Index: server.scm
==================================================================
--- server.scm
+++ server.scm
@@ -322,29 +322,75 @@
         *my-client-signature*)))
 
 ;; wait for server=start-last to be three seconds old
 ;;
 (define (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)
+  (let* ((flag-dir   (conc areapath "/logs"))
+	 (start-flag (conc flag-dir "/server-start-last"))
+	 ;;; THIS INTERACTS WITH [server] timeout. Suggest using 0.1 or above for timeout (6 seconds)
+	 (reftime    (configf:lookup-number *configdat* "server" "idletime" default: 4))
+	 (server-key (conc (get-host-name) "-" (current-process-id)))
+	 (create-key-file (lambda ()
+			    (with-output-to-file start-flag
+			      (lambda ()
+				(print server-key)))))
+	 (check-key-file  (lambda ()
+			    (let ((res (with-input-from-file start-flag
+					 (lambda ()
+					   (read-line)))))
+			      (equal? server-key res))))
+	 (get-file-age    (lambda ()
+			    (let* ((fmodtime (file-modification-time start-flag)))
+			      (- (current-seconds) fmodtime)))))
+    (if (not (directory-exists? flag-dir))
+	(begin
+	  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Directory " flag-dir " does not exist! Cannot gate.")
+	  #f)
+	(if (file-exists? start-flag)
+	    (if (check-key-file) ;; is it me?
+		#t               ;; yes, it is me, proceed
+		(let* ((file-age (get-file-age)))
+		  (if (> file-age reftime) ;; let the previous guy have at least 4 seconds to do their thing
+		      (begin                     ;; file is old enough, we can try to take it
+			(create-key-file)        ;; take the file and try again
+			(server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath))
+		      (let* ((remtime (max 1 (min file-age reftime))))
+			(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Gating server start, waiting remtime="remtime)
+			(thread-sleep! remtime)
+			(server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath)))))
+	    (begin
+	      (create-key-file)
+	      (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag areapath))))))
+		    
+
+		    
+;; wait for server=start-last to be three seconds old
+;;
+(define (server:wait-for-server-start-last-flag-old areapath)
   (let* ((start-flag (conc areapath "/logs/server-start-last"))
 	 ;;; THIS INTERACTS WITH [server] timeout. Suggest using 0.1 or above for timeout (6 seconds)
 	 (reftime    (configf:lookup-number *configdat* "server" "idletime" default: 4))
-	 (server-key (conc (get-host-name) "-" (current-process-id))))
+	 (server-key (conc (get-host-name) "-" (current-process-id)))
+	 (create-key-file (lambda ()
+			    (with-output-to-file start-flag
+			      (lambda ()
+				(print server-key)))))
+	 (check-key-file  (lambda ()
+			    (let ((res (with-input-from-file start-flag
+					 (lambda ()
+					   (read-line)))))
+			      (equal? server-key res)))))
     ;; (thread-sleep! (/ (random 500) 1000)) ;; I don't think this made a difference
     (if (file-exists? start-flag)
 	(let* ((fmodtime (file-modification-time start-flag))
 	       (delta    (- (current-seconds) fmodtime))
 	       (all-go   (> delta reftime)))
 	  (if (and all-go
 		   (begin
-		     (with-output-to-file start-flag
-		       (lambda ()
-			 (print server-key)))
+		     (create-key-file)
 		     (thread-sleep! 0.25)
-		     (let ((res (with-input-from-file start-flag
-				  (lambda ()
-				    (read-line)))))
-		       (equal? server-key res))))
+		     (check-key-file)))
 	      #t ;; (system (conc "touch " start-flag)) ;; lazy but safe
 	      (begin
 		(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Gating server start, last start: "
 				  fmodtime ", delta: " delta ", reftime: " reftime ", all-go=" all-go)
 		(thread-sleep! reftime)