diff --git a/server/lib/db/transaction.js b/server/lib/db/transaction.js
index 4b451b36a9..307dce0736 100644
--- a/server/lib/db/transaction.js
+++ b/server/lib/db/transaction.js
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 const q = require('q');
 const winston = require('winston');
 
+/** @const the number of times a transaction is restarted in case of deadlock*/
+const MAX_TRANSACTION_DEADLOCK_RESTARTS = 3;
+
 // Uses an already existing connection to query the database, returning a promise
 function queryConnection(connection, sql, params) {
   const deferred = q.defer();
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@ class Transaction {
   constructor(db) {
     this.queries = [];
     this.db = db;
+    this.restarts = 0;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -124,9 +128,30 @@ class Transaction {
             // individual query did not work - rollback transaction
             connection.rollback(() => {
               connection.destroy();
-              winston.debug(`[Transaction] Rollback due to : ${error}`);
+              winston.warn(
+                `[Transaction] Encountered error ${error.code}.  Rolling transaction back and recoverying database connections.`
+              );
             });
 
+            // restart transactions a set number of times if the error is due to table deadlocks
+            if (error.code === 'ER_LOCK_DEADLOCK' && this.restarts++ < MAX_TRANSACTION_DEADLOCK_RESTARTS) {
+              winston.warn(
+                `[Transaction] Transacton deadlock discovered. Attempting ${this.restarts} / ${MAX_TRANSACTION_DEADLOCK_RESTARTS} restarts.`
+              );
+
+              // restart transaction
+              return this.execute()
+                .then(results => deferred.resolve(results))
+                .catch(err => deferred.reject(err));
+            }
+
+            // if we get here, all attempted restarts failed.  Report an error in case tables are permanently locked.
+            if (error.code === 'ER_LOCK_DEADLOCK') {
+              winston.error(
+                `[Transaction] Unrecoverable deadlock error. Completed ${this.restarts} / ${MAX_TRANSACTION_DEADLOCK_RESTARTS} restarts.`
+              );
+            }
+
             return deferred.reject(error);
           });
       });
diff --git a/server/lib/helpers/translate.js b/server/lib/helpers/translate.js
index 5ae4c422ee..6861510fa5 100644
--- a/server/lib/helpers/translate.js
+++ b/server/lib/helpers/translate.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+'use strict';
+
 const en = require('../../../client/i18n/en.json');
 const fr = require('../../../client/i18n/fr.json');
 
diff --git a/server/lib/renderers/html.js b/server/lib/renderers/html.js
index e812f587a8..efa68aa8e1 100644
--- a/server/lib/renderers/html.js
+++ b/server/lib/renderers/html.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * @requires server/lib/template
  */
 'use strict';
+
 const exhbs = require('express-handlebars');
 
 const hbs = require('../template');
diff --git a/server/lib/renderers/json.js b/server/lib/renderers/json.js
index c2ca1ea178..49008730e7 100644
--- a/server/lib/renderers/json.js
+++ b/server/lib/renderers/json.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
  *
  * @module  lib/renderers/json
  */
+'use strict';
+
 var q = require('q');
 
 exports.render = renderJSON;
diff --git a/server/test/api/patients.js b/server/test/api/patients.js
index 76d9adb498..abf59194af 100644
--- a/server/test/api/patients.js
+++ b/server/test/api/patients.js
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ describe('(/patients) Patients', function () {
     // var NUMBER_OF_PATIENTS = 200;
     // var timeoutInterval = 30;
 
-    var NUMBER_OF_PATIENTS = 2;
+    var NUMBER_OF_PATIENTS = 7;
     var timeoutInterval = 0;
 
     var timeout = 0;
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ describe('(/patients) Patients', function () {
 
   // TODO get information on the registered patient - ensure details route is correct
   function delayPatientRequest(timeout, hospitalNo) {
-    var deferred = q.defer();
+    const deferred = q.defer();
 
     setTimeout(function () {
 
@@ -304,7 +304,6 @@ describe('(/patients) Patients', function () {
       agent.post('/patients')
         .send(simultaneousRequest)
         .then(function (res) {
-          console.log('res:', res.body);
           deferred.resolve(res);
         })
         .catch(function (error) {