diff --git a/activation.h b/activation.h
index 714fcf8..fb820ce 100644
--- a/activation.h
+++ b/activation.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
-#define PROTOCOL_VERSION "4.0.0"
+#define PROTOCOL_VERSION "4.1.0"
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #define convertstring   to_utf16string
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 300268c..6fbf990 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     std::string arg_info;
     bool arg_verbose = false;
     bool arg_nocertcheck = false;
-    bool secureHostBasedConfig = false;
+    bool shbc_config = false;
 
     if (argc == 1)
     {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     memset(&lms_socket, 0, sizeof(SOCKET));
 
     // set receive handler
-    client.set_message_handler([&client, &mx, &cv, &lms_socket, arg_verbose, &secureHostBasedConfig](web::websockets::client::websocket_incoming_message ret_msg)
+    client.set_message_handler([&client, &mx, &cv, &lms_socket, arg_verbose, &shbc_config](web::websockets::client::websocket_incoming_message ret_msg)
     {
         // kick the timer
         std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::system_clock> now = std::chrono::system_clock::now();
@@ -292,25 +292,21 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                 config_host_based_settings amt_cert;
                 server_cert.algorithm = certAlgo;
                 server_cert.hash = certHash;
-                if (cmd_start_config_host_based(server_cert, amt_cert))
-                {
-                    // create the response
-                    std::string response;
-                    if (!shbc_create_response(amt_cert.algorithm, amt_cert.hash, response)) return;
+                bool sbhc_success = cmd_start_config_host_based(server_cert, amt_cert);
+                
+                // create the response
+                std::string response;
+                if (!shbc_create_response(amt_cert.algorithm, amt_cert.hash, sbhc_success, response)) return;
 
-                    // send it
-                    web::websockets::client::websocket_outgoing_message send_websocket_msg;
-                    std::string send_websocket_buffer(response);
-                    send_websocket_msg.set_utf8_message(send_websocket_buffer);
-                    client.send(send_websocket_msg).wait();
-
-                    // use secure host post for LMS going forward
-                    secureHostBasedConfig = true;
-
-                    return;
-
-                }
+                // send it
+                web::websockets::client::websocket_outgoing_message send_websocket_msg;
+                std::string send_websocket_buffer(response);
+                send_websocket_msg.set_utf8_message(send_websocket_buffer);
+                client.send(send_websocket_msg).wait();
 
+                // use secure host post for LMS going forward
+                shbc_config = sbhc_success;
+                
                 return;
             }
             
@@ -365,7 +361,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
             try
             {
                 // conntect to lms
-                lms_socket = lms_connect(secureHostBasedConfig);
+                lms_socket = lms_connect(shbc_config);
             }
             catch (...)
             {
diff --git a/shbc.cpp b/shbc.cpp
index 3c0d273..4bbe245 100644
--- a/shbc.cpp
+++ b/shbc.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ bool get_response_payload(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, web::jso
     return true;
 }
 
-bool shbc_create_response(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, std::string& response)
+bool shbc_create_response(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, bool config_status, std::string& response)
 {
     web::json::value msg;
 
@@ -49,21 +49,32 @@ bool shbc_create_response(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, std::str
     tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring(PROTOCOL_VERSION);
     msg[U("protocolVersion")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
 
-    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
-    msg[U("status")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
-
     tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
     msg[U("message")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
 
-    // get the activation payload
-    web::json::value responsePayload;
-    if (!get_response_payload(cert_algo, cert_hash, responsePayload)) return false;
+    if (config_status)
+    {
+        // get the activation payload
+        web::json::value responsePayload;
+        if (!get_response_payload(cert_algo, cert_hash, responsePayload)) return false;
 
-    // serialize payload
-    std::string serializedPayload = utility::conversions::to_utf8string(responsePayload.serialize());
-    std::string encodedPayload = util_encode_base64(serializedPayload);
-    utility::string_t payload = utility::conversions::to_string_t(encodedPayload);
-    msg[U("payload")] = web::json::value::string(payload);
+        // serialize payload
+        std::string serializedPayload = utility::conversions::to_utf8string(responsePayload.serialize());
+        std::string encodedPayload = util_encode_base64(serializedPayload);
+        utility::string_t payload = utility::conversions::to_string_t(encodedPayload);
+        msg[U("payload")] = web::json::value::string(payload);
+
+        tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("success");
+        msg[U("status")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
+        msg[U("payload")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+        tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("failed");
+        msg[U("status")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+    }
 
     // serialize the entire message
     response = utility::conversions::to_utf8string(msg.serialize());
diff --git a/shbc.h b/shbc.h
index 73d5b99..751b482 100644
--- a/shbc.h
+++ b/shbc.h
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@
 #define convertstring   to_utf8string
 #endif
 
-bool shbc_create_response(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, std::string& response);
+bool shbc_create_response(std::string cert_algo, std::string cert_hash, bool config_status, std::string& response);
 
 #endif 
\ No newline at end of file