diff --git a/src/helma/framework/core/TypeManager.java b/src/helma/framework/core/TypeManager.java
index 5d35540f..94520e8f 100644
--- a/src/helma/framework/core/TypeManager.java
+++ b/src/helma/framework/core/TypeManager.java
@@ -62,32 +62,29 @@ public class TypeManager implements Runnable {
     public void check () {
 	// long now = System.currentTimeMillis ();
 	// System.out.print ("checking "+Thread.currentThread ());
-	try {
-	    String[] list = appDir.list ();
-	    for (int i=0; i<list.length; i++) {
-	        File protoDir = new File (appDir, list[i]);
-	        // cut out ".." and other directories that contain "."
-	        if (isValidTypeName (list[i]) && protoDir.isDirectory ()) {
-	            Prototype proto = getPrototype (list[i]);
-	            if (proto != null) {
-	                // check if existing prototype needs update
-	                // app.logEvent (protoDir.lastModified ());
-	                updatePrototype (list[i], protoDir, proto);
-	            } else {
-	                // create new prototype
-	                proto = new Prototype (protoDir, app);
-	                registerPrototype (list[i], protoDir, proto);
-	                prototypes.put (list[i], proto);
-	                if ("hopobject".equalsIgnoreCase (list[i]))
-	                    nodeProto = proto;
-	                // give logger thread a chance to tell what's going on
-	                Thread.yield();
-	            }
+	String[] list = appDir.list ();
+	if (list == null)
+	    throw new RuntimeException ("Can't read app directory "+appDir+" - check permissions");
+	for (int i=0; i<list.length; i++) {
+	    File protoDir = new File (appDir, list[i]);
+	    // cut out ".." and other directories that contain "."
+	    if (isValidTypeName (list[i]) && protoDir.isDirectory ()) {
+	        Prototype proto = getPrototype (list[i]);
+	        if (proto != null) {
+	            // check if existing prototype needs update
+	            // app.logEvent (protoDir.lastModified ());
+	            updatePrototype (list[i], protoDir, proto);
+	        } else {
+	            // create new prototype
+	            proto = new Prototype (protoDir, app);
+	            registerPrototype (list[i], protoDir, proto);
+	            prototypes.put (list[i], proto);
+	            if ("hopobject".equalsIgnoreCase (list[i]))
+	                nodeProto = proto;
+	            // give logger thread a chance to tell what's going on
+	            Thread.yield();
 	        }
 	    }
-
-	} catch (Exception ignore) {
-	    app.logEvent (this+": "+ignore);
 	}
 
 	if (rewire) {
@@ -143,7 +140,9 @@ public class TypeManager implements Runnable {
 	        // app.logEvent ("Typechecker interrupted");
 	        break;
 	    }
-	    check ();
+	    try {
+	        check ();
+	    } catch (Exception ignore) {}
 	}
     }
 
diff --git a/src/helma/objectmodel/ParentInfo.java b/src/helma/objectmodel/ParentInfo.java
index 417d476f..96333077 100644
--- a/src/helma/objectmodel/ParentInfo.java
+++ b/src/helma/objectmodel/ParentInfo.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public class ParentInfo {
 	}
 	
 	isroot = "root".equals (propname);
-	System.err.println ("created "+this);
+	// System.err.println ("created "+this);
     }	
 
     public String toString () {
diff --git a/src/helma/objectmodel/db/Node.java b/src/helma/objectmodel/db/Node.java
index 232974df..b9287f63 100644
--- a/src/helma/objectmodel/db/Node.java
+++ b/src/helma/objectmodel/db/Node.java
@@ -609,6 +609,7 @@ public class Node implements INode, Serializable {
 	            anonymous = !pinfo.named;
 	            if (pinfo.virtualname != null)
 	                pn = pn.getNode (pinfo.virtualname, false);
+	            // FIXME: check for groupby
 	            if (pn != null)
 	                return pn;
 	        }
diff --git a/src/helma/servlet/StandaloneServletClient.java b/src/helma/servlet/StandaloneServletClient.java
index c5e21d93..eaab2f3c 100644
--- a/src/helma/servlet/StandaloneServletClient.java
+++ b/src/helma/servlet/StandaloneServletClient.java
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import helma.util.*;
  
 public class StandaloneServletClient extends AbstractServletClient {
 	
-    private IRemoteApp app = null;
+    private Application app = null;
     private String appName;
     private String serverProps;
 
@@ -30,14 +30,19 @@ public class StandaloneServletClient extends AbstractServletClient {
 	super.init (init);
     }
 
-    IRemoteApp getApp (String appID) throws Exception {
+    synchronized IRemoteApp getApp (String appID) throws Exception {
 	if (app != null)
 	    return app;
-
-	File propfile = new File (serverProps);
-	File hopHome = new File (propfile.getParent());
-	SystemProperties sysProps = new SystemProperties (propfile.getAbsolutePath());
-	app = new Application (appName, sysProps, hopHome);
+	try {
+	    File propfile = new File (serverProps);
+	    File hopHome = new File (propfile.getParent());
+	    SystemProperties sysProps = new SystemProperties (propfile.getAbsolutePath());
+	    app = new Application (appName, sysProps, hopHome);
+	    app.start ();
+	} catch (Exception x) {
+	    System.err.println ("Error starting Application "+appName+": "+x);
+	    x.printStackTrace ();
+	}
 	return app;
     }