Make Control safe to stop and wait on from any lifecycle state (#1794)

cmd/nebula-service/main.go

@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ func main() {
 	l := logging.NewLogger(os.Stdout)
 
 	if *serviceFlag != "" {
-		if err := doService(configPath, configTest, Build, serviceFlag); err != nil {
+		if *configTest {
+			fmt.Println("-test is not supported with -service, run the config test without -service")
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		if err := doService(configPath, Build, serviceFlag); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Service command failed", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
@@ -93,15 +98,14 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if !*configTest {
-		wait, err := ctrl.Start()
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Start(); err != nil {
 			util.LogWithContextIfNeeded("Error while running", err, l)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
 		go ctrl.ShutdownBlock()
 
-		if err := wait(); err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Wait(); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Nebula stopped due to fatal error", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(2)
 		}

cmd/nebula-service/service.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/kardianos/service"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula"
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ var logger service.Logger
 
 type program struct {
 	configPath *string
-	configTest *bool
 	build      string
 	control    *nebula.Control
 }
@@ -40,22 +40,41 @@ func (p *program) Start(s service.Service) error {
 		}
 	})
 
-	p.control, err = nebula.Main(c, *p.configTest, Build, l, nil)
+	p.control, err = nebula.Main(c, false, Build, l, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	p.control.Start()
+	if err := p.control.Start(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Nebula can stop itself on a fatal packet reader error, make sure to log it if it happens.
+	go func() {
+		if err := p.control.Wait(); err != nil {
+			logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Nebula stopped due to fatal error: %v", err))
+			os.Exit(2)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (p *program) Stop(s service.Service) error {
 	logger.Info("Nebula service stopping.")
-	p.control.Stop()
+	if p.control == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *string) error {
+	p.control.Stop()
+
+	// block until nebula has fully drained before reporting stopped.
+	// error logging is handled by Start.
+	_ = p.control.Wait()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func doService(configPath *string, build string, serviceFlag *string) error {
 	if *configPath == "" {
 		p, err := config.DefaultPath()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -73,7 +92,6 @@ func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *
 
 	prg := &program{
 		configPath: configPath,
-		configTest: configTest,
 		build:      build,
 	}
 
@@ -105,8 +123,9 @@ func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *
 	switch *serviceFlag {
 	case "run":
 		if err := s.Run(); err != nil {
-			// Route any errors to the system logger
+			// Route any errors to the system logger and report the failure
 			logger.Error(err)
+			return err
 		}
 	default:
 		if err := service.Control(s, *serviceFlag); err != nil {

cmd/nebula/main.go

@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if !*configTest {
-		wait, err := ctrl.Start()
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Start(); err != nil {
 			util.LogWithContextIfNeeded("Error while running", err, l)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ func main() {
 		go ctrl.ShutdownBlock()
 		notifyReady(l)
 
-		if err := wait(); err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Wait(); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Nebula stopped due to fatal error", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(2)
 		}

control.go

@@ -69,29 +69,29 @@ type ControlHostInfo struct {
 }
 
 // Start actually runs nebula, this is a nonblocking call.
-// The returned function blocks until nebula has fully stopped and returns the
-// first fatal reader error (if any). A nil error means nebula shut down
-// gracefully; a non-nil error means a reader hit an unexpected failure that
-// triggered the shutdown.
-func (c *Control) Start() (func() error, error) {
+// Use Wait to block until nebula has fully stopped and to learn whether a fatal reader error caused the shutdown.
+func (c *Control) Start() error {
 	c.stateLock.Lock()
 	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
 	switch c.state {
 	case StateReady:
 		//yay!
 	case StateStopped, StateStopping:
-		return nil, ErrAlreadyStopped
+		return ErrAlreadyStopped
 	case StateStarted:
-		return nil, ErrAlreadyStarted
+		return ErrAlreadyStarted
 	default:
-		return nil, ErrUnknownState
+		return ErrUnknownState
 	}
 
 	// Activate the interface
 	err := c.f.activate()
 	if err != nil {
+		// Cancel before Close so a caller returning from Wait always observes a dead Context
+		c.cancel()
+		_ = c.f.Close()
 		c.state = StateStopped
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Call all the delayed funcs that waited patiently for the interface to be created.
@@ -114,13 +114,9 @@ func (c *Control) Start() (func() error, error) {
 	c.f.triggerShutdown = c.Stop
 
 	// Start reading packets.
-	out, err := c.f.run()
-	if err != nil {
-		c.state = StateStopped
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	c.f.run()
 	c.state = StateStarted
-	return out, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Control) State() RunState {
@@ -133,10 +129,26 @@ func (c *Control) Context() context.Context {
 	return c.ctx
 }
 
-// Stop is a non-blocking call that signals nebula to close all tunnels and shut down
+// Stop tears nebula down, closing all tunnels and releasing everything it holds.
+// Use Wait to block until the shutdown has completed.
+// A Control that has been stopped cannot be started again, Start will return ErrAlreadyStopped.
 func (c *Control) Stop() {
 	c.stateLock.Lock()
-	if c.state != StateStarted {
+	switch c.state {
+	case StateStarted:
+		// Fall through to the full teardown below
+
+	case StateReady:
+		// Never started
+		c.cancel()
+		c.state = StateStopped
+		if err := c.f.Close(); err != nil {
+			c.l.Error("Close interface failed", "error", err)
+		}
+		c.stateLock.Unlock()
+		return
+
+	default:
 		c.stateLock.Unlock()
 		// We are stopping or stopped already
 		return
@@ -145,19 +157,26 @@ func (c *Control) Stop() {
 	c.state = StateStopping
 	c.stateLock.Unlock()
 
-	// Stop the handshakeManager (and other services), to prevent new tunnels from
-	// being created while we're shutting them all down.
+	// Closing tunnels can be slow with a large hostmap, don't hold the lock for it
 	c.cancel()
-
 	c.CloseAllTunnels(false)
+
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	c.state = StateStopped
 	if err := c.f.Close(); err != nil {
 		c.l.Error("Close interface failed", "error", err)
 	}
-	c.stateLock.Lock()
-	c.state = StateStopped
 	c.stateLock.Unlock()
 }
 
+// Wait blocks until nebula has fully stopped, either via Stop or an internal fatal error,
+// and returns the first fatal packet reader error if there was one.
+// It is safe to call from multiple goroutines and at any point in the lifecycle,
+// but a Wait on a Control that is never started and never stopped will block forever.
+func (c *Control) Wait() error {
+	return c.f.wait()
+}
+
 // ShutdownBlock will listen for and block on term and interrupt signals, calling Control.Stop() once signalled
 func (c *Control) ShutdownBlock() {
 	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
@@ -170,8 +189,15 @@ func (c *Control) ShutdownBlock() {
 	c.Stop()
 }
 
-// RebindUDPServer asks the UDP listener to rebind it's listener. Mainly used on mobile clients when interfaces change
+// RebindUDPServer asks the UDP listener to rebind it's listener. Mainly used on mobile clients when interfaces change.
 func (c *Control) RebindUDPServer() {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+
+	if c.state != StateStarted {
+		return
+	}
+
 	_ = c.f.outside.Rebind()
 
 	// Trigger a lighthouse update, useful for mobile clients that should have an update interval of 0

control_lifecycle_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+package nebula
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"net/netip"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/test"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+type fakeDevice struct {
+	closeOnce sync.Once
+	closedCh  chan struct{}
+	closed    bool
+}
+
+func newFakeDevice() *fakeDevice {
+	return &fakeDevice{closedCh: make(chan struct{})}
+}
+
+// Read blocks until Close like a real tun with no traffic, then reports EOF
+// the same way a closed device does
+func (d *fakeDevice) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	<-d.closedCh
+	return 0, io.EOF
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return len(p), nil }
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Close() error {
+	d.closeOnce.Do(func() {
+		d.closed = true
+		close(d.closedCh)
+	})
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Activate() error                       { return nil }
+func (d *fakeDevice) Networks() []netip.Prefix              { return nil }
+func (d *fakeDevice) Name() string                          { return "fake" }
+func (d *fakeDevice) RoutesFor(netip.Addr) routing.Gateways { return nil }
+func (d *fakeDevice) SupportsMultiqueue() bool              { return false }
+func (d *fakeDevice) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("unsupported")
+}
+
+// newReadyControl hand-builds the minimum Control that Main would have
+// produced right before Start, including the construction token NewInterface
+// takes so waiters block until Close releases the resources
+func newReadyControl(t *testing.T) (*Control, *fakeDevice, *fakeConn) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	dev := newFakeDevice()
+	conn := &fakeConn{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	myVpnNet := netip.MustParsePrefix("10.128.0.1/16")
+	nt := new(bart.Lite)
+	nt.Insert(myVpnNet)
+	cs := &CertState{
+		myVpnNetworks:      []netip.Prefix{myVpnNet},
+		myVpnNetworksTable: nt,
+	}
+	lh, err := NewLightHouseFromConfig(ctx, l, config.NewC(l), cs, nil, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	f := &Interface{
+		ctx:        ctx,
+		inside:     dev,
+		outside:    conn,
+		writers:    []udp.Conn{conn},
+		readers:    make([]io.ReadWriteCloser, 1),
+		routines:   1,
+		hostMap:    newHostMap(l),
+		lightHouse: lh,
+		l:          l,
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	return &Control{
+		state:  StateReady,
+		f:      f,
+		l:      l,
+		ctx:    ctx,
+		cancel: cancel,
+	}, dev, conn
+}
+
+func TestControl_StopBeforeStart(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// A Stop on a never started control must release everything Main acquired
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled, "the service context should have been cancelled")
+
+	// Wait must return promptly now that the resources are released
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+
+	// A stopped control can never be started
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+
+	// A second Stop is a harmless no-op
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+}
+
+func TestControl_WaitBlocksUntilStop(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, _ := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { done <- c.Wait() }()
+
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+		t.Fatal("Wait returned before Stop")
+	case <-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+
+	c.Stop()
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Wait did not return after Stop")
+	}
+}
+
+type fakeConn struct {
+	closed  bool
+	rebinds int
+}
+
+func (c *fakeConn) Rebind() error                            { c.rebinds++; return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error)       { return netip.AddrPort{}, nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) ListenOut(_ udp.EncReader) error          { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort) error { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) ReloadConfig(_ *config.C)                 {}
+func (c *fakeConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool            { return true }
+func (c *fakeConn) Close() error                             { c.closed = true; return nil }
+
+type multiqueueDevice struct {
+	*fakeDevice
+}
+
+func (d *multiqueueDevice) SupportsMultiqueue() bool { return true }
+
+func TestControl_StartMultiqueueFailureReleases(t *testing.T) {
+	dev := &multiqueueDevice{fakeDevice: newFakeDevice()}
+	conn := &fakeConn{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	f := &Interface{
+		ctx:      ctx,
+		inside:   dev,
+		outside:  conn,
+		writers:  []udp.Conn{conn},
+		readers:  make([]io.ReadWriteCloser, 2),
+		routines: 2,
+		l:        test.NewLogger(),
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	c := &Control{
+		state:  StateReady,
+		f:      f,
+		l:      test.NewLogger(),
+		ctx:    ctx,
+		cancel: cancel,
+	}
+
+	// The second reader fails to open, everything must be released
+	require.Error(t, c.Start())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled)
+
+	// And Wait must not hang on the construction token
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+}
+
+func TestInterface_CloseIsIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	dev := newFakeDevice()
+	f := &Interface{
+		inside: dev,
+		l:      test.NewLogger(),
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	require.NoError(t, f.Close())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed)
+
+	// A second Close must not double release the wg token or the device
+	require.NoError(t, f.Close())
+	require.NoError(t, f.wait())
+}
+
+func TestControl_FatalErrorReportsThroughWait(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// Mirror what Start wires up, without needing real packet readers
+	c.f.triggerShutdown = c.Stop
+	c.state = StateStarted
+
+	boom := errors.New("boom")
+	c.f.onFatal(boom)
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed)
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed)
+
+	// A second fatal error must not fire the shutdown again or replace the first
+	c.f.onFatal(errors.New("later"))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+
+	// Wait stays factual, a Stop after the death does not mask the error
+	c.Stop()
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+}
+
+func TestControl_ConcurrentStopAndStart(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, _ := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		wg.Go(func() { c.Stop() })
+	}
+	wg.Go(func() { _ = c.Start() })
+	wg.Go(func() {
+		_ = c.Wait()
+		// A returned Wait must always observe the final state, no matter how
+		// the race resolved
+		assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	})
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	// However the race resolves, the control must end fully stopped with no
+	// panic and Wait must observe the final state
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+}
+
+func TestControl_StartStopLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	require.NoError(t, c.Start())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStarted, c.State())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStarted)
+
+	// Stop must unpark the reader blocked in the device and release everything
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled)
+
+	// The reader drained off a closed device, that is not a fatal error
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+}
+
+func TestControl_RebindIsGatedByState(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// A rebind before Start reaches nothing, the interface is not up
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, conn.rebinds, "rebind before start must be a no-op")
+
+	require.NoError(t, c.Start())
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, conn.rebinds, "rebind while started must reach the conn")
+
+	// A rebind racing a completed stop must not touch the closed conn
+	c.Stop()
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, conn.rebinds, "rebind after stop must be a no-op")
+}

interface.go

@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ func NewInterface(ctx context.Context, c *InterfaceConfig) (*Interface, error) {
 
 	ifce.connectionManager.intf = ifce
 
+	// Held until Close so waiting on the interface blocks until the resources are actually released
+	ifce.wg.Add(1)
+
 	return ifce, nil
 }
 
@@ -258,17 +261,16 @@ func (f *Interface) activate() error {
 		f.readers[i] = reader
 	}
 
-	f.wg.Add(1) // for us to wait on Close() to return
+	// On error the caller owns the cleanup, Control.Start cancels the service context
+	// before releasing our resources so a waiter never observes a live context
 	if err = f.inside.Activate(); err != nil {
-		f.wg.Done()
-		f.inside.Close()
 		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) run() (func() error, error) {
+func (f *Interface) run() {
 	// Launch n queues to read packets from udp
 	for i := 0; i < f.routines; i++ {
 		f.wg.Go(func() {
@@ -283,13 +285,14 @@ func (f *Interface) run() (func() error, error) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	return func() error {
+}
+
+func (f *Interface) wait() error {
 	f.wg.Wait()
 	if e := f.fatalErr.Load(); e != nil {
 		return *e
 	}
 	return nil
-	}, nil
 }
 
 // onFatal stores the first fatal reader error, and calls triggerShutdown if it was the first one
@@ -322,7 +325,10 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, plaintext[:0], payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get())
 	})
 
-	if err != nil && !f.closed.Load() {
+	// An error after teardown began is shutdown noise, the closed flag covers resources
+	// Close releases itself and the cancelled ctx covers ones torn down by their owners
+	// reacting to it, like the user device pipes
+	if err != nil && !f.closed.Load() && f.ctx.Err() == nil {
 		f.l.Error("Error while reading inbound packet, closing", "error", err)
 		f.onFatal(err)
 	}
@@ -341,7 +347,8 @@ func (f *Interface) listenIn(reader io.ReadWriteCloser, i int) {
 	for {
 		n, err := reader.Read(packet)
 		if err != nil {
-			if !f.closed.Load() {
+			// Same shutdown noise handling as listenOut
+			if !f.closed.Load() && f.ctx.Err() == nil {
 				f.l.Error("Error while reading outbound packet, closing", "error", err, "reader", i)
 				f.onFatal(err)
 			}
@@ -542,9 +549,15 @@ func (f *Interface) GetCertState() *CertState {
 	return f.pki.getCertState()
 }
 
+// Close releases the interface's resources: the udp sockets and the tun device.
+// It is idempotent and safe to call at any point in the lifecycle, including on an interface that never activated,
+// calls after the first return nil without doing anything.
 func (f *Interface) Close() error {
+	if !f.closed.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var errs []error
-	f.closed.Store(true)
 
 	// Release the udp readers
 	for i, u := range f.writers {
@@ -560,6 +573,8 @@ func (f *Interface) Close() error {
 	if closeErr != nil {
 		errs = append(errs, closeErr)
 	}
+
+	// Release the construction token so waiters know the resources are gone
 	f.wg.Done()
 	return errors.Join(errs...)
 }

main.go

@@ -130,6 +130,17 @@ func Main(c *config.C, configTest bool, buildVersion string, l *slog.Logger, dev
 	udpConns := make([]udp.Conn, routines)
 	port := c.GetInt("listen.port", 0)
 
+	// Callers get no handle to these until the Control is returned, release them on any error.
+	defer func() {
+		if reterr != nil {
+			for _, u := range udpConns {
+				if u != nil {
+					_ = u.Close()
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	if !configTest {
 		rawListenHost := c.GetString("listen.host", "0.0.0.0")
 		var listenHost netip.Addr

overlay/tun_android.go

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
 	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
 

overlay/tun_ios.go

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
 type tun struct {
@@ -33,6 +34,12 @@ func newTun(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ []netip.Prefix, _ bool) (*tun, error)
 }
 
 func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
+	if err := unix.SetNonblock(deviceFd, true); err != nil {
+		// We own the fd from the moment it is handed to us, same as the reload error path below
+		_ = unix.Close(deviceFd)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set the tun fd to non-blocking mode: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	file := os.NewFile(uintptr(deviceFd), "/dev/tun")
 	t := &tun{
 		vpnNetworks:     vpnNetworks,
@@ -42,6 +49,7 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
 	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
 

service/service.go

@@ -43,12 +43,25 @@ type Service struct {
 	}
 }
 
-func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
-	wait, err := control.Start()
+func New(control *nebula.Control) (_ *Service, reterr error) {
+	// Check this before Start so a failure doesn't leave a running nebula
+	device, ok := control.Device().(*overlay.UserDevice)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("must be using user device")
+	}
+
+	err := control.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// Anything that fails after a successful Start must tear nebula back down
+	defer func() {
+		if reterr != nil {
+			control.Stop()
+		}
+	}()
+
 	ctx := control.Context()
 	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	s := Service{
@@ -57,11 +70,6 @@ func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
 	}
 	s.mu.listeners = map[uint16]*tcpListener{}
 
-	device, ok := control.Device().(*overlay.UserDevice)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil, errors.New("must be using user device")
-	}
-
 	s.ipstack = stack.New(stack.Options{
 		NetworkProtocols:   []stack.NetworkProtocolFactory{ipv4.NewProtocol, ipv6.NewProtocol},
 		TransportProtocols: []stack.TransportProtocolFactory{tcp.NewProtocol, udp.NewProtocol, icmp.NewProtocol4, icmp.NewProtocol6},
@@ -147,7 +155,7 @@ func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
 	// Add the nebula wait function to the group so a fatal reader error
 	// propagates out through errgroup.Wait().
 	eg.Go(func() error {
-		return wait()
+		return control.Wait()
 	})
 
 	return &s, nil