@@ -403,11 +403,11 @@
 
 ;; oldest server alive determines host then choose random of youngest
 ;; five servers on that host
 ;;
 (define (server:get-servers-info areapath)
-  (assert *toppath* "FATAL: server:get-servers-info called before *toppath* has been set.")
+  ;; (assert *toppath* "FATAL: server:get-servers-info called before *toppath* has been set.")
   (let* ((servinfodir (server:get-servinfo-dir areapath))) ;; (conc *toppath*"/.servinfo")))
     (if (not (file-exists? servinfodir))
 	(create-directory servinfodir))
     (let* ((allfiles    (glob (conc servinfodir"/*")))
 	   (res         (make-hash-table)))
@@ -605,11 +605,12 @@
     (let loop ((server-info (server:check-if-running areapath))
 	       (try-num    0))
       (if (or server-info
 	      (> (current-seconds) give-up-time)) ;; server-url will be #f if no server available.
 	  (server:record->url server-info)
-	  (let ((num-ok (length (server:choose-server areapath 'all-valid))))
+	  (let* ( (servers (server:choose-server areapath 'all-valid))
+                (num-ok (if servers (length (server:choose-server areapath 'all-valid)) 0)))
 	    (if (and (> try-num 0)  ;; first time through simply wait a little while then try again
 		     (< num-ok 1))  ;; if there are no decent candidates for servers then try starting a new one
 		(server:run areapath))
 	    (thread-sleep! 5)
 	    (loop (server:check-if-running areapath)