diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/client/BubbleNodeClient.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/client/BubbleNodeClient.java
index 29688ff6..de98a61e 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/client/BubbleNodeClient.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/client/BubbleNodeClient.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import org.apache.http.HttpEntityEnclosingRequest;
 import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.apache.http.client.HttpClient;
 import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpRequestBase;
+import org.apache.http.conn.ConnectTimeoutException;
 import org.apache.http.entity.ContentType;
 import org.cobbzilla.util.http.ApiConnectionInfo;
 import org.cobbzilla.util.http.HttpRequestBean;
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@ import org.cobbzilla.wizard.server.config.HttpConfiguration;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.net.ConnectException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -102,8 +105,12 @@ public class BubbleNodeClient extends BubbleApiClient {
         try {
             log.debug("execute: attempting request...");
             return super.execute(client, request);
+
+        } catch (ConnectException | ConnectTimeoutException | UnknownHostException e) {
+            throw e;
+
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            return die("execute("+request+"): error: "+e);
+            throw new IllegalStateException("execute("+request+"): error: "+e, e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/cloud/NodeLauncher.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/cloud/NodeLauncher.java
index df3ab2fa..1cf48cec 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/cloud/NodeLauncher.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/cloud/NodeLauncher.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class NodeLauncher implements Runnable {
         try {
             for (int i=0; i<LAUNCH_MAX_RETRIES; i++) {
                 if (i > 0 && !launchMonitor.isRegistered(networkUuid)) {
-                    die("NodeLauncher.run: no longer registered: "+networkUuid);
+                    throw new IllegalStateException("NodeLauncher.run: no longer registered: "+networkUuid);
                 }
                 if (!lock.get().equals(newNodeRequest.getLock())) {
                     die("NodeLauncher.run: existingLock (" + lock.get() + ") is different than lock in NewNodeNotification: " + newNodeRequest.getLock());
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationInboxProcessor.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationInboxProcessor.java
index 54d5fcfe..1e5f7504 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationInboxProcessor.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationInboxProcessor.java
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ import static org.cobbzilla.util.json.JsonUtil.json;
 @AllArgsConstructor @Slf4j
 public class NotificationInboxProcessor implements Runnable {
 
-    private ReceivedNotification n;
-    private Map<String, SynchronousNotification> syncRequests;
-    private BubbleConfiguration configuration;
-    private ReceivedNotificationDAO receivedNotificationDAO;
+    private final ReceivedNotification n;
+    private final Map<String, SynchronousNotification> syncRequests;
+    private final BubbleConfiguration configuration;
+    private final ReceivedNotificationDAO receivedNotificationDAO;
 
     @Override public void run() {
         try {
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationService.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationService.java
index 85b6adbe..32d61df5 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationService.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/service/notify/NotificationService.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
 import java.net.ConnectException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -122,17 +123,17 @@ public class NotificationService {
                 log.debug("_notify: <<<<< RECEIPT <<<<<< " + json(receipt, COMPACT_MAPPER) + " <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<");
                 return receipt;
 
-            } catch (ConnectException | ConnectTimeoutException | ApiException e) {
+            } catch (ConnectException | ConnectTimeoutException | UnknownHostException | ApiException e) {
                 notification.setStatus(NotificationSendStatus.error);
                 notification.setException(e);
                 sentNotificationDAO.update(notification);
-                return die("_notify: " + e);
+                throw new IllegalStateException("_notify: "+shortError(e), e);
 
             } catch (Exception e) {
                 notification.setStatus(NotificationSendStatus.error);
                 notification.setException(e);
                 sentNotificationDAO.update(notification);
-                return die("_notify: " + e, e);
+                return die("_notify: "+shortError(e), e);
             }
         }
     }