diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index a381737..93595c6 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -19,39 +19,27 @@
  * NLSR, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  **/
 
-#include <ndn-cxx/util/scheduler.hpp>
-
-#include "conf-file-processor.hpp"
-#include "logger.hpp"
-#include "nlsr.hpp"
+#include "nlsr-runner.hpp"
 #include "version.hpp"
 
-// boost needs to be included after ndn-cxx, otherwise there will be conflict with _1, _2, ...
-#include <boost/asio.hpp>
-#include <boost/cstdint.hpp>
-
-namespace nlsr {
-
 int
 main(int32_t argc, char** argv)
 {
-  boost::asio::io_service ioService;
-  ndn::Scheduler scheduler(ioService);
-  ndn::Face face(ioService);
-
-  Nlsr nlsr(ioService, scheduler, face);
+  using namespace nlsr;
 
   std::string programName(argv[0]);
-  nlsr.setConfFileName("nlsr.conf");
+
+  std::string configFileName = "nlsr.conf";
+  bool isDaemonProcess = false;
+
   int32_t opt;
   while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "df:hV")) != -1) {
-    switch (opt)
-      {
+    switch (opt) {
       case 'f':
-        nlsr.setConfFileName(optarg);
+        configFileName = optarg;
         break;
       case 'd':
-        nlsr.setIsDaemonProcess(true);
+        isDaemonProcess = true;
         break;
       case 'V':
         std::cout << NLSR_VERSION_BUILD_STRING << std::endl;
@@ -59,47 +47,20 @@
         break;
       case 'h':
       default:
-        nlsr.usage(programName);
+        NlsrRunner::printUsage(programName);
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
-      }
+    }
   }
 
-  ConfFileProcessor cfp(nlsr, nlsr.getConfFileName());
-  if (!cfp.processConfFile()) {
-    std::cerr << "Error in configuration file processing! Exiting from NLSR" << std::endl;
+  NlsrRunner runner(configFileName, isDaemonProcess);
+
+  try {
+    runner.run();
+  }
+  catch (const std::exception& e) {
+    std::cerr << e.what() << std::endl;
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
-  if (nlsr.getConfParameter().isLog4CxxConfAvailable()) {
-    INIT_LOG4CXX(nlsr.getConfParameter().getLog4CxxConfPath());
-  }
-  else {
-    INIT_LOGGERS(nlsr.getConfParameter().getLogDir(), nlsr.getConfParameter().getLogLevel());
-  }
-
-  INIT_LOGGER("Main");
-
-  nlsr.initialize();
-  if (nlsr.getIsSetDaemonProcess()) {
-    nlsr.daemonize();
-  }
-  try {
-    nlsr.startEventLoop();
-  }
-  catch (std::exception& e) {
-    _LOG_FATAL("ERROR: " << e.what());
-    std::cerr << "ERROR: " << e.what() << std::endl;
-
-    nlsr.getFib().clean();
-    nlsr.destroyFaces();
-  }
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
-
-} // namespace nlsr
-
-int
-main(int32_t argc, char** argv)
-{
-  return nlsr::main(argc, argv);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/nlsr-runner.cpp b/src/nlsr-runner.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eda464f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nlsr-runner.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2015,  The University of Memphis,
+ *                           Regents of the University of California,
+ *                           Arizona Board of Regents.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NLSR (Named-data Link State Routing).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NLSR authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NLSR is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NLSR is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
+ * without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NLSR, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ **/
+
+#include "nlsr-runner.hpp"
+
+#include "conf-file-processor.hpp"
+#include "logger.hpp"
+
+namespace nlsr {
+
+INIT_LOGGER("NlsrRunner");
+
+NlsrRunner::NlsrRunner(std::string& configFileName, bool isDaemonProcess)
+  : m_scheduler(m_ioService)
+  , m_face(m_ioService)
+  , m_nlsr(m_ioService, m_scheduler, m_face)
+{
+  m_nlsr.setConfFileName(configFileName);
+  m_nlsr.setIsDaemonProcess(isDaemonProcess);
+}
+
+void
+NlsrRunner::run()
+{
+  ConfFileProcessor configProcessor(m_nlsr, m_nlsr.getConfFileName());
+
+  if (!configProcessor.processConfFile()) {
+    throw Error("Error in configuration file processing! Exiting from NLSR");
+  }
+
+  if (m_nlsr.getConfParameter().isLog4CxxConfAvailable()) {
+    INIT_LOG4CXX(m_nlsr.getConfParameter().getLog4CxxConfPath());
+  }
+  else {
+    INIT_LOGGERS(m_nlsr.getConfParameter().getLogDir(), m_nlsr.getConfParameter().getLogLevel());
+  }
+
+  m_nlsr.initialize();
+
+  if (m_nlsr.getIsSetDaemonProcess()) {
+    m_nlsr.daemonize();
+  }
+
+  try {
+    m_nlsr.startEventLoop();
+  }
+  catch (std::exception& e) {
+    _LOG_FATAL("ERROR: " << e.what());
+    std::cerr << "ERROR: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+
+    m_nlsr.getFib().clean();
+    m_nlsr.destroyFaces();
+  }
+}
+
+void
+NlsrRunner::printUsage(const std::string& programName)
+{
+  std::cout << "Usage: " << programName << " [OPTIONS...]" << std::endl;
+  std::cout << "   NDN routing...." << std::endl;
+  std::cout << "       -d          Run in daemon mode" << std::endl;
+  std::cout << "       -f <FILE>   Specify configuration file name" << std::endl;
+  std::cout << "       -V          Display version information" << std::endl;
+  std::cout << "       -h          Display this help message" << std::endl;
+}
+
+} // namespace nlsr
diff --git a/src/nlsr-runner.hpp b/src/nlsr-runner.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08fa1b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nlsr-runner.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2015,  The University of Memphis,
+ *                           Regents of the University of California,
+ *                           Arizona Board of Regents.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NLSR (Named-data Link State Routing).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NLSR authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NLSR is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NLSR is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
+ * without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NLSR, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ **/
+
+#ifndef NLSR_NLSR_RUNNER_HPP
+#define NLSR_NLSR_RUNNER_HPP
+
+#include "nlsr.hpp"
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/face.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/util/scheduler.hpp>
+
+// boost needs to be included after ndn-cxx, otherwise there will be conflict with _1, _2, ...
+#include <boost/asio.hpp>
+
+namespace nlsr {
+
+class NlsrRunner
+{
+public:
+  class Error : public std::runtime_error
+  {
+  public:
+    explicit
+    Error(const std::string& what)
+      : std::runtime_error(what)
+    {
+    }
+  };
+
+  NlsrRunner(std::string& configFileName, bool isDaemonProcess);
+
+  void
+  run();
+
+  static void
+  printUsage(const std::string& programName);
+
+private:
+  boost::asio::io_service m_ioService;
+  ndn::Scheduler m_scheduler;
+  ndn::Face m_face;
+
+  Nlsr m_nlsr;
+};
+
+} // namespace nlsr
+
+#endif // NLSR_NLSR_RUNNER_HPP
diff --git a/src/nlsr.cpp b/src/nlsr.cpp
index 1194b50..1aa2b8c 100644
--- a/src/nlsr.cpp
+++ b/src/nlsr.cpp
@@ -387,16 +387,4 @@
   m_nlsrFace.processEvents();
 }
 
-void
-Nlsr::usage(const string& progname)
-{
-  std::cout << "Usage: " << progname << " [OPTIONS...]" << std::endl;
-  std::cout << "   NDN routing...." << std::endl;
-  std::cout << "       -d          Run in daemon mode" << std::endl;
-  std::cout << "       -f <FILE>   Specify configuration file name" << std::endl;
-  std::cout << "       -V          Display version information" << std::endl;
-  std::cout << "       -h          Display this help message" << std::endl;
-}
-
-
 } // namespace nlsr
diff --git a/src/nlsr.hpp b/src/nlsr.hpp
index 20adfb2..3f9fa24 100644
--- a/src/nlsr.hpp
+++ b/src/nlsr.hpp
@@ -88,9 +88,6 @@
   void
   startEventLoop();
 
-  void
-  usage(const std::string& progname);
-
   std::string
   getConfFileName() const
   {