diff --git a/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c b/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
index 7107d9126..fa937ec14 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 #include "linuxmain.h"
 #include "linuxutl.h"
+#include "linuxdict.h"
 #include "cursesmain.h"
 #include "cursesask.h"
 #include "cursesletterask.h"
@@ -1724,8 +1725,11 @@ cursesmain( XP_Bool isServer, LaunchParams* params )
     g_globals.cGlobals.cp.robotTradePct = params->robotTradePct;
 #endif
 
+    setupUtil( &g_globals.cGlobals );
     setupCursesUtilCallbacks( &g_globals, g_globals.cGlobals.util );
 
+    initFromParams( &g_globals.cGlobals, params );
+
 #ifdef XWFEATURE_RELAY
     if ( params->conType == COMMS_CONN_RELAY ) {
         g_globals.cGlobals.defaultServerName
@@ -1789,6 +1793,9 @@ cursesmain( XP_Bool isServer, LaunchParams* params )
         }
 
         if ( !!stream ) {
+            if ( NULL == cGlobals->dict ) {
+                cGlobals->dict = makeDictForStream( cGlobals, stream );
+            }
             (void)game_makeFromStream( MEMPOOL stream, &cGlobals->game, 
                                        &cGlobals->gi, cGlobals->dict, &cGlobals->dicts,
                                        cGlobals->util, 
@@ -1844,6 +1851,11 @@ cursesmain( XP_Bool isServer, LaunchParams* params )
         }
 #endif
 
+        if ( NULL == cGlobals->dict ) {
+            cGlobals->dict = 
+                linux_dictionary_make( MEMPOOL params, 
+                                       cGlobals->gi.dictName, XP_TRUE );
+        }
         model_setDictionary( cGlobals->game.model, cGlobals->dict );
         setSquareBonuses( cGlobals );
         positionSizeStuff( &g_globals, width, height );
@@ -1910,5 +1922,7 @@ cursesmain( XP_Bool isServer, LaunchParams* params )
 #endif
 
     endwin();
+
+    linux_util_vt_destroy( g_globals.cGlobals.util );
 } /* cursesmain */
 #endif /* PLATFORM_NCURSES */
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c b/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
index 58f21c649..ee2db63e4 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 #include "gtkpasswdask.h"
 #include "gtkntilesask.h"
 #include "gtkaskdict.h"
+#include "linuxdict.h"
 /* #include "undo.h" */
 #include "gtkdraw.h"
 #include "memstream.h"
@@ -434,16 +435,7 @@ createOrLoadObjects( GtkAppGlobals* globals )
 
     if ( !!stream ) {
         if ( NULL == cGlobals->dict ) {
-            CurGameInfo gi = {0};
-            XWStreamPos pos = stream_getPos( stream, POS_READ );
-            if ( !game_makeFromStream( MEMPOOL stream, NULL, &gi, NULL, NULL, 
-                                       NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL ) ) {
-                XP_ASSERT(0);
-            }
-            stream_setPos( stream, POS_READ, pos );
-            cGlobals->dict = linux_dictionary_make( MEMPOOL params, gi.dictName, XP_TRUE );
-            gi_disposePlayerInfo( MEMPOOL &gi );
-            XP_ASSERT( !!cGlobals->dict );
+            cGlobals->dict = makeDictForStream( cGlobals, stream );
         }
 
         opened = game_makeFromStream( MEMPOOL stream, &cGlobals->game, 
@@ -2405,12 +2397,8 @@ initGlobals( GtkAppGlobals* globals, LaunchParams* params )
     globals->cGlobals.cp.hideCrosshairs = params->hideCrosshairs;
 #endif
 
-    XW_UtilCtxt* util = calloc( 1, sizeof(*globals->cGlobals.util) );
-    globals->cGlobals.util = util;
-    linux_util_vt_init( MPPARM(params->mpool) util );
-    util->gameInfo = &globals->cGlobals.gi;
-    setupLinuxUtilCallbacks( util );
-    setupGtkUtilCallbacks( globals, util );
+    setupUtil( &globals->cGlobals );
+    setupGtkUtilCallbacks( globals, globals->cGlobals.util );
 
     globals->window = window = gtk_window_new( GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL );
     if ( !!params->fileName ) {
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxdict.h b/xwords4/linux/linuxdict.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e111ce90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxdict.h
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/* -*- compile-command: "make MEMDEBUG=TRUE -j3"; -*- */
+/* 
+ * Copyright 2000 - 2013 by Eric House (xwords@eehouse.org).  All rights
+ * reserved.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+
+#ifndef _LINUXDICT_H_
+#define _LINUXDICT_H_
+
+DictionaryCtxt* linux_dictionary_make( MPFORMAL 
+                                       const LaunchParams* mainParams,
+                                       const char* dictFileName, 
+                                       XP_Bool useMMap );
+#endif
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.c b/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.c
index ab2467f26..19e662b7a 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 #include "dictiter.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "gamesdb.h"
+#include "linuxdict.h"
 #ifdef PLATFORM_NCURSES
 # include "cursesmain.h"
 #endif
@@ -151,6 +152,25 @@ streamFromDB( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, void* closure )
 }
 #endif
 
+DictionaryCtxt*
+makeDictForStream( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, XWStreamCtxt* stream ) 
+{
+    CurGameInfo gi = {0};
+    XWStreamPos pos = stream_getPos( stream, POS_READ );
+    if ( !game_makeFromStream( MPPARM(cGlobals->util->mpool) stream, NULL, &gi,
+                               NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL ) ) {
+        XP_ASSERT(0);
+    }
+    stream_setPos( stream, POS_READ, pos );
+
+    DictionaryCtxt* dict =
+        linux_dictionary_make( MPPARM(cGlobals->util->mpool) cGlobals->params, 
+                               gi.dictName, XP_TRUE );
+    gi_disposePlayerInfo( MPPARM(cGlobals->util->mpool) &gi );
+    XP_ASSERT( !!dict );
+    return dict;
+}
+
 void
 writeToFile( XWStreamCtxt* stream, void* closure )
 {
@@ -1523,6 +1543,60 @@ setupLinuxUtilCallbacks( XW_UtilCtxt* util )
 #endif
 }
 
+/* Set up cGlobals->gi and cGlobals->addr based on params fields */
+void
+initFromParams( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, LaunchParams* params )
+{
+    LOG_FUNC();
+    /* CurGameInfo */
+    cGlobals->gi = params->pgi;
+
+    /* addr */
+    CommsAddrRec* addr = &cGlobals->addr;
+    XP_MEMSET( addr, 0, sizeof(*addr) );
+    if ( 0 ) {
+#ifdef XWFEATURE_RELAY
+    } else if ( params->conType == COMMS_CONN_RELAY ) {
+        addr->conType = COMMS_CONN_RELAY;
+        addr->u.ip_relay.ipAddr = 0;       /* ??? */
+        addr->u.ip_relay.port = params->connInfo.relay.defaultSendPort;
+        addr->u.ip_relay.seeksPublicRoom = 
+            params->connInfo.relay.seeksPublicRoom;
+        addr->u.ip_relay.advertiseRoom = params->connInfo.relay.advertiseRoom;
+        XP_STRNCPY( addr->u.ip_relay.hostName, 
+                    params->connInfo.relay.relayName,
+                    sizeof(addr->u.ip_relay.hostName) - 1 );
+        XP_STRNCPY( addr->u.ip_relay.invite, params->connInfo.relay.invite,
+                    sizeof(addr->u.ip_relay.invite) - 1 );
+#endif
+#ifdef XWFEATURE_SMS
+    } else if ( params->conType == COMMS_CONN_SMS ) {
+        addr->conType = COMMS_CONN_SMS;
+        XP_STRNCPY( addr->u.sms.phone, params->connInfo.sms.serverPhone,
+                    sizeof(addr->u.sms.phone) - 1 );
+        addr->u.sms.port = params->connInfo.sms.port;
+#endif
+#ifdef XWFEATURE_BLUETOOTH
+    } else if ( params->conType == COMMS_CONN_BT ) {
+        addr->conType = COMMS_CONN_BT;
+        XP_ASSERT( sizeof(addr->u.bt.btAddr) 
+                   >= sizeof(params->connInfo.bt.hostAddr));
+        XP_MEMCPY( &addr->u.bt.btAddr, &params->connInfo.bt.hostAddr,
+                   sizeof(params->connInfo.bt.hostAddr) );
+#endif
+    }
+}
+
+void
+setupUtil( CommonGlobals* cGlobals )
+{
+    XW_UtilCtxt* util = calloc( 1, sizeof(*util) );
+    cGlobals->util = util;
+    linux_util_vt_init( MPPARM(cGlobals->params->mpool) util );
+    util->gameInfo = &cGlobals->gi;
+    setupLinuxUtilCallbacks( util );
+}
+
 static void
 initParams( LaunchParams* params )
 {
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.h b/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.h
index 9a4721619..77b08d3ad 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.h
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxmain.h
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ void setOneSecondTimer( CommonGlobals* cGlobals );
 #endif
 
 void setupLinuxUtilCallbacks( XW_UtilCtxt* util );
+void initFromParams( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, LaunchParams* params );
+void setupUtil( CommonGlobals* cGlobals );
+
+DictionaryCtxt* makeDictForStream( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, 
+                                   XWStreamCtxt* stream );
 
 /* void initParams( LaunchParams* params ); */
 /* void freeParams( LaunchParams* params ); */
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
index 59d1d96c2..4cfba5a22 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 #include "linuxutl.h"
 #include "main.h"
+#include "linuxdict.h"
 #include "LocalizedStrIncludes.h"
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.h b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.h
index 781031a32..91ea0ed42 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.h
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.h
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ void linux_debugf(const char*, ...)
     __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 #endif
 
-DictionaryCtxt* linux_dictionary_make( MPFORMAL const LaunchParams* mainParams,
-                                       const char* dictFileName, XP_Bool useMMap );
-
 
 void linux_util_vt_init( MPFORMAL XW_UtilCtxt* util );
 void linux_util_vt_destroy( XW_UtilCtxt* util );
@@ -49,6 +46,7 @@ XP_Bool storeNoConnMsg( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, const XP_U8* msg, XP_U16 len,
                         const XP_UCHAR* relayID );
 void writeNoConnMsgs( CommonGlobals* cGlobals, int fd );
 
+
 #ifdef STREAM_VERS_BIGBOARD
 void setSquareBonuses( const CommonGlobals* cGlobals );
 #else