diff --git a/ugly_hacks/santiago/errors.py b/ugly_hacks/santiago/errors.py
index 935de848c..ac6a1b820 100644
--- a/ugly_hacks/santiago/errors.py
+++ b/ugly_hacks/santiago/errors.py
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 class SignatureError(Exception):
+    """Base class for signature-related errors."""
+
     pass
 
 class InvalidSignatureError(SignatureError):
+    """The signature in this message is cryptographically invalid."""
+    
     pass
 
 class UnwillingHostError(SignatureError):
+    """The current process isn't willing to host a service for the client."""
+
     pass
diff --git a/ugly_hacks/santiago/protocols/https.py b/ugly_hacks/santiago/protocols/https.py
index bb8a466b9..e05f00536 100644
--- a/ugly_hacks/santiago/protocols/https.py
+++ b/ugly_hacks/santiago/protocols/https.py
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ class Listener(SantiagoListener):
     def index(self, **kwargs):
         """Receive an incoming Santiago request from another Santiago client."""
 
-        self.incoming_request(**kwargs)
+        try:
+            self.incoming_request(kwargs["request"])
+        except:
+            pass
 
     @cherrypy.expose
     def query(self, host, service):
diff --git a/ugly_hacks/santiago/simplesantiago.py b/ugly_hacks/santiago/simplesantiago.py
index f66b92ae3..cc18cba77 100644
--- a/ugly_hacks/santiago/simplesantiago.py
+++ b/ugly_hacks/santiago/simplesantiago.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class SimpleSantiago(object):
             protocol = destination.split(":")[0]
             self.senders[protocol].outgoing_request(request, destination)
 
-    def incoming_request(self, **kwargs):
+    def incoming_request(self, request):
         """Provide a service to a client.
 
         This tag doesn't do any real processing, it just catches and hides
@@ -274,33 +274,33 @@ class SimpleSantiago(object):
         attacker knows that the last request brought down a system.
 
         """
-        logging.debug("Incoming request: ", str(kwargs))
+        logging.debug("Incoming request: ", str(request))
 
         # no matter what happens, the sender will never hear about it.
         try:
             try:
-                request = self.unpack_request(kwargs)
+                unpacked = self.unpack_request(request)
             except ValueError as e:
                 return
 
-            if not request:
+            if not unpacked:
                 return
 
-            logging.debug("Unpacked request: ", str(request))
+            logging.debug("Unpacked request: ", str(unpacked))
 
-            if request["locations"]:
-                self.handle_reply(request["from"], request["to"],
-                                  request["host"], request["client"],
-                                  request["service"], request["locations"],
-                                  request["reply_to"])
+            if unpacked["locations"]:
+                self.handle_reply(unpacked["from"], unpacked["to"],
+                                  unpacked["host"], unpacked["client"],
+                                  unpacked["service"], unpacked["locations"],
+                                  unpacked["reply_to"])
             else:
-                self.handle_request(request["from"], request["to"],
-                                    request["host"], request["client"],
-                                    request["service"], request["reply_to"])
+                self.handle_request(unpacked["from"], unpacked["to"],
+                                    unpacked["host"], unpacked["client"],
+                                    unpacked["service"], unpacked["reply_to"])
         except Exception as e:
             logging.exception("Error: ", str(e))
 
-    def unpack_request(self, kwargs):
+    def unpack_request(self, request):
         """Decrypt and verify the request.
 
         Raise an (unhandled?) error if there're any inconsistencies in the