diff --git a/include/usage.h b/include/usage.h
index 54b6a4d99..450f80164 100644
--- a/include/usage.h
+++ b/include/usage.h
@@ -2108,10 +2108,10 @@
        "losetup -f will show the first loop free loop device\n\n"
 
 #define lpd_trivial_usage \
-       "SPOOLDIR"
+       "SPOOLDIR [HELPER [ARGS...]]"
 #define lpd_full_usage \
        "Example:" \
-     "\n	tcpsvd -E 0 515 softlimit -m 99999 lpd /var/spool"
+     "\n	tcpsvd -E 0 515 softlimit -m 999999 lpd /var/spool ./print"
 
 #define lpq_trivial_usage \
        "[-P queue[@host[:port]]] [-U USERNAME] [-d JOBID...] [-fs]"
diff --git a/printutils/lpd.c b/printutils/lpd.c
index 49e3fd744..45ad6d7e5 100644
--- a/printutils/lpd.c
+++ b/printutils/lpd.c
@@ -6,10 +6,123 @@
  *
  * Licensed under GPLv2, see file LICENSE in this tarball for details.
  */
+
+/*
+ * A typical usage of BB lpd looks as follows:
+ * # tcpsvd -E 0 515 lpd SPOOLDIR [HELPER-PROG [ARGS...]]
+ * 
+ * This means a network listener is started on port 515 (default for LP protocol). 
+ * When a client connection is made (via lpr) lpd first change its working directory to SPOOLDIR.
+ * 
+ * SPOOLDIR is the spool directory which contains printing queues 
+ * and should have the following structure:
+ * 
+ * SPOOLDIR/
+ * 	<queue1>
+ * 	...
+ * 	<queueN>
+ * 
+ * <queueX> can be of two types:
+ * 	A. a printer character device or an ordinary file a link to such;
+ * 	B. a directory.
+ * 
+ * In case A lpd just dumps the data it receives from client (lpr) to the 
+ * end of queue file/device. This is non-spooling mode.
+ * 
+ * In case B lpd enters spooling mode. It reliably saves client data along with control info 
+ * in two unique files under the queue directory. These files are named dfAXXXHHHH and cfAXXXHHHH, 
+ * where XXX is the job number and HHHH is the client hostname. Unless a printing helper application 
+ * is specified lpd is done at this point.
+ * 
+ * If HELPER-PROG (with optional arguments) is specified then lpd continues to process client data:
+ * 	1. it reads and parses control file (cfA...). The parse process results in setting environment 
+ * 	variables whose values were passed in control file; when parsing is complete, lpd deletes 
+ * 	control file.
+ * 	2. it spawns specified helper application. It is then the helper application who is responsible 
+ * 	for both actual printing and deleting processed data file.
+ * 
+ * A good lpr passes control files which when parsed provide the following variables:
+ * $H = host which issues the job
+ * $P = user who prints
+ * $C = class of printing (what is printed on banner page)
+ * $J = the name of the job
+ * $L = print banner page
+ * $M = the user to whom a mail should be sent if a problem occurs
+ * $l = name of datafile ("dfAxxx") - file whose content are to be printed
+ * 
+ * Thus, a typical helper can be something like this:
+ * #!/bin/sh
+ * cat "$l" >/dev/lp0
+ * mv -f "$l" save/
+ * 
+ */
 #include "libbb.h"
 
 // TODO: xmalloc_reads is vulnerable to remote OOM attack!
 
+// strip argument of bad chars
+static char *sane(char *str)
+{
+	char *s = str;
+	char *p = s;
+	while (*s) {
+		if (isalnum(*s) || '-' == *s) {
+			*p++ = *s;
+		}
+		s++;
+	}
+	*p = '\0';
+	return str;
+}
+
+static void exec_helper(const char *fname, char **argv)
+{
+	char *p, *q, *file;
+	char *our_env[12];
+	int env_idx;
+
+	// read control file
+	file = q = xmalloc_open_read_close(fname, NULL);
+	// delete control file
+	unlink(fname);
+	// parse control file by "\n"
+	env_idx = 0;
+	while ((p = strchr(q, '\n')) != NULL
+	 && isalpha(*q)
+	 && env_idx < ARRAY_SIZE(our_env)
+	) {
+		*p++ = '\0';
+		// here q is a line of <SYM><VALUE>
+		// let us set environment string <SYM>=<VALUE>
+		// N.B. setenv is leaky!
+		// We have to use putenv(malloced_str),
+		// and unsetenv+free (in parent)
+		our_env[env_idx] = xasprintf("%c=%s", *q, q+1);
+		putenv(our_env[env_idx]);
+		env_idx++;
+		// next line, plz!
+		q = p;
+	}
+
+	if (vfork() == 0) {
+		// CHILD
+		// we are the helper. we wanna be silent
+		// this call reopens stdio fds to "/dev/null"
+		// (no daemonization is done)
+		bb_daemonize_or_rexec(DAEMON_DEVNULL_STDIO | DAEMON_ONLY_SANITIZE, NULL);
+		BB_EXECVP(*argv, argv);
+		_exit(127);
+	}
+
+	// PARENT (or vfork error)
+	// clean up...
+	free(file);
+	while (--env_idx >= 0) {
+		*strchrnul(our_env[env_idx], '=') = '\0';
+		unsetenv(our_env[env_idx]);
+	}
+}
+
 int lpd_main(int argc, char *argv[]) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int lpd_main(int argc ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -27,22 +140,16 @@ int lpd_main(int argc ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, char *argv[])
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	// spool directory contains either links to real printer devices or just simple files
-	// these links or files are called "queues"
-	// OR
-	// if a directory named as given queue exists within spool directory
-	// then LPD enters spooling mode and just dumps both control and data files to it
-
 	// goto spool directory
-	if (argv[1])
-		xchdir(argv[1]);
+	if (*++argv)
+		xchdir(*argv++);
 
 	// parse command: "\x2QUEUE_NAME\n"
 	queue = s + 1;
 	*strchrnul(s, '\n') = '\0';
 
 	// protect against "/../" attacks
-	if (queue[0] == '.' || strstr(queue, "/."))
+	if (!*sane(queue))
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
 	// queue is a directory -> chdir to it and enter spooling mode
@@ -80,10 +187,8 @@ int lpd_main(int argc ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, char *argv[])
 		*fname++ = '\0';
 		if (spooling) {
 			// spooling mode: dump both files
-			// make "/../" attacks in file names ineffective
-			xchroot(".");
 			// job in flight has mode 0200 "only writable"
-			fd = xopen3(fname, O_CREAT | O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC | O_EXCL, 0200);
+			fd = xopen3(sane(fname), O_CREAT | O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC | O_EXCL, 0200);
 		} else {
 			// non-spooling mode:
 			// 2: control file (ignoring), 3: data file
@@ -99,6 +204,20 @@ int lpd_main(int argc ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, char *argv[])
 				expected_len, real_len);
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
+		// chmod completely downloaded file as "readable+writable" ...
+		if (spooling) {
+			fchmod(fd, 0600);
+			// ... and accumulate dump state.
+			// N.B. after all files are dumped spooling should be 1+2+3==6
+			spooling += s[0];
+		}
+		close(fd); // NB: can do close(-1). Who cares?
+
+		// are all files dumped? -> spawn spool helper
+		if (6 == spooling && *argv) {
+			fname[0] = 'c'; // pass control file name
+			exec_helper(fname, argv);
+		}
 		// get ACK and see whether it is NUL (ok)
 		if (read(STDIN_FILENO, s, 1) != 1 || s[0] != 0) {
 			// don't send error msg to peer - it obviously
@@ -106,10 +225,6 @@ int lpd_main(int argc ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, char *argv[])
 			// it can't understand us either
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
-		// chmod completely downloaded job as "readable+writable"
-		if (spooling)
-			fchmod(fd, 0600);
-		close(fd); // NB: can do close(-1). Who cares?
 		free(s);
 	} /* while (1) */
 }