@@ -344,27 +344,30 @@
 	     (common:get-disks) )
 	"\n"))
       (set! *didsomething* #t)))
 
 (if (args:get-arg "-ping")
-    (let* ((run-id    (string->number (args:get-arg "-run-id")))
-	   (host-port (let ((slst (string-split   (args:get-arg "-ping") ":")))
-			(if (eq? (length slst) 2)
-			    (list (car slst)(string->number (cadr slst)))
-			    #f)))
-	   (toppath   (setup-for-run)))
+    (let* ((run-id        (string->number (args:get-arg "-run-id")))
+	   (host-port     (let ((slst (string-split   (args:get-arg "-ping") ":")))
+			    (if (eq? (length slst) 2)
+				(list (car slst)(string->number (cadr slst)))
+				#f)))
+	   (toppath       (setup-for-run))
+	   (server-db-dat (if (not host-port)(open-run-close tasks:get-server tasks:open-db run-id) #f)))
       (if (not run-id)
 	  (begin
 	    (debug:print 0 "ERROR: must specify run-id when doing ping, -run-id n")
 	    (print "ERROR: No run-id")
 	    (exit 1))
-	  (if (not host-port)
+	  (if (and (not host-port)
+		   (not server-db-dat))
 	      (begin
-		(debug:print 0 "ERROR: argument to -ping is host:port, got " (args:get-arg "-ping"))
 		(print "ERROR: bad host:port")
 		(exit 1))
-	      (let* ((server-dat (http-transport:client-connect (car host-port)(cadr host-port)))
+	      (let* ((iface      (if host-port (car host-port) (tasks:hostinfo-get-interface server-db-dat)))
+		     (port       (if host-port (cadr host-port)(tasks:hostinfo-get-port      server-db-dat)))
+		     (server-dat (http-transport:client-connect iface port))
 		     (login-res  (rmt:login-no-auto-client-setup server-dat run-id)))
 		(if (and (list? login-res)
 			 (car login-res))
 		    (begin
 		      (print "LOGIN_OK")
@@ -797,11 +800,10 @@
 (if (or (args:get-arg "-test-files")(args:get-arg "-test-paths"))
     ;; if we are in a test use the MT_CMDINFO data
     (if (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
 	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))))
-	       ;; (runremote (assoc/default 'runremote cmdinfo))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -845,11 +847,10 @@
 (if (args:get-arg "-archive")
     ;; if we are in a test use the MT_CMDINFO data
     (if (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
 	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))))
-	       ;; (runremote (assoc/default 'runremote cmdinfo))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -924,11 +925,10 @@
   (if (not (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))
       (begin
 	(debug:print 0 "ERROR: MT_CMDINFO env var not set, -step must be called *inside* a megatest invoked environment!")
 	(exit 5))
       (let* ((cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))))
-	     ;; (runremote (assoc/default 'runremote cmdinfo))
 	     (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	     (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	     (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	     (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	     (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -971,11 +971,10 @@
 	(begin
 	  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: MT_CMDINFO env var not set, commands -test-status, -runstep and -setlog must be called *inside* a megatest environment!")
 	  (exit 5))
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
 	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))))
-	       ;; (runremote (assoc/default 'runremote cmdinfo))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))