diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaid.java b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaid.java
index b89e97e01b6..3739b3c84e3 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaid.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaid.java
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ public class StackMaid {
 		pop(msid_setby_manager, savePoint);
 	}
 	
+	public void pop() {
+	    if(currentSeq > 0)
+	        pop(currentSeq -1);
+	}
+	
 	/**
 	 * must be called within thread context
 	 * @param currentMsid
@@ -78,12 +83,6 @@ public class StackMaid {
 	}
 	
 	public void exitCleanup() {
-/*
-		assert(msid_setby_manager != 0) : "Fatal, make sure StackMaidManager is loaded";
-		if(msid_setby_manager == 0)
-			s_logger.error("Fatal, make sure StackMaidManager is loaded");
-*/			
-		
 		exitCleanup(msid_setby_manager);
 	}
 	
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaidManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaidManagerImpl.java
index 073244dcd32..ab92cb2eaa6 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaidManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/StackMaidManagerImpl.java
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public class StackMaidManagerImpl implements StackMaidManager {
 			
 			public void reallyRun() {
 				try {
-					Date cutTime = new Date(DateUtil.currentGMTTime().getTime() - 3600000);
+					Date cutTime = new Date(DateUtil.currentGMTTime().getTime() - 7200000);
 					List<StackMaidVO> l = _maidDao.listLeftoversByCutTime(cutTime);
 					cleanupLeftovers(l);
 				} catch(Throwable e) {
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/dao/StackMaidDaoImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/dao/StackMaidDaoImpl.java
index e7d8d6936f6..0a4c3f2d73c 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/maid/dao/StackMaidDaoImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/maid/dao/StackMaidDaoImpl.java
@@ -40,39 +40,55 @@ public class StackMaidDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<StackMaidVO, Long> implemen
 
     @DB
 	public void pushCleanupDelegate(long msid, int seq, String delegateClzName, Object context) {
-		StackMaidVO delegateItem = new StackMaidVO();
-		delegateItem.setMsid(msid);
-		delegateItem.setThreadId(Thread.currentThread().getId());
-		delegateItem.setSeq(seq);
-		delegateItem.setDelegate(delegateClzName);
-		delegateItem.setContext(SerializerHelper.toSerializedStringOld(context));
-		delegateItem.setCreated(DateUtil.currentGMTTime());
-		
-		super.persist(delegateItem);
+        
+        Transaction txn = Transaction.open(Transaction.CLOUD_DB);
+        try {
+    		StackMaidVO delegateItem = new StackMaidVO();
+    		delegateItem.setMsid(msid);
+    		delegateItem.setThreadId(Thread.currentThread().getId());
+    		delegateItem.setSeq(seq);
+    		delegateItem.setDelegate(delegateClzName);
+    		delegateItem.setContext(SerializerHelper.toSerializedStringOld(context));
+    		delegateItem.setCreated(DateUtil.currentGMTTime());
+    		
+    		super.persist(delegateItem);
+        } finally {
+            txn.close();
+        }
 	}
 
     @DB
 	public StackMaidVO popCleanupDelegate(long msid) {
-        SearchCriteria<StackMaidVO> sc = popSearch.create();
-        sc.setParameters("msid", msid);
-        sc.setParameters("threadId", Thread.currentThread().getId());
-        
-		Filter filter = new Filter(StackMaidVO.class, "seq", false, 0L, (long)1);
-		List<StackMaidVO> l = listIncludingRemovedBy(sc, filter);
-		if(l != null && l.size() > 0) {
-			expunge(l.get(0).getId());
-			return l.get(0);
-		}
+        Transaction txn = Transaction.open(Transaction.CLOUD_DB);
+        try {
+            SearchCriteria<StackMaidVO> sc = popSearch.create();
+            sc.setParameters("msid", msid);
+            sc.setParameters("threadId", Thread.currentThread().getId());
+            
+    		Filter filter = new Filter(StackMaidVO.class, "seq", false, 0L, (long)1);
+    		List<StackMaidVO> l = listIncludingRemovedBy(sc, filter);
+    		if(l != null && l.size() > 0) {
+    			expunge(l.get(0).getId());
+    			return l.get(0);
+    		}
+        } finally {
+            txn.close();
+        }
 		
 		return null;
 	}
 	
     @DB
 	public void clearStack(long msid) {
-        SearchCriteria<StackMaidVO> sc = clearSearch.create();
-        sc.setParameters("msid", msid);
-        
-        expunge(sc);
+        Transaction txn = Transaction.open(Transaction.CLOUD_DB);
+        try {
+            SearchCriteria<StackMaidVO> sc = clearSearch.create();
+            sc.setParameters("msid", msid);
+            
+            expunge(sc);
+        } finally {
+            txn.close();
+        }
 	}
     
     @DB
@@ -80,7 +96,7 @@ public class StackMaidDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<StackMaidVO, Long> implemen
     	List<StackMaidVO> l = new ArrayList<StackMaidVO>();
     	String sql = "select * from stack_maid where msid=? order by msid asc, thread_id asc, seq desc";
     	
-        Transaction txn = Transaction.currentTxn();;
+        Transaction txn = Transaction.open(Transaction.CLOUD_DB);
         PreparedStatement pstmt = null;
         try {
             pstmt = txn.prepareAutoCloseStatement(sql);
@@ -94,6 +110,8 @@ public class StackMaidDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<StackMaidVO, Long> implemen
         	s_logger.error("unexcpected exception " + e.getMessage(), e);
         } catch (Throwable e) {
         	s_logger.error("unexcpected exception " + e.getMessage(), e);
+        } finally {
+            txn.close();
         }
         return l;
     }
@@ -104,7 +122,7 @@ public class StackMaidDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<StackMaidVO, Long> implemen
     	List<StackMaidVO> l = new ArrayList<StackMaidVO>();
     	String sql = "select * from stack_maid where created < ? order by msid asc, thread_id asc, seq desc";
     	
-        Transaction txn = Transaction.currentTxn();;
+        Transaction txn = Transaction.open(Transaction.CLOUD_DB);
         PreparedStatement pstmt = null;
         try {
             pstmt = txn.prepareAutoCloseStatement(sql);
@@ -119,6 +137,8 @@ public class StackMaidDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<StackMaidVO, Long> implemen
         	s_logger.error("unexcpected exception " + e.getMessage(), e);
         } catch (Throwable e) {
         	s_logger.error("unexcpected exception " + e.getMessage(), e);
+        } finally {
+            txn.close();
         }
         return l;
     }
diff --git a/utils/src/com/cloud/utils/db/Transaction.java b/utils/src/com/cloud/utils/db/Transaction.java
index 96c0532612b..a641fd86284 100755
--- a/utils/src/com/cloud/utils/db/Transaction.java
+++ b/utils/src/com/cloud/utils/db/Transaction.java
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ public class Transaction {
     public static Transaction currentTxn() {
         Transaction txn = tls.get();
         assert txn != null : "No Transaction on stack.  Did you mark the method with @DB?";
-        assert checkAnnotation(3, txn) : "Did you even read the guide to use Transaction...IOW...other people's code? Try method can't be private.  What about @DB? hmmm... could that be it? " + txn.toString();
+        
+        // loosen the requirement to let people use explicit transaction management (i.e., in Unit tests) 
+        // assert checkAnnotation(3, txn) : "Did you even read the guide to use Transaction...IOW...other people's code? Try method can't be private.  What about @DB? hmmm... could that be it? " + txn.toString();
         return txn;
     }