diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
index a0f705a62..a43d54463 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 //
-// $Id: CrowdServer.java,v 1.6 2001/08/08 23:48:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: CrowdServer.java,v 1.7 2001/09/28 22:32:28 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.cocktail.party.server;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.CherServer;
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ public class PartyServer extends CherServer
      * Initializes all of the server services and prepares for operation.
      */
     public void init ()
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         // do the cher server initialization
         super.init();
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsServer.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsServer.java
index 1dde7442d..3e21f494d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsServer.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsServer.java
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 //
-// $Id: PresentsServer.java,v 1.12 2001/08/08 23:56:20 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: PresentsServer.java,v 1.13 2001/09/28 22:32:28 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
 import com.samskivert.util.Config;
 
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.Log;
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ public class CherServer
      * Initializes all of the server services and prepares for operation.
      */
     public void init ()
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         // create our configuration object
         config = new Config();
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/WhirledServer.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/WhirledServer.java
index 335ba9fe4..04b7fd3e5 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/WhirledServer.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/WhirledServer.java
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 //
-// $Id: WhirledServer.java,v 1.3 2001/09/28 22:23:48 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: WhirledServer.java,v 1.4 2001/09/28 22:32:28 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.server;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
-
 import com.samskivert.jdbc.ConnectionProvider;
 import com.samskivert.jdbc.StaticConnectionProvider;
 import com.samskivert.util.Config;
@@ -34,7 +32,7 @@ public class WhirledServer extends PartyServer
      * Initializes all of the server services and prepares for operation.
      */
     public void init ()
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         // do the cher server initialization
         super.init();
@@ -65,11 +63,11 @@ public class WhirledServer extends PartyServer
      * whirled server configuration and use those properties to create a
      * {@link com.samskivert.jdbc.StaticConnectionProvider}.
      *
-     * @exception IOException thrown if an error occurs creating the
+     * @exception Exception thrown if an error occurs creating the
      * connection provider.
      */
     protected ConnectionProvider createConnectionProvider (Config config)
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         String dbmap = config.getValue(DBMAP_KEY, DEF_DBMAP);
         return new StaticConnectionProvider(dbmap);
@@ -81,12 +79,12 @@ public class WhirledServer extends PartyServer
      * (which they most likely will), they should override this method and
      * instantiate the scene repository of their choosing.
      *
-     * @exception IOException thrown if any error occurs while
-     * instantiating or initializing the scene repository.
+     * @exception Exception thrown if any error occurs while instantiating
+     * or initializing the scene repository.
      */
     protected SceneRepository createSceneRepository (
         ConnectionProvider conprov)
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         return new DummySceneRepository();
     }
diff --git a/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/TestServer.java b/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/TestServer.java
index 52d33691b..aa7c1aadd 100644
--- a/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/TestServer.java
+++ b/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/TestServer.java
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 //
-// $Id: TestServer.java,v 1.2 2001/08/08 23:48:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: TestServer.java,v 1.3 2001/09/28 22:32:28 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.test;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
-
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.Log;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.dobj.*;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.*;
@@ -17,7 +15,7 @@ public class TestServer extends CherServer
     public static TestObject testobj;
 
     public void init ()
-        throws IOException
+        throws Exception
     {
         super.init();