Index: apimod.scm
==================================================================
--- apimod.scm
+++ apimod.scm
@@ -398,19 +398,21 @@
   (let* ((start-t           (current-milliseconds))
 	 ;; (readonly-mode     (dbr:dbstruct-read-only dbstruct))
 	 ;; (readonly-command  (member cmd api:read-only-queries))
             ;; (writecmd-in-readonly-mode (and readonly-mode (not readonly-command)))
 	 (res        (api:dispatch-cmd dbstruct cmd params)))
-    
     ;; (if writecmd-in-readonly-mode
     ;; (conc "attempt to run write command "cmd" on a read-only database")
 
     ;; save all stats
     (let ((delta-t (- (current-milliseconds)
 		      start-t)))
       (hash-table-set! *db-api-call-time* cmd
 		       (cons delta-t (hash-table-ref/default *db-api-call-time* cmd '()))))
+    (assert (not (eof-object? res))
+	    (conc "FATAL: eof not allowed as returned value. "cmd", "params))
+	    
     res))
 
 ;;     (if #f ;; writecmd-in-readonly-mode
 ;; 	(begin
 ;; 	  (vector #f res))

Index: ulex-simple/ulex.scm
==================================================================
--- ulex-simple/ulex.scm
+++ ulex-simple/ulex.scm
@@ -271,21 +271,23 @@
 			  (begin
 			    (write (obj->string dat) oup)
 			    ;; (write dat oup)
 			    ;; (serialize dat oup)
 			    (close-output-port oup)
-			    (string->obj (read inp))
+			    (let ((inp-res (read inp)))
+			      (assert (not (eof-object? inp-res)) "FATAL: returning eof not allowed. "cmd", "params)
+			      (string->obj inp-res))
 			    ;; (read inp)
 			    ;; (deserialize inp)
 			    )
 			  (begin
 			    (print "ERROR: send called but no receiver has been setup. Please call setup first!")
 			    #f))))
 	     ;; (close-output-port oup)
 	     (close-input-port inp)
 	     ;; (mutex-unlock! *send-mutex*) ;; DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP
-	     res)))))))) ;; res will always be 'ack unless return-method is direct
+	     res))))))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; work queues - this is all happening on the listener side
 ;;======================================================================