer_size);
diff --git a/common/JackGenericClientChannel.h b/common/JackGenericClientChannel.h
index b2c7b4ad..a82b4a61 100644
--- a/common/JackGenericClientChannel.h
+++ b/common/JackGenericClientChannel.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class JackGenericClientChannel : public detail::JackClientChannelInterface
         void ClientActivate(int refnum, int is_real_time, int* result);
         void ClientDeactivate(int refnum, int* result);
 
+        void ClientReloadMaster(int* result);
+
         void PortRegister(int refnum, const char* name, const char* type, unsigned int flags, unsigned int buffer_size, jack_port_id_t* port_index, int* result);
         void PortUnRegister(int refnum, jack_port_id_t port_index, int* result);
 
diff --git a/common/JackRequest.h b/common/JackRequest.h
index 3c2c8bef..2048ef5b 100644
--- a/common/JackRequest.h
+++ b/common/JackRequest.h
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ struct JackRequest
         kClientHasSessionCallback = 38,
         kComputeTotalLatencies = 39,
         kPropertyChangeNotify = 40,
+        kClientReloadMaster = 41,
     };
 
     RequestType fType;
@@ -1736,6 +1737,31 @@ struct JackClientNotification
 
 };
 
+/*!
+\brief Restart Master Backend Request.
+*/
+
+struct JackClientReloadMasterRequest : public JackRequest
+{
+    JackClientReloadMasterRequest(): JackRequest(JackRequest::kClientReloadMaster)
+    {
+    }
+
+    int Read(detail::JackChannelTransactionInterface* trans)
+    {
+        CheckSize();
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    int Write(detail::JackChannelTransactionInterface* trans)
+    {
+        CheckRes(JackRequest::Write(trans, Size()));
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    int Size() { return 0; }
+};
+
 } // end of namespace
 
 #endif
diff --git a/common/JackRequestDecoder.cpp b/common/JackRequestDecoder.cpp
index 46bbd1f3..533d2e50 100644
--- a/common/JackRequestDecoder.cpp
+++ b/common/JackRequestDecoder.cpp
@@ -346,6 +346,16 @@ int JackRequestDecoder::HandleRequest(detail::JackChannelTransactionInterface* s
             break;
         }
 
+        case JackRequest::kClientReloadMaster: {
+            jack_log("JackRequest::ClientReloadMaster");
+            JackClientReloadMasterRequest req;
+            JackResult res;
+            CheckRead(req, socket);
+            res.fResult = fServer->ReloadMaster();
+            CheckWrite("JackRequest::ClientReloadMaster", socket);
+            break;
+        }
+
         default:
             jack_error("Unknown request %ld", type);
             return -1;
diff --git a/common/JackServer.cpp b/common/JackServer.cpp
index 5cee13fb..0f9b4cd3 100644
--- a/common/JackServer.cpp
+++ b/common/JackServer.cpp
@@ -430,6 +430,11 @@ error:
     return -1;
 }
 
+int JackServer::ReloadMaster()
+{
+    return fAudioDriver->Reload();
+}
+
 //----------------------
 // Transport management
 //----------------------
diff --git a/common/JackServer.h b/common/JackServer.h
index 71192e9e..c7921b03 100644
--- a/common/JackServer.h
+++ b/common/JackServer.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ class SERVER_EXPORT JackServer
         JackDriverInfo* AddSlave(jack_driver_desc_t* driver_desc, JSList* driver_params);
         void RemoveSlave(JackDriverInfo* info);
         int SwitchMaster(jack_driver_desc_t* driver_desc, JSList* driver_params);
+        int ReloadMaster();
 
         // Object access
         JackLockedEngine* GetEngine();
diff --git a/common/JackThreadedDriver.cpp b/common/JackThreadedDriver.cpp
index b56a7343..40d03e52 100644
--- a/common/JackThreadedDriver.cpp
+++ b/common/JackThreadedDriver.cpp
@@ -239,6 +239,28 @@ int JackThreadedDriver::Stop()
     return 0;
 }
 
+int JackThreadedDriver::Reload()
+{
+    if (Stop() < 0) {
+        jack_error("JackThreadedDriver::Reload stop failed");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    // not able to use Close() and Open() since we dont have original Open() parameters, these
+    // are internal to fDriver, reload should reopen with same parameters
+    if (fDriver->Reload() < 0) {
+        jack_error("JackThreadedDriver::Reload reload failed");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (Start() < 0) {
+        jack_error("JackThreadedDriver::Reload start failed");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 bool JackThreadedDriver::Execute()
 {
     return (Process() == 0);
diff --git a/common/JackThreadedDriver.h b/common/JackThreadedDriver.h
index cdf10abb..1f83ecad 100644
--- a/common/JackThreadedDriver.h
+++ b/common/JackThreadedDriver.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class SERVER_EXPORT JackThreadedDriver : public JackDriverClientInterface, publi
 
         virtual int Start();
         virtual int Stop();
+        virtual int Reload();
 
         virtual bool IsFixedBufferSize();
         virtual int SetBufferSize(jack_nframes_t buffer_size);
diff --git a/common/jack/jack.h b/common/jack/jack.h
index e982b6df..c5eb27ed 100644
--- a/common/jack/jack.h
+++ b/common/jack/jack.h
@@ -139,6 +139,22 @@ int jack_client_close (jack_client_t *client) JACK_OPTIONAL_WEAK_EXPORT;
  */
 int jack_client_name_size (void) JACK_OPTIONAL_WEAK_EXPORT;
 
+/**
+ * Reloads audio backend.
+ *
+ * This is useful when client wants audio backend to reload its state.
+ * Currently used only for alsa audio backend.
+ *
+ * Alsa backend will close or open audio devices on reload depending on
+ * the state of the ports asociated with audio device. If all ports
+ * are disconnected audio device is closed, opened otherwise. This
+ * behaviour is modifiable by alsa backend options provided to jackd
+ * on startup.
+ *
+ * @return 0 if successful.
+ */
+int  jack_client_reload_master(jack_client_t* ext_client) JACK_OPTIONAL_WEAK_EXPORT;
+
 /**
  * @return pointer to actual client name.  This is useful when @ref
  * JackUseExactName is not specified on open and @ref