diff --git a/util/http_parser.cpp b/util/http_parser.cpp
index d2b2ac89..7a087f70 100644
--- a/util/http_parser.cpp
+++ b/util/http_parser.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@ void HTTP::Parser::SetHeader(std::string i, int v){
 void HTTP::Parser::SetVar(std::string i, std::string v){
   Trim(i);
   Trim(v);
-  vars[i] = v;
+  //only set if there is actually a key
+  if(!i.empty()){
+    vars[i] = v;
+  }
 }
 
 /// Attempt to read a whole HTTP request or response from Socket::Connection.
@@ -201,23 +204,36 @@ void HTTP::Parser::SendResponse(Socket::Connection & conn, std::string code, std
   conn.write(tmp);
 }
 
+#include <iostream>
 /// Parses GET or POST-style variable data.
 /// Saves to internal variable structure using HTTP::Parser::SetVar.
 void HTTP::Parser::parseVars(std::string data){
   std::string varname;
   std::string varval;
-  while (data.find('=') != std::string::npos){
-    size_t found = data.find('=');
-    varname = urlunescape(data.substr(0, found));
-    data.erase(0, found+1);
-    found = data.find('&');
-    varval = urlunescape(data.substr(0, found));
-    SetVar(varname, varval);
-    if (found == std::string::npos){
-      data.clear();
-    }else{
-      data.erase(0, found+1);
+  // position where a part start (e.g. after &)
+  size_t pos = 0;
+  while (pos < data.length()){
+    size_t nextpos = data.find('&', pos);
+    if (nextpos == std::string::npos){
+      nextpos = data.length();
     }
+    size_t eq_pos = data.find('=', pos);
+    if (eq_pos < nextpos){
+      // there is a key and value
+      varname = data.substr(pos, eq_pos - pos);
+      varval = data.substr(eq_pos + 1, nextpos - eq_pos - 1);
+    }else{
+      // no value, only a key
+      varname = data.substr(pos, nextpos - pos);
+      varval.clear();
+    }
+    SetVar(urlunescape(varname), urlunescape(varval));
+    if (nextpos == std::string::npos){
+      // in case the string is gigantic
+      break;
+    }
+    // erase &
+    pos = nextpos + 1;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/util/json/json_value.cpp b/util/json/json_value.cpp
index f418af26..21996f4a 100644
--- a/util/json/json_value.cpp
+++ b/util/json/json_value.cpp
@@ -1312,14 +1312,14 @@ Value::isString() const
 bool 
 Value::isArray() const
 {
-   return type_ == nullValue  ||  type_ == arrayValue;
+   return type_ == arrayValue;
 }
 
 
 bool 
 Value::isObject() const
 {
-   return type_ == nullValue  ||  type_ == objectValue;
+   return type_ == objectValue;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/util/server_setup.cpp b/util/server_setup.cpp
index 75ac19fe..ae15ff87 100644
--- a/util/server_setup.cpp
+++ b/util/server_setup.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <fstream>
-Socket::Server server_socket(-1); ///< Placeholder for the server socket
+Socket::Server server_socket; ///< Placeholder for the server socket
 
 /// Basic signal handler. Disconnects the server_socket if it receives
 /// a SIGINT, SIGHUP or SIGTERM signal, but does nothing for SIGPIPE.
diff --git a/util/util.cpp b/util/util.cpp
index d599c0d0..773248f7 100644
--- a/util/util.cpp
+++ b/util/util.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <sys/types.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -147,11 +148,14 @@ pid_t Util::Procs::Start(std::string name, std::string cmd, std::string cmd2){
     return 0;
   }
 
+  int devnull = open("/dev/null", O_RDWR);
   pid_t ret = fork();
   if (ret == 0){
     close(pfildes[0]);
-    dup2(pfildes[1],1);
+    dup2(pfildes[1],STDOUT_FILENO);
     close(pfildes[1]);
+    dup2(devnull, STDIN_FILENO);
+    dup2(devnull, STDERR_FILENO);
     runCmd(cmd);
   }else{
     if (ret > 0){
@@ -165,12 +169,14 @@ pid_t Util::Procs::Start(std::string name, std::string cmd, std::string cmd2){
       return 0;
     }
   }
-  
+
   pid_t ret2 = fork();
   if (ret2 == 0){
     close(pfildes[1]);
-    dup2(pfildes[0],0);
+    dup2(pfildes[0],STDIN_FILENO);
     close(pfildes[0]);
+    dup2(devnull, STDOUT_FILENO);
+    dup2(devnull, STDERR_FILENO);
     runCmd(cmd2);
   }else{
     if (ret2 > 0){