diff --git a/mtce/src/pmon/pmonFsm.cpp b/mtce/src/pmon/pmonFsm.cpp
index dab04ceb..7e9920db 100644
--- a/mtce/src/pmon/pmonFsm.cpp
+++ b/mtce/src/pmon/pmonFsm.cpp
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ int pmon_passive_handler ( process_config_type * ptr )
         /* Spawn the process */
         case PMON_STAGE__RESPAWN:
         {
-            ilog ("%s stability period (%d secs)\n", ptr->process, ptr->debounce );
+            dlog ("%s stability period (%d secs)\n", ptr->process, ptr->debounce );
 
             /* Restart the process */
             respawn_process ( ptr ) ;
@@ -570,20 +570,9 @@ int pmon_passive_handler ( process_config_type * ptr )
             /* Start the monitor debounce timer. */
             mtcTimer_reset ( ptr->pt_ptr );
 
-            /* Don't wait for the debounce timer to take this process out of 'commanded restart' mode.
-             * Do it now, otherwise tight patch loop stress testing might fail */
-            if ( ptr->restart == true )
-            {
-                ilog ("%s Restarted\n", ptr->process )
-                ptr->restart = false ;
-                ptr->registered = false ;
-                passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MANAGE ) ;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                mtcTimer_start ( ptr->pt_ptr, pmon_timer_handler, ptr->startuptime );
-                passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MONITOR_WAIT ) ;
-            }
+            mtcTimer_start ( ptr->pt_ptr, pmon_timer_handler, ptr->startuptime );
+            passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MONITOR_WAIT ) ;
+
             break ;
         }
 
@@ -619,10 +608,21 @@ int pmon_passive_handler ( process_config_type * ptr )
                     /* clear the monitor debounce counter */
                     ptr->debounce_cnt = 0 ;
 
-                    /* Start debounce monitor phase */
-                    passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MONITOR ) ;
-                    process_running ( ptr );
-                    ilog ("%s Monitor    (%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid );
+                    if ( ptr->restart == true )
+                    {
+                        ptr->restart = false ;
+                        ptr->registered = false ;
+                        ptr->pid = get_process_pid ( ptr );
+                        ilog ("%s Restarted  (%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid );
+                        passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MANAGE ) ;
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        /* Start debounce monitor phase */
+                        passiveStageChange ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MONITOR ) ;
+                        process_running ( ptr );
+                        ilog ("%s Monitor    (%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid );
+                    }
                 }
 
                 ptr->sigchld_rxed = false ;
diff --git a/mtce/src/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp b/mtce/src/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
index f3bf72e2..59ee37c1 100644
--- a/mtce/src/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
+++ b/mtce/src/pmon/pmonHdlr.cpp
@@ -297,13 +297,16 @@ void manage_process_failure ( process_config_type * ptr )
      * If not, then query the current system state and save it. */
     if ( _pmon_ctrl_ptr->system_state != MTC_SYSTEM_STATE__STOPPING )
     {
+        elog ("%s failed (%d) (p:%d a:%d)\n", ptr->process,
+                                              ptr->pid,
+                                              ptr->failed,
+                                              ptr->active_failed);
         /* update current state */
         _pmon_ctrl_ptr->system_state = get_system_state();
     }
-
-    /* Ignore process failures while in stopping (i.e. shutdown) mode */
-    if ( _pmon_ctrl_ptr->system_state == MTC_SYSTEM_STATE__STOPPING )
+    else
     {
+        /* Ignore process failures while in stopping (i.e. shutdown) mode */
         /* don't report process failures during system shutdown. */
         wlog ("%s terminated by system shutdown (pid:%d) ; ignoring\n",
                   ptr->process , ptr->pid );
@@ -317,7 +320,6 @@ void manage_process_failure ( process_config_type * ptr )
         slog ("%s process is in the stopped state\n", ptr->process);
     }
 
-    elog ("%s failed (%d) (p:%d a:%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid, ptr->failed, ptr->active_failed);
     passiveStageChange   ( ptr, PMON_STAGE__MANAGE) ;
 
     if ( ptr->failed == false )
@@ -836,15 +838,12 @@ int process_config_load (process_config_type * pc_ptr, const char * config_file_
 int get_process_pid ( process_config_type * ptr )
 {
     int pid = 0 ;
-    FILE * pid_file_stream = fopen ( ptr->pidfile, "r" );
-    if ( pid_file_stream != NULL )
+    if ( ptr )
     {
-        int num = fscanf ( pid_file_stream, "%d", &pid);
-        if ( num != 1 )
+        if ( daemon_is_file_present ( ptr->pidfile ) == true )
         {
-            wlog ("fscanf failed to read pid from %s\n", ptr->pidfile );
+            pid = daemon_get_file_int ( ptr->pidfile );
         }
-        fclose (pid_file_stream);
     }
     return (pid);
 }
@@ -939,7 +938,7 @@ bool kill_running_process ( int pid )
                         daemon_remove_file ( ptr->pidfile );
                     }
                 }
-                wlog ("%s kill succeeded (%d)\n", proc_name_ptr, pid );
+                wlog ("%s Killed     (%d)\n", proc_name_ptr, pid );
                 rc = true ;
             }
             else
@@ -1100,7 +1099,7 @@ int unregister_process ( process_config_type * ptr )
         }
         else
         {
-             ilog ("%s unregistered   (%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid );
+             ilog ("%s Unregister (%d)\n", ptr->process, ptr->pid );
         }
     }
     ptr->registered = false ;
@@ -1202,7 +1201,7 @@ int respawn_process ( process_config_type * ptr )
     unregister_process ( ptr );
     if ( process_running ( ptr ) == true )
     {
-        ilog ("%s restart of running process\n", ptr->process );
+        dlog ("%s still running\n", ptr->process );
         restart = true ;
         kill_running_process ( ptr->pid );
     }
@@ -1454,7 +1453,7 @@ void daemon_sigchld_hdlr ( void )
                 {
                     if ( process_ptr->status_monitoring == false )
                     {
-                        dlog ("%s spawn failed (rc:%d:%x) (%ld.%03ld secs)\n",
+                        ilog ("%s spawn failed (rc:%d:%x) (%ld.%03ld secs)\n",
                                process_ptr->process,
                                process_ptr->status,
                                process_ptr->status,