Index: apimod.scm
==================================================================
--- apimod.scm
+++ apimod.scm
@@ -204,10 +204,11 @@
     
     ;; SERVERS
     ;; ((start-server)                    (apply server:kind-run params))
     ((kill-server)                       (set! *server-run* #f))
     ((get-server)                        (api:start-server dbstruct params))
+    ((get-server-info)                   (apply db:get-server-info dbstruct params))
     ((register-server)                   (apply db:register-server dbstruct params) );; dbstruct host port servkey pid ipaddr dbpath)
     ((deregister-server)                 (apply db:deregister-server dbstruct params) );; dbstruct host port servkey pid ipaddr dbpath)
     ((get-count-servers)                 (apply db:get-count-servers dbstruct params))
 
     ;; TESTS

Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -412,10 +412,13 @@
   (rmt:send-receive 'kill-server run-id (list run-id)))
 
 (define (rmt:start-server run-id)
   (rmt:send-receive 'start-server 0 (list run-id)))
 
+(define (rmt:get-server-info apath dbname)
+  (rmt:send-receive 'get-server-info 0 (list 0 apath dbname)))
+
 ;;======================================================================
 ;;  M I S C
 ;;======================================================================
 
 (define (rmt:login run-id)
@@ -1681,18 +1684,18 @@
       (set! *server-info* (make-servdat host: ipaddrstr port: portnum)))
   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "rmt:try-start-server time="
 		    (seconds->time-string (current-seconds))
 		    " ipaddrsstr=" ipaddrstr
 		    " portnum=" portnum)
-  (if (is-port-in-use portnum)
-      (begin
-	(portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:set-failed portnum)
-	(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: failed to start on portnum: " portnum ", trying next port")
-	;; (thread-sleep! 0.1)
-	(rmt:try-start-server ipaddrstr
-			      (portlogger:open-run-close
-			       portlogger:find-port)))
+;;(if (is-port-in-use portnum)
+;;    (begin
+;;	(portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:set-failed portnum)
+;;	(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: failed to start on portnum: " portnum ", trying next port")
+;;	;; (thread-sleep! 0.1)
+;;	(rmt:try-start-server ipaddrstr
+;;			      (portlogger:open-run-close
+;;			       portlogger:find-port)))
       (begin
 	(if (not *server-info*)
 	    (set! *server-info* (make-servdat
 				 host: ipaddrstr
 				 port: portnum)))
@@ -1719,11 +1722,11 @@
 		   (rmt:try-start-server ipaddrstr
 					 (portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:find-port)))
 		 (begin
 		   (print "ERROR: Tried and tried but could not start the server, stopping at port "portnum))))
 	   (nng-listen rep (conc "tcp://*:" portnum))
-	   rep)))))
+	   rep)))) ;;)
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; S E R V E R   U T I L I T I E S 
 ;;======================================================================
 
@@ -2198,13 +2201,21 @@
 		  (let ((res (rmt:register-server *rmt:remote*
 						  *toppath* iface port
 						  server-key dbname)))
 		    (if res ;; we are the server
 			(servdat-status-set! *server-info* 'have-interface-and-db)
-			(begin 
-			  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "We are not the server for "dbname", exiting.")
-			  (exit)))))
+			(let* ((serv-info (rmt:get-server-info *toppath* dbname)))
+			  (match serv-info
+			    ((host port servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
+			     (if (not (server-ready? host port servkey))
+				 (begin
+				   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server registered but not alive. Removing and trying again.")
+				   (rmt:deregister-server host port servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
+				   (loop (+ count 1) bad-sync-count start-time))))
+			    (else
+			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "We are not the server for "dbname", exiting. Server info is: "serv-info)
+			     (exit)))))))
 	      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port*
 			   "SERVER: running, db "dbname" opened, megatest version: "
 			   (common:get-full-version))
 	      ;; start the watchdog
 

Index: tests/tests.scm
==================================================================
--- tests/tests.scm
+++ tests/tests.scm
@@ -15,11 +15,18 @@
 ;;     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 ;;     along with Megatest.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 ;;
 ;;  strftime('%m/%d/%Y %H:%M:%S','now','localtime')
 
-(import srfi-18 test)
+(import srfi-18 
+	test 
+	chicken.string
+	chicken.process-context
+	chicken.file
+	chicken.pretty-print
+	commonmod
+	)
 
 (define test-work-dir (current-directory))
 
 ;; given list of lists
 ;;  ( ( msg expected param1 param2 ...)