@@ -216,10 +216,12 @@
 	 (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)
+
     (set-signal-handler! signal/int
 			 (lambda (signum)
 			   (signal-mask! signum)
 			   (print "Received signal " signum ", cleaning up before exit. Please wait...")
 			   (let ((tdbdat (tasks:open-db)))
@@ -1426,16 +1428,18 @@
 	   (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)
 		    ;; 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)
 		    (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)