diff --git a/onionr/communicator2.py b/onionr/communicator2.py
index 5d045a69..8e10e8b1 100755
--- a/onionr/communicator2.py
+++ b/onionr/communicator2.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class OnionrCommunicatorDaemon:
         OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.daemonTools.cooldownPeer, 30, requiresPeer=True)
         OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.uploadBlock, 10, requiresPeer=True, maxThreads=1)
         OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.daemonCommands, 6, maxThreads=1)
-        OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.detectAPICrash, 5, maxThreads=1)
+        OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.detectAPICrash, 30, maxThreads=1)
         deniableBlockTimer = OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.daemonTools.insertDeniableBlock, 180, requiresPeer=True, maxThreads=1)
 
         netCheckTimer = OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.daemonTools.netCheck, 600)
diff --git a/onionr/core.py b/onionr/core.py
index 1e698a4c..2a349f68 100644
--- a/onionr/core.py
+++ b/onionr/core.py
@@ -680,7 +680,10 @@ class Core:
             Inserts a block into the network
             encryptType must be specified to encrypt a block
         '''
-
+        allocationReachedMessage = 'Cannot insert block, disk allocation reached.'
+        if self._utils.storageCounter.isFull():
+            logger.error(allocationReachedMessage)
+            return False
         retData = False
         # check nonce
         dataNonce = self._utils.bytesToStr(self._crypto.sha3Hash(data))
@@ -774,13 +777,18 @@ class Core:
         proof = onionrproofs.POW(metadata, data)
         payload = proof.waitForResult()
         if payload != False:
-            retData = self.setData(payload)
-            # Tell the api server through localCommand to wait for the daemon to upload this block to make stastical analysis more difficult
-            self._utils.localCommand('waitforshare/' + retData)
-            self.addToBlockDB(retData, selfInsert=True, dataSaved=True)
-            #self.setBlockType(retData, meta['type'])
-            self._utils.processBlockMetadata(retData)
-            self.daemonQueueAdd('uploadBlock', retData)
+            try:
+                retData = self.setData(payload)
+            except onionrexceptions.DiskAllocationReached:
+                logger.error(allocationReachedMessage)
+                retData = False
+            else:
+                # Tell the api server through localCommand to wait for the daemon to upload this block to make stastical analysis more difficult
+                self._utils.localCommand('waitforshare/' + retData)
+                self.addToBlockDB(retData, selfInsert=True, dataSaved=True)
+                #self.setBlockType(retData, meta['type'])
+                self._utils.processBlockMetadata(retData)
+                self.daemonQueueAdd('uploadBlock', retData)
 
         if retData != False:
             events.event('insertBlock', onionr = None, threaded = False)
diff --git a/onionr/onionr.py b/onionr/onionr.py
index aadceb56..e108a3c7 100755
--- a/onionr/onionr.py
+++ b/onionr/onionr.py
@@ -719,7 +719,6 @@ class Onionr:
         '''
             Starts the Onionr communication daemon
         '''
-
         communicatorDaemon = './communicator2.py'
 
         # remove runcheck if it exists
diff --git a/onionr/onionrblockapi.py b/onionr/onionrblockapi.py
index e6506faf..93bc3201 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrblockapi.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrblockapi.py
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ class Block:
                         blockFile.write(self.getRaw().encode())
                 else:
                     self.hash = self.getCore().insertBlock(self.getContent(), header = self.getType(), sign = sign, meta = self.getMetadata(), expire = self.getExpire())
-                
-                self.update()
+                if self.hash != False:
+                    self.update()
 
                 return self.getHash()
             else:
diff --git a/onionr/onionrcrypto.py b/onionr/onionrcrypto.py
index 04c821cd..0daf6e3e 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrcrypto.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrcrypto.py
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ class OnionrCrypto:
         except AttributeError:
             pass
 
-        difficulty = math.floor(dataLen / 1000000)
+        difficulty = onionrproofs.getDifficultyForNewBlock(blockContent, ourBlock=False)
+        
         if difficulty < int(config.get('general.minimum_block_pow')):
             difficulty = int(config.get('general.minimum_block_pow'))
         mainHash = '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000'#nacl.hash.blake2b(nacl.utils.random()).decode()
diff --git a/onionr/onionrproofs.py b/onionr/onionrproofs.py
index 9665a4cb..8e3da0a4 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrproofs.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrproofs.py
@@ -19,7 +19,55 @@
 '''
 
 import nacl.encoding, nacl.hash, nacl.utils, time, math, threading, binascii, logger, sys, base64, json
-import core, config
+import core, onionrutils, config
+import onionrblockapi
+
+def getDifficultyModifier(coreOrUtilsInst=None):
+    '''Accepts a core or utils instance returns 
+    the difficulty modifier for block storage based 
+    on a variety of factors, currently only disk use.
+    '''
+    classInst = coreOrUtilsInst
+    retData = 0
+    if isinstance(classInst, core.Core):
+        useFunc = classInst._utils.storageCounter.getPercent
+    elif isinstance(classInst, onionrutils.OnionrUtils):
+        useFunc = classInst.storageCounter.getPercent
+    else:
+        useFunc = core.Core()._utils.storageCounter.getPercent
+
+    percentUse = useFunc()
+
+    if percentUse >= 0.50:
+        retData += 1
+    elif percentUse >= 0.75:
+            retData += 2
+    elif percentUse >= 0.95:
+            retData += 3
+
+    return retData
+
+def getDifficultyForNewBlock(data, ourBlock=True):
+    '''
+    Get difficulty for block. Accepts size in integer, Block instance, or str/bytes full block contents
+    '''
+    retData = 0
+    dataSize = 0
+    if isinstance(data, onionrblockapi.Block):
+        dataSize = len(data.getRaw().encode('utf-8'))
+    elif isinstance(data, str):
+        dataSize = len(data.encode('utf-8'))
+    elif isinstance(data, int):
+        dataSize = data
+    else:
+        raise ValueError('not Block, str, or int')
+    if ourBlock:
+        minDifficulty = config.get('general.minimum_send_pow')
+    else:
+        minDifficulty = config.get('general.minimum_block_pow')
+
+    retData = max(minDifficulty, math.floor(dataSize / 1000000)) + getDifficultyModifier()
+    return retData
 
 def getHashDifficulty(h):
     '''
@@ -55,6 +103,7 @@ class DataPOW:
         self.difficulty = 0
         self.data = data
         self.threadCount = threadCount
+        self.rounds = 0
         config.reload()
 
         if forceDifficulty == 0:
@@ -96,6 +145,7 @@ class DataPOW:
         while self.hashing:
             rand = nacl.utils.random()
             token = nacl.hash.blake2b(rand + self.data).decode()
+            self.rounds += 1
             #print(token)
             if self.puzzle == token[0:self.difficulty]:
                 self.hashing = False
@@ -106,6 +156,7 @@ class DataPOW:
             endTime = math.floor(time.time())
             if self.reporting:
                 logger.debug('Found token after %s seconds: %s' % (endTime - startTime, token), timestamp=True)
+                logger.debug('Round count: %s' % (self.rounds,))
             self.result = (token, rand)
 
     def shutdown(self):
@@ -146,18 +197,28 @@ class DataPOW:
         return result
 
 class POW:
-    def __init__(self, metadata, data, threadCount = 5):
+    def __init__(self, metadata, data, threadCount = 5, forceDifficulty=0, coreInst=None):
         self.foundHash = False
         self.difficulty = 0
         self.data = data
         self.metadata = metadata
         self.threadCount = threadCount
 
-        dataLen = len(data) + len(json.dumps(metadata))
-        self.difficulty = math.floor(dataLen / 1000000)
-        if self.difficulty <= 2:
-            self.difficulty = int(config.get('general.minimum_block_pow'))
+        try:
+            assert isinstance(coreInst, core.Core)
+        except AssertionError:
+            myCore = core.Core()
+        else:
+            myCore = coreInst
 
+        dataLen = len(data) + len(json.dumps(metadata))
+
+        if forceDifficulty > 0:
+            self.difficulty = forceDifficulty
+        else:
+            # Calculate difficulty. Dumb for now, may use good algorithm in the future.
+            self.difficulty = getDifficultyForNewBlock(dataLen)
+            
         try:
             self.data = self.data.encode()
         except AttributeError:
@@ -167,8 +228,7 @@ class POW:
 
         self.mainHash = '0' * 64
         self.puzzle = self.mainHash[0:min(self.difficulty, len(self.mainHash))]
-        
-        myCore = core.Core()
+
         for i in range(max(1, threadCount)):
             t = threading.Thread(name = 'thread%s' % i, target = self.pow, args = (True,myCore))
             t.start()
diff --git a/onionr/onionrutils.py b/onionr/onionrutils.py
index c6cfdfb9..afd61866 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrutils.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrutils.py
@@ -155,18 +155,21 @@ class OnionrUtils:
         '''
             Send a command to the local http API server, securely. Intended for local clients, DO NOT USE for remote peers.
         '''
-
         config.reload()
         self.getTimeBypassToken()
         # TODO: URL encode parameters, just as an extra measure. May not be needed, but should be added regardless.
         hostname = ''
+        maxWait = 5
+        waited = 0
         while hostname == '':
             try:
                 with open(self._core.privateApiHostFile, 'r') as host:
                     hostname = host.read()
             except FileNotFoundError:
-                print('wat')
                 time.sleep(1)
+                waited += 1
+                if waited == maxWait:
+                    return False
         if data != '':
             data = '&data=' + urllib.parse.quote_plus(data)
         payload = 'http://%s:%s/%s%s' % (hostname, config.get('client.client.port'), command, data)
diff --git a/onionr/static-data/default_config.json b/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
index 13436852..524ee185 100644
--- a/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
+++ b/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 {
     "general" : {
         "dev_mode" : true,
-        "display_header" : true,
-        "minimum_block_pow": 5,
-        "minimum_send_pow": 5,
+        "display_header" : false,
+        "minimum_block_pow": 4,
+        "minimum_send_pow": 4,
         "socket_servers": false,
         "security_level": 0,
         "max_block_age": 2678400,
-        "public_key": "",
-        "use_new_api_server": false
+        "public_key": ""
     },
 
     "www" : {
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@
      },
 
     "allocations" : {
-        "disk" : 10000000000,
+        "disk" : 2000,
         "net_total" : 1000000000,
         "blockCache" : 5000000,
         "blockCacheTotal" : 50000000
diff --git a/onionr/storagecounter.py b/onionr/storagecounter.py
index 4468dacc..863145f9 100644
--- a/onionr/storagecounter.py
+++ b/onionr/storagecounter.py
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ class StorageCounter:
         except FileNotFoundError:
             pass
         return retData
+    
+    def getPercent(self):
+        '''Return percent (decimal/float) of disk space we're using'''
+        amount = self.getAmount()
+        return round(amount / self._core.config.get('allocations.disk'), 2)
 
     def addBytes(self, amount):
         '''Record that we are now using more disk space, unless doing so would exceed configured max'''