diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index add4a65..7a49d65 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type PassiveJob struct {
 
 type PushJob struct {
 	ActiveJob `yaml:",inline"`
-	Snapshotting Snapshotting          `yaml:"snapshotting"`
+	Snapshotting SnapshottingEnum          `yaml:"snapshotting"`
 	Filesystems FilesystemsFilter `yaml:"filesystems"`
 }
 
@@ -55,15 +55,24 @@ type SinkJob struct {
 
 type SourceJob struct {
 	PassiveJob `yaml:",inline"`
-	Snapshotting Snapshotting      `yaml:"snapshotting"`
+	Snapshotting SnapshottingEnum      `yaml:"snapshotting"`
 	Filesystems FilesystemsFilter `yaml:"filesystems"`
 }
 
 type FilesystemsFilter map[string]bool
 
-type Snapshotting struct {
-	SnapshotPrefix string        `yaml:"snapshot_prefix"`
-	Interval       time.Duration `yaml:"interval,positive"`
+type SnapshottingEnum struct {
+	Ret interface{}
+}
+
+type SnapshottingPeriodic struct {
+	Type string		`yaml:"type"`
+	Prefix string	`yaml:"prefix"`
+	Interval time.Duration `yaml:"interval,positive"`
+}
+
+type SnapshottingManual struct {
+	Type string `yaml:"type"`
 }
 
 type PruningSenderReceiver struct {
@@ -346,6 +355,14 @@ func (t *PruningEnum) UnmarshalYAML(u func(interface{}, bool) error) (err error)
 	return
 }
 
+func (t *SnapshottingEnum) UnmarshalYAML(u func(interface{}, bool) error) (err error) {
+	t.Ret, err = enumUnmarshal(u, map[string]interface{}{
+		"periodic": &SnapshottingPeriodic{},
+		"manual": &SnapshottingManual{},
+	})
+	return
+}
+
 func (t *LoggingOutletEnum) UnmarshalYAML(u func(interface{}, bool) error) (err error) {
 	t.Ret, err = enumUnmarshal(u, map[string]interface{}{
 		"stdout": &StdoutLoggingOutlet{},
diff --git a/config/config_minimal_test.go b/config/config_minimal_test.go
index fa9c780..72f8752 100644
--- a/config/config_minimal_test.go
+++ b/config/config_minimal_test.go
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ jobs:
     "pool1/poudriere/ports<": false #don't backup the ports trees
   }
   snapshotting:
-    snapshot_prefix: zrepl_
-    interval: 10m
+    type: manual
   pruning:
     keep_sender:
     - type: not_replicated
diff --git a/config/config_snapshotting_test.go b/config/config_snapshotting_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0f826b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config_snapshotting_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestSnapshotting(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpl := `
+jobs:
+- name: foo
+  type: push
+  connect:
+    type: local
+    listener_name: foo
+    client_identity: bar
+  filesystems: {"<": true}
+  %s
+  pruning:
+    keep_sender:
+    - type: last_n
+      count: 10
+    keep_receiver:
+    - type: last_n
+      count: 10
+`
+	manual := `
+  snapshotting:
+    type: manual
+`
+	periodic := `
+  snapshotting:
+    type: periodic
+    prefix: zrepl_
+    interval: 10m
+`
+
+	fillSnapshotting := func(s string) string {return fmt.Sprintf(tmpl, s)}
+	var c *Config
+
+	t.Run("manual", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c = testValidConfig(t, fillSnapshotting(manual))
+		snm := c.Jobs[0].Ret.(*PushJob).Snapshotting.Ret.(*SnapshottingManual)
+		assert.Equal(t, "manual", snm.Type)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("periodic", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c = testValidConfig(t, fillSnapshotting(periodic))
+		snp := c.Jobs[0].Ret.(*PushJob).Snapshotting.Ret.(*SnapshottingPeriodic)
+		assert.Equal(t, "periodic", snp.Type)
+		assert.Equal(t, 10*time.Minute, snp.Interval)
+		assert.Equal(t, "zrepl_" , snp.Prefix)
+	})
+
+}
diff --git a/config/samples/local.yml b/config/samples/local.yml
index e7080fd..7c886ba 100644
--- a/config/samples/local.yml
+++ b/config/samples/local.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ jobs:
       "system<": true,
     }
     snapshotting:
-      snapshot_prefix: zrepl_
+      type: periodic
       interval: 10m
+      prefix: zrepl_
     pruning:
       keep_sender:
       - type: not_replicated
diff --git a/config/samples/push.yml b/config/samples/push.yml
index cf941f0..6045d67 100644
--- a/config/samples/push.yml
+++ b/config/samples/push.yml
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ jobs:
       type: tcp
       address: "backup-server.foo.bar:8888"
     snapshotting:
-      snapshot_prefix: zrepl_
-      interval: 10m
+      type: manual
     pruning:
       keep_sender:
         - type: not_replicated
diff --git a/config/samples/source.yml b/config/samples/source.yml
index 9162421..f10f14b 100644
--- a/config/samples/source.yml
+++ b/config/samples/source.yml
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ jobs:
     "secret": false
   }
   snapshotting:
-    snapshot_prefix: zrepl_
+    type: periodic
     interval: 10m
+    prefix: zrepl_
diff --git a/config/samples/source_ssh.yml b/config/samples/source_ssh.yml
index b1e6e11..f81f44d 100644
--- a/config/samples/source_ssh.yml
+++ b/config/samples/source_ssh.yml
@@ -11,5 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     "secret": false
   }
   snapshotting:
-    snapshot_prefix: zrepl_
+    type: periodic
     interval: 10m
+    prefix: zrepl_
+
diff --git a/daemon/job/active.go b/daemon/job/active.go
index 69cd7e8..15af588 100644
--- a/daemon/job/active.go
+++ b/daemon/job/active.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ type activeMode interface {
 
 type modePush struct {
 	fsfilter         endpoint.FSFilter
-	snapper *snapper.Snapper
+	snapper *snapper.PeriodicOrManual
 }
 
 func (m *modePush) SenderReceiver(client *streamrpc.Client) (replication.Sender, replication.Receiver, error) {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func modePushFromConfig(g *config.Global, in *config.PushJob) (*modePush, error)
 	}
 	m.fsfilter = fsf
 
-	if m.snapper, err = snapper.FromConfig(g, fsf, &in.Snapshotting); err != nil {
+	if m.snapper, err = snapper.FromConfig(g, fsf, in.Snapshotting); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "cannot build snapper")
 	}
 
diff --git a/daemon/job/passive.go b/daemon/job/passive.go
index 6e5cbb4..02ac9b6 100644
--- a/daemon/job/passive.go
+++ b/daemon/job/passive.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func modeSinkFromConfig(g *config.Global, in *config.SinkJob) (m *modeSink, err
 
 type modeSource struct {
 	fsfilter zfs.DatasetFilter
-	snapper *snapper.Snapper
+	snapper *snapper.PeriodicOrManual
 }
 
 func modeSourceFromConfig(g *config.Global, in *config.SourceJob) (m *modeSource, err error) {
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func modeSourceFromConfig(g *config.Global, in *config.SourceJob) (m *modeSource
 	}
 	m.fsfilter = fsf
 
-	if m.snapper, err = snapper.FromConfig(g, fsf, &in.Snapshotting); err != nil {
+	if m.snapper, err = snapper.FromConfig(g, fsf, in.Snapshotting); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "cannot build snapper")
 	}
 
diff --git a/daemon/snapper/snapper.go b/daemon/snapper/snapper.go
index bfaeb47..6cd5b98 100644
--- a/daemon/snapper/snapper.go
+++ b/daemon/snapper/snapper.go
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ func getLogger(ctx context.Context) Logger {
 	return logger.NewNullLogger()
 }
 
-func FromConfig(g *config.Global, fsf *filters.DatasetMapFilter, in *config.Snapshotting) (*Snapper, error) {
-	if in.SnapshotPrefix == "" {
+func PeriodicFromConfig(g *config.Global, fsf *filters.DatasetMapFilter, in *config.SnapshottingPeriodic) (*Snapper, error) {
+	if in.Prefix == "" {
 		return nil, errors.New("prefix must not be empty")
 	}
 	if in.Interval <= 0 {
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func FromConfig(g *config.Global, fsf *filters.DatasetMapFilter, in *config.Snap
 	}
 
 	args := args{
-		prefix: in.SnapshotPrefix,
+		prefix: in.Prefix,
 		interval: in.Interval,
 		fsf: fsf,
 		// ctx and log is set in Run()
diff --git a/daemon/snapper/snapper_all.go b/daemon/snapper/snapper_all.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22281dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/snapper/snapper_all.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package snapper
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/zrepl/zrepl/config"
+	"github.com/zrepl/zrepl/daemon/filters"
+)
+
+// FIXME: properly abstract snapshotting:
+//   - split up things that trigger snapshotting from the mechanism
+//     - timer-based trigger (periodic)
+//     - call from control socket (manual)
+//     - mixed modes?
+//   - support a `zrepl snapshot JOBNAME` subcommand for config.SnapshottingManual
+type PeriodicOrManual struct {
+	s *Snapper
+}
+
+func (s *PeriodicOrManual) Run(ctx context.Context, wakeUpCommon chan <- struct{}) {
+	if s.s != nil {
+		s.s.Run(ctx, wakeUpCommon)
+	}
+}
+
+func FromConfig(g *config.Global, fsf *filters.DatasetMapFilter, in config.SnapshottingEnum) (*PeriodicOrManual, error) {
+	switch v := in.Ret.(type) {
+	case *config.SnapshottingPeriodic:
+		snapper, err := PeriodicFromConfig(g, fsf, v)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return &PeriodicOrManual{snapper}, nil
+	case *config.SnapshottingManual:
+		return &PeriodicOrManual{}, nil
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown snapshotting type %T", v)
+	}
+}