diff --git a/include/control.h b/include/control.h
index cbfda1d..f10060e 100644
--- a/include/control.h
+++ b/include/control.h
@@ -18,8 +18,14 @@ struct server;
 enum control_opcode {
 	CONTROL_CREATE_GROUP_VT = 1,
 	CONTROL_DESTROY_GROUP_VT = 2,
+	CONTROL_GET_ACTIVE_VT = 3,
+	CONTROL_FIND_FREE_VT = 4,
+	CONTROL_SWITCH_VT = 5,
 	CONTROL_GROUP_VT_CREATED = 100,
 	CONTROL_VT_CHANGED = 101,
+	CONTROL_OK = 102,
+	CONTROL_ACTIVE_VT = 103,
+	CONTROL_FREE_VT = 104,
 	CONTROL_ERROR = 255,
 };
 
@@ -39,11 +45,19 @@ struct control_destroy_group_vt_request {
 	int32_t vt;
 };
 
+struct control_switch_vt_request {
+	int32_t vt;
+};
+
 struct control_group_vt_created_event {
 	int32_t owner_pid;
 	int32_t vt;
 };
 
+struct control_vt_state_event {
+	int32_t vt;
+};
+
 struct control_vt_change_event {
 	int32_t old_vt;
 	int32_t new_vt;
diff --git a/include/seat.h b/include/seat.h
index 92c3e88..b16e241 100644
--- a/include/seat.h
+++ b/include/seat.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ struct seat_device *seat_find_device(struct client *client, int device_id);
 int seat_set_next_session(struct client *client, int session);
 int seat_vt_activate(struct seat *seat);
 int seat_vt_release(struct seat *seat);
+int seat_get_active_vt(struct seat *seat);
+int seat_find_available_vt(struct seat *seat);
+int seat_switch_vt(struct seat *seat, int vt);
 int seat_create_group_vt(struct seat *seat, struct client *owner, int requested_vt,
 			 const char *user, const char *session);
 int seat_destroy_group_vt(struct seat *seat, int vt);
diff --git a/seatd/control.c b/seatd/control.c
index 3644374..ae9ce22 100644
--- a/seatd/control.c
+++ b/seatd/control.c
@@ -129,6 +129,17 @@ static int control_send_error(struct control_client *client, int error_code) {
 	return control_client_flush(client);
 }
 
+static int control_send_ok(struct control_client *client) {
+	struct control_header header = {
+		.opcode = CONTROL_OK,
+		.size = 0,
+	};
+	if (connection_put(&client->connection, &header, sizeof(header)) == -1) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return control_client_flush(client);
+}
+
 static int control_send_message(struct control_client *client, uint16_t opcode,
 				const void *payload, uint16_t payload_size) {
 	struct control_header header = {
@@ -150,6 +161,13 @@ static int control_send_group_vt_created(struct control_client *client, pid_t ow
 	return control_send_message(client, CONTROL_GROUP_VT_CREATED, &event, sizeof(event));
 }
 
+static int control_send_vt_state(struct control_client *client, uint16_t opcode, int vt) {
+	struct control_vt_state_event event = {
+		.vt = vt,
+	};
+	return control_send_message(client, opcode, &event, sizeof(event));
+}
+
 static int control_send_vt_change(struct control_client *client, int old_vt, int new_vt) {
 	struct control_vt_change_event event = {
 		.old_vt = old_vt,
@@ -221,6 +239,49 @@ static int handle_destroy_group_vt(struct control_client *client) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int handle_get_active_vt(struct control_client *client) {
+	struct seat *seat = server_get_seat(client->server, "seat0");
+	if (seat == NULL) {
+		return control_send_error(client, ENOENT);
+	}
+
+	int vt = seat_get_active_vt(seat);
+	if (vt == -1) {
+		return control_send_error(client, errno);
+	}
+	return control_send_vt_state(client, CONTROL_ACTIVE_VT, vt);
+}
+
+static int handle_find_free_vt(struct control_client *client) {
+	struct seat *seat = server_get_seat(client->server, "seat0");
+	if (seat == NULL) {
+		return control_send_error(client, ENOENT);
+	}
+
+	int vt = seat_find_available_vt(seat);
+	if (vt == -1) {
+		return control_send_error(client, errno);
+	}
+	return control_send_vt_state(client, CONTROL_FREE_VT, vt);
+}
+
+static int handle_switch_vt(struct control_client *client) {
+	struct control_switch_vt_request request;
+	if (connection_get(&client->connection, &request, sizeof(request)) == -1) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	struct seat *seat = server_get_seat(client->server, "seat0");
+	if (seat == NULL) {
+		return control_send_error(client, ENOENT);
+	}
+
+	if (seat_switch_vt(seat, request.vt) == -1) {
+		return control_send_error(client, errno);
+	}
+	return control_send_ok(client);
+}
+
 static int control_client_handle_opcode(struct control_client *client, uint16_t opcode,
 					uint16_t size) {
 	switch (opcode) {
@@ -234,6 +295,21 @@ static int control_client_handle_opcode(struct control_client *client, uint16_t
 			return control_send_error(client, EPROTO);
 		}
 		return handle_destroy_group_vt(client);
+	case CONTROL_GET_ACTIVE_VT:
+		if (size != 0) {
+			return control_send_error(client, EPROTO);
+		}
+		return handle_get_active_vt(client);
+	case CONTROL_FIND_FREE_VT:
+		if (size != 0) {
+			return control_send_error(client, EPROTO);
+		}
+		return handle_find_free_vt(client);
+	case CONTROL_SWITCH_VT:
+		if (size != sizeof(struct control_switch_vt_request)) {
+			return control_send_error(client, EPROTO);
+		}
+		return handle_switch_vt(client);
 	default:
 		return control_send_error(client, EPROTO);
 	}
diff --git a/seatd/seat.c b/seatd/seat.c
index b29aed0..96ab089 100644
--- a/seatd/seat.c
+++ b/seatd/seat.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct seat *seat_create(const char *seat_name, bool vt_bound) {
 	linked_list_init(&seat->group_vts);
 	seat->vt_bound = vt_bound;
 	seat->seat_name = strdup(seat_name);
-	seat->cur_vt = 0;
+	seat->cur_vt = -1;
 	if (seat->seat_name == NULL) {
 		free(seat);
 		return NULL;
@@ -74,14 +74,23 @@ void seat_destroy(struct seat *seat) {
 	free(seat);
 }
 
-static void seat_update_vt(struct seat *seat) {
+static int seat_update_vt(struct seat *seat) {
 	int tty0fd = terminal_open(0);
 	if (tty0fd == -1) {
 		log_errorf("Could not open tty0 to update VT: %s", strerror(errno));
-		return;
+		return -1;
 	}
-	seat->cur_vt = terminal_current_vt(tty0fd);
+
+	int vt = terminal_current_vt(tty0fd);
+	int saved_errno = errno;
 	close(tty0fd);
+	if (vt <= 0) {
+		errno = saved_errno != 0 ? saved_errno : ENOENT;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	seat->cur_vt = vt;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int vt_open(int vt) {
@@ -117,8 +126,20 @@ static int vt_switch(struct seat *seat, int vt) {
 		log_errorf("Could not open terminal to switch to VT %d: %s", vt, strerror(errno));
 		return -1;
 	}
-	terminal_set_process_switching(ttyfd, true);
-	terminal_switch_vt(ttyfd, vt);
+
+	if (terminal_set_process_switching(ttyfd, true) == -1) {
+		int saved_errno = errno;
+		close(ttyfd);
+		errno = saved_errno;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (terminal_switch_vt(ttyfd, vt) == -1) {
+		int saved_errno = errno;
+		close(ttyfd);
+		errno = saved_errno;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	close(ttyfd);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -939,6 +960,68 @@ int seat_vt_release(struct seat *seat) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int seat_get_active_vt(struct seat *seat) {
+	if (!seat->vt_bound) {
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (seat_update_vt(seat) == -1) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return seat->cur_vt;
+}
+
+int seat_find_available_vt(struct seat *seat) {
+	if (!seat->vt_bound) {
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	int tty0fd = terminal_open(0);
+	if (tty0fd == -1) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	int vt = terminal_find_available(tty0fd);
+	int saved_errno = errno;
+	close(tty0fd);
+	if (vt == -1) {
+		errno = saved_errno;
+	}
+	return vt;
+}
+
+int seat_switch_vt(struct seat *seat, int vt) {
+	if (!seat->vt_bound) {
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (vt <= 0) {
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (seat_update_vt(seat) == -1) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (seat->cur_vt == vt) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (seat->pending_vt_switch > 0) {
+		errno = EBUSY;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	seat->pending_vt_switch = vt;
+	if (vt_switch(seat, vt) == -1) {
+		seat->pending_vt_switch = 0;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int seat_create_group_vt(struct seat *seat, struct client *owner, int requested_vt,
 			 const char *user, const char *session) {
 	if (!seat->vt_bound) {