diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
index cb2da51031..38f5c7cc55 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.cpp
@@ -39,19 +39,14 @@ SharedAssignmentPointer AssignmentClient::_currentAssignment;
 
 int hifiSockAddrMeta = qRegisterMetaType<HifiSockAddr>("HifiSockAddr");
 
-AssignmentClient::AssignmentClient(int &argc, char **argv,
-                                   Assignment::Type requestAssignmentType, QString assignmentPool, QUuid walletUUID,
+AssignmentClient::AssignmentClient(Assignment::Type requestAssignmentType, QString assignmentPool, QUuid walletUUID,
                                    QString assignmentServerHostname, quint16 assignmentServerPort) :
-    QCoreApplication(argc, argv),
     _assignmentServerHostname(DEFAULT_ASSIGNMENT_SERVER_HOSTNAME),
     _localASPortSharedMem(NULL),
     _localACMPortSharedMem(NULL)
 {
     LogUtils::init();
 
-    setOrganizationName("High Fidelity");
-    setOrganizationDomain("highfidelity.io");
-    setApplicationName("assignment-client");
     QSettings::setDefaultFormat(QSettings::IniFormat);
     
     // create a NodeList as an unassigned client
@@ -124,7 +119,7 @@ void AssignmentClient::stopAssignmentClient() {
     qDebug() << "Exiting.";
     _requestTimer.stop();
     _statsTimerACM.stop();
-    quit();
+    QCoreApplication::quit();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.h b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.h
index 67a5dc89a7..d1d93c78dc 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClient.h
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@
 
 class QSharedMemory;
 
-class AssignmentClient : public QCoreApplication {
+class AssignmentClient : public QObject {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
 
-    AssignmentClient(int &argc, char **argv, Assignment::Type requestAssignmentType, QString assignmentPool,
+    AssignmentClient(Assignment::Type requestAssignmentType, QString assignmentPool,
                      QUuid walletUUID, QString assignmentServerHostname, quint16 assignmentServerPort);
     static const SharedAssignmentPointer& getCurrentAssignment() { return _currentAssignment; }
 
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
index 7f174f0833..26b6b8675a 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ AssignmentClientApp::AssignmentClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
     setvbuf(stdout, NULL, _IOLBF, 0);
 #   endif
 
+    setOrganizationName("High Fidelity");
+    setOrganizationDomain("highfidelity.io");
+    setApplicationName("assignment-client");
+
     // use the verbose message handler in Logging
     qInstallMessageHandler(LogHandler::verboseMessageHandler);
 
@@ -97,6 +101,10 @@ AssignmentClientApp::AssignmentClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
         maxForks = parser.value(maxChildsOption).toInt();
     }
 
+    if (!numForks && minForks) {
+        // if the user specified --min but not -n, set -n to --min
+        numForks = minForks;
+    }
 
     Assignment::Type requestAssignmentType = Assignment::AllTypes;
     if (argumentVariantMap.contains(ASSIGNMENT_TYPE_OVERRIDE_OPTION)) {
@@ -165,12 +173,12 @@ AssignmentClientApp::AssignmentClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 
 
     if (numForks || minForks || maxForks) {
-        AssignmentClientMonitor monitor(argc, argv, numForks, minForks, maxForks, assignmentPool,
+        AssignmentClientMonitor monitor(numForks, minForks, maxForks, assignmentPool,
                                         walletUUID, assignmentServerHostname, assignmentServerPort);
-        monitor.exec();
+        exec();
     } else {
-        AssignmentClient client(argc, argv, requestAssignmentType, assignmentPool,
+        AssignmentClient client(requestAssignmentType, assignmentPool,
                                 walletUUID, assignmentServerHostname, assignmentServerPort);
-        client.exec();
+        exec();
     }
 }
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.cpp b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.cpp
index a3eb5170d5..29fda05ee1 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.cpp
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@ const char* NUM_FORKS_PARAMETER = "-n";
 
 const QString ASSIGNMENT_CLIENT_MONITOR_TARGET_NAME = "assignment-client-monitor";
 
-AssignmentClientMonitor::AssignmentClientMonitor(int &argc, char **argv,
-                                                 const unsigned int numAssignmentClientForks,
+AssignmentClientMonitor::AssignmentClientMonitor(const unsigned int numAssignmentClientForks,
                                                  const unsigned int minAssignmentClientForks,
                                                  const unsigned int maxAssignmentClientForks,
                                                  QString assignmentPool, QUuid walletUUID, QString assignmentServerHostname,
                                                  quint16 assignmentServerPort) :
-    QCoreApplication(argc, argv),
     _numAssignmentClientForks(numAssignmentClientForks),
     _minAssignmentClientForks(minAssignmentClientForks),
     _maxAssignmentClientForks(maxAssignmentClientForks),
@@ -109,7 +107,7 @@ void AssignmentClientMonitor::spawnChildClient() {
     // make sure that the output from the child process appears in our output
     assignmentClient->setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
     
-    assignmentClient->start(applicationFilePath(), _childArguments);
+    assignmentClient->start(QCoreApplication::applicationFilePath(), _childArguments);
 
     qDebug() << "Spawned a child client with PID" << assignmentClient->pid();
 }
@@ -135,7 +133,7 @@ void AssignmentClientMonitor::checkSpares() {
 
     // Spawn or kill children, as needed.  If --min or --max weren't specified, allow the child count
     // to drift up or down as far as needed.
-    if (spareCount < 1) {
+    if (spareCount < 1 || totalCount < _minAssignmentClientForks) {
         if (!_maxAssignmentClientForks || totalCount < _maxAssignmentClientForks) {
             spawnChildClient();
         }
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.h b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.h
index e40a10014b..dc88bfcd95 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientMonitor.h
@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@
 extern const char* NUM_FORKS_PARAMETER;
 
 
-class AssignmentClientMonitor : public QCoreApplication {
+class AssignmentClientMonitor : public QObject {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    AssignmentClientMonitor(int &argc, char **argv, const unsigned int numAssignmentClientForks,
-                            const unsigned int minAssignmentClientForks, const unsigned int maxAssignmentClientForks,
-                            QString assignmentPool, QUuid walletUUID, QString assignmentServerHostname,
-                            quint16 assignmentServerPort);
+    AssignmentClientMonitor(const unsigned int numAssignmentClientForks, const unsigned int minAssignmentClientForks,
+                            const unsigned int maxAssignmentClientForks, QString assignmentPool, QUuid walletUUID,
+                            QString assignmentServerHostname, quint16 assignmentServerPort);
     ~AssignmentClientMonitor();
     
     void stopChildProcesses();