diff --git a/onionr/api.py b/onionr/api.py
index 5b63619f..e4a0b5c8 100755
--- a/onionr/api.py
+++ b/onionr/api.py
@@ -138,7 +138,13 @@ class API:
                 resp = Response(self._utils.exportMyPubkey())
             # setData should be something the communicator initiates, not this api
             elif action == 'getData':
-                resp = Response(self._core.getData(data))
+                resp = self._core.getData(data)
+                if resp == False:
+                    abort(404)
+                    resp = ""
+                resp = Response(resp)
+            else:
+                resp = Response("")
 
             return resp
 
diff --git a/onionr/communicator.py b/onionr/communicator.py
index c167a560..c646ac7c 100755
--- a/onionr/communicator.py
+++ b/onionr/communicator.py
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ class OnionrCommunicate:
         self._utils = onionrutils.OnionrUtils(self._core)
         blockProcessTimer = 0
         blockProcessAmount = 5
+        heartBeatTimer = 0
+        heartBeatRate = 10
         logger.debug('Communicator debugging enabled.')
         torID = open('data/hs/hostname').read()
 
@@ -45,14 +47,17 @@ class OnionrCommunicate:
             self._core.clearDaemonQueue()
         while True:
             command = self._core.daemonQueue()
-
             # Process blocks based on a timer
             blockProcessTimer += 1
+            heartBeatTimer += 1
+            if heartBeatRate == heartBeatTimer:
+                logger.debug('Communicator heartbeat')
+                heartBeatTimer = 0
             if blockProcessTimer == blockProcessAmount:
                 self.lookupBlocks()
                 self._core.processBlocks()
                 blockProcessTimer = 0
-            logger.debug('Communicator daemon heartbeat')
+            #logger.debug('Communicator daemon heartbeat')
             if command != False:
                 if command[0] == 'shutdown':
                     logger.warn('Daemon recieved exit command.')
diff --git a/onionr/core.py b/onionr/core.py
index 711bf803..0df2a698 100644
--- a/onionr/core.py
+++ b/onionr/core.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class Core:
 
         if not os.path.exists('data/'):
             os.mkdir('data/')
+        if not os.path.exists('data/blocks/'):
+            os.mkdir('data/blocks/')
 
         if not os.path.exists(self.blockDB):
             self.createBlockDB()
@@ -142,9 +144,12 @@ class Core:
 
     def getData(self,hash):
         '''simply return the data associated to a hash'''
-        dataFile = open(self.blockDataLocation + hash + '.dat')
-        data = dataFile.read()
-        dataFile.close()
+        try:
+            dataFile = open(self.blockDataLocation + hash + '.dat')
+            data = dataFile.read()
+            dataFile.close()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            data = False
         return data
 
     def setData(self, data):
@@ -158,7 +163,7 @@ class Core:
             raise Exception("Data is already set for " + dataHash)
         else:
             blockFile = open(blockFileName, 'w')
-            blockFile.write(data)
+            blockFile.write(data.decode())
             blockFile.close()
         return dataHash