diff --git a/tuned/admin/admin.py b/tuned/admin/admin.py
index 98f2702..ad4acd6 100644
--- a/tuned/admin/admin.py
+++ b/tuned/admin/admin.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+import tuned.utils.commands
+from tuned.profiles import Locator as profiles_locator
+from exceptions import TunedAdminDBusException
+import tuned.consts as consts
 import sys
 
 class Admin(object):
@@ -7,37 +11,68 @@ class Admin(object):
 	def _error(self, message):
 		print >>sys.stderr, message
 
-	def list(self):
-		profiles = self._controller.profiles()
+	def list(self, dbus_warn = True):
+		try:
+			profile_names = self._controller.profiles()
+		except TunedAdminDBusException as e:
+			if dbus_warn:
+				print >> sys.stderr, e
+			profile_names = profiles_locator(consts.LOAD_DIRECTORIES).get_known_names()
 		print "Available profiles:"
-		for profile in profiles:
+		for profile in profile_names:
 			print "- %s" % profile
-		self.active()
+		self.active(False)
 
-	def active(self):
-		profile = self._controller.active_profile()
-		if profile is not None:
-			print "Current active profile: %s" % profile
+	def active(self, dbus_warn = True):
+		try:
+			profile_name = self._controller.active_profile()
+		except TunedAdminDBusException as e:
+			if dbus_warn:
+				print >> sys.stderr, e
+			profile_name = tuned.utils.commands.read_file(consts.ACTIVE_PROFILE_FILE, None)
+		if profile_name is not None and profile_name != "":
+			print "Current active profile: %s" % profile_name
 			return True
 		else:
 			print "No current active profile."
 			return False
 
-	def profile(self, profiles):
+	def profile(self, profiles, dbus_warn = True):
+		fallback = False
 		profile_name = " ".join(profiles)
-		if not self._controller.switch_profile(profile_name):
-			self._error("Cannot switch the profile.")
+		if profile_name == "":
 			return False
+		try:
+			ret = self._controller.switch_profile(profile_name)
+		except TunedAdminDBusException as e:
+			fallback = True
+			if dbus_warn:
+				print >> sys.stderr, e
+			if profile_name in profiles_locator(consts.LOAD_DIRECTORIES).get_known_names():
+				ret = tuned.utils.commands.write_to_file(consts.ACTIVE_PROFILE_FILE, profile_name)
+			else:
+				ret = False
+				self._error("Requested profile '%s' doesn't exist." % profile_name)
+		if ret:
+			if fallback:
+				print "You need to (re)start the tuned daemon by hand for changes to apply."
+			else:
+				if not self._controller.is_running() and not self._controller.start():
+					self._error("Cannot enable the tuning.")
+					ret = False
+		else:
+			self._error("Cannot switch the profile.")
 
-		if not self._controller.is_running():
-			if not self._controller.start():
-				self._error("Cannot enable the tuning.")
-				return False
+		return ret
 
-		return True
-
-	def recommend_profile(self):
-		print self._controller.recommend_profile()
+	def recommend_profile(self, dbus_warn = True):
+		try:
+			profile = self._controller.recommend_profile()
+		except TunedAdminDBusException as e:
+			if dbus_warn:
+				print >> sys.stderr, e
+			profile = tuned.utils.commands.recommend_profile()
+		print profile
 
 	def off(self):
 		result = self._controller.off()
diff --git a/tuned/admin/dbus_controller.py b/tuned/admin/dbus_controller.py
index 808a159..3523bdd 100644
--- a/tuned/admin/dbus_controller.py
+++ b/tuned/admin/dbus_controller.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import dbus
 import dbus.exceptions
-import tuned.utils.commands
-from exceptions import TunedAdminException
+from exceptions import TunedAdminDBusException
 
 __all__ = ["DBusController"]
 
@@ -21,13 +20,13 @@ class DBusController(object):
 		try:
 			self._init_proxy()
 		except dbus.exceptions.DBusException:
-			raise TunedAdminException("Cannot talk to Tuned daemon via DBus.")
+			raise TunedAdminDBusException("Cannot talk to Tuned daemon via DBus.")
 
 		try:
 			method = self._proxy.get_dbus_method(method_name)
 			return method(*args, **kwargs)
 		except dbus.exceptions.DBusException as dbus_exception:
-			raise TunedAdminException("DBus call to Tuned daemon failed (%s)." % str(dbus_exception))
+			raise TunedAdminDBusException("DBus call to Tuned daemon failed (%s)." % str(dbus_exception))
 
 	def is_running(self):
 		return self._call("is_running")
@@ -42,24 +41,15 @@ class DBusController(object):
 		return self._call("profiles")
 
 	def active_profile(self):
-		profile_name = self._call("active_profile")
-		if profile_name != "":
-			return profile_name
-		else:
-			return None
+		return self._call("active_profile")
 
 	def switch_profile(self, new_profile):
-		if new_profile != "":
-			return self._call("switch_profile", new_profile)
-		else:
+		if new_profile == "":
 			return False
+		return self._call("switch_profile", new_profile)
 
 	def recommend_profile(self):
-		try:
-			profile = self._call("recommend_profile")
-		except TunedAdminException:
-			profile = tuned.utils.commands.recommend_profile()
-		return profile
+		return self._call("recommend_profile")
 
 	def off(self):
 		return self._call("disable")
diff --git a/tuned/admin/exceptions.py b/tuned/admin/exceptions.py
index 11d3a66..39b8d8a 100644
--- a/tuned/admin/exceptions.py
+++ b/tuned/admin/exceptions.py
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@ import tuned.exceptions
 
 class TunedAdminException(tuned.exceptions.TunedException):
 	pass
+
+class TunedAdminDBusException(tuned.exceptions.TunedException):
+	pass