diff --git a/GUI/server/odrive_server.py b/GUI/server/odrive_server.py
index 9f8b15d1..a650f11b 100644
--- a/GUI/server/odrive_server.py
+++ b/GUI/server/odrive_server.py
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ def postVal(odrives, keyList, value, argType):
             RO.set_value(value == "true")
         else:
             pass # dont support that type yet
+    except fibre.protocol.ChannelBrokenException:
+        handle_disconnect()
     except:
         print("exception in postVal")
 
@@ -167,6 +169,8 @@ def getVal(odrives, keyList):
             return dictFromRO(RO)
         else:
             return RO.get_value()
+    except fibre.protocol.ChannelBrokenException:
+        handle_disconnect()
     except:
         print("exception in getVal")
         return 0
@@ -189,6 +193,8 @@ def callFunc(odrives, keyList):
             RO = RO._remote_attributes[key]
         if isinstance(RO, fibre.remote_object.RemoteFunction):
             RO.__call__()
+    except fibre.protocol.ChannelBrokenException:
+        handle_disconnect()
     except:
         print("fcn call failed")
 
diff --git a/GUI/src/App.vue b/GUI/src/App.vue
index 3e5eaf3f..c58286a6 100644
--- a/GUI/src/App.vue
+++ b/GUI/src/App.vue
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@
           style="display: none"
         />
       </button>
-      <button @click="killServer">kill server</button>
-      <button @click="startServer">start server</button>
     </div>
 
     <!-- PAGE CONTENT -->
@@ -261,13 +259,6 @@ export default {
         data: {},
       });
     },
-    killServer() {
-      window.ipcRenderer.send('kill-server');
-    },
-    startServer() {
-      window.ipcRenderer.send('start-server');
-      this.$store.dispatch("setServerAddress", "http://127.0.0.1:5000");
-    }
   },
   created() {
     // on app creation, set the address to the default
diff --git a/GUI/src/background.js b/GUI/src/background.js
index 368b01ef..c21e39a4 100644
--- a/GUI/src/background.js
+++ b/GUI/src/background.js
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ const path = require('path');
 
 // Keep a global reference of the window object, if you don't, the window will
 // be closed automatically when the JavaScript object is garbage collected.
-let win
+let win;
+
+// var for python server
+let server;
 
 // Scheme must be registered before the app is ready
 protocol.registerSchemesAsPrivileged([
@@ -119,21 +122,28 @@ app.on('ready', async () => {
       effectiveCommand.push(arg);
     }
   }
-  var python;
   // launch python server on event from renderer process (gui) and pipe stdout/stderr to it
   ipcMain.on('start-server', () => {
-    python = spawn(getPyCmd(), effectiveCommand);
-    python.stdout.on('data',function(data) {
+    server = spawn(getPyCmd(), effectiveCommand);
+    server.stdout.on('data',function(data) {
       console.log(data.toString('utf8'));
-      win.webContents.send('server-stdout', String(data.toString('utf8')));
+      try {
+        win.webContents.send('server-stdout', String(data.toString('utf8')));
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.log(error);
+      }
     });
-    python.stderr.on('data',function(data) {
+    server.stderr.on('data',function(data) {
       console.log(data.toString('utf8'));
-      win.webContents.send('server-stderr', String(data.toString('utf8')));
+      try {
+        win.webContents.send('server-stderr', String(data.toString('utf8')));
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.log(error);
+      }
     });
   })
   ipcMain.on('kill-server', () => {
-    python.kill('SIGINT');
+    server.kill('SIGINT');
   })
 })
 
@@ -142,11 +152,13 @@ if (isDevelopment) {
   if (process.platform === 'win32') {
     process.on('message', (data) => {
       if (data === 'graceful-exit') {
+        server.kill('SIGINT');
         app.quit()
       }
     })
   } else {
     process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
+      server.kill('SIGINT');
       app.quit()
     })
   }