diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/ConnectToMds.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/ConnectToMds.c
index 5036a821c7..32bb0d9ac3 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/ConnectToMds.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/ConnectToMds.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static int do_login(Connection *c)
   int status = SendMdsMsgC(c, msend, 0);
   int err;
   free(msend);
-  if (STATUS_NOT_OK)
+  if ((status == SsINTERNAL) || STATUS_NOT_OK)
   {
     perror("Error during login: send");
     err = C_ERROR;
diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/Connections.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/Connections.c
index 184729e7e8..a27c2166f0 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/Connections.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/Connections.c
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 // #define DEBUG
 #include <mdsmsg.h>
 
+// Because threads have their own MdsipThreadStatic data, the receiver thread
+// cannot access the connection list that is stored in the main thread.  If
+// that capability is ever needed, must use a global pointer.  However, sharing
+// the connection list with both threads is inadvisable because it can result
+// in deadlock.
 Connection *_FindConnection(int id, Connection **prev, MDSIPTHREADSTATIC_ARG)
 {
   if (id == INVALID_CONNECTION_ID)
diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetAnswerInfo.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetAnswerInfo.c
index e035dbc389..0f285f1138 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetAnswerInfo.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetAnswerInfo.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ int GetAnswerInfoTO(int id, char *dtype, short *length, char *ndims, int *dims,
     CloseConnection(id);
     status = MDSplusERROR;
   }
+  if (status == SsINTERNAL) status = MDSplusERROR;
   if (STATUS_NOT_OK)
   {
     free(m);
diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetMdsMsg.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetMdsMsg.c
index a8c4f1cfb1..3d93c8cc39 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetMdsMsg.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/GetMdsMsg.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 //#define DEBUG
 #include <mdsmsg.h>
 
+// Can return non-MDSplus error code, SsINTERNAL
 static int get_bytes_to(Connection *c, void *buffer, size_t bytes_to_recv, int to_msec)
 {
   char *bptr = (char *)buffer;
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ static int get_bytes_to(Connection *c, void *buffer, size_t bytes_to_recv, int t
 //  GetMdsMsg  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+// Can set status to non-MDSplus error code, SsINTERNAL
 Message *GetMdsMsgTOC(Connection *c, int *status, int to_msec)
 {
   MsgHdr header;
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ Message *GetMdsMsgTOC(Connection *c, int *status, int to_msec)
       m = malloc(msglen);
       m->h = header;
       *status = uncompress((unsigned char *)m->bytes, &dlen,
-                           (unsigned char *)msg->bytes + 4, dlen - 4) == 0;
+                           (unsigned char *)msg->bytes + 4, dlen - 4) == Z_OK;
       if (IS_OK(*status))
       {
         m->h.msglen = msglen;
diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendArg.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendArg.c
index 825a8f33a4..0af7d3e3d7 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendArg.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendArg.c
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ int SendArg(int id, unsigned char idx, char dtype, unsigned char nargs,
   m->h.message_id = (idx == 0 || nargs == 0) ? ConnectionIncMessageId(c)
                                              : c->message_id;
   int status = m->h.message_id ? SendMdsMsgC(c, m, 0) : MDSplusERROR;
+  if (status == SsINTERNAL) status = MDSplusERROR;
   free(m);
   if (STATUS_NOT_OK)
     UnlockConnection(c);
diff --git a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendMdsMsg.c b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendMdsMsg.c
index fd6c60e451..a46c1f5b31 100644
--- a/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendMdsMsg.c
+++ b/mdstcpip/mdsipshr/SendMdsMsg.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 //#define DEBUG
 #include <mdsmsg.h>
 
+// Can return non-MDSplus error code, SsINTERNAL
 static int send_bytes(Connection *c, void *buffer, size_t bytes_to_send, int options)
 {
   if (!c || !c->io)
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ static int send_bytes(Connection *c, void *buffer, size_t bytes_to_send, int opt
   return MDSplusSUCCESS;
 }
 
+// Can return non-MDSplus error code of SsINTERNAL because of send_bytes()
 int SendMdsMsgC(Connection *c, Message *m, int msg_options)
 {
   unsigned long len = m->h.msglen - sizeof(m->h);
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ int SendMdsMsgC(Connection *c, Message *m, int msg_options)
     m->h.client_type = ClientType();
   if (clength &&
       compress2((unsigned char *)cm->bytes + 4, &clength,
-                (unsigned char *)m->bytes, len, c->compression_level) == 0 &&
+                (unsigned char *)m->bytes, len, c->compression_level) == Z_OK &&
       clength < len)
   {
     cm->h = m->h;
diff --git a/servershr/Client.h b/servershr/Client.h
index 59604aff90..f213582749 100644
--- a/servershr/Client.h
+++ b/servershr/Client.h
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ static void Client_do_message(Client *c, fd_set *fdactive)
   }
   switch (replyType)
   {
+  // When an action service has processed an action, it sends back this reply.
+  // So update the status flags for the job.  Don't remove the client because
+  // want the network connection to remain active.
   case SrvJobFINISHED:
   {
     Job *j = Job_get_by_jobid(jobid);
diff --git a/servershr/ServerDispatchPhase.c b/servershr/ServerDispatchPhase.c
index 6e4ece624c..300ac6001e 100644
--- a/servershr/ServerDispatchPhase.c
+++ b/servershr/ServerDispatchPhase.c
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ static void dispatch(int i)
     // ProgLoc = 7001;
     send_monitor(MonitorDispatched, i);
     // ProgLoc = 7002;
-    if (noact)
+    if (noact) // global, 1 = show actions but don't dispatch, 0 = dispatch
     {
       actions[i].dispatched = 1;
       actions[i].status = status = 1;
@@ -687,6 +687,7 @@ static void action_done_action_locked(int idx)
   MdsFree1Dx(&xd, NULL);
 }
 
+// Uses recursion to deal with cascade of actions
 static void action_done_action_unlocked(int idx)
 {
   if (is_abort_in_progress())
diff --git a/servershr/ServerQAction.c b/servershr/ServerQAction.c
index 80b3387122..1f32e5ce58 100644
--- a/servershr/ServerQAction.c
+++ b/servershr/ServerQAction.c
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ static void cleanup_client(SrvJob *job)
   }
 }
 
-/// returns the number of bytes sent
+/// on success returns the number of bytes sent, on failure returns -1
 static int send_all(SOCKET sock, char *msg, int len)
 {
   int sent;
@@ -1006,6 +1006,7 @@ static int send_reply(SrvJob *job, int replyType, int status_in, int length, cha
     if (sock == INVALID_SOCKET)
     {
       MDSMSG(SVRJOB_PRI " break connection", SVRJOB_VAR(job));
+      cleanup_client(job);
       break;
     }
     int bytes = send_all(sock, reply, 60);
diff --git a/servershr/ServerSendMessage.c b/servershr/ServerSendMessage.c
index c89d339a3a..7626c41acf 100644
--- a/servershr/ServerSendMessage.c
+++ b/servershr/ServerSendMessage.c
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ static SOCKET get_socket_by_conid(int conid)
   return INVALID_SOCKET;
 }
 
+// Mdstcl has two threads: main and receiver.  The main thread dispatches
+// actions to action services (typically one service per computer).
+// The receiver thread processes replies from all action services.
+// Each thread uses a different port, thus a different network connection.
+// Connections persist and thus handle all traffic between the endpoints.
 int ServerSendMessage(int *msgid, char *server, int op, int *retstatus,
                       pthread_rwlock_t *lock, int *conid_out, void (*callback_done)(),
                       void *callback_param, void (*callback_before)(), int numargs_in,
@@ -200,9 +205,11 @@ int ServerSendMessage(int *msgid, char *server, int op, int *retstatus,
     Job_cleanup(status, jobid);
     return status;
   }
+  // The "action service" immediately sends back a handshake status confirming
+  // that it received the command sent above.
   status = GetAnswerInfoTS(conid, &dtype, &len, &ndims, dims, &numbytes,
                            (void **)&dptr, &mem);
-  if (op == SrvStop)
+  if (op == SrvStop)  // If stopped the server, a failed status is expected
   {
     if (STATUS_NOT_OK)
     {
@@ -303,6 +310,7 @@ static SOCKET new_reply_socket(uint16_t *port_out)
 
 static Condition ReceiverRunning = CONDITION_INITIALIZER;
 
+// Returns non-MDSplus status: -1, 0, or 1.  OK is 0, others are error.
 static int start_receiver(uint16_t *port_out)
 {
   INIT_STATUS;
@@ -323,7 +331,7 @@ static int start_receiver(uint16_t *port_out)
   if (!ReceiverRunning.value)
   {
     CREATE_DETACHED_THREAD(thread, *16, receiver_thread, &sock);
-    if (c_status)
+    if (c_status)  // is from preceding macro
     {
       perror("Error creating pthread");
       status = MDSplusERROR;
@@ -342,7 +350,7 @@ static int start_receiver(uint16_t *port_out)
 static void receiver_atexit(void *arg)
 {
   (void)arg;
-  MDSDBG("ServerSendMessage thread exitted");
+  MDSDBG("ServerSendMessage thread exited");
   CONDITION_RESET(&ReceiverRunning);
 }
 
@@ -376,6 +384,8 @@ static void reset_fdactive(int rep, SOCKET server, fd_set *fdactive)
   MDSWRN("reset fdactive in reset_fdactive");
 }
 
+// When any action service completes an action, a reply is sent back to mdstcl.
+// The single receiver thread processes the replies from all action services.
 static void receiver_thread(void *sockptr)
 {
   atexit((void *)receiver_atexit);
@@ -395,6 +405,7 @@ static void receiver_thread(void *sockptr)
   int rep;
   int num = 0;
   struct timeval readto, timeout = {10, 0};
+  // Tries 10 times if select() always returns error (i.e., num < 0)
   for (rep = 0; rep < 10; rep++)
   {
     for (readfds = fdactive, readto = timeout;;
@@ -523,6 +534,12 @@ EXPORT int ServerDisconnect(char *server_in)
   return status;
 }
 
+// If a network connection already exists, reuse it.   Only create a 
+// connection in two scenarios: new or defunct.
+// In the simplest configuration, mdstcl has three connections:
+// 1) to the mdsip service for tree access (to read the action nodes),
+// 2) a connection to dispatch actions to the action service, and
+// 3) a connection to receive replies from the action service.
 static inline int server_connect(char *server, uint32_t addr, uint16_t port)
 {
   int conid;