diff --git a/src/ezwebframe.erl b/src/ezwebframe.erl
index 0a2c37b..4d1d4e4 100644
--- a/src/ezwebframe.erl
+++ b/src/ezwebframe.erl
@@ -20,14 +20,9 @@
 -record(env, {dispatch}).
 
 start_embedded(Port) ->
-    ok   = application:start(ranch),
-    ok   = application:start(cowboy),
-    web_server_start(Port, "zip"),
-    receive
-	after 
-	    infinity ->
-		true
-	end.
+    ok   = start_if_not_running(ranch),
+    ok   = start_if_not_running(cowboy),
+    web_server_start(Port, "zip").
 
 start_link([PortAtom, DirAtom]) ->
     Port = list_to_integer(atom_to_list(PortAtom)),
@@ -36,15 +31,11 @@ start_link([PortAtom, DirAtom]) ->
     start_link(Dir, Port).
 
 start_link(Dispatch, Port) ->
-    ok = application:start(crypto),
-    ok = application:start(ranch),  
-    ok = application:start(cowboy),
+    ok = start_if_not_running(crypto),
+    ok = start_if_not_running(ranch),  
+    ok = start_if_not_running(cowboy),
     ok = web_server_start(Port, Dispatch),
-    receive
-	after 
-	    infinity ->
-		true
-	end.
+    ok.
     
 web_server_start(Port, Dispatcher) ->
     E0 = #env{dispatch=Dispatcher},
@@ -52,17 +43,17 @@ web_server_start(Port, Dispatcher) ->
     %% server is the name of this module
     NumberOfAcceptors = 100,
     Status = 
-	cowboy:start_http(my_named_thing,
-			  NumberOfAcceptors,
-			  [{port, Port}],
-			  [{dispatch, Dispatch}]),
+    	cowboy:start_http(my_named_thing,
+    			  NumberOfAcceptors,
+    			  [{port, Port}],
+    			  [{dispatch, Dispatch}]),
     case Status of
-	{error, _} ->
-	    io:format("websockets could not be started -- "
-		      "port ~p probably in use~n", [Port]),
-	    init:stop();
-	{ok, _Pid} ->
-	    io:format("websockets started on port:~p~n",[Port])
+    	{error, _} ->
+    	    io:format("websockets could not be started -- "
+    		      "port ~p probably in use~n", [Port]),
+    	    init:stop();
+    	{ok, _Pid} ->
+    	    io:format("websockets started on port:~p~n",[Port])
     end.
 
 init(_, Req, E0) ->   
@@ -90,7 +81,10 @@ handle(Req, Env) ->
     io:format("mapped to:~p~n",[Res1]),
     case Resource of
 	"/" ->
-	    serve_file("index.html", Req, Env);
+	    case filelib:is_file("index.html") of
+		true -> serve_file("index.html", Req, Env);
+		false -> serve_file(Res1,Req,Env)
+	    end;
 	"/files" ->
 	    list_dir(F("/"), Req, Env);
 	_ ->
@@ -263,6 +257,14 @@ atomize(L) when is_list(L) ->
 atomize(X) ->
     X.
 
+start_if_not_running(App) ->
+    Running = [A || {A,_Name,_Version} <- application:which_applications(), A =:= App],
+    case Running of
+	[] -> 
+	    application:start(App);
+	 _ ->
+	    ok
+    end.
 %%----------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% these are to be called from the gui client code