diff --git a/blinky.js b/blinky.js
index a5dbe02..a5da2bb 100644
--- a/blinky.js
+++ b/blinky.js
@@ -15,17 +15,17 @@ handleInterrupts();
 main();
 
 // main - let's get this party started
-function main() {
-    util.fileExists(global.config)
-        .then((result) => {
-            global.config = require(result.path);
-            global.config.path = result.path;
-        })
-        .then(logger.initialize)
-        .then(server.start)
-        .then(logger.info)
-        .then(server.handleRequests)
-        .catch(exit);
+async function main() {
+    try {
+        const config = await util.fileExists(global.config);
+        global.config = require(config.path);
+        global.config.path = config.path;
+        logger.initialize();
+        logger.info(await server.start());
+        server.handleRequests();
+    } catch (err) {
+        exit(err);
+    }
 }
 
 // ... and it all comes crashing down
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ function exit(err, code) {
     }
     if (err) {
         logger.error(err);
-        logger.error(packageJSON.name + " ended due to an error");
+        logger.error(packageJSON.name + ' ended due to an error');
     } else {
-        logger.info(packageJSON.name + " shutting down gracefully")
+        logger.info(packageJSON.name + ' shutting down gracefully')
     }
     process.exit(code);
 }
diff --git a/libs/logger.js b/libs/logger.js
index 0f89526..e442783 100644
--- a/libs/logger.js
+++ b/libs/logger.js
@@ -14,14 +14,11 @@ let loglevel = getLogLevel();
 let timestamp = getTimestamp();
 
 function initialize() {
-    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-        if (global.config === undefined) {
-            reject('could not initialize logger, config is undefined');
-        }
-        loglevel = getLogLevel();
-        timestamp = getTimestamp();
-        resolve();
-    });
+    if (global.config === undefined) {
+        throw new Error('could not initialize logger, config is undefined');
+    }
+    loglevel = getLogLevel();
+    timestamp = getTimestamp();
 }
 
 // get the loglevel
@@ -104,7 +101,11 @@ function error(message) {
         }
         return;
     }
-    trace(message.message, 'error');
+    if (message.message) {
+        trace(message.message, 'error');
+        return
+    }
+    trace(message, 'error');
 }
 
 // default logging function
diff --git a/libs/server.js b/libs/server.js
index 5b230d2..9c80d86 100644
--- a/libs/server.js
+++ b/libs/server.js
@@ -23,19 +23,19 @@ const MODE_POWEROFF = require('./blinkstick.js').MODE_POWEROFF;
 const html = require('./index.js').get();
 
 // run the express http server and handle gets/posts
-function start() {
-    return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
+async function start() {
+    return await new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
         app.listen(config.server.port, config.server.listen)
             .on('listening', function () {
-                return resolve('server listening on ' + config.server.listen + ':' + config.server.port + '...')
+                resolve('server listening on ' + config.server.listen + ':' + config.server.port + '...')
             })
             .on('error', function (err) {
-                return reject('error starting server (' + err + ')');
+                reject('error starting server (' + err + ')');
             });
     });
 }
 
-async function handleRequests() {
+function handleRequests() {
     // GET html page
     app.get('*', (request, response) => {
         logger.http(request);
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ async function handleRequests() {
             })
             .catch((err) => {
                 response.status(500);
-                response.end({status: 'error', error: err});
+                response.end(JSON.stringify({status: 'error', error: err.message}));
             });
     });
 }