diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index f809a36a..d00b7039 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ mod input;
 mod log;
 mod quit;
 mod randr;
+mod reexec;
 mod run_privileged;
 pub mod screenshot;
 mod seat_test;
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ use {
     crate::{
         cli::{
             color_management::ColorManagementArgs, damage_tracking::DamageTrackingArgs,
-            idle::IdleCmd, input::InputArgs, randr::RandrArgs, xwayland::XwaylandArgs,
+            idle::IdleCmd, input::InputArgs, randr::RandrArgs, reexec::ReexecArgs,
+            xwayland::XwaylandArgs,
         },
         compositor::start_compositor,
         format::{Format, ref_formats},
@@ -81,6 +83,9 @@ pub enum Cmd {
     Xwayland(XwaylandArgs),
     /// Inspect/modify the color-management settings.
     ColorManagement(ColorManagementArgs),
+    /// Replace the compositor by another process. (Only for development.)
+    #[clap(hide = true)]
+    Reexec(ReexecArgs),
     #[cfg(feature = "it")]
     RunTests,
 }
@@ -241,5 +246,6 @@ pub fn main() {
         Cmd::ColorManagement(a) => color_management::main(cli.global, a),
         #[cfg(feature = "it")]
         Cmd::RunTests => crate::it::run_tests(),
+        Cmd::Reexec(a) => reexec::main(cli.global, a),
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/reexec.rs b/src/cli/reexec.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c4049e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/reexec.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+use {
+    crate::{
+        cli::GlobalArgs,
+        tools::tool_client::{Handle, ToolClient, with_tool_client},
+        utils::errorfmt::ErrorFmt,
+        wire::{jay_compositor, jay_reexec},
+    },
+    clap::Args,
+    std::rc::Rc,
+};
+
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+pub struct ReexecArgs {
+    /// The path to the new executable.
+    ///
+    /// If this is not given, uses the path of **this** executable instead.
+    path: Option<String>,
+    /// The arguments to pass to the new executable.
+    args: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+pub fn main(global: GlobalArgs, reexec_args: ReexecArgs) {
+    with_tool_client(global.log_level.into(), |tc| async move {
+        let rexec = Rc::new(Reexec { tc: tc.clone() });
+        rexec.run(reexec_args).await;
+    });
+}
+
+struct Reexec {
+    tc: Rc<ToolClient>,
+}
+
+impl Reexec {
+    async fn run(&self, args: ReexecArgs) {
+        let tc = &self.tc;
+        let comp = tc.jay_compositor().await;
+        let reexec = tc.id();
+        tc.send(jay_compositor::Reexec {
+            self_id: comp,
+            id: reexec,
+        });
+        if let Some(path) = &args.path {
+            for arg in &args.args {
+                tc.send(jay_reexec::Arg {
+                    self_id: reexec,
+                    arg,
+                });
+            }
+            tc.send(jay_reexec::Exec {
+                self_id: reexec,
+                path,
+            });
+        } else {
+            let exe = match std::env::current_exe() {
+                Ok(e) => e,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    log::error!("Could not determine the executable path: {}", ErrorFmt(e));
+                    std::process::exit(1);
+                }
+            };
+            let Some(exe) = exe.to_str() else {
+                log::error!("Executable path is not a string: {:?}", exe);
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            };
+            tc.send(jay_reexec::Arg {
+                self_id: reexec,
+                arg: "run",
+            });
+            tc.send(jay_reexec::Exec {
+                self_id: reexec,
+                path: exe,
+            });
+        }
+        jay_reexec::Failed::handle(tc, reexec, (), |_, msg| {
+            log::error!("Exec failed: {}", msg.msg);
+            std::process::exit(1);
+        });
+        tc.round_trip().await;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ifs.rs b/src/ifs.rs
index 5a398248..9e202ba3 100644
--- a/src/ifs.rs
+++ b/src/ifs.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub mod jay_log_file;
 pub mod jay_output;
 pub mod jay_pointer;
 pub mod jay_randr;
+pub mod jay_reexec;
 pub mod jay_render_ctx;
 pub mod jay_screencast;
 pub mod jay_screenshot;
diff --git a/src/ifs/jay_compositor.rs b/src/ifs/jay_compositor.rs
index 41452698..703aea33 100644
--- a/src/ifs/jay_compositor.rs
+++ b/src/ifs/jay_compositor.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use {
             jay_output::JayOutput,
             jay_pointer::JayPointer,
             jay_randr::JayRandr,
+            jay_reexec::JayReexec,
             jay_render_ctx::JayRenderCtx,
             jay_screencast::JayScreencast,
             jay_screenshot::JayScreenshot,
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ impl Global for JayCompositorGlobal {
     }
 
     fn version(&self) -> u32 {
-        16
+        17
     }
 
     fn required_caps(&self) -> ClientCaps {
@@ -456,6 +457,19 @@ impl JayCompositorRequestHandler for JayCompositor {
         self.client.add_client_obj(&obj)?;
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn reexec(&self, req: Reexec, _slf: &Rc<Self>) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
+        let obj = Rc::new(JayReexec {
+            id: req.id,
+            client: self.client.clone(),
+            tracker: Default::default(),
+            version: self.version,
+            args: Default::default(),
+        });
+        track!(self.client, obj);
+        self.client.add_client_obj(&obj)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 object_base! {
diff --git a/src/ifs/jay_reexec.rs b/src/ifs/jay_reexec.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8d7cc465
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ifs/jay_reexec.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+use {
+    crate::{
+        client::{Client, ClientError},
+        leaks::Tracker,
+        object::{Object, Version},
+        utils::oserror::OsError,
+        wire::{JayReexecId, jay_reexec::*},
+    },
+    std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc},
+    thiserror::Error,
+    uapi::UstrPtr,
+};
+
+pub struct JayReexec {
+    pub id: JayReexecId,
+    pub client: Rc<Client>,
+    pub tracker: Tracker<Self>,
+    pub version: Version,
+    pub args: RefCell<Vec<String>>,
+}
+
+impl JayReexec {
+    fn send_failed(&self, msg: &str) {
+        self.client.event(Failed {
+            self_id: self.id,
+            msg,
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+impl JayReexecRequestHandler for JayReexec {
+    type Error = JayReexecError;
+
+    fn arg(&self, req: Arg<'_>, _slf: &Rc<Self>) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
+        self.args.borrow_mut().push(req.arg.to_owned());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn exec(&self, req: Exec<'_>, _slf: &Rc<Self>) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
+        let args = self.args.borrow();
+        let mut args2 = UstrPtr::new();
+        args2.push(req.path);
+        for arg in &*args {
+            args2.push(&**arg);
+        }
+        if let Err(e) = uapi::execvp(req.path, &args2) {
+            self.send_failed(&OsError(e.0).to_string());
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+object_base! {
+    self = JayReexec;
+    version = self.version;
+}
+
+impl Object for JayReexec {}
+
+simple_add_obj!(JayReexec);
+
+#[derive(Debug, Error)]
+pub enum JayReexecError {
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    ClientError(Box<ClientError>),
+}
+efrom!(JayReexecError, ClientError);
diff --git a/src/tools/tool_client.rs b/src/tools/tool_client.rs
index b33b0de3..7c75a8b7 100644
--- a/src/tools/tool_client.rs
+++ b/src/tools/tool_client.rs
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ impl ToolClient {
             self_id: s.registry,
             name: s.jay_compositor.0,
             interface: JayCompositor.name(),
-            version: s.jay_compositor.1.min(16),
+            version: s.jay_compositor.1.min(17),
             id: id.into(),
         });
         self.jay_compositor.set(Some(id));
diff --git a/wire/jay_compositor.txt b/wire/jay_compositor.txt
index 79866072..24ec05b4 100644
--- a/wire/jay_compositor.txt
+++ b/wire/jay_compositor.txt
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ request get_color_management (since = 14) {
     id: id(jay_color_management),
 }
 
+request reexec (since = 17) {
+    id: id(jay_reexec),
+}
+
 # events
 
 event client_id {
diff --git a/wire/jay_reexec.txt b/wire/jay_reexec.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54d5ae30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wire/jay_reexec.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+request arg {
+    arg: str,
+}
+
+request exec {
+    path: str,
+}
+
+event failed {
+    msg: str,
+}