diff --git a/callback_dispatcher.cc b/callback_dispatcher.cc
index 4ffb719..1986f98 100644
--- a/callback_dispatcher.cc
+++ b/callback_dispatcher.cc
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ namespace pEp {
         return callback_dispatcher._notifyHandshake(me, partner, signal);
     }
 
-    void CallbackDispatcher::add(::messageToSend_t messageToSend,
-            ::notifyHandshake_t notifyHandshake)
+    void CallbackDispatcher::add(
+            ::messageToSend_t messageToSend,
+            ::notifyHandshake_t notifyHandshake,
+            proc on_startup,
+            proc shutdown
+        )
     {
-        targets.push_back({messageToSend, notifyHandshake});
+        targets.push_back({messageToSend, notifyHandshake, on_startup, shutdown});
     }
 
     void CallbackDispatcher::remove(::messageToSend_t messageToSend)
@@ -40,6 +44,31 @@ namespace pEp {
         }
     }
 
+    void CallbackDispatcher::on_startup()
+    {
+        for (auto target : targets)
+            target.on_startup();
+    }
+
+    void CallbackDispatcher::on_shutdown()
+    {
+        for (auto target : targets)
+            target.on_shutdown();
+    }
+
+    void CallbackDispatcher::start_sync()
+    {
+        pEp::Adapter::startup<CallbackDispatcher>(CallbackDispatcher::messageToSend,
+                CallbackDispatcher::notifyHandshake, this,
+                &CallbackDispatcher::on_startup,
+                &CallbackDispatcher::on_shutdown);
+    }
+
+    void CallbackDispatcher::stop_sync()
+    {
+        pEp::Adapter::shutdown();
+    }
+
     PEP_STATUS CallbackDispatcher::_messageToSend(::message *msg)
     {
         for (auto target : targets) {
diff --git a/callback_dispatcher.hh b/callback_dispatcher.hh
index 2989609..5e8de21 100644
--- a/callback_dispatcher.hh
+++ b/callback_dispatcher.hh
@@ -1,13 +1,23 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <vector>
+#include <functional>
 #include "Adapter.hh"
 
 namespace pEp {
+    // use this class when implementing a desktop adapter
+    // register different interfaces with add()
+    // then use CallbackDispatcher::start_sync() to start Sync
+    // and CallbackDispatcher::stop_sync() to stop Sync
+
     class CallbackDispatcher {
+        using proc = std::function<void()>;
+
         struct callbacks {
             ::messageToSend_t messageToSend;
             ::notifyHandshake_t notifyHandshake;
+            proc on_startup;
+            proc on_shutdown;
         };
         std::vector<callbacks> targets;
 
@@ -16,15 +26,25 @@ namespace pEp {
     public:
         CallbackDispatcher();
 
+        void add(
+                ::messageToSend_t messageToSend,
+                ::notifyHandshake_t notifyHandshake,
+                proc on_startup = nullptr,
+                proc on_shutdown = nullptr
+            );
+        void remove(::messageToSend_t messageToSend);
+
+        void start_sync();
+        void stop_sync();
+
+    protected:
+        void on_startup();
+        void on_shutdown();
+
         static PEP_STATUS messageToSend(::message *msg);
         static PEP_STATUS notifyHandshake(::pEp_identity *me,
                 ::pEp_identity *partner, ::sync_handshake_signal signal);
 
-        void add(::messageToSend_t messageToSend,
-                ::notifyHandshake_t notifyHandshake);
-        void remove(::messageToSend_t messageToSend);
-
-    protected:
         PEP_STATUS _messageToSend(::message *msg);
         PEP_STATUS _notifyHandshake(::pEp_identity *me,
                 ::pEp_identity *partner, ::sync_handshake_signal signal);