diff --git a/app/api_topology.go b/app/api_topology.go
index 7431ff311..653862de1 100644
--- a/app/api_topology.go
+++ b/app/api_topology.go
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ func makeTopologyHandlers(
 
 	// Websocket for the full topology. This route overlaps with the next.
 	get.HandleFunc(base+"/ws", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		r.ParseForm()
+		if err := r.ParseForm(); err != nil {
+			respondWith(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
+			return
+		}
 		loop := websocketLoop
 		if t := r.Form.Get("t"); t != "" {
 			var err error
@@ -140,7 +143,9 @@ func handleWebsocket(
 		diff := report.TopoDiff(previousTopo, newTopo)
 		previousTopo = newTopo
 
-		conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(websocketTimeout))
+		if err := conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(websocketTimeout)); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
 		if err := conn.WriteJSON(diff); err != nil {
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/app/main.go b/app/main.go
index 553cd174a..4c8bdf037 100644
--- a/app/main.go
+++ b/app/main.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"log/syslog"
 	"net/http"
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ func main() {
 		probes        = flag.String("probes", strings.Join(defaultProbes, ","), "list of probe endpoints, comma separated")
 		batch         = flag.Duration("batch", 1*time.Second, "batch interval")
 		window        = flag.Duration("window", 15*time.Second, "window")
-		pidfile       = flag.String("pidfile", "", "write PID file")
 		listen        = flag.String("http.address", ":"+strconv.Itoa(xfer.AppPort), "webserver listen address")
 	)
 	flag.Parse()
@@ -57,15 +55,6 @@ func main() {
 		log.SetOutput(f)
 	}
 
-	if *pidfile != "" {
-		err := ioutil.WriteFile(*pidfile, []byte(fmt.Sprint(os.Getpid())), 0644)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Print(err)
-			return
-		}
-		defer os.Remove(*pidfile)
-	}
-
 	log.Printf("app starting, version %s", version)
 
 	// Collector deals with the probes, and generates merged reports.
diff --git a/app/server_helpers.go b/app/server_helpers.go
index ceb7540f2..8aa1fe828 100644
--- a/app/server_helpers.go
+++ b/app/server_helpers.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
@@ -9,5 +10,7 @@ func respondWith(w http.ResponseWriter, code int, response interface{}) {
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	w.Header().Add("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
 	w.WriteHeader(code)
-	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response)
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
+		log.Print(err)
+	}
 }