Index: http-transportmod.scm
==================================================================
--- http-transportmod.scm
+++ http-transportmod.scm
@@ -169,13 +169,15 @@
 				  ((equal? (uri-path (request-uri (current-request)))
 					   '(/ "api"))
 				   (send-response ;; the $ is the request vars proc
 				    body: ((api-proc) *dbstruct-db* $)
 				    headers: '((content-type text/plain)))
-				   (mutex-lock! *heartbeat-mutex*)
-				   (set! *db-last-access* (current-seconds))
-				   (mutex-unlock! *heartbeat-mutex*))
+				   (set! *db-last-access* (current-seconds)))
+				  ((equal? (uri-path (request-uri (current-request))) 
+					   '(/ "ping"))
+				   (send-response body: (conc *toppath*"/"(args:get-arg "-db"))
+						  headers: '((content-type text/plain))))
 				  ((equal? (uri-path (request-uri (current-request))) 
 					   '(/ ""))
 				   (send-response body: ((http-get-function 'http-transport:main-page))))
 				  ((equal? (uri-path (request-uri (current-request))) 
 					   '(/ "json_api"))
@@ -466,16 +468,25 @@
 
 (define (server-address srv-pkt)
   (conc (alist-ref 'host srv-pkt) ":"
 	(alist-ref 'port srv-pkt)))
 	
-(define (server-ready? host port) ;; server-address is host:port
+(define (server-ready? host port key) ;; server-address is host:port
   ;; ping the server and ask it
   ;; if it ready
-  (let* ((sdat (servdat-init #f host port #f)))
-    (http-transport:send-receive sdat "abc" 'ping '())))
-
+  ;; (let* ((sdat (servdat-init #f host port #f)))
+  ;;   (http-transport:send-receive sdat "abc" 'ping '())))
+  (let* ((res (with-input-from-request
+	       (conc "http://"host":"port"/ping") ;; returns *toppath*/dbname
+	       #f
+	       read-string)))
+    (if (equal? res key)
+	#t
+	(begin
+	  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "server-ready? key="key", received="res)
+	  #f))))
+	      
 ;; from the pkts return servers associated with dbpath
 ;; NOTE: Only one can be alive - have to check on each
 ;;       in the list of pkts returned
 ;;
 (define (get-viable-servers serv-pkts dbpath)
@@ -493,15 +504,16 @@
 ;;
 (define (get-the-server serv-pkts)
   (let loop ((tail serv-pkts))
     (if (null? tail)
 	#f
-	(let* ((spkt (car tail))
-	       (host (alist-ref 'ipaddr spkt))
-	       (port (alist-ref 'port spkt))
-	       (addr (server-address spkt)))
-	  (if (server-ready? host port)
+	(let* ((spkt  (car tail))
+	       (host  (alist-ref 'ipaddr spkt))
+	       (port  (alist-ref 'port spkt))
+	       (dbpth (alist-ref 'dbpath spkt))
+	       (addr  (server-address spkt)))
+	  (if (server-ready? host port dbpth)
 	      spkt
 	      (loop (cdr tail)))))))
 
 ;; am I the "first" in line server? I.e. my D card is smallest
 ;; use Z card as tie breaker

Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -205,12 +205,12 @@
 			   )))
     (if the-srv ;; yes, we have a server, now try connecting to it
 	(let* ((srv-addr (server-address the-srv))
 	       (ipaddr   (alist-ref 'ipaddr the-srv))
 	       (port     (alist-ref 'port   the-srv))
-	       (srvready (server-ready? ipaddr port))
-	       (fullpath (db:dbname->path apath dbname)))
+	       (fullpath (db:dbname->path apath dbname))
+	       (srvready (server-ready? ipaddr port fullpath)))
 	  (if srvready
 	      (begin
 		(hash-table-set! (rmt:remote-conns remote)
 				 fullpath
 				 (make-rmt:conn

Index: tests/Makefile
==================================================================
--- tests/Makefile
+++ tests/Makefile
@@ -53,13 +53,14 @@
 	cd release;dashboard -rows 25 &
 
 ## basicserver.log : unittests/basicserver.scm
 ## 	script -c "./rununittest.sh basicserver $(DEBUG)" basicserver.log
 
-%.log : build unittests/%.scm $(MTEST)
+%.log : unittests/%.scm ../bin/.*/mtest
 	script -c "./rununittest.sh $* $(DEBUG)" $*.log
-	if logpro unit.logpro $*.html < $*.log > /dev/null;then echo ALLPASS;else echo ALLFAIL;mv $*.log $*.log.FAIL;fi
+
+# if logpro unit.logpro $*.html < $*.log > /dev/null;then echo ALLPASS;else echo ALLFAIL;mv $*.log $*.log.FAIL;fi
 
 server :
 	cd fullrun;$(MEGATEST) -server - -debug $(DEBUG) -run-id $(RUNID)
 
 stopserver :

Index: tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
==================================================================
--- tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
+++ tests/unittests/basicserver.scm
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
 ;;  ./rununittest.sh server 1;(cd simplerun;megatest -stop-server 0)
 
 (import rmtmod trace)
 (trace-call-sites #t)
 (trace
- rmt:find-main-server
+ ;; rmt:find-main-server
  )
 
 (test #f #t (rmt:remote? (let ((r (make-rmt:remote)))
 			   (set! *rmt:remote* r)
 			   r)))