Index: server.scm
==================================================================
--- server.scm
+++ server.scm
@@ -298,19 +298,22 @@
 		  (common:simple-file-release-lock lock-file)))
 	(hash-table-set! *server-kind-run* areapath (list (+ call-num 1)(current-seconds))))))
 
 (define (server:start-and-wait areapath #!key (timeout 60))
   (let ((give-up-time (+ (current-seconds) timeout)))
-    (let loop ((server-url (server:check-if-running areapath)))
+    (let loop ((server-url (server:check-if-running areapath))
+	       (try-num    0))
       (if (or server-url
 	      (> (current-seconds) give-up-time)) ;; server-url will be #f if no server available.
 	  server-url
 	  (let ((num-ok (length (server:get-best (server:get-list areapath)))))
-	    (if (< num-ok 1) ;; if there are no decent candidates for servers then try starting a new one
+	    (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:kind-run areapath))
 	    (thread-sleep! 5)
-	    (loop (server:check-if-running areapath)))))))
+	    (loop (server:check-if-running areapath)
+		  (+ try-num 1)))))))
 
 (define server:try-running server:run) ;; there is no more per-run servers ;; REMOVE ME. BUG.
 
 (define (server:get-num-servers #!key (numservers 2))
   (let ((ns (string->number