diff --git a/src/allmydata/scripts/startstop_node.py b/src/allmydata/scripts/startstop_node.py
index 5045bd6..9a5417e 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/scripts/startstop_node.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/scripts/startstop_node.py
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ def restart(config, stdout, stderr):
 def run(config, stdout, stderr):
     from twisted.internet import reactor
     from twisted.python import log, logfile
-    from allmydata import client
 
     basedir = config['basedir']
     precondition(isinstance(basedir, unicode), basedir)
@@ -164,14 +163,22 @@ def run(config, stdout, stderr):
     else:
         print >>stderr, "%s does not look like a node directory (no .tac file)" % quote_output(basedir)
         return 1
-    if "client" not in tac:
-        print >>stderr, ("%s looks like it contains a non-client node (%s).\n"
-                         "Use 'tahoe start' instead of 'tahoe run'."
-                         % (quote_output(basedir), tac))
-        return 1
 
     os.chdir(basedir)
 
+    if tac == "tahoe-client.tac":
+        from allmydata import client
+        nodetype = client.Client
+    elif tac == "tahoe-introducer.tac":
+        from allmydata.introducer.server import IntroducerNode
+        nodetype = IntroducerNode
+    else:
+        print >>stderr, ("I don't know how to start the node in %s\n"
+                         "(I only know how to start clients and introducers)\n"
+                         "Please use 'tahoe start' instead of 'tahoe run'."
+                         % (quote_output(basedir),))
+        return 1
+
     # set up twisted logging. this will become part of the node rsn.
     logdir = os.path.join(basedir, 'logs')
     if not os.path.exists(logdir):
@@ -180,7 +187,7 @@ def run(config, stdout, stderr):
     log.startLogging(lf)
 
     # run the node itself
-    c = client.Client(basedir)
+    c = nodetype(basedir)
     reactor.callLater(0, c.startService) # after reactor startup
     reactor.run()
 
diff --git a/src/allmydata/test/test_runner.py b/src/allmydata/test/test_runner.py
index 4e9f683..82be33b 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/test/test_runner.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/test/test_runner.py
@@ -687,6 +687,19 @@ class RunNode(common_util.SignalMixin, unittest.TestCase, pollmixin.PollMixin,
             self.failUnlessEqual(rc_or_sig, 1)
             self.failUnless("does not look like a directory at all" in err, err)
         d.addCallback(_cb3)
+
+        def _then_run_in_unknown_dir(res):
+            unknowndir = os.path.join(basedir, "unknown")
+            fileutil.make_dirs(unknowndir)
+            fileutil.write(os.path.join(unknowndir, "unknown.tac"), "")
+            return self.run_bintahoe(["--quiet", "run", "--basedir", unknowndir])
+        d.addCallback(_then_run_in_unknown_dir)
+        def _cb4(res):
+            out, err, rc_or_sig = res
+            self.failUnlessEqual(rc_or_sig, 1)
+            self.failUnlessIn("I don't know how to start the node in", err)
+        d.addCallback(_cb4)
+
         return d
 
     def test_keygen(self):