diff --git a/lib/xos-genx/xosgenx/targets/grpc_api.xtarget b/lib/xos-genx/xosgenx/targets/grpc_api.xtarget
index 387a2fe..2d8a032 100644
--- a/lib/xos-genx/xosgenx/targets/grpc_api.xtarget
+++ b/lib/xos-genx/xosgenx/targets/grpc_api.xtarget
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import authenticate as django_authenticate
 from xos.exceptions import *
 from apihelper import XOSAPIHelperMixin
-from decorators import translate_exceptions
+from decorators import translate_exceptions, check_db_connection
 import grpc
 
 class XosService(xos_pb2_grpc.xosServicer, XOSAPIHelperMixin):
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 {%- if object.name!='XOSBase' %}
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "List{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "List{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def List{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "Filter{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "Filter{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Filter{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "Get{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "Get{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Get{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
@@ -49,6 +52,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "Create{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "Create{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Create{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
@@ -58,6 +62,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "Delete{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "Delete{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Delete{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
@@ -67,6 +72,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("{{ object.name }}", "Update{{ object.name }}")
     @track_request_time("{{ object.name }}", "Update{{ object.name }}")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Update{{ object.name }}(self, request, context):
       user=self.authenticate(context)
       model=self.get_model("{{ object.name }}")
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index a8ce26b..084a487 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
   nose2
   flake8
   pyfakefs
+  grpcio==1.19.0
 
 commands =
   nose2 -c tox.ini --verbose --junit-xml
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/backupsetwatcher.py b/xos/coreapi/backupsetwatcher.py
index 6d2fe1c..e81194e 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/backupsetwatcher.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/backupsetwatcher.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 from core.models import BackupFile, BackupOperation
 from django.db.models import Q, F
+from decorators import check_db_connection
 
 from xosconfig import Config
 from multistructlog import create_logger
@@ -234,6 +235,7 @@
         with open(request_fn, "w") as f:
             f.write(json.dumps(request))
 
+    @check_db_connection
     def run_once(self):
         # If we're exiting due to a backup request being saved, then return
         if self.exiting:
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/decorators.py b/xos/coreapi/decorators.py
index bd543ca..dc3d6d7 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/decorators.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/decorators.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from apistats import REQUEST_COUNT
 import time
 import grpc
+from django import db
 
 from xos.exceptions import (
     XOSNotAuthenticated,
@@ -29,6 +30,9 @@
 
 log = create_logger(Config().get("logging"))
 
+# This decorator causes issues with unit tests, so provide a means to disable it.
+disable_check_db_connection_decorator = False
+
 
 def translate_exceptions(model, method):
     """ this decorator translates XOS exceptions to grpc status codes """
@@ -111,3 +115,31 @@
         return result
 
     return wrapper
+
+
+def check_db_connection(function):
+    """ Check that the database connection is not in "already closed" state.
+        This tends to happen when postgres is restarted. Connections will persist
+        in this state throwing "connection already closed" errors until the
+        old connections are disposed of.
+    """
+    def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if not disable_check_db_connection_decorator:
+            try:
+                db.connection.cursor()
+            except Exception as e:
+                if "connection already closed" in str(e):
+                    log.warning("check_db_connection: connection already closed")
+                    try:
+                        db.close_old_connections()
+                        log.info("check_db_connection: removed old connections")
+                    except Exception as e:
+                        log.exception("check_db_connection: we failed to fix the failure", e=e)
+                        raise
+                else:
+                    raise
+
+        result = function(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        return result
+
+    return wrapper
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/reaper.py b/xos/coreapi/reaper.py
index 6080e1a..9928656 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/reaper.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/reaper.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     sys.path.append("/opt/xos")
     os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "xos.settings")
 
+from decorators import check_db_connection
 from xosconfig import Config
 from multistructlog import create_logger
 log = create_logger(Config().get("logging"))
@@ -50,24 +51,6 @@
         self.terminate_signal = False
         super(ReaperThread, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    def check_db_connection_okay(self):
-        # django implodes if the database connection is closed by docker-compose
-        from django import db
-
-        try:
-            db.connection.cursor()
-        except Exception as e:
-            if "connection already closed" in traceback.format_exc():
-                log.exception("XXX connection already closed", e=e)
-                try:
-                    #               if db.connection:
-                    #                   db.connection.close()
-                    db.close_old_connections()
-                except Exception as e:
-                    log.exception("XXX we failed to fix the failure", e=e)
-            else:
-                log.exception("XXX some other error", e=e)
-
     def journal_object(self, o, operation, msg=None, timestamp=None):
         # not implemented at this time
         pass
@@ -95,11 +78,10 @@
                 deps.append(model)
         return deps
 
+    @check_db_connection
     def run_reaper_once(self):
         # logger.debug("REAPER: run_reaper_once()")
 
-        self.check_db_connection_okay()
-
         # Reap non-sync'd models here
         # models_to_reap = [Slice,Network,NetworkSlice]
 
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/test_backupsetwatcher.py b/xos/coreapi/test_backupsetwatcher.py
index 3a17441..7793f23 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/test_backupsetwatcher.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/test_backupsetwatcher.py
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@
 from mock import MagicMock, Mock, patch
 from pyfakefs import fake_filesystem_unittest
 from io import open
-
 from xosconfig import Config
 
+XOS_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..")
 
 def make_model(vars_dict, var_name, **kwargs):
     """ Helper function to mock creating objects. Creates a MagicMock with the
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@
         sys.modules["core.models"] = Mock(BackupOperation=self.mock_backup_operation,
                                           BackupFile=self.mock_backup_file)
 
+        # needed because decorators.py imports xos.exceptions
+        self.sys_path_save = sys.path
+        sys.path = [XOS_DIR] + sys.path
+
+        import decorators
+        decorators.disable_check_db_connection_decorator = True
+
         import backupsetwatcher
         self.backupsetwatcher = backupsetwatcher
 
@@ -70,7 +77,7 @@
         self.watcher = backupsetwatcher.BackupSetWatcherThread(self.server)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        pass
+        sys.path = self.sys_path_save
 
     def test_init_request_dir(self):
         self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(self.watcher.backup_request_dir))
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/xos_dynamicload_api.py b/xos/coreapi/xos_dynamicload_api.py
index 1ee3bcb..c58daba 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/xos_dynamicload_api.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/xos_dynamicload_api.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from dynamicbuild import DynamicBuilder
 from apistats import REQUEST_COUNT, track_request_time
 from authhelper import XOSAuthHelperMixin
-from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication
+from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication, check_db_connection
 import grpc
 import semver
 from xosconfig import Config
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 
     @track_request_time("DynamicLoad", "LoadModels")
     @translate_exceptions("DynamicLoad", "LoadModels")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def LoadModels(self, request, context):
         try:
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@
 
     @track_request_time("DynamicLoad", "UnloadModels")
     @translate_exceptions("DynamicLoad", "UnloadModels")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def UnloadModels(self, request, context):
         try:
@@ -205,6 +207,7 @@
 
     @track_request_time("DynamicLoad", "GetLoadStatus")
     @translate_exceptions("DynamicLoad", "GetLoadStatus")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def GetLoadStatus(self, request, context):
         try:
@@ -249,6 +252,7 @@
 
     @track_request_time("DynamicLoad", "GetConvenienceMethods")
     @translate_exceptions("DynamicLoad", "GetConvenienceMethods")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def GetConvenienceMethods(self, request, context):
         # self.authenticate(context, required=True)
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/xos_filetransfer_api.py b/xos/coreapi/xos_filetransfer_api.py
index 4109540..1eb01d4 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/xos_filetransfer_api.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/xos_filetransfer_api.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 from apistats import track_request_time
 from authhelper import XOSAuthHelperMixin
-from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication
+from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication, check_db_connection
 import os
 from protos import filetransfer_pb2, filetransfer_pb2_grpc
 
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("FileTransfer", "Download")
     @track_request_time("FileTransfer", "Download")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def Download(self, request, context):
         if not request.uri.startswith("file://"):
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("FileTransfer", "Upload")
     @track_request_time("FileTransfer", "Upload")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def Upload(self, request_iterator, context):
         backend_file = None
diff --git a/xos/coreapi/xos_utility_api.py b/xos/coreapi/xos_utility_api.py
index 46514a7..3ebe405 100644
--- a/xos/coreapi/xos_utility_api.py
+++ b/xos/coreapi/xos_utility_api.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from apistats import REQUEST_COUNT, track_request_time
 import grpc
 from authhelper import XOSAuthHelperMixin
-from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication
+from decorators import translate_exceptions, require_authentication, check_db_connection
 from xos.exceptions import XOSNotAuthenticated
 from core.models import ServiceInstance
 from django.db.models import F, Q
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "Login")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "Login")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Login(self, request, context):
         if not request.username:
             raise XOSNotAuthenticated("No username")
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "Logout")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "Logout")
+    @check_db_connection
     def Logout(self, request, context):
         for (k, v) in context.invocation_metadata():
             if k.lower() == "x-xossession":
@@ -122,6 +124,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "AuthenticatedNoOp")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "AuthenticatedNoOp")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def AuthenticatedNoOp(self, request, context):
         REQUEST_COUNT.labels(
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "ListDirtyModels")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "ListDirtyModels")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def ListDirtyModels(self, request, context):
         dirty_models = utility_pb2.ModelList()
@@ -159,6 +163,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "SetDirtyModels")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "SetDirtyModels")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def SetDirtyModels(self, request, context):
         user = self.authenticate(context, required=True)
@@ -196,6 +201,7 @@
         return dirty_models
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "GetXproto")
+    @check_db_connection
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "GetXproto")
     # TODO(smbaker): Tosca engine calls this without authentication
     def GetXproto(self, request, context):
@@ -233,6 +239,7 @@
 
     @translate_exceptions("Utilities", "GetPopulatedServiceInstances")
     @track_request_time("Utilities", "GetPopulatedServiceInstances")
+    @check_db_connection
     @require_authentication
     def GetPopulatedServiceInstances(self, request, context):
         """
diff --git a/xos/xos/exceptions.py b/xos/xos/exceptions.py
index 1033138..01de305 100644
--- a/xos/xos/exceptions.py
+++ b/xos/xos/exceptions.py
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 
 
 import json
-from rest_framework.exceptions import APIException
-from rest_framework.exceptions import PermissionDenied as RestFrameworkPermissionDenied
 
 
 def _get_json_error_details(data):
@@ -30,6 +28,30 @@
     return json.dumps(ret)
 
 
+class APIException(Exception):
+    """
+    Base class for API Exceptions.
+    Subclasses should provide `.status_code` and `.default_detail` properties.
+    """
+    status_code = 500
+    default_detail = {"error": "APIException",
+                      "specific_error": "nonspecific",
+                      "fields": {}}
+    default_code = 'error'
+
+    def __init__(self, detail=None, code=None):
+        if detail is None:
+            detail = self.default_detail
+        if code is None:
+            code = self.default_code
+
+        self.detail = detail
+        self.code = code  # TODO(smbaker): not sure that self.code is useful
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return str(self.detail)
+
+
 class XOSProgrammingError(APIException):
     status_code = 400
 
@@ -44,7 +66,8 @@
         self.json_detail = _get_json_error_details(raw_detail)
 
 
-class XOSPermissionDenied(RestFrameworkPermissionDenied):
+class XOSPermissionDenied(APIException):
+    status_code = 403
     def __init__(self, why="permission error", fields={}):
         raw_detail = {
             "error": "XOSPermissionDenied",
@@ -56,7 +79,7 @@
         self.json_detail = _get_json_error_details(raw_detail)
 
 
-class XOSNotAuthenticated(RestFrameworkPermissionDenied):
+class XOSNotAuthenticated(APIException):
     status_code = 401
 
     def __init__(self, why="you must be authenticated to use this api", fields={}):
@@ -70,7 +93,7 @@
         self.json_detail = _get_json_error_details(raw_detail)
 
 
-class XOSNotFound(RestFrameworkPermissionDenied):
+class XOSNotFound(APIException):
     status_code = 404
 
     def __init__(self, why="object not found", fields={}):