diff --git a/js/node-client/getNextTestInfo.js b/js/node-client/getNextTestInfo.js
index c136332..a398d63 100644
--- a/js/node-client/getNextTestInfo.js
+++ b/js/node-client/getNextTestInfo.js
@@ -23,11 +23,17 @@ module.exports = async function( options ) {
 
   }, options );
 
-  const response = await axios( `${options.serverURL}/aquaserver/next-test?old=${options.old}` );
+  let response = {};
+  try {
+    response = await axios( `${options.serverURL}/aquaserver/next-test?old=${options.old}` );
+  }
+  catch( e ) {
+    throw new Error( `axios failure code ${e.response.status} getting next-test: ${e.message}` );
+  }
 
   if ( response.status !== 200 ) {
     throw new Error( `nextTest request failed with status ${response.status} ${response}` );
   }
 
-  return response.data;
+  return response.data || {};
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/js/node-client/runNextTest.js b/js/node-client/runNextTest.js
index 4fad855..48cbbf0 100644
--- a/js/node-client/runNextTest.js
+++ b/js/node-client/runNextTest.js
@@ -20,16 +20,18 @@ const winston = require( 'winston' );
  */
 module.exports = async function( options ) {
 
-  const testInfo = await getNextTestInfo( options );
-  winston.info( 'testInfo', JSON.stringify( testInfo ) );
-
   const attemptCount = 3;
   let attemptsLeft = attemptCount;
 
   let lastFailure;
 
+  let testInfo = null;
   while ( attemptsLeft-- > 0 ) {
     try {
+      if ( !testInfo ) {
+        testInfo = await getNextTestInfo( options );
+        winston.info( 'testInfo', JSON.stringify( testInfo ) );
+      }
       await runTest( testInfo, options );
       winston.debug( 'runTest completed' );
       return;