diff --git a/xwords4/relay/crefmgr.cpp b/xwords4/relay/crefmgr.cpp
index 2e5e225a2..9592d869e 100644
--- a/xwords4/relay/crefmgr.cpp
+++ b/xwords4/relay/crefmgr.cpp
@@ -513,10 +513,10 @@ CRefMgr::AddNew( const char* cookie, const char* connName, CookieID id )
     logf( XW_LOGINFO, "making new cref: %d", id );
     
     if ( !!ref ) {
-        logf( XW_LOGINFO, "using from free list" );
+        logf( XW_LOGVERBOSE1, "using from free list" );
         ref->ReInit( cookie, connName, id );
     } else {
-        logf( XW_LOGINFO, "calling constructor" );
+        logf( XW_LOGVERBOSE1, "calling constructor" );
         ref = new CookieRef( cookie, connName, id );
     }
 
diff --git a/xwords4/relay/http.cpp b/xwords4/relay/http.cpp
index 827ea98aa..8c20da65c 100644
--- a/xwords4/relay/http.cpp
+++ b/xwords4/relay/http.cpp
@@ -197,14 +197,22 @@ printStats( FILE* fil, const CrefMgrInfo* info, bool isLocal )
     fprintf( fil, "</table>" );
 }
 
+class HttpInstance {
+ public:
+    HttpInstance( int sock, HttpState* state ) {
+        m_sock = sock;
+        m_state = state;
+    }
+    int m_sock;
+    HttpState* m_state;
+};
+
 static void*
 http_thread_main( void* arg )
 {
-    HttpState* state = (HttpState*)arg;
-
-    sockaddr newaddr;
-    socklen_t siz = sizeof(newaddr);
-    int sock = accept( state->ctrl_sock, &newaddr, &siz );
+    HttpInstance* inst = (HttpInstance*)arg;
+    HttpState* state = inst->m_state;
+    int sock = inst->m_sock;
 
     char buf[512];
     ssize_t totalRead = 0;
@@ -275,6 +283,8 @@ http_thread_main( void* arg )
     }
     close( sock );
 
+    delete inst;
+
     return NULL;
 } /* http_thread_main */
 
@@ -282,13 +292,18 @@ void
 run_http_thread( HttpState* state )
 {
     pthread_t thread;
-    int result = pthread_create( &thread, NULL, 
-                                 http_thread_main, (void*)state );
+    sockaddr newaddr;
+    socklen_t siz = sizeof(newaddr);
+    int sock = accept( state->ctrl_sock, &newaddr, &siz );
+
+    HttpInstance* inst = new HttpInstance( sock, state );
+    int result = pthread_create( &thread, NULL, http_thread_main, 
+                                 (void*)inst );
     if ( 0 == result ) {
         pthread_detach( thread );
     } else {
-        /* logf( XW_LOGERROR, "%s: pthread_create failed: %s", __func__, */
-        /*       strerror(errno) ); */
+        logf( XW_LOGERROR, "%s: pthread_create failed: %s", __func__,
+              strerror(errno) );
     }
 } /* run_http_thread */
 
diff --git a/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp b/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
index 434cc5dad..0f3055259 100644
--- a/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
+++ b/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,9 @@ XWThreadPool::real_tpool_main()
 void
 XWThreadPool::interrupt_poll()
 {
+#ifdef LOG_POLL
     logf( XW_LOGINFO, __func__ );
+#endif
     unsigned char byt = 0;
     int nSent = write( m_pipeWrite, &byt, 1 );
     if ( nSent != 1 ) {
@@ -304,7 +306,9 @@ XWThreadPool::real_listener()
         logf( XW_LOGINFO, "polling %s nmillis=%d", log, nMillis );
 #endif
         int nEvents = poll( fds, nSockets, nMillis );
+#ifdef LOG_POLL
         logf( XW_LOGINFO, "back from poll: %d", nEvents );
+#endif
         if ( m_timeToDie ) {
             break;
         }
@@ -317,7 +321,9 @@ XWThreadPool::real_listener()
         } 
 
         if ( fds[0].revents != 0 ) {
+#ifdef LOG_POLL
             logf( XW_LOGINFO, "poll interrupted" );
+#endif
             assert( fds[0].revents == POLLIN );
             unsigned char byt;
             read( fds[0].fd, &byt, 1 );