Index: apimod.scm
==================================================================
--- apimod.scm
+++ apimod.scm
@@ -311,15 +311,19 @@
 	((cmd run-id params meta)
 	 (let* ((start-t (current-milliseconds))
 		;; factor this out and move before this let, it is just
 		;; an assert if not ping and dbfname is not correct
 		(db-ok  (let* ((dbfname (dbmod:run-id->dbfname run-id))
-			       (ok      (equal? dbfname (dbr:dbstruct-dbfname dbstruct))))
+			       (ok      (equal? dbfname (dbr:dbstruct-dbfname dbstruct)))
+                               (message ""))
 			  (case cmd
 			    ((ping) #t) ;; we are fine
 			    (else
-			     (assert ok "FATAL: database file and run-id not aligned.")))))
+                             (begin
+                               (set! message (conc "tcp request handler: dbstruct database file " (dbr:dbstruct-dbfname dbstruct) " not aligned with run-id " run-id))
+			       (assert ok message)))))
+                             )
 		(ttdat   *server-info*)
 		(server-state (tt-state ttdat))
 		(status 'ok) ;; anything legit we can do with status?
 		(delay-wait 0)
 		(result (if (eq? cmd 'ping)

Index: megatest.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest.scm
+++ megatest.scm
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@
 (declare (uses subrunmod))
 (declare (uses subrunmod.import))
 (declare (uses archivemod))
 (declare (uses archivemod.import))
 (declare (uses runsmod))
-;; (declare (uses runsmod.import))
+;; comment out following line for performance, but debug result.
+(declare (uses runsmod.import))
 (declare (uses cpumod))
 (declare (uses cpumod.import))
 (declare (uses runsmod))
 (declare (uses ezstepsmod))
 (declare (uses launchmod))