diff --git a/ipn/ipnserver/server.go b/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
index 43acd9ef1..6df546bae 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ func (s *server) checkConnIdentityLocked(ci connIdentity) error {
 	}
 	if su := s.serverModeUser; su != nil && ci.UserID != su.Uid {
 		//lint:ignore ST1005 we want to capitalize Tailscale here
-		return inUseOtherUserError{fmt.Errorf("Tailscale running as %s. Access denied.", su.Username)}
+		return inUseOtherUserError{fmt.Errorf("Tailscale already in use by %s", su.Username)}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/ipn/local.go b/ipn/local.go
index 8dabe1b79..0b5d1cf82 100644
--- a/ipn/local.go
+++ b/ipn/local.go
@@ -415,10 +415,11 @@ func (b *LocalBackend) Start(opts Options) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("loading requested state: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	b.inServerMode = b.stateKey != ""
+	b.inServerMode = b.prefs.ForceDaemon
 	b.serverURL = b.prefs.ControlURL
 	hostinfo.RoutableIPs = append(hostinfo.RoutableIPs, b.prefs.AdvertiseRoutes...)
 	hostinfo.RequestTags = append(hostinfo.RequestTags, b.prefs.AdvertiseTags...)
+	b.logf("Start: serverMode=%v; stateKey=%q; tags=%q; routes=%v; url=%v", b.inServerMode, b.stateKey, b.prefs.AdvertiseTags, b.prefs.AdvertiseRoutes, b.prefs.ControlURL)
 	applyPrefsToHostinfo(hostinfo, b.prefs)
 
 	b.notify = opts.Notify