Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -246,10 +246,24 @@
 		(if (file-exists? (conc testpath "/testconfig"))
 		    (set! res (cons (last (string-split testpath "/")) res))))
 	      tests)
     res))
 
+(define (runs:can-run-more-tests db)
+  (let ((num-running (db:get-count-tests-running db))
+	(max-concurrent-jobs (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "max_concurrent_jobs")))
+    ;; (print "max-concurrent-jobs: " max-concurrent-jobs ", num-running: " num-running)
+    (if (or (not max-concurrent-jobs)
+	    (and max-concurrent-jobs
+		 (string->number max-concurrent-jobs)
+		 (not (>= num-running (string->number max-concurrent-jobs)))))
+	#t
+	(begin 
+	  (print "WARNING: Max running jobs exceeded, current number running: " num-running 
+			 ", max_concurrent_jobs: " max-concurrent-jobs)
+	  #f))))
+  
 (define (run-tests db test-names)
   (let* ((keys        (db-get-keys db))
 	 (keyvallst   (keys->vallist keys #t))
 	 (run-id      (register-run db keys))) ;;  test-name)))
     ;; on the first pass or call to run-tests set FAILS to NOT_STARTED if
@@ -259,20 +273,14 @@
 	(db:set-tests-state-status db run-id test-names #f "FAIL" "NOT_STARTED" "FAIL"))
     (set! *passnum* (+ *passnum* 1))
     (let loop ((numtimes 0))
       (for-each 
        (lambda (test-name)
-	 (let ((num-running (db:get-count-tests-running db))
-	       (max-concurrent-jobs (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "max_concurrent_jobs")))
-	   ;; (print "max-concurrent-jobs: " max-concurrent-jobs ", num-running: " num-running)
-	   (if (or (not max-concurrent-jobs)
-		   (and max-concurrent-jobs
-			(string->number max-concurrent-jobs)
-			(not (>= num-running (string->number max-concurrent-jobs)))))
-		 (run-one-test db run-id test-name keyvallst)
-	       (print "WARNING: Max running jobs exceeded, current number running: " num-running 
-		      ", max_concurrent_jobs: \"" max-concurrent-jobs "\""))))
+	 (if (runs:can-run-more-tests db)
+	     (run-one-test db run-id test-name keyvallst)
+	     ;; add some delay 
+	     (sleep 2)))
        test-names)
       ;; (run-waiting-tests db)
       (if (args:get-arg "-keepgoing")
 	  (let ((estrem (db:estimated-tests-remaining db run-id)))
 	    (if (> estrem 0)
@@ -324,16 +332,11 @@
 		   (max-concurrent-jobs (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "max_concurrent_jobs"))
 		   (parent-test (and (not (null? items))(equal? item-path "")))
 		   (single-test (and (null? items) (equal? item-path "")))
 		   (item-test   (not (equal? item-path ""))))
 	      ;; (print "max-concurrent-jobs: " max-concurrent-jobs ", num-running: " num-running)
-	      (if (not (or (not max-concurrent-jobs)
-			   (and max-concurrent-jobs
-				(string->number max-concurrent-jobs)
-				(not (>= num-running (string->number max-concurrent-jobs))))))
-		  (print "WARNING: Max running jobs exceeded, current number running: " num-running 
-			 ", max_concurrent_jobs: " max-concurrent-jobs)
+	      (if (runs:can-run-more-tests db)
 		  (begin
 		    (let loop2 ((ts (db:get-test-info db run-id test-name item-path)) ;; #f)
 				(ct 0))
 		      (if (and (not ts)
 			       (< ct 10))
@@ -424,28 +427,30 @@
     ;; BUG this hack of brute force retrying works quite well for many cases but 
     ;;     what is needed is to check the db for tests that have failed less than
     ;;     N times or never been started and kick them off again
     (let loop ((waiting-test-names (hash-table-keys *waiting-queue*)))
       (cond
+       ((not (runs:can-run-more-tests db))
+	(sleep 2)
+	(loop waiting-test-names))
        ((null? waiting-test-names)
 	(print "All tests launched"))
-       ((> numtries 4)
-	(print "NOTE: Tried launching four times, perhaps run megatest again in a few minutes"))
        (else
 	(set! numtries (+ numtries 1))
 	(for-each (lambda (testname)
-		    (let* ((testdat (hash-table-ref *waiting-queue* testname))
-			   (prereqs ((car testdat)))
-			   (ldb     (if db db (open-db))))
-		      ;; (print "prereqs remaining: " prereqs)
-		      (if (null? prereqs)
-			  (begin
-			    (print "Prerequisites met, launching " testname)
-			    ((cadr testdat))
-			    (hash-table-delete! *waiting-queue* testname)))
-		      (if (not db)
-			  (sqlite3:finalize! ldb))))
+		    (if (runs:can-run-more-tests db)
+			(let* ((testdat (hash-table-ref *waiting-queue* testname))
+			       (prereqs ((car testdat)))
+			       (ldb     (if db db (open-db))))
+			  ;; (print "prereqs remaining: " prereqs)
+			  (if (null? prereqs)
+			      (begin
+				(print "Prerequisites met, launching " testname)
+				((cadr testdat))
+				(hash-table-delete! *waiting-queue* testname)))
+			  (if (not db)
+			      (sqlite3:finalize! ldb)))))
 		  waiting-test-names)
 	;; (sleep 10) ;; no point in rushing things at this stage?
 	(loop (hash-table-keys *waiting-queue*)))))))
 
 (define (get-dir-up-one dir) 

Index: tests/megatest.config
==================================================================
--- tests/megatest.config
+++ tests/megatest.config
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 fsname TEXT
 datapath TEXT
 
 [setup]
 # exectutable /path/to/megatest
-max_concurrent_jobs 8
+max_concurrent_jobs 4
 runsdir /tmp/runs
 
 [jobtools]
 # ## launcher launches jobs, the job is managed on the target host
 ## by megatest, comment out launcher to run local