diff --git a/api/resolver.py b/api/resolver.py
index 42ed670c4..b17cd2a80 100644
--- a/api/resolver.py
+++ b/api/resolver.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from flask_crossdomain import crossdomain
 from time import time
 
 from blockstack_proofs import profile_to_proofs, profile_v3_to_proofs
+import blockstack_zones
 
 import blockstack
 from blockstack.lib.schemas import OP_NAME_PATTERN, OP_NAMESPACE_PATTERN
@@ -145,6 +146,14 @@ def format_profile(profile, fqa, zone_file, address, public_key):
         1) Insert verifications
         2) Check if profile data is valid JSON
     """
+    
+    # if the zone file is a string, then parse it 
+    if isinstance(zone_file, (str,unicode)):
+        try:
+            zone_file = blockstack_zones.parse_zone_file(zone_file)
+        except:
+            # leave as text
+            pass
 
     data = {'profile' : profile,
             'zone_file' : zone_file,
@@ -178,8 +187,12 @@ def get_profile(fqa):
     fqa = fqa.lower()
 
     try:
-        res = blockstack.lib.client.resolve_profile(
-                fqa, include_name_record=True, hostport=blockstack_indexer_url)
+        try:
+            res = blockstack.lib.client.resolve_profile(
+                    fqa, include_name_record=True, hostport=blockstack_indexer_url)
+        except ValueError:
+            # invalid name 
+            res = {'error': 'Invalid name', 'status_code': 400}
 
         if 'error' in res:
             log.error('Error from profile.get_profile: {}'.format(res['error']))
@@ -187,6 +200,12 @@ def get_profile(fqa):
                 res['status_code'] = 404
             if "Failed to load user profile" in res['error']:
                 res['status_code'] = 404
+
+            if res.get('http_status'):
+                # pass along 
+                res['status_code'] = res['http_status']
+                del res['http_status']
+
             return res
 
         log.warn(json.dumps(res['name_record']))
diff --git a/api/search/fetch_data.py b/api/search/fetch_data.py
index 119b6b262..37cfc8a12 100644
--- a/api/search/fetch_data.py
+++ b/api/search/fetch_data.py
@@ -255,6 +255,27 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
     option = sys.argv[1]
 
+    # wait for blockstack-core to come alive 
+    # wait for up to an hour 
+    start_time = time.time()
+    alive = False
+    while time.time() < start_time + 3600:
+        info_resp = {}
+        try:
+            info_resp = blockstack.lib.client.getinfo(hostport=blockstack_indexer_url)
+            assert 'error' not in info_resp
+            alive = True
+            break
+        except:
+            if 'error' in info_resp:
+                time.sleep(5.0)
+                continue
+            else:
+                raise
+
+    if not alive:
+        raise Exception("Could not contact blockstack-core")
+
     if(option == '--fetch_namespace'):
         # Step 1
         fetch_namespace()
diff --git a/api/server.py b/api/server.py
index 56e54a244..3c2468612 100644
--- a/api/server.py
+++ b/api/server.py
@@ -56,20 +56,6 @@ blockstack_indexer_url = blockstack_config['blockstack-api']['indexer_url']
 
 log = virtualchain.get_logger()
 
-"""
-# starting internal API logic should go somewhere else
-# local_api_start(password='temptemptemp')
-
-# Check first if API daemon is running
-status = local_api_action('status')
-
-if(status):
-    log.debug("API daemon is running")
-else:
-    log.debug("Start API daemon first")
-    exit(0)
-"""
-
 # Import app
 from . import app
 
@@ -167,9 +153,7 @@ def catch_all_post(path):
 @app.route('/')
 @cache_control(10*60)
 def index():
-    current_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
     server_info = blockstack.lib.client.getinfo(hostport=blockstack_indexer_url)
-
     return render_template('index.html',
                            server_info=server_info,
                            server_url=PUBLIC_NODE_URL)