@@ -216,11 +216,11 @@
 	 (test-names         #f)  ;; (tests:filter-test-names all-test-names test-patts))
 	 (required-tests     #f)  ;;(lset-intersection equal? (string-split test-patts ",") test-names))) ;; test-names)) ;; Added test-names as initial for required-tests but that failed to work
 	 (task-key           (conc (hash-table->alist flags) " " (get-host-name) " " (current-process-id)))
 	 (tdbdat             (tasks:open-db)))
 
-    (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10)
+    (if (tasks:need-server run-id)(tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10))
 
     (set-signal-handler! signal/int
 			 (lambda (signum)
 			   (signal-mask! signum)
 			   (print "Received signal " signum ", cleaning up before exit. Please wait...")
@@ -935,14 +935,15 @@
 	     (newtal      (append tal (list hed)))
 	     (regfull     (>= (length reg) reglen))
 	     (num-running (rmt:get-count-tests-running-for-run-id run-id)))
 
 	;; every couple minutes verify the server is there for this run
-	(if (common:low-noise-print 60 "try start server"  run-id)
+	(if (and (common:low-noise-print 60 "try start server"  run-id)
+		 (tasks:need-server run-id))
 	    (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10))
-
-      (if (> num-running 0)
+	
+	(if (> num-running 0)
 	  (set! last-time-some-running (current-seconds)))
 
       (if (> (current-seconds)(+ last-time-some-running 240))
 	  (hash-table-set! *max-tries-hash* tfullname (+ (hash-table-ref/default *max-tries-hash* tfullname 0) 1)))
 	;; (debug:print 0 "max-tries-hash: " (hash-table->alist *max-tries-hash*))
@@ -1433,18 +1434,18 @@
 	   (debug:print-info 4 "runs:operate-on run=" run ", header=" header)
 	   (if (not (null? tests))
 	       (begin
 		 (case action
 		   ((remove-runs)
-		    (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10)
+		    (if (tasks:need-server run-id)(tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10))
 		    ;; seek and kill in flight -runtests with % as testpatt here
 		    (if (equal? testpatt "%")
 			(tasks:kill-runner (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) target run-name)
 			(debug:print 0 "not attempting to kill any run launcher processes as testpatt is " testpatt))
 		    (debug:print 1 "Removing tests for run: " runkey " " (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname")))
 		   ((set-state-status)
-		    (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10)
+		    (if (tasks:need-server run-id)(tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id 10))
 		    (debug:print 1 "Modifying state and staus for tests for run: " runkey " " (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname")))
 		   ((print-run)
 		    (debug:print 1 "Printing info for run " runkey ", run=" run ", tests=" tests ", header=" header)
 		    action)
 		   ((run-wait)