Index: api.scm
==================================================================
--- api.scm
+++ api.scm
@@ -252,11 +252,11 @@
 			     (assert ok "FATAL: database file and run-id not aligned.")))))
 		(ttdat   *server-info*)
 		(server-state (tt-state ttdat))
 		(status  (cond
 			  ;; ((> newcount 600) 'busy)
-			  ((> newcount 50) 'loaded) ;; this gets transmitted to the client which calls tt:backoff-incr to slow stuff down.
+			  ((> newcount 5) 'loaded) ;; this gets transmitted to the client which calls tt:backoff-incr to slow stuff down.
 			  (else 'ok)))
 		(errmsg  (case status
 			   ((busy)   (conc "Server overloaded, "newcount" threads in flight"))
 			   ((loaded) (conc "Server loaded, "newcount" threads in flight"))
 			   (else     #f)))

Index: dbmod.scm
==================================================================
--- dbmod.scm
+++ dbmod.scm
@@ -181,12 +181,17 @@
 						tmpdb)
 					    ))
 	 (write-access (file-write-access? dbpath))
 	 (db           (dbmod:safely-open-db dbfullname init-proc write-access))
 	 (tables       (db:sync-all-tables-list keys)))
-    (assert (sqlite3:database? inmem) "FATAL: open-dbmoddb: inmem is not a db")
-    (assert (sqlite3:database? db) "FATAL:  open-dbmoddb: db is not a db")
+    (if (not (and (sqlite3:database? inmem)
+		  (sqlite3:database? db)))
+	(begin
+	  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Failed to properly open "dbfname-in", exiting immediately.")
+	  (exit)))
+    ;; (assert (sqlite3:database? inmem) "FATAL: open-dbmoddb: inmem is not a db")
+    ;; (assert (sqlite3:database? db) "FATAL:  open-dbmoddb: db is not a db")
     (dbr:dbstruct-inmem-set!     dbstruct inmem)
     (dbr:dbstruct-ondiskdb-set!  dbstruct db)
     (dbr:dbstruct-dbfile-set!    dbstruct dbfullname)
     (dbr:dbstruct-dbfname-set!   dbstruct dbfname)
     (dbr:dbstruct-sync-proc-set! dbstruct

Index: tcp-transportmod.scm
==================================================================
--- tcp-transportmod.scm
+++ tcp-transportmod.scm
@@ -444,30 +444,29 @@
 ;;
 (define (tt:start-server areapath run-id dbfname-in handler keys)
   (assert areapath "FATAL: areapath not provided for tt:start-server")
   ;; is there already a server for this dbfile? Then exit.
   (let* ((ttdat   (make-tt areapath: areapath))
-	 (dbfname (or dbfname-in (dbmod:run-id->dbfname run-id))))
-    ;; (servers (tt:find-server areapath dbfname))) ;; should use tt:get-current-server-info instead
-    ;; (if (null? servers)
-    (let* ((dbstruct   (dbmod:open-dbmoddb areapath run-id dbfname (dbfile:db-init-proc) keys)))
-      (tt-handler-set! ttdat (handler dbstruct))
-      (let* ((tcp-thread (make-thread
-			  (lambda ()
-			    (tt:start-tcp-server ttdat)) ;; start the tcp-server which applies handler to incoming data
-			  "tcp-server-thread"))
-	     (run-thread (make-thread
-			  (lambda ()
-			    (tt:keep-running ttdat dbfname dbstruct)))))
-	(thread-start! tcp-thread)
-	(thread-start! run-thread)
-	(thread-join! run-thread) ;; run thread will exit on timeout or other conditions
-	(exit)))
-    ;;(begin
-    ;; (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "INFO: found server(s) already running for db "dbfname", "(string-intersperse servers ",")" Exiting.")
-    ;; (exit)))))
-    ))
+	 (dbfname (or dbfname-in (dbmod:run-id->dbfname run-id)))
+	 (servers (tt:find-server areapath dbfname))) ;; should use tt:get-current-server-info instead
+    (if (> (length servers) 4)
+	(begin
+	  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "INFO: found server(s) already running for db "dbfname", "(string-intersperse servers ",")" Exiting.")
+	  (exit))
+	(let* ((dbstruct   (dbmod:open-dbmoddb areapath run-id dbfname (dbfile:db-init-proc) keys)))
+	  (tt-handler-set! ttdat (handler dbstruct))
+	  (let* ((tcp-thread (make-thread
+			      (lambda ()
+				(tt:start-tcp-server ttdat)) ;; start the tcp-server which applies handler to incoming data
+			      "tcp-server-thread"))
+		 (run-thread (make-thread
+			      (lambda ()
+				(tt:keep-running ttdat dbfname dbstruct)))))
+	    (thread-start! tcp-thread)
+	    (thread-start! run-thread)
+	    (thread-join! run-thread) ;; run thread will exit on timeout or other conditions
+	    (exit))))))
 
 (define (tt:keep-running ttdat dbfname dbstruct)
   ;; verfiy conn for ready
   ;; listener socket has been started by this stage
   ;; wait for a port before creating the registration file