diff --git a/screenless/bureau/bureau.py b/screenless/bureau/bureau.py
index 7324bb8..f4a6533 100644
--- a/screenless/bureau/bureau.py
+++ b/screenless/bureau/bureau.py
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ import os.path
 import random
 import string
 import subprocess
-import sys
 import tempfile
 import textwrap
+#import traceback
 import threading
 
 import lmdb
@@ -60,6 +60,19 @@ def add_api(apistr, name=""):
     return decorator
 
 
+#def log_traceback(func):
+#    """ this is a decorator that catches tracebacks for logging"""
+#    def wrapper(*args):
+#        my_bureau = args[0]
+#        try:
+#            func(*args)
+#        except Exception as e:
+#            my_bureau.log.error("CRASH TRACE: {0}".format(my_bureau.name),
+#                                exc_info=e)
+#            raise
+#    return wrapper
+
+
 class LogPrinter(logging.Handler):
     """
     LogPrinter prints logs on a receipt printer for screenless debugging.
@@ -151,11 +164,6 @@ class Bureau(object):
         self.api = {}
 
         modpath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-        #slimerjs = os.path.join(modpath, "..", "lib", "slimerjs", "slimerjs")
-        #renderer = os.path.join(modpath, "..", "slimerjs", "rasterize.js")
-        #self.slimerjs = os.path.abspath(slimerjs)
-        #self.html2pdf = self.slimerjs + " --headless " + \
-        #                os.path.abspath(renderer) + " "
         mypath = inspect.getfile(self.__class__)
         self.mdir = os.path.dirname(mypath)
 
@@ -181,7 +189,6 @@ class Bureau(object):
         log_format = logging.Formatter('LOG ${levelname} $name: $message', style='$')
         log_printer.setFormatter(log_format)
         self.log.addHandler(log_printer)
-        sys.excepthook = self._log_exception
 
         # setup a dir to store files and data
         self.datadir = os.path.join(basepath, self.prefix)
@@ -200,9 +207,9 @@ class Bureau(object):
         self.log.debug("commands: ")
         self.log.debug(str(self.commands))
 
-    def _log_exception(typ, value, tb):
-        self.log.error("CRASH TRACE: {0}".format(str(value)), exc_info=(typ, value, tb))
-        sys.__excepthook__(typ, value, tb)
+#    def _log_exception(typ, value, tb):
+#        self.log.error("CRASH TRACE: {0}".format(str(value)), exc_info=(typ, value, tb))
+#        sys.__excepthook__(typ, value, tb)
 
     def open_db(self, name):
         """
@@ -361,6 +368,16 @@ class Bureau(object):
         print(("hi! testing. " + self.name + " bureau seems to work!"))
         return "seems to work."
 
+    def _run_io(self):
+        """
+        wrapper for run_io so that we can catch threaded exceptions and log
+        """
+        try:
+            self.run_io()
+        except Exception as err:
+            self.log.exception("%s CRASHED with %s\n", self.name, err)
+            raise
+
     def run_io(self):
         """process hardware or timed input
 
@@ -375,6 +392,16 @@ class Bureau(object):
         pass
 
     def run(self):
+        """
+        wrapper running the main loop and logging all exceptions
+        """
+        try:
+            self._run()
+        except Exception as err:
+            self.log.exception("%s CRASHED with %s\n", self.name, err)
+            raise
+
+    def _run(self):
         """
         main loop for processing messages
 
@@ -382,7 +409,7 @@ class Bureau(object):
         """
 
         # start the hardware input handler
-        io_handler = threading.Thread(target=self.run_io)
+        io_handler = threading.Thread(target=self._run_io)
         io_handler.start()
 
         # register commands and api methods
@@ -398,10 +425,6 @@ class Bureau(object):
                     msg = self._recv.recv_string(flags=zmq.NOBLOCK)
             else:
                 continue
-            #    msg = self._recv.recv_string(flags=zmq.NOBLOCK)
-            #except zmq.ZMQError:
-            #    time.sleep(0.05)  # don't waste CPU
-            #    continue
             try:
                 self.log.debug("got message:" + msg)
                 dot = msg.find(".")
@@ -411,7 +434,6 @@ class Bureau(object):
                     self.log.debug("dot at %d", dot)
                     # TODO: maybe trim off the trailing "." for convenience
                     data = msg[dot + 1:]
-                    # data = str(data)  # force to be a string
                 else:
                     data = None
                 self.log.debug("data: " + str(data))