diff --git a/server/cli.py b/server/cli.py
index d5445f4..16feb30 100644
--- a/server/cli.py
+++ b/server/cli.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger('cli')
 CWD = os.getcwd()
 
 import forge
+import maint
 from config_manager import get_config
 import server
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ def pre_check_permissions():
         yield "Code writable"
     if not is_writable(get_config()['AUDIO_OUTPUT']):
         yield "Audio output '%s' not writable" % get_config()['AUDIO_OUTPUT']
+        logger.critical("Aborting")
         sys.exit(10)
 
 
@@ -69,18 +71,27 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser = ArgumentParser(description='creates mp3 from live recordings')
     parser.add_argument('--verbose', '-v', action='count',
                         help='Increase verbosity; can be used multiple times')
-    sub = parser.add_subparsers(title='subcommands',
-                                description='valid subcommands',
-                                help='additional help')
-    serve_p = sub.add_parser('serve')
+    parser.add_argument('--pretend', '-p', action='store_true', default=False,
+                        help='Only pretend; no real action will be done')
+    sub = parser.add_subparsers(title='main subcommands',
+                                description='valid subcommands')
+    serve_p = sub.add_parser('serve', help="Start an HTTP server")
     serve_p.set_defaults(func=server.main_cmd)
-    forge_p = sub.add_parser('forge')
+    forge_p = sub.add_parser('forge', help="Create an audio file")
     forge_p.add_argument('starttime', metavar='FROM', action=DateTimeAction)
     forge_p.add_argument('endtime', metavar='TO', action=DateTimeAction)
     forge_p.add_argument('-o', metavar='OUTFILE', dest='outfile',
                          default='out.mp3', help='Path of the output mp3')
     forge_p.set_defaults(func=forge.main_cmd)
 
+    cleanold_p = sub.add_parser('cleanold', help="Remove old files from DB",
+            description="Will remove oldfiles with no filename from DB")
+    cleanold_p.add_argument('-t', metavar='MINAGE', dest='minage',
+                         default='14', type=int,
+                         help='Minimum age (in days) for removal')
+    cleanold_p.set_defaults(func=maint.cleanold_cmd)
+
+
     options = parser.parse_args()
     options.cwd = CWD
     if options.verbose < 1:
@@ -89,5 +100,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
     elif options.verbose >= 2:
         logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+        if options.verbose > 2:
+            logging.info("giving verbose flag >2 times is useless")
     common_pre()
     options.func(options)
diff --git a/server/maint.py b/server/maint.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cad10a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/maint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import sys
+import logging
+
+from config_manager import get_config
+from techrec import RecDB
+
+def cleanold_cmd(options):
+    log = logging.getLogger('cleanold')
+    log.debug("starting cleanold[%d]" % options.minage)
+    db = RecDB(get_config()['DB_URI'])
+    res = db.get_not_completed(options.minage*3600*24)
+    count = len(res)
+    if options.pretend:
+        for rec in res:
+            print rec
+    else:
+        for rec in res:
+            logging.info("Deleting " + str(rec))
+            db.session.delete(rec)
+            db.commit()
+        logging.info("Cleanold complete: %d deleted" % count)
+    sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/server/server.py b/server/server.py
index 9c020fc..9606684 100644
--- a/server/server.py
+++ b/server/server.py
@@ -148,7 +148,9 @@ class RecAPI(Bottle):
                 get_config()['FORGE_MAX_DURATION']:
                     response.status = 400
                     return {'status': 'error',
-                            'message': 'The requested recording is too long'
+                            'message': 'The requested recording is too long' +
+                            ' (%d seconds)' %
+                            (rec.endtime - rec.starttime).total_seconds()
                             }
         rec.filename = 'ror-%s-%s.mp3' % \
                        (rec.starttime.strftime('%y%m%d_%H%M'),
diff --git a/server/techrec.py b/server/techrec.py
index 730afc5..4668812 100644
--- a/server/techrec.py
+++ b/server/techrec.py
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 import logging
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 
 import sys
 
-try:
-    from sqlalchemy import create_engine, Column, Integer, String, DateTime
-    from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
-    from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
-except:
-    sys.exit("No SQLAlchemy.")
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine, Column, Integer, String, DateTime
+from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
+from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 
 
 PAGESIZE = 10
@@ -110,7 +108,7 @@ class RecDB:
             return False
 
         if len(_rlist) > 1:
-            self.log.warning("DB: Delete: multilpe records found!")
+            self.log.warning("DB: Delete: multiple records found!")
             self.err = "multiple ID Found %s" % (_rlist)
             return False
 
@@ -130,11 +128,24 @@ class RecDB:
         query = self._query_page(self._query_ongoing(), page, page_size)
         return query.all()
 
+    def get_not_completed(self, minseconds=36000):
+        query = self._query_ongoing()
+        query = self._query_older(timedelta(seconds=minseconds), query)
+        return query.all()
+
     def _query_ongoing(self, query=None):
         if query is None:
             query = self.session.query(Rec)
         return query.filter(Rec.filename == None)
 
+
+
+    def _query_older(self, delta, query=None):
+        if query is None:
+            query = self.session.query(Rec)
+        return query.filter(Rec.endtime < datetime.now() - delta)
+
+
     def _query_page(self, query, page=0, page_size=PAGESIZE):
         if page_size:
             page_size = int(page_size)
@@ -179,8 +190,6 @@ class RecDB:
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    from datetime import datetime
-
     def printall(queryres):
         for record in queryres:
             print "Record: %s" % record