diff --git a/mongodb_store/scripts/message_store_node.py b/mongodb_store/scripts/message_store_node.py
index f949977..c65500a 100755
--- a/mongodb_store/scripts/message_store_node.py
+++ b/mongodb_store/scripts/message_store_node.py
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ def __init__(self, replicate_on_write=False):
         self.replicate_on_write = replicate_on_write
 
         use_daemon = rospy.get_param('mongodb_use_daemon', False)
-        db_host = rospy.get_param('mongodb_host')
-        db_port = rospy.get_param('mongodb_port')
-        if use_daemon:
+        if use_daemon:            
+            db_host = rospy.get_param('mongodb_host')
+            db_port = rospy.get_param('mongodb_port')
             is_daemon_alive = dc_util.check_connection_to_mongod(db_host, db_port)
             if not is_daemon_alive:
                 raise Exception("No Daemon?")
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ def __init__(self, replicate_on_write=False):
             have_dc = dc_util.wait_for_mongo()
             if not have_dc:
                 raise Exception("No Datacentre?")
+            # move these to after the wait_for_mongo check as they may not be set before the db is available
+            db_host = rospy.get_param('mongodb_host')
+            db_port = rospy.get_param('mongodb_port')
+
 
         self._mongo_client=MongoClient(db_host, db_port)
 
diff --git a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store.test b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store.test
index af5904d..4f26f11 100644
--- a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store.test
+++ b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store.test
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 <launch>
   
-  <node name="mongo_server" pkg="mongodb_store" type="mongodb_server.py" output="screen">
+  <node name="mongo_server" pkg="mongodb_store" type="mongodb_server.py">
     <param name="test_mode" value="true"/>
   </node>
 
-  <node name="message_store" pkg="mongodb_store" type="message_store_node.py" output="screen"/>
+  <node name="message_store" pkg="mongodb_store" type="message_store_node.py"/>
 
   <!-- rosout and diagnostic topic logger -->
-  <!-- <node name="diagnostics_logger" pkg="strands_diagnostics" type="logger" output="screen"/> -->
+  <!-- <node name="diagnostics_logger" pkg="strands_diagnostics" type="logger"/> -->
   
   <test test-name="test_messagestore" pkg="mongodb_store" type="test_messagestore.py" />
 
diff --git a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_client.test b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_client.test
index f43bd64..7358350 100644
--- a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_client.test
+++ b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_client.test
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <launch>
 
-  <node name="mongo_server" pkg="mongodb_store" type="mongodb_server.py" output="screen">
+  <node name="mongo_server" pkg="mongodb_store" type="mongodb_server.py">
     <param name="test_mode" value="true"/>
   </node>
 
   <node name="message_store" pkg="mongodb_store" type="message_store_node.py" output="screen"/>
   
-  <test test-name="test_message_store_cpp" pkg="mongodb_store" type="message_store_cpp_test" />
+  <test test-name="test_message_store_cpp" pkg="mongodb_store" type="message_store_cpp_test"/>
 
 </launch>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_test.cpp b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_test.cpp
index b2f25ab..86deaa6 100644
--- a/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_test.cpp
+++ b/mongodb_store/tests/message_store_cpp_test.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ TEST(ROSDatacentre, cppTest)
 
 		BOOST_FOREACH( boost::shared_ptr<Pose> p,  results)
 		{
-			//ROS_INFO_STREAM("Got by ID: " << *p);
+			ROS_INFO_STREAM("Got by ID: " << *p);
 		}
 
 	}
@@ -123,18 +123,20 @@ TEST(ROSDatacentre, cppTest)
 		EXPECT_EQ(0, results.size());
 	}
 
-        results.clear();
-        for(int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) {
-          geometry_msgs::Pose p;
-          p.orientation.z = i;
-          messageStore.insert<Pose>(p);
-        }
-        if(messageStore.query<Pose>(results, mongo::BSONObj(), mongo::BSONObj(), false, 10)){
-          EXPECT_EQ(10, results.size());
-        }
-        else {
-          ADD_FAILURE() << "Documents are not limited";
-        }
+    results.clear();
+    for(int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) {
+      geometry_msgs::Pose p;
+      p.orientation.z = i;
+      messageStore.insert<Pose>(p);
+    }
+    if(messageStore.query<Pose>(results, mongo::BSONObj(), mongo::BSONObj(), false, 10)){
+      EXPECT_EQ(10, results.size());
+    }
+    else {
+      ADD_FAILURE() << "Documents are not limited";
+    }
+
+    ROS_INFO_STREAM("happy here");
 }
 
 /**