diff --git a/node.go b/node.go
index c8dd96f..b8a60f6 100644
--- a/node.go
+++ b/node.go
@@ -432,7 +432,9 @@ func NewNode(ctx *Context, key *ecdsa.PrivateKey, node_type NodeType, buffer_siz
   }
 
   if queued_signals == nil {
-    queued_signals = []QueuedSignal{}
+    queued_signals = []QueuedSignal{
+      QueuedSignal{uuid.New(), &NewSignal, time.Now()},
+    }
   }
 
   next_signal, timeout_chan := SoonestSignal(queued_signals)
diff --git a/signal.go b/signal.go
index 902466e..7e1e7b4 100644
--- a/signal.go
+++ b/signal.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 type SignalDirection int
 const (
   StopSignalType SignalType = "STOP"
+  NewSignalType             = "NEW"
   StartSignalType           = "START"
   ErrorSignalType           = "ERROR"
   StatusSignalType          = "STATUS"
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ func NewDirectSignal(signal_type SignalType) BaseSignal {
   return NewBaseSignal(signal_type, Direct)
 }
 
+var NewSignal = NewDirectSignal(NewSignalType)
 var StartSignal = NewDirectSignal(StartSignalType)
 var StopSignal = NewDownSignal(StopSignalType)