diff --git a/bson/util/builder.h b/bson/util/builder.h
index c71a3d9017a..37288d0d2ca 100644
--- a/bson/util/builder.h
+++ b/bson/util/builder.h
@@ -67,10 +67,8 @@ namespace mongo {
         char* buf() { return data; }
         const char* buf() const { return data; }
 
-        /* assume ownership of the buffer - you must then free it */
-        void decouple() {
-            data = 0;
-        }
+        /* assume ownership of the buffer - you must then free() it */
+        void decouple() { data = 0; }
 
         template<class T> void append(T j) {
             *((T*)grow(sizeof(T))) = j;
diff --git a/db/clientcursor.h b/db/clientcursor.h
index 1bce1a3b463..886d801e1ad 100644
--- a/db/clientcursor.h
+++ b/db/clientcursor.h
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ namespace mongo {
         /*const*/ CursorId cursorid;
         string ns;
         shared_ptr<Cursor> c;
-        int pos;                                 // # objects into the cursor so far 
+        int pos;                  // # objects into the cursor so far 
         BSONObj query;
-        int _queryOptions;
+        int _queryOptions;        // see enum QueryOptions dbclient.h
         OpTime _slaveReadTill;
 
         ClientCursor(int queryOptions, shared_ptr<Cursor>& _c, const char *_ns) :
diff --git a/db/db.cpp b/db/db.cpp
index 7f7bc0c6ec1..5ff89ff9be0 100644
--- a/db/db.cpp
+++ b/db/db.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                     dbMsgPort->shutdown();
                     break;
                 }
-
+sendmore:
                 if ( inShutdown() ) {
                     log() << "got request after shutdown()" << endl;
                     break;
@@ -209,16 +209,36 @@ namespace mongo {
                 if ( dbresponse.response ) {
                     dbMsgPort->reply(m, *dbresponse.response, dbresponse.responseTo);
                     if( dbresponse.exhaust ) { 
-                        while( 1 ) { 
-                            log() << "exhausting" << endl;
+                        MsgData *header = dbresponse.response->header();
+                        QueryResult *qr = (QueryResult *) header;
+                        long long cursorid = qr->cursorId;
+                        if( cursorid ) {
+                            string ns = dbresponse.exhaust; // before reset() free's it...
+                            m.reset();
+                            BufBuilder b(512);
+                            b.append((int) 0 /*size set later in appendData()*/);
+                            b.append(header->id);
+                            b.append(header->responseTo);
+                            b.append((int) dbGetMore);
+                            b.append((int) 0);
+                            assert( dbresponse.exhaust && *dbresponse.exhaust != 0 );
+                            b.append(ns);
+                            b.append((int) 0); // ntoreturn
+                            b.append(cursorid);
+                            m.appendData(b.buf(), b.len());
+                            b.decouple();
+                            DEV log() << "exhaust=true sending more" << endl;
+                            sleepmillis(1);
+                            goto sendmore;
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
 
         }
-        catch ( AssertionException& ) {
-            problem() << "AssertionException in connThread, closing client connection" << endl;
+        catch ( AssertionException& e ) {
+            log() << "AssertionException in connThread, closing client connection" << endl;
+            log() << ' ' << e.what() << endl;
             dbMsgPort->shutdown();
         }
         catch ( SocketException& ) {
diff --git a/db/db.vcxproj b/db/db.vcxproj
index a191c0122d9..96d99a37c73 100644
--- a/db/db.vcxproj
+++ b/db/db.vcxproj
@@ -557,6 +557,9 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="..\SConstruct" />
     <None Include="..\util\mongoutils\README" />
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram1.cd" />
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram2.cd" />
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram3.cd" />
     <None Include="mongo.ico" />
     <None Include="readme.txt" />
     <None Include="repl\notes.txt" />
diff --git a/db/db.vcxproj.filters b/db/db.vcxproj.filters
index b1ec878e879..a655a276a88 100755
--- a/db/db.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/db/db.vcxproj.filters
@@ -778,6 +778,9 @@
     <None Include="..\SConstruct">
       <Filter>db</Filter>
     </None>
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram1.cd" />
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram2.cd" />
+    <None Include="ClassDiagram3.cd" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Library Include="..\..\js\js64r.lib">
diff --git a/db/dbmessage.h b/db/dbmessage.h
index 9e00aa2dbe8..8be52d26e96 100644
--- a/db/dbmessage.h
+++ b/db/dbmessage.h
@@ -75,20 +75,24 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     /* For the database/server protocol, these objects and functions encapsulate
        the various messages transmitted over the connection.
-    */
 
+       See http://www.mongodb.org/display/DOCS/Mongo+Wire+Protocol
+    */
     class DbMessage {
     public:
-        DbMessage(const Message& _m) : m(_m) {
+        DbMessage(const Message& _m) : m(_m)
+        {
             // for received messages, Message has only one buffer
             theEnd = _m.singleData()->_data + _m.header()->dataLen();
-            int *r = (int *) _m.singleData()->_data;
-            reserved = *r;
-            r++;
-            data = (const char *) r;
+            char *r = _m.singleData()->_data;
+            reserved = (int *) r;
+            data = r + 4;
             nextjsobj = data;
         }
 
+        /** the 32 bit field before the ns */
+        int& reservedField() { return *reserved; }
+
         const char * getns() const {
             return data;
         }
@@ -109,13 +113,12 @@ namespace mongo {
             return getInt( 1 );
         }
 
-        void resetPull(){
-            nextjsobj = data;
-        }
-        int pullInt() {
+        void resetPull(){ nextjsobj = data; }
+        int pullInt() const { return pullInt(); }
+        int& pullInt() {
             if ( nextjsobj == data )
                 nextjsobj += strlen(data) + 1; // skip namespace
-            int i = *((int *)nextjsobj);
+            int& i = *((int *)nextjsobj);
             nextjsobj += 4;
             return i;
         }
@@ -164,9 +167,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             return js;
         }
 
-        const Message& msg() const {
-            return m;
-        }
+        const Message& msg() const { return m; }
 
         void markSet(){
             mark = nextjsobj;
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     private:
         const Message& m;
-        int reserved;
+        int* reserved;
         const char *data;
         const char *nextjsobj;
         const char *theEnd;
diff --git a/db/instance.cpp b/db/instance.cpp
index 9cc9298b84b..126c21efb81 100644
--- a/db/instance.cpp
+++ b/db/instance.cpp
@@ -490,24 +490,28 @@ namespace mongo {
         int ntoreturn = d.pullInt();
         long long cursorid = d.pullInt64();
         
-        ss << ns << " cid:" << cursorid << " ntoreturn:" << ntoreturn;;
+        ss << ns << " cid:" << cursorid;
+        if( ntoreturn ) 
+            ss << " ntoreturn:" << ntoreturn;
 
-        int pass = 0;
-        
+        int pass = 0;        
+        bool exhaust = false;
         QueryResult* msgdata;
         while( 1 ) {
             try {
                 mongolock lk(false);
                 Client::Context ctx(ns);
-                msgdata = processGetMore(ns, ntoreturn, cursorid, curop, pass );
+                msgdata = processGetMore(ns, ntoreturn, cursorid, curop, pass, exhaust);
             }
             catch ( GetMoreWaitException& ) { 
+                exhaust = false;
                 massert(13073, "shutting down", !inShutdown() );
                 pass++;
                 sleepmillis(2);
                 continue;
             }
             catch ( AssertionException& e ) {
+                exhaust = false;
                 ss << " exception " << e.toString();
                 msgdata = emptyMoreResult(cursorid);
                 ok = false;
@@ -521,7 +525,8 @@ namespace mongo {
         ss << " nreturned:" << msgdata->nReturned;
         dbresponse.response = resp;
         dbresponse.responseTo = m.header()->id;
-
+        if( exhaust ) { ss << " exhaust "; 
+        dbresponse.exhaust = ns;}
         return ok;
     }
 
diff --git a/db/instance.h b/db/instance.h
index 9356dd3d630..351726c7f0a 100644
--- a/db/instance.h
+++ b/db/instance.h
@@ -93,16 +93,13 @@ namespace mongo {
     struct DbResponse {
         Message *response;
         MSGID responseTo;
-        bool exhaust;
-        DbResponse(Message *r, MSGID rt) : response(r), responseTo(rt), exhaust(false) {
-        }
+        const char *exhaust; /* points to ns if exhaust mode. 0=normal mode*/
+        DbResponse(Message *r, MSGID rt) : response(r), responseTo(rt), exhaust(0) { }
         DbResponse() {
             response = 0;
-            exhaust = false;
-        }
-        ~DbResponse() {
-            delete response;
+            exhaust = 0;
         }
+        ~DbResponse() { delete response; }
     };
     
     bool assembleResponse( Message &m, DbResponse &dbresponse, const SockAddr &client = unknownAddress );
diff --git a/db/query.cpp b/db/query.cpp
index a4c5835cfca..1463ada4566 100644
--- a/db/query.cpp
+++ b/db/query.cpp
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ namespace mongo {
         return qr;
     }
 
-    QueryResult* processGetMore(const char *ns, int ntoreturn, long long cursorid , CurOp& curop, int pass ) {
-
+    QueryResult* processGetMore(const char *ns, int ntoreturn, long long cursorid , CurOp& curop, int pass, bool& exhaust ) {
+        exhaust = false;
         ClientCursor::Pointer p(cursorid);
         ClientCursor *cc = p._c;
         
@@ -323,7 +323,6 @@ namespace mongo {
                 if ( c->matcher() && !c->matcher()->matches(c->currKey(), c->currLoc() ) ) {
                 }
                 else {
-                    //out() << "matches " << c->currLoc().toString() << '\n';
                     if( c->getsetdup(c->currLoc()) ) {
                         //out() << "  but it's a dup \n";
                     }
@@ -349,6 +348,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                 cc->updateLocation();
                 cc->mayUpgradeStorage();
                 cc->storeOpForSlave( last );
+                exhaust = cc->_queryOptions & QueryOption_Exhaust;
             }
         }
 
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     };
     
     /* run a query -- includes checking for and running a Command */
-    bool runQuery(Message& m, QueryMessage& q, CurOp& curop, Message &result) {
+    const char *runQuery(Message& m, QueryMessage& q, CurOp& curop, Message &result) {
         StringBuilder& ss = curop.debug().str;
         shared_ptr<ParsedQuery> pq_shared( new ParsedQuery(q) );
         ParsedQuery& pq( *pq_shared );
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         if( logLevel >= 5 )
             log() << "   used cursor: " << cursor.get() << endl;
         long long cursorid = 0;
-        bool exhaust = false;
+        const char * exhaust = 0;
         if ( dqo.saveClientCursor() || mps->mayRunMore() ) {
             ClientCursor *cc;
             bool moreClauses = mps->mayRunMore();
@@ -957,7 +957,10 @@ namespace mongo {
             cc->updateLocation();
             if ( !cc->c->ok() && cc->c->tailable() )
                 DEV tlog() << "query has no more but tailable, cursorid: " << cursorid << endl;
-            exhaust = queryOptions & QueryOption_Exhaust;
+            if( queryOptions & QueryOption_Exhaust ) {
+                exhaust = ns;
+                ss << " exhaust ";
+            }
         }
 
         QueryResult *qr = (QueryResult *) result.header();
diff --git a/db/query.h b/db/query.h
index 663e68811ef..13a254bb381 100644
--- a/db/query.h
+++ b/db/query.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     // for an existing query (ie a ClientCursor), send back additional information.
     struct GetMoreWaitException { };
 
-    QueryResult* processGetMore(const char *ns, int ntoreturn, long long cursorid , CurOp& op, int pass );
+    QueryResult* processGetMore(const char *ns, int ntoreturn, long long cursorid , CurOp& op, int pass, bool& exhaust);
 
     struct UpdateResult {
         bool existing;
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     long long runCount(const char *ns, const BSONObj& cmd, string& err);
     
-    bool runQuery(Message& m, QueryMessage& q, CurOp& curop, Message &result);
+    const char * runQuery(Message& m, QueryMessage& q, CurOp& curop, Message &result);
     
     /* This is for languages whose "objects" are not well ordered (JSON is well ordered).
        [ { a : ... } , { b : ... } ] -> { a : ..., b : ... }
diff --git a/util/message.h b/util/message.h
index bd6bc3b533a..6d54f8f9e98 100644
--- a/util/message.h
+++ b/util/message.h
@@ -113,9 +113,6 @@ namespace mongo {
         friend class PiggyBackData;
     };
 
-    //#pragma pack()
-#pragma pack(1)
-
     enum Operations {
         opReply = 1,     /* reply. responseTo is set. */
         dbMsg = 1000,    /* generic msg command followed by a string */
@@ -148,6 +145,27 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
     }
 
+#pragma pack(1)
+/* see http://www.mongodb.org/display/DOCS/Mongo+Wire+Protocol 
+*/
+struct MSGHEADER { 
+    int messageLength; // total message size, including this
+    int requestID;     // identifier for this message
+    int responseTo;    // requestID from the original request
+                       //   (used in reponses from db)
+    int opCode;     
+};
+struct OP_GETMORE : public MSGHEADER {
+    MSGHEADER header;             // standard message header
+    int       ZERO_or_flags;      // 0 - reserved for future use
+    //cstring   fullCollectionName; // "dbname.collectionname"
+    //int32     numberToReturn;     // number of documents to return
+    //int64     cursorID;           // cursorID from the OP_REPLY
+};
+#pragma pack()
+
+#pragma pack(1)
+    /* todo merge this with MSGHEADER (or inherit from it). */
     struct MsgData {
         int len; /* len of the msg, including this field */
         MSGID id; /* request/reply id's match... */
@@ -186,7 +204,6 @@ namespace mongo {
     inline int MsgData::dataLen() {
         return len - MsgDataHeaderSize;
     }
-
 #pragma pack()
 
     class Message {