diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd9ba09..defcffe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# ACME Client Utilities [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/hlandau/acme.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/hlandau/acme)
+# ACME Client Utilities [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/hlandau/acme.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/hlandau/acme) [![Issue Stats](http://issuestats.com/github/hlandau/acme/badge/issue)](http://issuestats.com/github/hlandau/acme)
 
 acmetool is an easy-to-use command line tool for automatically acquiring
 certificates from ACME servers (such as Let's Encrypt). Designed to flexibly
@@ -65,10 +65,6 @@ $ sudo acmetool want example.com www.example.com
 $ ls -l /var/lib/acme/live/example.com/
 ```
 
-<!-- # Renew certificates automatically:
-# Change '42' to a random integer in [0,59] to distribute the load on the server.
-$ sudo /bin/sh -c "echo '42 0 * * * root /usr/local/bin/acmetool -batch' > /etc/cron.d/acmetool" -->
-
 The `quickstart` subcommand is a recommended wizard which guides you through the
 setup of ACME on your system.
 
@@ -83,43 +79,8 @@ hostnames are satisfied by valid certificates which aren't soon to expire.
 If you run `acmetool reconcile` on a cronjob to facilitate automatic renewal,
 pass `--batch` to ensure it doesn't attempt to interact with a terminal.
 
-<!--
-## Introduction
-
-- A command line tool for acquiring certificates using a certificate storage
-  repository to automatically determine what certificates need to be requested.
-
-- Acquiring a certificate is as simple as this:
-
-  `# acmetool want example.com`
-
-  If successfully acquired, the certificate will be placed in
-  `/var/lib/acme/live/example.com/{cert,chain,fullchain,privkey}`.
-
-  Running `acmetool -``-batch` as root on a cronjob will allow it to
-  automatically reacquire certificates before they expire. The certificate data
-  in `/var/lib/acme/live/example.com` will be updated automatically with the
-  new certificate. acmetool can optionally invoke a shell script after having
-  changed certificates if you need to reload a webserver.
-
-- Works with Let's Encrypt.
-
-- acmetool is designed to work like `make`. A filesystem-based certificate
-  repository expresses target domain names, and whenever acmetool is invoked,
-  it ensures that valid certificates are available to meet those names.
-  Certificates which will expire soon are renewed. The certificate matching
-  each target is symlinked into `/var/lib/acme/live/DOMAIN`, so the right
-  certificate for a given domain is always at `/var/lib/acme/live/DOMAIN`.
-
-  acmetool is thus idempotent and it minimises the use of state. All state is
-  explicitly kept in the certificate repository. There are essentially no
-  proprietary file formats or configuration or state files; only a repository
-  of certificates, a repository of ACME account keys and a set of targets.  On
-  each invocation, ACME figures out which certificates satisfy which targets
-  and obtains certificates as necessary.
-
-  [Details on the state directory format.](https://github.com/hlandau/acme/blob/master/_doc/SCHEMA.md)
--->
+You can increase logging severity for debugging purposes by passing
+`--xlog.severity=debug`.
 
 ## Validation Options
 
diff --git a/cmd/acmetool/main.go b/cmd/acmetool/main.go
index 39831c6..eea1b20 100644
--- a/cmd/acmetool/main.go
+++ b/cmd/acmetool/main.go
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ var (
 	batchFlag = kingpin.Flag("batch", "Do not attempt interaction; useful for cron jobs").
 			Bool()
 
+	stdioFlag = kingpin.Flag("stdio", "Don't attempt to use console dialogs; fall back to stdio prompts").Bool()
+
 	reconcileCmd = kingpin.Command("reconcile", "Reconcile ACME state").Default()
 
 	wantCmd = kingpin.Command("want", "Add a target with one or more hostnames")
@@ -66,6 +68,10 @@ func main() {
 		interaction.NonInteractive = true
 	}
 
+	if *stdioFlag {
+		interaction.NoDialog = true
+	}
+
 	switch cmd {
 	case "reconcile":
 		cmdReconcile()
diff --git a/cmd/acmetool/quickstart.go b/cmd/acmetool/quickstart.go
index e63c520..491f572 100644
--- a/cmd/acmetool/quickstart.go
+++ b/cmd/acmetool/quickstart.go
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ func isCronjobInstalled() bool {
 	return installed
 }
 
-func formulateCron() string {
+func formulateCron(root bool) string {
 	// Randomise cron time to avoid hammering the ACME server.
 	var b [2]byte
 	_, err := rand.Read(b[:])
@@ -220,10 +220,14 @@ func formulateCron() string {
 	m := b[0] % 60
 	h := b[1] % 24
 	s := ""
-	if runningAsRoot() {
+	if root {
 		s = "SHELL=/bin/sh\nPATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin\nMAILTO=root\n"
 	}
-	s += fmt.Sprintf("%d %d * * * %s --batch ", m, h, exepath.Abs)
+	s += fmt.Sprintf("%d %d * * * ", m, h)
+	if root {
+		s += "root "
+	}
+	s += fmt.Sprintf("%s --batch ", exepath.Abs)
 	if *stateFlag != storage.RecommendedPath {
 		s += fmt.Sprintf(`--state="%s" `, *stateFlag)
 	}
@@ -241,9 +245,8 @@ func promptCron() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	cronString := formulateCron()
-
 	var err error
+	cronString := formulateCron(runningAsRoot())
 	if runningAsRoot() {
 		_, err = os.Stat("/etc/cron.d")
 	} else {
@@ -514,7 +517,7 @@ The Let's Encrypt Staging Server does not issue publically trusted certificates.
 		ResponseType: interaction.RTSelect,
 		Options: []interaction.Option{
 			{
-				Title: "Let's Encrypt Live Server - I have been invited and want live certificates",
+				Title: "Let's Encrypt Live Server - I want live certificates",
 				Value: acmeapi.LELiveURL,
 			},
 			{
diff --git a/interaction/auto.go b/interaction/auto.go
index 193adb8..3fdf875 100644
--- a/interaction/auto.go
+++ b/interaction/auto.go
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ var Auto Interactor = autoInteractor{}
 
 var Interceptor Interactor
 
+var NoDialog = false
+
 func (autoInteractor) Prompt(c *Challenge) (*Response, error) {
 	if NonInteractive {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot prompt the user: currently non-interactive")
@@ -19,9 +21,11 @@ func (autoInteractor) Prompt(c *Challenge) (*Response, error) {
 		return Interceptor.Prompt(c)
 	}
 
-	r, err := Dialog.Prompt(c)
-	if err == nil {
-		return r, nil
+	if !NoDialog {
+		r, err := Dialog.Prompt(c)
+		if err == nil {
+			return r, nil
+		}
 	}
 
 	return Stdio.Prompt(c)
@@ -52,9 +56,11 @@ func (autoInteractor) Status(info *StatusInfo) (StatusSink, error) {
 		return s, err
 	}
 
-	r, err := Dialog.Status(info)
-	if err == nil {
-		return r, nil
+	if !NoDialog {
+		r, err := Dialog.Status(info)
+		if err == nil {
+			return r, nil
+		}
 	}
 
 	return Stdio.Status(info)
diff --git a/interaction/dialog.go b/interaction/dialog.go
index 657b3f0..aef3691 100644
--- a/interaction/dialog.go
+++ b/interaction/dialog.go
@@ -198,6 +198,13 @@ func (dialogInteractor) Prompt(c *Challenge) (*Response, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// If we get error code >1 (particularly 255) the dialog command probably
+	// doesn't support some option we pass it. Return an error, which should make
+	// us fall back to stdio.
+	if rc > 1 {
+		return nil, xerr
+	}
+
 	res := &Response{}
 	if pipeW != nil {
 		pipeW.Close()
@@ -230,7 +237,8 @@ func findDialogCommand() (string, string) {
 		return dialogCommand, dialogCommandType
 	}
 
-	for _, s := range []string{"whiptail", "dialog"} {
+	// not using whiptail for now, see #18
+	for _, s := range []string{"dialog"} {
 		p, err := exec.LookPath(s)
 		if err == nil {
 			dialogCommand = p