diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 794a6eda..49785afe 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -207,6 +207,15 @@ exit_on_signal(EV_P_ ev_signal *w, int revents)
     ev_unloop(EV_A_ 1);
 }
 
+/** Function to restart aweome on some signals.
+ * \param sig the signam received, unused
+ */
+static void
+restart_on_signal(EV_P_ ev_signal *w, int revents)
+{
+    ewmh_restart();
+}
+
 /** \brief awesome xerror function.
  * There's no way to check accesses to destroyed windows, thus those cases are
  * ignored (especially on UnmapNotify's).  Other types of errors call Xlibs
@@ -336,8 +345,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     /* register function for signals */
     ev_signal_init(&sigint, exit_on_signal, SIGINT);
-    ev_signal_init(&sigterm, &exit_on_signal, SIGTERM);
-    ev_signal_init(&sighup, &exit_on_signal, SIGHUP);
+    ev_signal_init(&sigterm, exit_on_signal, SIGTERM);
+    ev_signal_init(&sighup, restart_on_signal, SIGHUP);
     ev_signal_start(globalconf.loop, &sigint);
     ev_signal_start(globalconf.loop, &sigterm);
     ev_signal_start(globalconf.loop, &sighup);
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 4fd9b843..12d308bb 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -555,4 +555,21 @@ ewmh_get_window_icon(xcb_window_t w)
     return icon;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Restart awesome.
+ */
+void
+ewmh_restart(void)
+{
+    client_t *c;
+
+    for(c = globalconf.clients; c; c = c->next)
+        client_unban(c);
+
+    xcb_aux_sync(globalconf.connection);
+    xcb_disconnect(globalconf.connection);
+
+    a_exec(globalconf.argv);
+}
+
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/ewmh.h b/ewmh.h
index f7117b11..7d36d619 100644
--- a/ewmh.h
+++ b/ewmh.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ void ewmh_update_net_client_list_stacking(int);
 void ewmh_check_client_hints(client_t *);
 void ewmh_update_workarea(int);
 netwm_icon_t * ewmh_get_window_icon(xcb_window_t);
+void ewmh_restart(void);
 
 #endif
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index cbf00ac9..2907db16 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -122,15 +122,7 @@ luaA_exec(lua_State *L)
 static int
 luaA_restart(lua_State *L __attribute__ ((unused)))
 {
-    client_t *c;
-
-    for(c = globalconf.clients; c; c = c->next)
-        client_unban(c);
-
-    xcb_aux_sync(globalconf.connection);
-    xcb_disconnect(globalconf.connection);
-
-    a_exec(globalconf.argv);
+    ewmh_restart();
     return 0;
 }