diff --git a/pipewire-jack/src/pipewire-jack.c b/pipewire-jack/src/pipewire-jack.c
index 018a32fd1..68763384e 100644
--- a/pipewire-jack/src/pipewire-jack.c
+++ b/pipewire-jack/src/pipewire-jack.c
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ struct link {
 	struct pw_memmap *mem;
 	struct pw_node_activation *activation;
 	int signalfd;
+	void (*trigger) (struct link *l, uint64_t nsec);
 };
 
 struct context {
@@ -1884,7 +1885,7 @@ static inline uint32_t cycle_wait(struct client *c)
 	return nframes;
 }
 
-static void trigger_link(struct link *l, uint64_t nsec)
+static void trigger_link_v1(struct link *l, uint64_t nsec)
 {
 	struct client *c = l->client;
 	struct pw_node_activation *a = l->activation;
@@ -1896,8 +1897,8 @@ static void trigger_link(struct link *l, uint64_t nsec)
 
 	if (pw_node_activation_state_dec(state)) {
 		if (SPA_ATOMIC_CAS(a->status,
-				PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_NOT_TRIGGERED,
-				PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED)) {
+					PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_NOT_TRIGGERED,
+					PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED)) {
 			a->signal_time = nsec;
 
 			pw_log_trace_fp("%p: signal %p %p", c, l, state);
@@ -1908,8 +1909,31 @@ static void trigger_link(struct link *l, uint64_t nsec)
 	}
 }
 
+static void trigger_link_v0(struct link *l, uint64_t nsec)
+{
+	struct client *c = l->client;
+	struct pw_node_activation *a = l->activation;
+	struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &a->state[0];
+	uint64_t cmd = 1;
+
+	pw_log_trace_fp("%p: link %p-%d %p %d/%d", c, l, l->node_id, state,
+			state->pending, state->required);
+
+	if (pw_node_activation_state_dec(state)) {
+		SPA_ATOMIC_STORE(a->status, PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED);
+		a->signal_time = nsec;
+
+		pw_log_trace_fp("%p: signal %p %p", c, l, state);
+
+		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(write(l->signalfd, &cmd, sizeof(cmd)) != sizeof(cmd)))
+			pw_log_warn("%p: write failed %m", c);
+	}
+}
+
 static inline void deactivate_link(struct client *c, struct link *l, uint64_t trigger)
 {
+	if (!c->async && trigger != 0)
+		l->trigger(l, trigger);
 }
 
 static inline void signal_sync(struct client *c)
@@ -1928,12 +1952,8 @@ static inline void signal_sync(struct client *c)
 	if (c->async || old_status != PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_AWAKE)
 		return;
 
-	spa_list_for_each(l, &c->rt.target_links, target_link) {
-		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(l->activation == NULL))
-			continue;
-
-		trigger_link(l, nsec);
-	}
+	spa_list_for_each(l, &c->rt.target_links, target_link)
+		l->trigger(l, nsec);
 }
 
 static inline void cycle_signal(struct client *c, int status)
@@ -2049,6 +2069,8 @@ static int client_node_transport(void *data,
 	pw_log_debug("%p: create client transport with fds %d %d for node %u",
 			c, readfd, writefd, c->node_id);
 
+	c->activation->client_version = PW_VERSION_NODE_ACTIVATION;
+
 	close(writefd);
 	c->socket_source = pw_loop_add_io(c->l,
 					  readfd,
@@ -2271,7 +2293,7 @@ static int do_unprepare_client(struct spa_loop *loop, bool async, uint32_t seq,
 
 	spa_list_for_each(l, &c->rt.target_links, target_link) {
 		if (!c->async && trigger != 0)
-			trigger_link(l, trigger);
+			l->trigger(l, trigger);
 	}
 
 	pw_loop_update_io(c->l,
@@ -3060,6 +3082,7 @@ static int client_node_set_activation(void *data,
 		link->mem = mm;
 		link->activation = ptr;
 		link->signalfd = signalfd;
+		link->trigger = link->activation->server_version < 1 ? trigger_link_v0 : trigger_link_v1;
 		spa_list_append(&c->links, &link->link);
 
 		pw_data_loop_invoke(c->loop,
@@ -6958,6 +6981,14 @@ int  jack_transport_reposition (jack_client_t *client,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void update_command(struct client *c, uint32_t command)
+{
+	struct pw_node_activation *a = c->rt.driver_activation;
+	if (!a)
+		return;
+	SPA_ATOMIC_STORE(a->command, command);
+}
+
 static int transport_update(struct client* c, int active)
 {
 	pw_log_info("%p: transport %d", c, active);
@@ -6984,7 +7015,10 @@ void jack_transport_start (jack_client_t *client)
 {
 	struct client *c = (struct client *) client;
 	return_if_fail(c != NULL);
-	transport_update(c, true);
+	if (c->activation->server_version < 1)
+		update_command(c, PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_COMMAND_START);
+	else
+		transport_update(c, true);
 }
 
 SPA_EXPORT
@@ -6992,7 +7026,10 @@ void jack_transport_stop (jack_client_t *client)
 {
 	struct client *c = (struct client *) client;
 	return_if_fail(c != NULL);
-	transport_update(c, false);
+	if (c->activation->server_version < 1)
+		update_command(c, PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_COMMAND_STOP);
+	else
+		transport_update(c, false);
 }
 
 SPA_EXPORT
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
index 1b55e05d9..4fd1a379f 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
@@ -1799,12 +1799,10 @@ struct pw_impl_client_node *pw_impl_client_node_new(struct pw_resource *resource
 
 	this->node->remote = true;
 	this->flags = 0;
-	if (resource->version < 5) {
-		pw_log_warn("using server side driver for old client version %d", resource->version);
-	}
-	if (resource->version < 6) {
-		pw_log_warn("using server side status for old client version %d", resource->version);
-		this->node->server_status = true;
+	if (resource->version < PW_VERSION_CLIENT_NODE) {
+		pw_log_warn("detected old client version %d", resource->version);
+		if (resource->version < 6)
+			this->node->rt.target.activation->client_version = 0;
 	}
 
 	pw_resource_add_listener(this->resource,
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
index a76307caa..8b5c7daf3 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
@@ -210,6 +210,8 @@ static int client_node_transport(void *_data,
 	spa_system_close(node->rt.target.system, node->source.fd);
 	node->rt.target.fd = node->source.fd = readfd;
 
+	node->rt.target.activation->client_version = PW_VERSION_NODE_ACTIVATION;
+
 	data->have_transport = true;
 
 	if (node->active)
@@ -839,6 +841,8 @@ client_node_set_activation(void *_data,
 		link->target.activation = ptr;
 		link->target.system = data->data_system;
 		link->target.fd = signalfd;
+		link->target.trigger = link->target.activation->server_version < 1 ?
+			trigger_target_v0 : trigger_target_v1;
 		spa_list_append(&data->links, &link->link);
 
 		pw_impl_node_add_target(node, &link->target);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
index aea32b388..f5fb170b9 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static inline void deactivate_target(struct pw_impl_node *node, struct pw_node_t
 			 * required state. This way we either resume with the old value
 			 * or we don't when the driver has not yet copied */
 			if (trigger != 0)
-				trigger_target(t, trigger);
+				t->trigger(t, trigger);
 			if (!node->exported)
 				SPA_ATOMIC_DEC(state->required);
 		}
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static inline void trigger_targets(struct pw_impl_node *node, int status, uint64
 			node, node->name, node->info.id, nsec);
 
 	spa_list_for_each(ta, &node->rt.target_list, link)
-		trigger_target(ta, nsec);
+		ta->trigger(ta, nsec);
 }
 
 /** \endcond */
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ do_node_prepare(struct spa_loop *loop, bool async, uint32_t seq,
 
 		spa_loop_add_source(loop, &this->source);
 	}
-	if (!this->remote || this->server_status)
+	if (!this->remote || this->rt.target.activation->client_version < 1)
 		SPA_ATOMIC_STORE(this->rt.target.activation->status, PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_FINISHED);
 
 	spa_list_for_each(t, &this->rt.target_list, link)
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ do_node_unprepare(struct spa_loop *loop, bool async, uint32_t seq,
 	if (!this->rt.prepared)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!this->remote || this->server_status) {
+	if (!this->remote || this->rt.target.activation->client_version < 1) {
 		/* We mark ourself as finished now, this will avoid going further into the process loop
 		 * in case our fd was ready (removing ourselfs from the loop should avoid that as well).
 		 * If we were supposed to be scheduled make sure we continue the graph for the peers we
@@ -1312,9 +1312,6 @@ static inline void debug_xrun_graph(struct pw_impl_node *driver, uint64_t nsec)
 		struct pw_node_activation *a = t->activation;
 		struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &a->state[0];
 
-		if (t->id == driver->info.id)
-			continue;
-
 		if (a->status == PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED ||
 		    a->status == PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_AWAKE) {
 			pw_log(level, "(%s-%u) xrun state:%p pending:%d/%d s:%"PRIu64" a:%"PRIu64" f:%"PRIu64
@@ -1443,7 +1440,7 @@ static inline int process_node(void *data, uint64_t nsec)
 	/* we don't need to trigger targets when the node was driving the
 	 * graph because that means we finished the graph. */
 	if (SPA_LIKELY(!this->driving)) {
-		if (!this->async && old_status == PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_AWAKE)
+		if ((!this->async || a->server_version < 1) && old_status == PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_AWAKE)
 			trigger_targets(this, status, nsec);
 	} else {
 		/* calculate CPU time when finished */
@@ -1461,7 +1458,8 @@ static inline int process_node(void *data, uint64_t nsec)
 int pw_impl_node_trigger(struct pw_impl_node *node)
 {
 	uint64_t nsec = get_time_ns(node->rt.target.system);
-	trigger_target(&node->rt.target, nsec);
+	struct pw_node_target *t = &node->rt.target;
+	t->trigger(t, nsec);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1619,11 +1617,14 @@ struct pw_impl_node *pw_context_create_node(struct pw_context *context,
 	this->rt.target.node = this;
 	this->rt.target.system = this->data_loop->system;
 	this->rt.target.fd = this->source.fd;
+	this->rt.target.trigger = trigger_target_v1;
 
 	reset_position(this, &this->rt.target.activation->position);
 	this->rt.target.activation->sync_timeout = DEFAULT_SYNC_TIMEOUT;
 	this->rt.target.activation->sync_left = 0;
 	this->rt.target.activation->status = PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_INACTIVE;
+	this->rt.target.activation->server_version = PW_VERSION_NODE_ACTIVATION;
+	this->rt.target.activation->client_version = PW_VERSION_NODE_ACTIVATION;
 
 	this->rt.rate_limit.interval = 2 * SPA_NSEC_PER_SEC;
 	this->rt.rate_limit.burst = 1;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index 7517d4e73..8c4903907 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ struct pw_node_target {
 	struct pw_node_activation *activation;
 	struct spa_system *system;
 	int fd;
+	void (*trigger)(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec);
 	unsigned int active:1;
 	unsigned int added:1;
 };
@@ -551,8 +552,17 @@ static inline void copy_target(struct pw_node_target *dst, const struct pw_node_
 	dst->activation = src->activation;
 	dst->system = src->system;
 	dst->fd = src->fd;
+	dst->trigger = src->trigger;
 }
 
+/* versions:
+ * 0 baseline
+ * 1 the activation status needs to be CAS
+ *   async nodes, driver resumes async nodes
+ *   transport with sync.group properties instead of client command
+ */
+#define PW_VERSION_NODE_ACTIVATION	1
+
 /* nodes start as INACTIVE, when they are ready to be scheduled, they add their
  * fd to the loop and change status to FINISHED. When the node shuts down, the
  * status is set back to INACTIVE.
@@ -596,7 +606,11 @@ struct pw_node_activation {
 	uint32_t segment_owner[16];			/* id of owners for each segment info struct.
 							 * nodes that want to update segment info need to
 							 * CAS their node id in this array. */
-	uint32_t padding[14];
+	uint32_t padding[11];
+	uint32_t client_version;
+	uint32_t server_version;
+
+	uint32_t active_driver_id;
 	uint32_t driver_id;				/* the current node driver id */
 #define PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_FLAG_NONE		0
 #define PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_FLAG_PROFILER	(1<<0)	/* the profiler is running */
@@ -632,22 +646,9 @@ static inline uint64_t get_time_ns(struct spa_system *system)
 	return SPA_TIMESPEC_TO_NSEC(&ts);
 }
 
-static inline void wake_target(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec)
-{
-	struct pw_node_activation *a = t->activation;
-
-	if (SPA_ATOMIC_CAS(a->status,
-				PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_NOT_TRIGGERED,
-				PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED)) {
-		a->signal_time = nsec;
-		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(spa_system_eventfd_write(t->system, t->fd, 1) < 0))
-			pw_log_warn("%p: write failed %m", t->node);
-	}
-}
-
 /* called from data-loop decrement the dependency counter of the target and when
  * there are no more dependencies, trigger the node. */
-static inline void trigger_target(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec)
+static inline void trigger_target_v1(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec)
 {
 	struct pw_node_activation *a = t->activation;
 	struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &a->state[0];
@@ -655,8 +656,31 @@ static inline void trigger_target(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec)
 	pw_log_trace_fp("%p: (%s-%u) state:%p pending:%d/%d", t->node,
 			t->name, t->id, state, state->pending, state->required);
 
-	if (pw_node_activation_state_dec(state))
-		wake_target(t, nsec);
+	if (pw_node_activation_state_dec(state)) {
+		if (SPA_ATOMIC_CAS(a->status,
+					PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_NOT_TRIGGERED,
+					PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED)) {
+			a->signal_time = nsec;
+			if (SPA_UNLIKELY(spa_system_eventfd_write(t->system, t->fd, 1) < 0))
+				pw_log_warn("%p: write failed %m", t->node);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static inline void trigger_target_v0(struct pw_node_target *t, uint64_t nsec)
+{
+	struct pw_node_activation *a = t->activation;
+	struct pw_node_activation_state *state = &a->state[0];
+
+	pw_log_trace_fp("%p: (%s-%u) state:%p pending:%d/%d", t->node,
+			t->name, t->id, state, state->pending, state->required);
+
+	if (pw_node_activation_state_dec(state)) {
+		SPA_ATOMIC_STORE(a->status, PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_TRIGGERED);
+		a->signal_time = nsec;
+		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(spa_system_eventfd_write(t->system, t->fd, 1) < 0))
+			pw_log_warn("%p: write failed %m", t->node);
+	}
 }
 
 struct pw_node_peer {
@@ -748,7 +772,6 @@ struct pw_impl_node {
 	unsigned int sync:1;		/**< the sync-groups are active */
 	unsigned int transport:1;	/**< the transport is active */
 	unsigned int async:1;		/**< async processing, one cycle latency */
-	unsigned int server_status:1;	/**< old client, do status on server */
 
 	uint32_t port_user_data_size;	/**< extra size for port user data */