diff --git a/cmd/clef/main.go b/cmd/clef/main.go
index ad7ba186d..0ea6f36f1 100644
--- a/cmd/clef/main.go
+++ b/cmd/clef/main.go
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ func init() {
 		chainIdFlag,
 		utils.LightKDFFlag,
 		utils.NoUSBFlag,
+		utils.SmartCardDaemonPathFlag,
 		utils.RPCListenAddrFlag,
 		utils.RPCVirtualHostsFlag,
 		utils.IPCDisabledFlag,
@@ -419,10 +420,11 @@ func signer(c *cli.Context) error {
 		lightKdf = c.GlobalBool(utils.LightKDFFlag.Name)
 		advanced = c.GlobalBool(advancedMode.Name)
 		nousb    = c.GlobalBool(utils.NoUSBFlag.Name)
+		scpath   = c.GlobalString(utils.SmartCardDaemonPathFlag.Name)
 	)
 	log.Info("Starting signer", "chainid", chainId, "keystore", ksLoc,
 		"light-kdf", lightKdf, "advanced", advanced)
-	am := core.StartClefAccountManager(ksLoc, nousb, lightKdf)
+	am := core.StartClefAccountManager(ksLoc, nousb, lightKdf, scpath)
 	apiImpl := core.NewSignerAPI(am, chainId, nousb, ui, db, advanced, pwStorage)
 
 	// Establish the bidirectional communication, by creating a new UI backend and registering
diff --git a/signer/core/api.go b/signer/core/api.go
index 9798ff2b5..251ee55dc 100644
--- a/signer/core/api.go
+++ b/signer/core/api.go
@@ -22,11 +22,13 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
+	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/keystore"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/scwallet"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/usbwallet"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ type Metadata struct {
 	Origin    string `json:"Origin"`
 }
 
-func StartClefAccountManager(ksLocation string, nousb, lightKDF bool) *accounts.Manager {
+func StartClefAccountManager(ksLocation string, nousb, lightKDF bool, scpath string) *accounts.Manager {
 	var (
 		backends []accounts.Backend
 		n, p     = keystore.StandardScryptN, keystore.StandardScryptP
@@ -159,6 +161,26 @@ func StartClefAccountManager(ksLocation string, nousb, lightKDF bool) *accounts.
 			log.Debug("Trezor support enabled via WebUSB")
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Start a smart card hub
+	if len(scpath) > 0 {
+		// Sanity check that the smartcard path is valid
+		fi, err := os.Stat(scpath)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Info("Smartcard socket file missing, disabling", "err", err)
+		} else {
+			if fi.Mode()&os.ModeType != os.ModeSocket {
+				log.Error("Invalid smartcard socket file type", "path", scpath, "type", fi.Mode().String())
+			} else {
+				if schub, err := scwallet.NewHub(scpath, scwallet.Scheme, ksLocation); err != nil {
+					log.Warn(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to start smart card hub, disabling: %v", err))
+				} else {
+					backends = append(backends, schub)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Clef doesn't allow insecure http account unlock.
 	return accounts.NewManager(&accounts.Config{InsecureUnlockAllowed: false}, backends...)
 }
diff --git a/signer/core/api_test.go b/signer/core/api_test.go
index b458aa03e..1eba20ef4 100644
--- a/signer/core/api_test.go
+++ b/signer/core/api_test.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func setup(t *testing.T) (*core.SignerAPI, *headlessUi) {
 		t.Fatal(err.Error())
 	}
 	ui := &headlessUi{make(chan string, 20), make(chan string, 20)}
-	am := core.StartClefAccountManager(tmpDirName(t), true, true)
+	am := core.StartClefAccountManager(tmpDirName(t), true, true, "")
 	api := core.NewSignerAPI(am, 1337, true, ui, db, true, &storage.NoStorage{})
 	return api, ui