Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -544,11 +544,12 @@
 				  (loop (+ i 1))))
 			    (if (not same)
 				(begin
 				  (apply sqlite3:execute stmth (vector->list fromrow))
 				  (hash-table-set! numrecs tablename (+ 1 (hash-table-ref/default numrecs tablename 0)))))))
-			fromdat-lst))))
+			fromdat-lst))
+		  ))
 		  fromdats)
 		 (sqlite3:finalize! stmth)))
 	     (append (list todb) slave-dbs))))
 	tbls)
        (let* ((runtime      (- (current-milliseconds) start-time))

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -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)

Index: tasks.scm
==================================================================
--- tasks.scm
+++ tasks.scm
@@ -345,10 +345,25 @@
        (set! res id))
      mdb ;; NEEDS dbprep ADDED
      "SELECT id FROM servers WHERE run_id=? AND (state = 'running' OR (state = 'dbprep' AND  (strftime('%s','now') - start_time) < 60));" run-id)
     res))
 
+;; try to start a server and wait for it to be available
+;;
+(define (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server tdbdat run-id delay-max-tries)
+  (tdbdat             (tasks:open-db))
+  ;; ensure a server is running for this run
+  (let loop ((server-dat (tasks:get-server (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) run-id))
+	     (delay-time 0))
+      (if (and (not server-dat)
+	       (< delay-time delay-max-tries))
+	  (begin
+	    (debug:print 0 "Try starting server")
+	    (server:kind-run run-id)
+	    (thread-sleep! (min delay-time 5))
+	    (loop (tasks:get-server (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) run-id)(+ delay-time 1))))))
+
 (define (tasks:get-all-servers mdb)
   (let ((res '()))
     (sqlite3:for-each-row
      (lambda (id pid hostname interface port pubport start-time priority state mt-version last-update transport run-id)
        ;;                       0  1     2         3      4     5          6        7     8          9          10        11     12