diff --git a/common/manage_socket/socket_manage_fns.php b/common/manage_socket/socket_manage_fns.php
index 6cdfb0ff6..11bba69c8 100644
--- a/common/manage_socket/socket_manage_fns.php
+++ b/common/manage_socket/socket_manage_fns.php
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ function restart_server($script, $address, $port, $salt, $server_id)
 {
     $pid = read_pid($port);
     shut_down_server($pid, $address, $port, $salt);
+    sleep(1);
     start_server($script, $port, $server_id);
 }
 
@@ -78,11 +79,7 @@ function test_server($script, $address, $port, $salt, $server_id)
         output("GOOD - Server #$server_id is running.");
     } else {
         output("BAD - Bad/No response from server #$server_id.");
-
-        $pid = read_pid($port);
-        shut_down_server($pid, $address, $port, $salt);
-
-        start_server($script, $port, $server_id);
+        restart_server($script, $address, $port, $salt, $server_id);
     }
 
     // tell the world
@@ -93,15 +90,15 @@ function test_server($script, $address, $port, $salt, $server_id)
 // starts a server
 function start_server($script, $port, $server_id)
 {
-    output("start_server: $script, $port");
+    output("STARTING SERVER | Script: $script | Port: $port");
 
-    $log = '/home/jiggmin/pr2/log/'.$port.'-'.date("Fj-Y-g:ia").'.log';
+    $log = ROOT_DIR . '/../pr2/log/' . $port . '-' . date("Fj-Y-g:ia") . '.log';
     $command = "nohup php $script $server_id > $log & echo $!";
     output("Executing command: $command");
     $pid = exec($command);
 
     write_pid($pid, $port);
-    return($pid);
+    return $pid;
 }
 
 
@@ -125,10 +122,10 @@ function shut_down_server($pid, $address, $port, $salt)
     }
 
     // tell the world
-    if ($kill_res === true) {
+    if (@$kill_res === true) {
         output("Shutdown of server running at $address:$port successful.");
     } else {
-        output("Unable to kill port. The server could already be shut down.");
+        output("A new server can now be started on port $port.");
     }
 }
 
@@ -136,8 +133,8 @@ function shut_down_server($pid, $address, $port, $salt)
 // gets the pid file
 function get_pid_file($port)
 {
-    $pid_file = '/home/jiggmin/pr2/pid/'.$port.'.txt';
-    return($pid_file);
+    $pid_file = ROOT_DIR . '/../pr2/pid/' . $port . '.txt';
+    return $pid_file;
 }
 
 
@@ -165,19 +162,19 @@ function read_pid($port)
     if ($handle !== false) {
         $pid = fread($handle, 999);
         fclose($handle);
-        output("PID is: $pid \n");
+        output("PID is: $pid");
     } else {
         output("The PID file does not exist.");
     }
-    return($pid);
+    return $pid;
 }
 
 
 // kills a port
 function kill_pid($pid)
 {
-    if ($pid != null && $pid != 0 && $pid != '') {
-        system("kill ".$pid, $k);
+    if ($pid != null && $pid != 0 && $pid != '' && $pid != false) {
+        system("kill " . $pid, $k);
         $pid = null;
         if (!$k) {
             return true;
@@ -274,7 +271,7 @@ function poll_servers($servers, $message, $output = true, $server_ids = array())
         }
     }
 
-    return($results);
+    return $results;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/multiplayer_server/Player.php b/multiplayer_server/Player.php
index 7b36d6fd4..81dbfc04d 100644
--- a/multiplayer_server/Player.php
+++ b/multiplayer_server/Player.php
@@ -598,6 +598,7 @@ public function sendChat($chat_message)
                             $admin_id,
                             $ip
                         );
+                        output("$this->name initiated a server shutdown.");
                         shutdown_server();
                     }
                 } else {
diff --git a/multiplayer_server/rooms/Game.php b/multiplayer_server/rooms/Game.php
index 1de4bd94c..efee9c15b 100644
--- a/multiplayer_server/rooms/Game.php
+++ b/multiplayer_server/rooms/Game.php
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ public function finishRace($player)
                 $welcome_back_bonus = 1000;
             } // level bonus
             else {
-                $level_bonus = $this->appyExpCurve($player, 25 * $time_mod);
+                $level_bonus = $this->applyExpCurve($player, 25 * $time_mod);
 
                 $completed_perc = 0;
                 
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ public function finishRace($player)
                 $race_stats = $this->finish_array[$i];
                 if ($race_stats->rank < 100 && PR2SocketServer::$no_prizes === false) {
                     $exp_gain = ($race_stats->rank+5) * $time_mod;
-                    $exp_gain = ceil($this->appyExpCurve($player, $exp_gain));
+                    $exp_gain = ceil($this->applyExpCurve($player, $exp_gain));
                 } else {
                     $exp_gain = 0;
                 }
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ private function getHatStr($player)
     }
 
 
-    private function appyExpCurve($player, $exp)
+    private function applyExpCurve($player, $exp)
     {
         if ($player->exp_today < 5000) {
             $tier = 2.0;