diff --git a/client/parallel.cpp b/client/parallel.cpp
index d605ebd857e..a7568b2d83d 100644
--- a/client/parallel.cpp
+++ b/client/parallel.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> cursor = 
             conn->query( _ns , q , num , 0 , ( _fields.isEmpty() ? 0 : &_fields ) , _options , _batchSize == 0 ? 0 : _batchSize + skipLeft );
+
+        assert( cursor.get() );
         
         if ( cursor->hasResultFlag( ResultFlag_ShardConfigStale ) ){
             conn.done();
diff --git a/db/cloner.cpp b/db/cloner.cpp
index 79d0c082e87..96890bf1417 100644
--- a/db/cloner.cpp
+++ b/db/cloner.cpp
@@ -172,9 +172,10 @@ namespace mongo {
             f.context = r._context;
             DBClientConnection *remote = dynamic_cast< DBClientConnection* >( conn.get() );
             if ( remote ) {
-                remote->query( boost::function<void(DBClientCursorBatchIterator &)>( f ), from_collection, query, 0, options );                
+                remote->query( boost::function<void(DBClientCursorBatchIterator &)>( f ), from_collection, query, 0, options );
             } else { // no exhaust mode for direct client, so we have this hack
                 auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> c = conn->query( from_collection, query, 0, 0, 0, options );
+                assert( c.get() );
                 while( c->more() ) {
                     DBClientCursorBatchIterator i( *c );
                     f( i );
diff --git a/db/repl/rs_rollback.cpp b/db/repl/rs_rollback.cpp
index 42814101f76..dc0b89302d1 100644
--- a/db/repl/rs_rollback.cpp
+++ b/db/repl/rs_rollback.cpp
@@ -140,10 +140,10 @@ namespace mongo {
 
         //auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> u = us->query(rsoplog, q, 0, 0, &fields, 0, 0);
 
-	h.rbid = getRBID(them);
+        h.rbid = getRBID(them);
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> t = them->query(rsoplog, q, 0, 0, &fields, 0, 0);
 
-        if( !t->more() ) throw "remote oplog empty or unreadable";
+        if( t.get() == 0 || !t->more() ) throw "remote oplog empty or unreadable";
 
         BSONObj ourObj = u.current();
         OpTime ourTime = ourObj["ts"]._opTime();
diff --git a/s/chunk.cpp b/s/chunk.cpp
index cee7b0ea6cc..870e7aaa916 100644
--- a/s/chunk.cpp
+++ b/s/chunk.cpp
@@ -451,8 +451,11 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         // not using regular count as this is more flexible and supports $min/$max
         Query q = Query().minKey(_min).maxKey(_max);
-        int n = conn->query(_manager->getns(), q, maxCount, 0, &fields)->itcount();
-        
+        int n;
+        {
+            auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> c = conn->query(_manager->getns(), q, maxCount, 0, &fields);
+            n = c->itcount();
+        }        
         conn.done();
         return n;
     }
diff --git a/s/config.cpp b/s/config.cpp
index e6bb48870c4..50682c67cb2 100644
--- a/s/config.cpp
+++ b/s/config.cpp
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         
 
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> cursor = conn->query( ShardNS::collection ,b.obj() );
+        assert( cursor.get() );
         while ( cursor->more() ){
             BSONObj o = cursor->next();
             _collections[o["_id"].String()] = CollectionInfo( this , o );
@@ -488,6 +489,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         ScopedDbConnection conn( _primary );
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> c = conn->query( ShardNS::settings , BSONObj() );
+        assert( c.get() );
         while ( c->more() ){
             BSONObj o = c->next();
             string name = o["_id"].valuestrsafe();
diff --git a/s/d_migrate.cpp b/s/d_migrate.cpp
index 12b6ee3ae0c..f027f8bc611 100644
--- a/s/d_migrate.cpp
+++ b/s/d_migrate.cpp
@@ -788,6 +788,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             { // 3. initial bulk clone
                 state = CLONE;
                 auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> cursor = conn->query( ns , Query().minKey( min ).maxKey( max ) , /* QueryOption_Exhaust */ 0 );
+                assert( cursor.get() );
                 while ( cursor->more() ){
                     BSONObj o = cursor->next();
                     {
diff --git a/s/d_state.cpp b/s/d_state.cpp
index 26e44a1fcdd..dd2fecef45d 100644
--- a/s/d_state.cpp
+++ b/s/d_state.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
 
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> cursor = conn->query( "config.chunks" , Query(q).sort( "min" ) );
+        assert( cursor.get() );
         if ( ! cursor->more() ){
             if ( scoped.get() )
                 scoped->done();
diff --git a/s/shard.cpp b/s/shard.cpp
index 7879cc031dc..4ef68c0103c 100644
--- a/s/shard.cpp
+++ b/s/shard.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             {
                 ScopedDbConnection conn( configServer.getPrimary() );
                 auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> c = conn->query( ShardNS::shard , Query() );
+                assert( c.get() );
                 while ( c->more() ){
                     all.push_back( c->next().getOwned() );
                 }
diff --git a/scripting/engine.cpp b/scripting/engine.cpp
index 7b47a0fb2d1..9e20a3a031c 100644
--- a/scripting/engine.cpp
+++ b/scripting/engine.cpp
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         static DBClientBase * db = createDirectClient();
         auto_ptr<DBClientCursor> c = db->query( coll , Query() );
+        assert( c.get() );
         
         set<string> thisTime;