Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -1668,10 +1668,12 @@
 	      (wait-and-close uconn))
 	    (let* ((port            (portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:find-port))
 		   (handler-proc    (lambda (rem-host-port qrykey cmd params) ;;
 				      (set! *db-last-access* (current-seconds))
 				      (assert (list? params) "FATAL: handler called with non-list params")
+				      (assert (args:get-arg "-server") "FATAL: handler called on non-server side. cmd="cmd", params="params)
+				      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "handler call: "cmd", params="params)
 				      (api:execute-requests *dbstruct-db* cmd params))))
 	      ;; (api:process-request *dbstuct-db* 
 	      (if (not *db-serv-info*)
 		  (set! *db-serv-info* (make-servdat host: hostn port: port)))
 	      (let* ((uconn (run-listener handler-proc port))
@@ -2098,39 +2100,38 @@
 		 (start-time     (current-milliseconds)))
 	(if (and (not is-main)
 		 (common:low-noise-print 60 "servdat-status"))
 	    (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "servdat-status is " (servdat-status *db-serv-info*)))
 
-	;; set up the database handle
 	(mutex-lock! *heartbeat-mutex*)
+	;; set up the database handle
 	(if (not *dbstruct-db*) ;; no db opened yet, open the db and register with main if appropriate
-	    (let ((watchdog (bdat-watchdog *bdat*)))
-	      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "SERVER: dbprep")
-	      (db:setup dbname) ;; sets *dbstruct-db* as side effect
-	      (servdat-status-set! *db-serv-info* 'db-opened)
-	      ;; IFF I'm not main, call into main and register self
-	      (if (not is-main)
-		  (let ((res (rmt:register-server sinfo
-						  *toppath* iface port
-						  server-key dbname)))
-		    (if res ;; we are the server
-			(servdat-status-set! *db-serv-info* 'have-interface-and-db)
-			;; now check that the db locker is alive, clear it out if not
-			(let* ((serv-info (rmt:server-info *toppath* dbname)))
-			  (match serv-info
-			    ((host port servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
-			     (if (not (server-ready? uconn (conc host":"port) servkey))
-				 (begin
-				   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server registered but not alive. Removing and trying again.")
-				   (rmt:deregister-server sinfo apath host port servkey dbpath) ;; servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
-				   
-				   (loop (+ count 1) bad-sync-count start-time))))
-			    (else
-			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "We are not the server for "dbname", exiting. Server info is: "serv-info)
-			     (exit)))))))
-	      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port*
-			   "SERVER: running, db "dbname" opened, megatest version: "
+	      (let ((watchdog (bdat-watchdog *bdat*)))
+		(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "SERVER: dbprep")
+		(db:setup dbname) ;; sets *dbstruct-db* as side effect
+		(servdat-status-set! *db-serv-info* 'db-opened)
+		;; IFF I'm not main, call into main and register self
+		(if (not is-main)
+		    (let ((res (rmt:register-server sinfo
+						    *toppath* iface port
+						    server-key dbname)))
+		      (if res ;; we are the server
+			  (servdat-status-set! *db-serv-info* 'have-interface-and-db)
+			  ;; now check that the db locker is alive, clear it out if not
+			  (let* ((serv-info (rmt:server-info *toppath* dbname)))
+			    (match serv-info
+				   ((host port servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
+				    (if (not (server-ready? uconn (conc host":"port) servkey))
+					(begin
+					  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server registered but not alive. Removing and trying again.")
+					  (rmt:deregister-server sinfo apath host port servkey dbpath) ;; servkey pid ipaddr apath dbpath)
+					  (loop (+ count 1) bad-sync-count start-time))))
+				   (else
+				    (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "We are not the server for "dbname", exiting. Server info is: "serv-info)
+				    (exit)))))))
+		(debug:print 0 *default-log-port*
+			     "SERVER: running, db "dbname" opened, megatest version: "
 			   (common:get-full-version))
 	      ;; start the watchdog
 
 	      ;; is this really needed?
 	      
@@ -2143,11 +2144,11 @@
 			(thread-start! watchdog))
 		      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Not starting watchdog thread (in state "(thread-state watchdog)")"))
 		  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: *watchdog* not setup, cannot start it."))
 	      #;(loop (+ count 1) bad-sync-count start-time)
 	      ))
-
+	
 	(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "syncing "*toppath*" "dbname" at "(current-seconds))
 	(db:sync-inmem->disk *dbstruct-db* *toppath* dbname force-sync: #t)
 	
 	(mutex-unlock! *heartbeat-mutex*)
 	
@@ -2157,17 +2158,17 @@
 	(let* ((sync-time (- (current-milliseconds) start-time))
 	       (rem-time  (quotient (- 4000 sync-time) 1000)))
 	  (if (and (<= rem-time 4)
 		   (>  rem-time 0))
 	      (thread-sleep! rem-time)))
+    
+	;; Transfer *db-last-access* to last-access to use in checking that we are still alive
+	(set! last-access *db-last-access*)
 	
 	(if (< count 1) ;; 3x3 = 9 secs aprox
 	    (loop (+ count 1) bad-sync-count (current-milliseconds)))
 	
-	;; Transfer *db-last-access* to last-access to use in checking that we are still alive
-	(set! last-access *db-last-access*)
-	
 	(if (common:low-noise-print 60 "dbstats")
 	    (begin
 	      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "Server stats:")
 	      (db:print-current-query-stats)))
 	(let* ((hrs-since-start  (/ (- (current-seconds) server-start-time) 3600)))
@@ -2190,12 +2191,11 @@
 	    (set! *unclean-shutdown* #f)
 	    (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server timed out. seconds since last db access: " (- (current-seconds) last-access))
 	    (shutdown-server-sequence (get-host-name) port)
 	    #;(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Sending 'quit to server, received: "
 			      (open-send-receive-nn (conc iface":"port)      ;; do this here and not in server-shutdown
-						    (sexpr->string 'quit)))
-	    )))))))
+						    (sexpr->string 'quit))))))))))
 
 (define (rmt:get-reasonable-hostname)
   (let* ((inhost (or (args:get-arg "-server") "-")))
     (if (equal? inhost "-")
 	(get-host-name)
@@ -2213,22 +2213,20 @@
 			     (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server run thread started")
 			     (rmt:run (rmt:get-reasonable-hostname)))
 			   "Server run"))
 	 (th3 (make-thread (lambda ()
 			     (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Server monitor thread started")
-			     (rmt:keep-running dbname)
-			     "Keep running"))))
+			     (if (args:get-arg "-server")
+				 (rmt:keep-running dbname)))
+			     "Keep running")))
     (thread-start! th2)
     (thread-sleep! 0.252) ;; give the server time to settle before starting the keep-running monitor.
     (thread-start! th3)
     (set! *didsomething* #t)
     (thread-join! th2)
-    (thread-join! th3)
-    ;; (exit))
-  )
-  #f
-  )
+    (thread-join! th3))
+  #f)
 	    
 ;; Generate a unique signature for this process, used at both client and
 ;; server side
 (define (rmt:mk-signature)
   (message-digest-string (md5-primitive) 

Index: tests/simplerun/Makefile
==================================================================
--- tests/simplerun/Makefile
+++ tests/simplerun/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
 cleanup :
-	killall mtest -v -9 || true
+	killall mtest dboard -v -9 || true
 	rm -rf *.log *.bak NB* logs/* .meta .db
 

Index: tests/simplerun/debug.scm
==================================================================
--- tests/simplerun/debug.scm
+++ tests/simplerun/debug.scm
@@ -14,18 +14,20 @@
 	*
 
   (import big-chicken rmtmod apimod dbmod srfi-18)
   
 (define (make-run-id)
-  (let* ((s (conc (current-process-id)))
+  #;(let* ((s (conc (current-process-id)))
 	 (l (string-length s)))
-    (string->number (conc (string-ref s (- l 1))))))
+    (string->number (conc (string-ref s (- l 1))))
+    )
+1)
 
 (define (run)
   (let* ((th1 (make-thread
 	       (lambda ()
-		 (let loop ((r (* 20 (make-run-id)))
+		 (let loop ((r 1) ;; (* 20 (make-run-id)))
 			    (i 1))
 		   (print "register-test "r" test"i)
 		   (rmt:register-test r "test1" (conc "item_" i))
 		   (if (< i 100000)
 		       (loop r (+ i 1))