diff --git a/data/dfhack-config/init/dfhack.control-panel-system.init b/data/dfhack-config/init/dfhack.control-panel-system.init
index 8b1431373..c1ad6a679 100644
--- a/data/dfhack-config/init/dfhack.control-panel-system.init
+++ b/data/dfhack-config/init/dfhack.control-panel-system.init
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 # Please use gui/control-panel to edit this file
 
 enable faststart
+enable work-now
diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index 66904aa6d..a6d72d4ce 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ changelog.txt uses a syntax similar to RST, with a few special sequences:
 # Future
 
 ## New Plugins
+- `work-now`: reduce the time that dwarves are left without a task after completing a job
 
 ## Fixes
 - `autoclothing`: eliminate game lag when there are many inventory items in the fort
diff --git a/docs/plugins/work-now.rst b/docs/plugins/work-now.rst
index 7578500e8..517378d56 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/work-now.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/work-now.rst
@@ -6,17 +6,12 @@ work-now
     :tags: fort auto jobs
 
 After finishing a job, dwarves will wander away for a while before picking up a
-new job. This plugin will automatically poke the game to assign dwarves to new
-tasks.
+new job. This plugin will automatically poke them to pick up a new task quicker.
 
 Usage
 -----
 
-``workNow``
-    Print current plugin status.
-``workNow 0``
-    Stop monitoring and poking.
-``workNow 1``
-    Poke the game to assign dwarves to tasks whenever the game is paused.
-``workNow 2``
-    Poke the game to assign dwarves to tasks whenever a dwarf finishes a job.
+::
+
+    enable work-now
+    work-now [status]
diff --git a/plugins/work-now.cpp b/plugins/work-now.cpp
index 2286fee7e..bce2d9a73 100644
--- a/plugins/work-now.cpp
+++ b/plugins/work-now.cpp
@@ -1,92 +1,74 @@
-#include "Core.h"
-#include "Console.h"
-#include "Export.h"
+#include "Debug.h"
 #include "PluginManager.h"
-#include "DataDefs.h"
 
 #include "modules/EventManager.h"
-#include "modules/World.h"
 
-#include "df/global_objects.h"
-
-#include <vector>
-
-using namespace std;
+using std::string;
+using std::vector;
 using namespace DFHack;
 
-DFHACK_PLUGIN("workNow");
+DFHACK_PLUGIN("work-now");
+DFHACK_PLUGIN_IS_ENABLED(is_enabled);
 REQUIRE_GLOBAL(process_jobs);
 REQUIRE_GLOBAL(process_dig);
 
-static int mode = 0;
+namespace DFHack {
+    DBG_DECLARE(worknow, log, DebugCategory::LINFO);
+}
 
-DFhackCExport command_result workNow(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters);
+DFhackCExport command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters);
 
-void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr);
+static void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr);
 EventManager::EventHandler handler(jobCompletedHandler,1);
 
 DFhackCExport command_result plugin_init(color_ostream& out, std::vector<PluginCommand> &commands) {
-    if (!process_jobs || !process_dig)
-        return CR_FAILURE;
-
     commands.push_back(PluginCommand(
-        "workNow",
+        "work-now",
         "Reduce the time that dwarves idle after completing a job.",
-        workNow));
+        work_now));
 
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
-DFhackCExport command_result plugin_shutdown ( color_ostream &out ) {
-    mode = 0;
+DFhackCExport command_result plugin_enable(color_ostream &out, bool enable) {
+    if (enable != is_enabled)
+    {
+        if (enable)
+            EventManager::registerListener(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
+        else
+            EventManager::unregister(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
+
+        is_enabled = enable;
+    }
+
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
+DFhackCExport command_result plugin_shutdown ( color_ostream &out ) {
+    return plugin_enable(out, false);
+}
+
 DFhackCExport command_result plugin_onstatechange(color_ostream &out, state_change_event e) {
-    if ( !mode )
-        return CR_OK;
-    if ( e == DFHack::SC_WORLD_UNLOADED ) {
-        mode = 0;
-        return CR_OK;
+    if (e == SC_PAUSED) {
+        DEBUG(log,out).print("game paused; poking idlers\n");
+        *process_jobs = true;
+        *process_dig  = true;
     }
-    if ( e != DFHack::SC_PAUSED )
-        return CR_OK;
-
-    *process_jobs = true;
-    *process_dig  = true;
 
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
-DFhackCExport command_result workNow(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters) {
-    if ( parameters.size() == 0 ) {
-        out.print("workNow status = %d\n", mode);
+DFhackCExport command_result work_now(color_ostream& out, vector<string>& parameters) {
+    if (parameters.empty() || parameters[0] == "status") {
+        out.print("work_now is %sactively poking idle dwarves.\n", is_enabled ? "" : "not ");
         return CR_OK;
     }
-    if ( parameters.size() > 1 ) {
-        return CR_WRONG_USAGE;
-    }
-    int32_t a = atoi(parameters[0].c_str());
-
-    if (a < 0 || a > 2)
-        return CR_WRONG_USAGE;
 
-    if ( a == 2 && mode != 2 ) {
-        EventManager::registerListener(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
-    } else if ( mode == 2 && a != 2 ) {
-        EventManager::unregister(EventManager::EventType::JOB_COMPLETED, handler, plugin_self);
-    }
-
-    mode = a;
-    out.print("workNow status = %d\n", mode);
-
-    return CR_OK;
+    return CR_WRONG_USAGE;
 }
 
-void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr) {
-    if ( mode < 2 )
-        return;
-
+static void jobCompletedHandler(color_ostream& out, void* ptr) {
+    DEBUG(log,out).print("job completed; poking idlers\n");
     *process_jobs = true;
     *process_dig = true;
 }