add skeleton for auditor httpd

11 files changed, 2362 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/src/auditor/.gitignore b/src/auditor/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d6cf77f83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+taler-auditor-httpd
diff --git a/src/auditor/Makefile.am b/src/auditor/Makefile.am
index 105f91c29..23776f436 100644
--- a/src/auditor/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/auditor/Makefile.am
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ pkgcfg_DATA = \
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = \
   taler-auditor \
+  taler-auditor-httpd \
   taler-wire-auditor \
   taler-auditor-sign \
   taler-auditor-dbinit
@@ -45,6 +46,23 @@ taler_auditor_LDADD = \
   -lgnunetjson \
   -lgnunetutil
 
+taler_auditor_httpd_SOURCES = \
+  taler-auditor-httpd.c taler-auditor-httpd.h \
+  taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h \
+  taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h \
+  taler-auditor-httpd_responses.c taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h
+taler_auditor_httpd_LDADD = \
+  $(LIBGCRYPT_LIBS) \
+  $(top_builddir)/src/util/libtalerutil.la \
+  $(top_builddir)/src/json/libtalerjson.la \
+  $(top_builddir)/src/wire/libtalerwire.la \
+  $(top_builddir)/src/auditordb/libtalerauditordb.la \
+  -lmicrohttpd \
+  -ljansson \
+  -lgnunetjson \
+  -lgnunetutil \
+  -lz
+
 taler_wire_auditor_SOURCES = \
   taler-wire-auditor.c
 taler_wire_auditor_LDADD = \
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.c b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a023fd6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,828 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 Inria and GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd.c
+ * @brief Serve the HTTP interface of the auditor
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <jansson.h>
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <sys/resource.h>
+#include "taler_auditordb_lib.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Backlog for listen operation on unix domain sockets.
+ */
+#define UNIX_BACKLOG 500
+
+/**
+ * Should we return "Connection: close" in each response?
+ */
+int TAH_auditor_connection_close;
+
+/**
+ * The auditor's configuration (global)
+ */
+struct GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_Handle *cfg;
+
+/**
+ * Our DB plugin.
+ */
+struct TALER_AUDITORDB_Plugin *TAH_plugin;
+
+/**
+ * Default timeout in seconds for HTTP requests.
+ */
+static unsigned int connection_timeout = 30;
+
+/**
+ * The HTTP Daemon.
+ */
+static struct MHD_Daemon *mhd;
+
+/**
+ * Port to run the daemon on.
+ */
+static uint16_t serve_port;
+
+/**
+ * Path for the unix domain-socket to run the daemon on.
+ */
+static char *serve_unixpath;
+
+/**
+ * File mode for unix-domain socket.
+ */
+static mode_t unixpath_mode;
+
+
+/**
+ * Pipe used for signaling reloading of our key state.
+ */
+static int reload_pipe[2];
+
+
+/**
+ * Handle a signal, writing relevant signal numbers to the pipe.
+ *
+ * @param signal_number the signal number
+ */
+static void
+handle_signal (int signal_number)
+{
+  ssize_t res;
+  char c = signal_number;
+
+  res = write (reload_pipe[1],
+               &c,
+               1);
+  if ( (res < 0) &&
+       (EINTR != errno) )
+  {
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return;
+  }
+  if (0 == res)
+  {
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return;
+  }
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Call #handle_signal() to pass the received signal via
+ * the control pipe.
+ */
+static void
+handle_sigint ()
+{
+  handle_signal (SIGINT);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Call #handle_signal() to pass the received signal via
+ * the control pipe.
+ */
+static void
+handle_sigterm ()
+{
+  handle_signal (SIGTERM);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Call #handle_signal() to pass the received signal via
+ * the control pipe.
+ */
+static void
+handle_sighup ()
+{
+  handle_signal (SIGHUP);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Call #handle_signal() to pass the received signal via
+ * the control pipe.
+ */
+static void
+handle_sigchld ()
+{
+  handle_signal (SIGCHLD);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Read signals from a pipe in a loop, and reload keys from disk if
+ * SIGUSR1 is received, terminate if SIGTERM/SIGINT is received, and
+ * restart if SIGHUP is received.
+ *
+ * @return #GNUNET_SYSERR on errors,
+ *         #GNUNET_OK to terminate normally
+ *         #GNUNET_NO to restart an update version of the binary
+ */
+static int
+signal_loop (void)
+{
+  struct GNUNET_SIGNAL_Context *sigterm;
+  struct GNUNET_SIGNAL_Context *sigint;
+  struct GNUNET_SIGNAL_Context *sighup;
+  struct GNUNET_SIGNAL_Context *sigchld;
+  int ret;
+  char c;
+  ssize_t res;
+
+  if (0 != pipe (reload_pipe))
+  {
+    GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                         "pipe");
+    return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+  }
+  sigterm = GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_install (SIGTERM,
+                                           &handle_sigterm);
+  sigint = GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_install (SIGINT,
+                                          &handle_sigint);
+  sighup = GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_install (SIGHUP,
+                                          &handle_sighup);
+  sigchld = GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_install (SIGCHLD,
+                                           &handle_sigchld);
+
+  ret = 2;
+  while (2 == ret)
+  {
+    errno = 0;
+    res = read (reload_pipe[0],
+                &c,
+                1);
+    if ((res < 0) && (EINTR != errno))
+    {
+      GNUNET_break (0);
+      ret = GNUNET_SYSERR;
+      break;
+    }
+    if (EINTR == errno)
+      {
+        ret = 2;
+        continue;
+      }
+    switch (c)
+    {
+    case SIGTERM:
+    case SIGINT:
+      /* terminate */
+      ret = GNUNET_OK;
+      break;
+    case SIGHUP:
+      /* restart updated binary */
+      ret = GNUNET_NO;
+      break;
+#if HAVE_DEVELOPER
+    case SIGCHLD:
+      /* running in test-mode, test finished, terminate */
+      ret = GNUNET_OK;
+      break;
+#endif
+    default:
+      /* unexpected character */
+      GNUNET_break (0);
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sigterm);
+  GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sigint);
+  GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sighup);
+  GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sigchld);
+  GNUNET_break (0 == close (reload_pipe[0]));
+  GNUNET_break (0 == close (reload_pipe[1]));
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Function called whenever MHD is done with a request.  If the
+ * request was a POST, we may have stored a `struct Buffer *` in the
+ * @a con_cls that might still need to be cleaned up.  Call the
+ * respective function to free the memory.
+ *
+ * @param cls client-defined closure
+ * @param connection connection handle
+ * @param con_cls value as set by the last call to
+ *        the #MHD_AccessHandlerCallback
+ * @param toe reason for request termination
+ * @see #MHD_OPTION_NOTIFY_COMPLETED
+ * @ingroup request
+ */
+static void
+handle_mhd_completion_callback (void *cls,
+                                struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                void **con_cls,
+                                enum MHD_RequestTerminationCode toe)
+{
+  if (NULL == *con_cls)
+    return;
+  TAH_PARSE_post_cleanup_callback (*con_cls);
+  *con_cls = NULL;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Handle incoming HTTP request.
+ *
+ * @param cls closure for MHD daemon (unused)
+ * @param connection the connection
+ * @param url the requested url
+ * @param method the method (POST, GET, ...)
+ * @param version HTTP version (ignored)
+ * @param upload_data request data
+ * @param upload_data_size size of @a upload_data in bytes
+ * @param con_cls closure for request (a `struct Buffer *`)
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+static int
+handle_mhd_request (void *cls,
+                    struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                    const char *url,
+                    const char *method,
+                    const char *version,
+                    const char *upload_data,
+                    size_t *upload_data_size,
+                    void **con_cls)
+{
+  static struct TAH_RequestHandler handlers[] =
+    {
+      /* Landing page, tell humans to go away. */
+      { "/", MHD_HTTP_METHOD_GET, "text/plain",
+        "Hello, I'm the Taler auditor. This HTTP server is not for humans.\n", 0,
+        &TAH_MHD_handler_static_response, MHD_HTTP_OK },
+      /* /robots.txt: disallow everything */
+      { "/robots.txt", MHD_HTTP_METHOD_GET, "text/plain",
+        "User-agent: *\nDisallow: /\n", 0,
+        &TAH_MHD_handler_static_response, MHD_HTTP_OK },
+      /* AGPL licensing page, redirect to source. As per the AGPL-license,
+         every deployment is required to offer the user a download of the
+         source. We make this easy by including a redirect to the source
+         here. */
+      { "/agpl", MHD_HTTP_METHOD_GET, "text/plain",
+        NULL, 0,
+        &TAH_MHD_handler_agpl_redirect, MHD_HTTP_FOUND },
+
+      { NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, 0 }
+    };
+  static struct TAH_RequestHandler h404 =
+    {
+      "", NULL, "text/html",
+      "<html><title>404: not found</title></html>", 0,
+      &TAH_MHD_handler_static_response, MHD_HTTP_NOT_FOUND
+    };
+  struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh;
+
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+              "Handling request for URL '%s'\n",
+              url);
+  if (0 == strcasecmp (method,
+                       MHD_HTTP_METHOD_HEAD))
+    method = MHD_HTTP_METHOD_GET; /* treat HEAD as GET here, MHD will do the rest */
+  for (unsigned int i=0;NULL != handlers[i].url;i++)
+  {
+    rh = &handlers[i];
+    if ( (0 == strcasecmp (url,
+                           rh->url)) &&
+         ( (NULL == rh->method) ||
+           (0 == strcasecmp (method,
+                             rh->method)) ) )
+      return rh->handler (rh,
+                          connection,
+                          con_cls,
+                          upload_data,
+                          upload_data_size);
+  }
+  return TAH_MHD_handler_static_response (&h404,
+                                          connection,
+                                          con_cls,
+                                          upload_data,
+                                          upload_data_size);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Parse the configuration to determine on which port
+ * or UNIX domain path we should run an HTTP service.
+ *
+ * @param section section of the configuration to parse ("auditor" or "auditor-admin")
+ * @param[out] rport set to the port number, or 0 for none
+ * @param[out] unix_path set to the UNIX path, or NULL for none
+ * @param[out] unix_mode set to the mode to be used for @a unix_path
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK on success
+ */
+static int
+parse_port_config (const char *section,
+                   uint16_t *rport,
+                   char **unix_path,
+                   mode_t *unix_mode)
+{
+  const char *choices[] = {"tcp", "unix"};
+  const char *serve_type;
+  unsigned long long port;
+
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_get_value_choice (cfg,
+                                             section,
+                                             "serve",
+                                             choices,
+                                             &serve_type))
+  {
+    GNUNET_log_config_invalid (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                               section,
+                               "serve",
+                               "serve type required");
+    return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+  }
+
+  if (0 == strcmp (serve_type, "tcp"))
+  {
+    if (GNUNET_OK !=
+        GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_get_value_number (cfg,
+                                               section,
+                                               "port",
+                                               &port))
+    {
+      GNUNET_log_config_invalid (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                                 section,
+                                 "port",
+                                 "port number required");
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+
+    if ( (0 == port) ||
+         (port > UINT16_MAX) )
+    {
+      fprintf (stderr,
+               "Invalid configuration (value out of range): %llu is not a valid port\n",
+               port);
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+    *rport = (uint16_t) port;
+    *unix_path = NULL;
+    return GNUNET_OK;
+  }
+  if (0 == strcmp (serve_type, "unix"))
+  {
+    struct sockaddr_un s_un;
+    char *modestring;
+
+    if (GNUNET_OK !=
+        GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_get_value_filename (cfg,
+                                                 section,
+                                                 "unixpath",
+                                                 unix_path))
+    {
+      GNUNET_log_config_invalid (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                                 section,
+                                 "unixpath",
+                                 "unixpath required");
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+    if (strlen (*unix_path) >= sizeof (s_un.sun_path))
+    {
+      fprintf (stderr,
+               "Invalid configuration: unix path too long\n");
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+
+    if (GNUNET_OK !=
+        GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_get_value_string (cfg,
+                                               section,
+                                               "UNIXPATH_MODE",
+                                               &modestring))
+    {
+      GNUNET_log_config_missing (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                                 section,
+                                 "UNIXPATH_MODE");
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+    errno = 0;
+    *unix_mode = (mode_t) strtoul (modestring, NULL, 8);
+    if (0 != errno)
+    {
+      GNUNET_log_config_invalid (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                                 section,
+                                 "UNIXPATH_MODE",
+                                 "must be octal number");
+      GNUNET_free (modestring);
+      return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    }
+    GNUNET_free (modestring);
+    return GNUNET_OK;
+  }
+  /* not reached */
+  GNUNET_assert (0);
+  return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Load configuration parameters for the auditor
+ * server into the corresponding global variables.
+ *
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK on success
+ */
+static int
+auditor_serve_process_config ()
+{
+  if (NULL ==
+      (TAH_plugin = TALER_AUDITORDB_plugin_load (cfg)))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "Failed to initialize DB subsystem\n");
+    return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+  }
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      parse_port_config ("auditor",
+                         &serve_port,
+                         &serve_unixpath,
+                         &unixpath_mode))
+  {
+    return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+  }
+  return GNUNET_OK;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Function called for logging by MHD.
+ *
+ * @param cls closure, NULL
+ * @param fm format string (`printf()`-style)
+ * @param ap arguments to @a fm
+ */
+static void
+handle_mhd_logs (void *cls,
+                 const char *fm,
+                 va_list ap)
+{
+  static int cache;
+  char buf[2048];
+
+  if (-1 == cache)
+    return;
+  if (0 == cache)
+  {
+    if (0 ==
+        GNUNET_get_log_call_status (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+                                    "auditor-httpd",
+                                    __FILE__,
+                                    __FUNCTION__,
+                                    __LINE__))
+    {
+      cache = -1;
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  cache = 1;
+  vsnprintf (buf,
+             sizeof (buf),
+             fm,
+             ap);
+  GNUNET_log_from_nocheck (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+                           "auditor-httpd",
+                           "%s",
+                           buf);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Open UNIX domain socket for listining at @a unix_path with
+ * permissions @a unix_mode.
+ *
+ * @param unix_path where to listen
+ * @param unix_mode access permissions to set
+ * @return -1 on error, otherwise the listen socket
+ */
+static int
+open_unix_path (const char *unix_path,
+                mode_t unix_mode)
+{
+  struct GNUNET_NETWORK_Handle *nh;
+  struct sockaddr_un *un;
+  int fd;
+
+  if (sizeof (un->sun_path) <= strlen (unix_path))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "unixpath `%s' too long\n",
+             unix_path);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+              "Creating listen socket '%s' with mode %o\n",
+              unix_path,
+              unix_mode);
+
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      GNUNET_DISK_directory_create_for_file (unix_path))
+  {
+    GNUNET_log_strerror_file (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                              "mkdir",
+                              unix_path);
+  }
+
+  un = GNUNET_new (struct sockaddr_un);
+  un->sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+  strncpy (un->sun_path,
+           unix_path,
+           sizeof (un->sun_path) - 1);
+  GNUNET_NETWORK_unix_precheck (un);
+
+  if (NULL == (nh = GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_create (AF_UNIX,
+                                                  SOCK_STREAM,
+                                                  0)))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "create failed for AF_UNIX\n");
+    GNUNET_free (un);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_bind (nh,
+                                  (void *) un,
+                                  sizeof (struct sockaddr_un)))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "bind failed for AF_UNIX\n");
+    GNUNET_free (un);
+    GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_close (nh);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  GNUNET_free (un);
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_listen (nh,
+                                    UNIX_BACKLOG))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "listen failed for AF_UNIX\n");
+    GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_close (nh);
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  if (0 != chmod (unix_path,
+                  unix_mode))
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "chmod failed: %s\n",
+             strerror (errno));
+    GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_close (nh);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+              "set socket '%s' to mode %o\n",
+              unix_path,
+              unix_mode);
+  fd = GNUNET_NETWORK_get_fd (nh);
+  GNUNET_NETWORK_socket_free_memory_only_ (nh);
+  return fd;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * The main function of the taler-auditor-httpd server ("the auditor").
+ *
+ * @param argc number of arguments from the command line
+ * @param argv command line arguments
+ * @return 0 ok, 1 on error
+ */
+int
+main (int argc,
+      char *const *argv)
+{
+  char *cfgfile = NULL;
+  char *loglev = NULL;
+  char *logfile = NULL;
+  const struct GNUNET_GETOPT_CommandLineOption options[] = {
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_flag ('C',
+                               "connection-close",
+                               "force HTTP connections to be closed after each request",
+                               &TAH_auditor_connection_close),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_cfgfile (&cfgfile),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_uint ('t',
+                               "timeout",
+                               "SECONDS",
+                               "after how long do connections timeout by default (in seconds)",
+                               &connection_timeout),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_help ("HTTP server providing a RESTful API to access a Taler auditor"),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_loglevel (&loglev),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_logfile (&logfile),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_option_version (VERSION "-" VCS_VERSION),
+    GNUNET_GETOPT_OPTION_END
+  };
+  int ret;
+  const char *listen_pid;
+  const char *listen_fds;
+  int fh = -1;
+
+  if (0 >=
+      GNUNET_GETOPT_run ("taler-auditor-httpd",
+                         options,
+                         argc, argv))
+    return 1;
+  GNUNET_assert (GNUNET_OK ==
+                 GNUNET_log_setup ("taler-auditor-httpd",
+                                   (NULL == loglev) ? "INFO" : loglev,
+                                   logfile));
+  if (NULL == cfgfile)
+    cfgfile = GNUNET_strdup (GNUNET_OS_project_data_get ()->user_config_file);
+  cfg = GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_create ();
+  if (GNUNET_SYSERR ==
+      GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_load (cfg, cfgfile))
+  {
+    GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                _("Malformed configuration file `%s', exit ...\n"),
+                cfgfile);
+    GNUNET_free_non_null (cfgfile);
+    return 1;
+  }
+  GNUNET_free_non_null (cfgfile);
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      auditor_serve_process_config ())
+    return 1;
+
+  /* check for systemd-style FD passing */
+  listen_pid = getenv ("LISTEN_PID");
+  listen_fds = getenv ("LISTEN_FDS");
+  if ( (NULL != listen_pid) &&
+       (NULL != listen_fds) &&
+       (getpid() == strtol (listen_pid,
+                            NULL,
+                            10)) &&
+       (1 == strtoul (listen_fds,
+                      NULL,
+                      10)) )
+  {
+    int flags;
+
+    fh = 3;
+    flags = fcntl (fh,
+                   F_GETFD);
+    if ( (-1 == flags) &&
+         (EBADF == errno) )
+    {
+      fprintf (stderr,
+               "Bad listen socket passed, ignored\n");
+      fh = -1;
+    }
+    flags |= FD_CLOEXEC;
+    if ( (-1 != fh) &&
+         (0 != fcntl (fh,
+                      F_SETFD,
+                      flags)) )
+      GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                           "fcntl");
+  }
+
+  /* consider unix path */
+  if ( (-1 == fh) &&
+       (NULL != serve_unixpath) )
+  {
+    fh = open_unix_path (serve_unixpath,
+                         unixpath_mode);
+    if (-1 == fh)
+      return 1;
+  }
+
+  mhd
+    = MHD_start_daemon (MHD_USE_SELECT_INTERNALLY | MHD_USE_PIPE_FOR_SHUTDOWN | MHD_USE_DEBUG | MHD_USE_DUAL_STACK | MHD_USE_INTERNAL_POLLING_THREAD | MHD_USE_TCP_FASTOPEN,
+                        (-1 == fh) ? serve_port : 0,
+                        NULL, NULL,
+                        &handle_mhd_request, NULL,
+                        MHD_OPTION_THREAD_POOL_SIZE, (unsigned int) 32,
+                        MHD_OPTION_LISTEN_BACKLOG_SIZE, (unsigned int) 1024,
+                        MHD_OPTION_LISTEN_SOCKET, fh,
+                        MHD_OPTION_EXTERNAL_LOGGER, &handle_mhd_logs, NULL,
+                        MHD_OPTION_NOTIFY_COMPLETED, &handle_mhd_completion_callback, NULL,
+                        MHD_OPTION_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT, connection_timeout,
+                        MHD_OPTION_END);
+  if (NULL == mhd)
+  {
+    fprintf (stderr,
+             "Failed to start HTTP server.\n");
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  /* normal behavior */
+  ret = signal_loop ();
+  switch (ret)
+  {
+  case GNUNET_OK:
+  case GNUNET_SYSERR:
+    MHD_stop_daemon (mhd);
+    break;
+  case GNUNET_NO:
+    {
+      MHD_socket sock = MHD_quiesce_daemon (mhd);
+      pid_t chld;
+      int flags;
+
+      /* Set flags to make 'sock' inherited by child */
+      flags = fcntl (sock, F_GETFD);
+      GNUNET_assert (-1 != flags);
+      flags &= ~FD_CLOEXEC;
+      GNUNET_assert (-1 != fcntl (sock, F_SETFD, flags));
+      chld = fork ();
+      if (-1 == chld)
+      {
+        /* fork() failed, continue clean up, unhappily */
+        GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                             "fork");
+      }
+      if (0 == chld)
+      {
+        char pids[12];
+
+        /* exec another taler-auditor-httpd, passing on the listen socket;
+           as in systemd it is expected to be on FD #3 */
+        if (3 != dup2 (sock, 3))
+        {
+          GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                               "dup2");
+          _exit (1);
+        }
+        /* Tell the child that it is the desired recipient for FD #3 */
+        GNUNET_snprintf (pids,
+                         sizeof (pids),
+                         "%u",
+                         getpid ());
+        setenv ("LISTEN_PID", pids, 1);
+        setenv ("LISTEN_FDS", "1", 1);
+        /* Finally, exec the (presumably) more recent auditor binary */
+        execvp ("taler-auditor-httpd",
+                argv);
+        GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                             "execvp");
+        _exit (1);
+      }
+      /* we're the original process, handle remaining contextions
+         before exiting; as the listen socket is no longer used,
+         close it here */
+      GNUNET_break (0 == close (sock));
+      while (0 != MHD_get_daemon_info (mhd,
+                                       MHD_DAEMON_INFO_CURRENT_CONNECTIONS)->num_connections)
+        sleep (1);
+      /* Now we're really done, practice clean shutdown */
+      MHD_stop_daemon (mhd);
+    }
+    break;
+  default:
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    MHD_stop_daemon (mhd);
+    break;
+  }
+  TALER_AUDITORDB_plugin_unload (TAH_plugin);
+  return (GNUNET_SYSERR == ret) ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
+/* end of taler-auditor-httpd.c */
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.h b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c03cc4907
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2018 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd.h
+ * @brief Global declarations for the auditor
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#ifndef TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_H
+#define TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_H
+
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+
+/**
+ * Should we return "Connection: close" in each response?
+ */
+extern int TAH_auditor_connection_close;
+
+/**
+ * The exchange's configuration.
+ */
+extern struct GNUNET_CONFIGURATION_Handle *cfg;
+
+/**
+ * Our DB plugin.
+ */
+extern struct TALER_AUDITORDB_Plugin *TAH_plugin;
+
+
+/**
+ * @brief Struct describing an URL and the handler for it.
+ */
+struct TAH_RequestHandler
+{
+
+  /**
+   * URL the handler is for.
+   */
+  const char *url;
+
+  /**
+   * Method the handler is for, NULL for "all".
+   */
+  const char *method;
+
+  /**
+   * Mime type to use in reply (hint, can be NULL).
+   */
+  const char *mime_type;
+
+  /**
+   * Raw data for the @e handler
+   */
+  const void *data;
+
+  /**
+   * Number of bytes in @e data, 0 for 0-terminated.
+   */
+  size_t data_size;
+
+  /**
+   * Function to call to handle the request.
+   *
+   * @param rh this struct
+   * @param mime_type the @e mime_type for the reply (hint, can be NULL)
+   * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+   * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+   * @param upload_data upload data
+   * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+   * @return MHD result code
+   */
+  int (*handler)(struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                 struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                 void **connection_cls,
+                 const char *upload_data,
+                 size_t *upload_data_size);
+
+  /**
+   * Default response code.
+   */
+  int response_code;
+};
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8fc65afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c
+ * @brief helpers for MHD interaction; these are TALER_AUDITOR_handler_ functions
+ *        that generate simple MHD replies that do not require any real operations
+ *        to be performed (error handling, static pages, etc.)
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <jansson.h>
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h"
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by sending
+ * back static data from the @a rh.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_static_response (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                                    struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                    void **connection_cls,
+                                    const char *upload_data,
+                                    size_t *upload_data_size)
+{
+  struct MHD_Response *response;
+  int ret;
+
+  if (0 == rh->data_size)
+    rh->data_size = strlen ((const char *) rh->data);
+  response = MHD_create_response_from_buffer (rh->data_size,
+                                              (void *) rh->data,
+                                              MHD_RESPMEM_PERSISTENT);
+  if (NULL == response)
+  {
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (response);
+  if (NULL != rh->mime_type)
+    (void) MHD_add_response_header (response,
+                                    MHD_HTTP_HEADER_CONTENT_TYPE,
+                                    rh->mime_type);
+  ret = MHD_queue_response (connection,
+                            rh->response_code,
+                            response);
+  MHD_destroy_response (response);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by sending
+ * back a redirect to the AGPL source code.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_agpl_redirect (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                               struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                               void **connection_cls,
+                               const char *upload_data,
+                               size_t *upload_data_size)
+{
+  const char *agpl =
+    "This server is licensed under the Affero GPL. You will now be redirected to the source code.";
+  struct MHD_Response *response;
+  int ret;
+
+  response = MHD_create_response_from_buffer (strlen (agpl),
+                                              (void *) agpl,
+                                              MHD_RESPMEM_PERSISTENT);
+  if (NULL == response)
+  {
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (response);
+  if (NULL != rh->mime_type)
+    (void) MHD_add_response_header (response,
+                                    MHD_HTTP_HEADER_CONTENT_TYPE,
+                                    rh->mime_type);
+  if (MHD_NO ==
+      MHD_add_response_header (response,
+                               MHD_HTTP_HEADER_LOCATION,
+                               "http://www.git.taler.net/?p=auditor.git"))
+  {
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    MHD_destroy_response (response);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  ret = MHD_queue_response (connection,
+                            rh->response_code,
+                            response);
+  MHD_destroy_response (response);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by building a JSON
+ * reply with an error message from @a rh.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_send_json_pack_error (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                                         struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                         void **connection_cls,
+                                         const char *upload_data,
+                                         size_t *upload_data_size)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                     rh->response_code,
+                                     "{s:s}",
+                                     "error",
+                                     rh->data);
+}
+
+
+/* end of taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.c */
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8fd2140eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd_mhd.h
+ * @brief helpers for MHD interaction, used to generate simple responses
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#ifndef TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_MHD_H
+#define TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_MHD_H
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by sending
+ * back static data from the @a rh.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_static_response (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                                 struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                 void **connection_cls,
+                                 const char *upload_data,
+                                 size_t *upload_data_size);
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by sending
+ * back a redirect to the AGPL source code.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_agpl_redirect (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                               struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                               void **connection_cls,
+                               const char *upload_data,
+                               size_t *upload_data_size);
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by building a JSON
+ * reply from varargs.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param response_code HTTP response code to use
+ * @param do_cache can the response be cached? (0: no, 1: yes)
+ * @param fmt format string for pack
+ * @param ... varargs
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_helper_send_json_pack (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                               struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                               void *connection_cls,
+                               int response_code,
+                               int do_cache,
+                               const char *fmt,
+                               ...);
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by building a JSON
+ * reply with an error message from @a rh.
+ *
+ * @param rh context of the handler
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param[in,out] connection_cls the connection's closure (can be updated)
+ * @param upload_data upload data
+ * @param[in,out] upload_data_size number of bytes (left) in @a upload_data
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_MHD_handler_send_json_pack_error (struct TAH_RequestHandler *rh,
+                                      struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                      void **connection_cls,
+                                      const char *upload_data,
+                                      size_t *upload_data_size);
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ebbe50eee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c
@@ -0,0 +1,282 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2016 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c
+ * @brief functions to parse incoming requests (MHD arguments and JSON snippets)
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_json_lib.h>
+#include "taler_json_lib.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Maximum POST request size.
+ */
+#define REQUEST_BUFFER_MAX (1024*1024)
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Process a POST request containing a JSON object.  This function
+ * realizes an MHD POST processor that will (incrementally) process
+ * JSON data uploaded to the HTTP server.  It will store the required
+ * state in the @a con_cls, which must be cleaned up using
+ * #TAH_PARSE_post_cleanup_callback().
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param con_cls the closure (points to a `struct Buffer *`)
+ * @param upload_data the POST data
+ * @param upload_data_size number of bytes in @a upload_data
+ * @param json the JSON object for a completed request
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if json object was parsed or at least
+ *               may be parsed in the future (call again);
+ *               `*json` will be NULL if we need to be called again,
+ *                and non-NULL if we are done.
+ *    #GNUNET_NO is request incomplete or invalid
+ *               (error message was generated)
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ *               (we could not even queue an error message,
+ *                close HTTP session with MHD_NO)
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_post_json (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                     void **con_cls,
+                     const char *upload_data,
+                     size_t *upload_data_size,
+                     json_t **json)
+{
+  enum GNUNET_JSON_PostResult pr;
+
+  pr = GNUNET_JSON_post_parser (REQUEST_BUFFER_MAX,
+                                con_cls,
+                                upload_data,
+                                upload_data_size,
+                                json);
+  switch (pr)
+  {
+  case GNUNET_JSON_PR_OUT_OF_MEMORY:
+    return (MHD_NO ==
+            TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_error (connection,
+					       TALER_EC_PARSER_OUT_OF_MEMORY,
+                                               "out of memory"))
+      ? GNUNET_SYSERR : GNUNET_NO;
+  case GNUNET_JSON_PR_CONTINUE:
+    return GNUNET_YES;
+  case GNUNET_JSON_PR_REQUEST_TOO_LARGE:
+    return (MHD_NO ==
+            TAH_RESPONSE_reply_request_too_large (connection))
+      ? GNUNET_SYSERR : GNUNET_NO;
+  case GNUNET_JSON_PR_JSON_INVALID:
+    return (MHD_YES ==
+            TAH_RESPONSE_reply_invalid_json (connection))
+      ? GNUNET_NO : GNUNET_SYSERR;
+  case GNUNET_JSON_PR_SUCCESS:
+    GNUNET_break (NULL != *json);
+    return GNUNET_YES;
+  }
+  /* this should never happen */
+  GNUNET_break (0);
+  return GNUNET_SYSERR;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Function called whenever we are done with a request
+ * to clean up our state.
+ *
+ * @param con_cls value as it was left by
+ *        #TAH_PARSE_post_json(), to be cleaned up
+ */
+void
+TAH_PARSE_post_cleanup_callback (void *con_cls)
+{
+  GNUNET_JSON_post_parser_cleanup (con_cls);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Extract base32crockford encoded data from request.
+ *
+ * Queues an error response to the connection if the parameter is
+ * missing or invalid.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param param_name the name of the parameter with the key
+ * @param[out] out_data pointer to store the result
+ * @param out_size expected size of data
+ * @return
+ *   #GNUNET_YES if the the argument is present
+ *   #GNUNET_NO if the argument is absent or malformed
+ *   #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error (error response could not be sent)
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_mhd_request_arg_data (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                const char *param_name,
+                                void *out_data,
+                                size_t out_size)
+{
+  const char *str;
+
+  str = MHD_lookup_connection_value (connection,
+                                     MHD_GET_ARGUMENT_KIND,
+                                     param_name);
+  if (NULL == str)
+  {
+    return (MHD_NO ==
+            TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_missing (connection,
+					    TALER_EC_PARAMETER_MISSING,
+					    param_name))
+      ? GNUNET_SYSERR : GNUNET_NO;
+  }
+  if (GNUNET_OK !=
+      GNUNET_STRINGS_string_to_data (str,
+                                     strlen (str),
+                                     out_data,
+                                     out_size))
+    return (MHD_NO ==
+            TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_invalid (connection,
+					    TALER_EC_PARAMETER_MALFORMED,
+					    param_name))
+      ? GNUNET_SYSERR : GNUNET_NO;
+  return GNUNET_OK;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Parse JSON object into components based on the given field
+ * specification.  Generates error response on parse errors.
+ *
+ * @param connection the connection to send an error response to
+ * @param root the JSON node to start the navigation at.
+ * @param[in,out] spec field specification for the parser
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if navigation was successful (caller is responsible
+ *                for freeing allocated variable-size data using
+ *                GNUNET_JSON_parse_free() when done)
+ *    #GNUNET_NO if json is malformed, error response was generated
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_json_data (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                     const json_t *root,
+                     struct GNUNET_JSON_Specification *spec)
+{
+  int ret;
+  const char *error_json_name;
+  unsigned int error_line;
+
+  ret = GNUNET_JSON_parse (root,
+                           spec,
+                           &error_json_name,
+                           &error_line);
+  if (GNUNET_SYSERR == ret)
+  {
+    if (NULL == error_json_name)
+      error_json_name = "<no field>";
+    ret = (MHD_YES ==
+           TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                         MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                         "{s:s, s:I, s:s, s:I}",
+                                         "error", "parse error",
+					 "code", (json_int_t) TALER_EC_JSON_INVALID_WITH_DETAILS,
+                                         "field", error_json_name,
+                                         "line", (json_int_t) error_line))
+      ? GNUNET_NO : GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    return ret;
+  }
+  return GNUNET_YES;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Parse JSON array into components based on the given field
+ * specification.  Generates error response on parse errors.
+ *
+ * @param connection the connection to send an error response to
+ * @param root the JSON node to start the navigation at.
+ * @param[in,out] spec field specification for the parser
+ * @param ... -1-terminated list of array offsets of type 'int'
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if navigation was successful (caller is responsible
+ *                for freeing allocated variable-size data using
+ *                GNUNET_JSON_parse_free() when done)
+ *    #GNUNET_NO if json is malformed, error response was generated
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_json_array (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                      const json_t *root,
+                      struct GNUNET_JSON_Specification *spec,
+                      ...)
+{
+  int ret;
+  const char *error_json_name;
+  unsigned int error_line;
+  va_list ap;
+  json_int_t dim;
+
+  va_start (ap, spec);
+  dim = 0;
+  while ( (-1 != (ret = va_arg (ap, int))) &&
+          (NULL != root) )
+  {
+    dim++;
+    root = json_array_get (root, ret);
+  }
+  va_end (ap);
+  if (NULL == root)
+  {
+    ret = (MHD_YES ==
+           TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                         MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                         "{s:s, s:I}",
+                                         "error", "parse error",
+                                         "dimension", dim))
+      ? GNUNET_NO : GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    return ret;
+  }
+  ret = GNUNET_JSON_parse (root,
+                           spec,
+                           &error_json_name,
+                           &error_line);
+  if (GNUNET_SYSERR == ret)
+  {
+    if (NULL == error_json_name)
+      error_json_name = "<no field>";
+    ret = (MHD_YES ==
+           TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                         MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                         "{s:s, s:s, s:I}",
+                                         "error", "parse error",
+                                         "field", error_json_name,
+                                         "line", (json_int_t) error_line))
+      ? GNUNET_NO : GNUNET_SYSERR;
+    return ret;
+  }
+  return GNUNET_YES;
+}
+
+
+/* end of taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.c */
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7df76ef54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2016 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd_parsing.h
+ * @brief functions to parse incoming requests
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#ifndef TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_PARSING_H
+#define TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_PARSING_H
+
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+#include <jansson.h>
+#include "taler_util.h"
+#include "taler_json_lib.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Process a POST request containing a JSON object.  This
+ * function realizes an MHD POST processor that will
+ * (incrementally) process JSON data uploaded to the HTTP
+ * server.  It will store the required state in the
+ * "connection_cls", which must be cleaned up using
+ * #TAH_PARSE_post_cleanup_callback().
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param con_cls the closure (points to a `struct Buffer *`)
+ * @param upload_data the POST data
+ * @param upload_data_size number of bytes in @a upload_data
+ * @param json the JSON object for a completed request
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if json object was parsed or at least
+ *               may be parsed in the future (call again);
+ *               `*json` will be NULL if we need to be called again,
+ *                and non-NULL if we are done.
+ *    #GNUNET_NO is request incomplete or invalid
+ *               (error message was generated)
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ *               (we could not even queue an error message,
+ *                close HTTP session with MHD_NO)
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_post_json (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                     void **con_cls,
+                     const char *upload_data,
+                     size_t *upload_data_size,
+                     json_t **json);
+
+
+/**
+ * Function called whenever we are done with a request
+ * to clean up our state.
+ *
+ * @param con_cls value as it was left by
+ *        #TAH_PARSE_post_json(), to be cleaned up
+ */
+void
+TAH_PARSE_post_cleanup_callback (void *con_cls);
+
+
+/**
+ * Parse JSON object into components based on the given field
+ * specification.
+ *
+ * @param connection the connection to send an error response to
+ * @param root the JSON node to start the navigation at.
+ * @param spec field specification for the parser
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if navigation was successful (caller is responsible
+ *                for freeing allocated variable-size data using
+ *                GNUNET_JSON_parse_free() when done)
+ *    #GNUNET_NO if json is malformed, error response was generated
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_json_data (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                     const json_t *root,
+                     struct GNUNET_JSON_Specification *spec);
+
+
+/**
+ * Parse JSON array into components based on the given field
+ * specification.  Generates error response on parse errors.
+ *
+ * @param connection the connection to send an error response to
+ * @param root the JSON node to start the navigation at.
+ * @param[in,out] spec field specification for the parser
+ * @param ... -1-terminated list of array offsets of type 'int'
+ * @return
+ *    #GNUNET_YES if navigation was successful (caller is responsible
+ *                for freeing allocated variable-size data using
+ *                GNUNET_JSON_parse_free() when done)
+ *    #GNUNET_NO if json is malformed, error response was generated
+ *    #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_json_array (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                      const json_t *root,
+                      struct GNUNET_JSON_Specification *spec,
+                      ...);
+
+
+/**
+ * Extraxt fixed-size base32crockford encoded data from request.
+ *
+ * Queues an error response to the connection if the parameter is missing or
+ * invalid.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param param_name the name of the parameter with the key
+ * @param[out] out_data pointer to store the result
+ * @param out_size expected size of @a out_data
+ * @return
+ *   #GNUNET_YES if the the argument is present
+ *   #GNUNET_NO if the argument is absent or malformed
+ *   #GNUNET_SYSERR on internal error (error response could not be sent)
+ */
+int
+TAH_PARSE_mhd_request_arg_data (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                                const char *param_name,
+                                void *out_data,
+                                size_t out_size);
+
+
+#endif /* TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_PARSING_H */
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.c b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..045a77772
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.c
@@ -0,0 +1,479 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014-2017 Inria & GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+/**
+ * @file taler-exchange-httpd_responses.c
+ * @brief API for generating genric replies of the exchange; these
+ *        functions are called TAH_RESPONSE_reply_ and they generate
+ *        and queue MHD response objects for a given connection.
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <zlib.h>
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h"
+#include "taler_util.h"
+#include "taler_json_lib.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Add headers we want to return in every response.
+ * Useful for testing, like if we want to always close
+ * connections.
+ *
+ * @param response response to modify
+ */
+void
+TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (struct MHD_Response *response)
+{
+  if (TAH_auditor_connection_close)
+    GNUNET_break (MHD_YES ==
+                  MHD_add_response_header (response,
+                                           MHD_HTTP_HEADER_CONNECTION,
+                                           "close"));
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Is HTTP body deflate compression supported by the client?
+ *
+ * @param connection connection to check
+ * @return #MHD_YES if 'deflate' compression is allowed
+ *
+ * Note that right now we're ignoring q-values, which is technically
+ * not correct, and also do not support "*" anywhere but in a line by
+ * itself.  This should eventually be fixed, see also
+ * https://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_can_compress (struct MHD_Connection *connection)
+{
+  const char *ae;
+  const char *de;
+
+  ae = MHD_lookup_connection_value (connection,
+				    MHD_HEADER_KIND,
+				    MHD_HTTP_HEADER_ACCEPT_ENCODING);
+  if (NULL == ae)
+    return MHD_NO;
+  if (0 == strcmp (ae,
+                   "*"))
+    return MHD_YES;
+  de = strstr (ae,
+	       "deflate");
+  if (NULL == de)
+    return MHD_NO;
+  if ( ( (de == ae) ||
+	 (de[-1] == ',') ||
+	 (de[-1] == ' ') ) &&
+       ( (de[strlen ("deflate")] == '\0') ||
+	 (de[strlen ("deflate")] == ',') ||
+         (de[strlen ("deflate")] == ';') ) )
+    return MHD_YES;
+  return MHD_NO;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Try to compress a response body.  Updates @a buf and @a buf_size.
+ *
+ * @param[in,out] buf pointer to body to compress
+ * @param[in,out] buf_size pointer to initial size of @a buf
+ * @return #MHD_YES if @a buf was compressed
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_body_compress (void **buf,
+			    size_t *buf_size)
+{
+  Bytef *cbuf;
+  uLongf cbuf_size;
+  int ret;
+
+  cbuf_size = compressBound (*buf_size);
+  cbuf = malloc (cbuf_size);
+  if (NULL == cbuf)
+    return MHD_NO;
+  ret = compress (cbuf,
+		  &cbuf_size,
+		  (const Bytef *) *buf,
+		  *buf_size);
+  if ( (Z_OK != ret) ||
+       (cbuf_size >= *buf_size) )
+  {
+    /* compression failed */
+    free (cbuf);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  free (*buf);
+  *buf = (void *) cbuf;
+  *buf_size = (size_t) cbuf_size;
+  return MHD_YES;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send JSON object as response.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param json the json object
+ * @param response_code the http response code
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                         const json_t *json,
+                         unsigned int response_code)
+{
+  struct MHD_Response *resp;
+  void *json_str;
+  size_t json_len;
+  int ret;
+  int comp;
+
+  json_str = json_dumps (json,
+			 JSON_INDENT(2));
+  if (NULL == json_str)
+  {
+    /**
+     * This log helps to figure out which
+     * function called this one and assert-failed.
+     */
+    TALER_LOG_ERROR ("Aborting json-packing for HTTP code: %u\n",
+                     response_code);
+
+    GNUNET_assert (0);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  json_len = strlen (json_str);
+  /* try to compress the body */
+  comp = MHD_NO;
+  if (MHD_YES ==
+      TAH_RESPONSE_can_compress (connection))
+    comp = TAH_RESPONSE_body_compress (&json_str,
+				       &json_len);
+  resp = MHD_create_response_from_buffer (json_len,
+                                          json_str,
+                                          MHD_RESPMEM_MUST_FREE);
+  if (NULL == resp)
+  {
+    free (json_str);
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (resp);
+  (void) MHD_add_response_header (resp,
+                                  MHD_HTTP_HEADER_CONTENT_TYPE,
+                                  "application/json");
+  if (MHD_YES == comp)
+  {
+    /* Need to indicate to client that body is compressed */
+    if (MHD_NO ==
+	MHD_add_response_header (resp,
+				 MHD_HTTP_HEADER_CONTENT_ENCODING,
+				 "deflate"))
+    {
+      GNUNET_break (0);
+      MHD_destroy_response (resp);
+      return MHD_NO;
+    }
+  }
+  ret = MHD_queue_response (connection,
+                            response_code,
+                            resp);
+  MHD_destroy_response (resp);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by building a JSON
+ * reply from a format string and varargs.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param response_code HTTP response code to use
+ * @param fmt format string for pack
+ * @param ... varargs
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                              unsigned int response_code,
+                              const char *fmt,
+                              ...)
+{
+  json_t *json;
+  va_list argp;
+  int ret;
+  json_error_t jerror;
+
+  va_start (argp, fmt);
+  json = json_vpack_ex (&jerror, 0, fmt, argp);
+  va_end (argp);
+  if (NULL == json)
+  {
+    GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
+                "Failed to pack JSON with format `%s': %s\n",
+                fmt,
+                jerror.text);
+    GNUNET_break (0);
+    return MHD_NO;
+  }
+  ret = TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json (connection,
+                                 json,
+                                 response_code);
+  json_decref (json);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an invalid argument.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_invalid (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "invalid parameter",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "parameter", param_name);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an argument refering to a
+ * resource unknown to the auditor (i.e. unknown reserve or
+ * denomination key).
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_unknown (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_NOT_FOUND,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "unknown entity referenced",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "parameter", param_name);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an invalid signature.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_signature_invalid (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                      const char *param_name)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "invalid signature",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "parameter", param_name);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating a missing argument.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is missing
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_missing (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "missing parameter",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "parameter", param_name);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating permission denied.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about why access was denied
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_permission_denied (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                      const char *hint)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_FORBIDDEN,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "permission denied",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "hint", hint);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an internal error.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about the internal error's nature
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				   enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                   const char *hint)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "internal error",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "hint", hint);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an external error.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about the error's nature
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_external_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				   enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                   const char *hint)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I, s:s}",
+                                       "error", "client error",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec,
+                                       "hint", hint);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an error committing a
+ * transaction (concurrent interference).
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_commit_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				 enum TALER_ErrorCode ec)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I}",
+                                       "error", "commit failure",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) ec);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating a failure to talk to the Auditor's
+ * database.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_db_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_error (connection,
+					    ec,
+                                            "Failure in database interaction");
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating that the request was too big.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_request_too_large (struct MHD_Connection *connection)
+{
+  struct MHD_Response *resp;
+  int ret;
+
+  resp = MHD_create_response_from_buffer (0,
+                                          NULL,
+                                          MHD_RESPMEM_PERSISTENT);
+  if (NULL == resp)
+    return MHD_NO;
+  TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (resp);
+  ret = MHD_queue_response (connection,
+                            MHD_HTTP_REQUEST_ENTITY_TOO_LARGE,
+                            resp);
+  MHD_destroy_response (resp);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating that the JSON was malformed.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_invalid_json (struct MHD_Connection *connection)
+{
+  return TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (connection,
+                                       MHD_HTTP_BAD_REQUEST,
+                                       "{s:s, s:I}",
+                                       "error", "invalid json",
+				       "code", (json_int_t) TALER_EC_JSON_INVALID);
+}
+
+
+/* end of taler-auditor-httpd_responses.c */
diff --git a/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95e6183ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/auditor/taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h
@@ -0,0 +1,245 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014 GNUnet e.V.
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @file taler-auditor-httpd_responses.h
+ * @brief API for generating generic replies of the auditor; these
+ *        functions are called TAH_RESPONSE_reply_ and they generate
+ *        and queue MHD response objects for a given connection.
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ */
+#ifndef TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_RESPONSES_H
+#define TALER_AUDITOR_HTTPD_RESPONSES_H
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <jansson.h>
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include "taler_error_codes.h"
+#include "taler-auditor-httpd.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * Add headers we want to return in every response.
+ * Useful for testing, like if we want to always close
+ * connections.
+ *
+ * @param response response to modify
+ */
+void
+TAH_RESPONSE_add_global_headers (struct MHD_Response *response);
+
+
+/**
+ * Try to compress a response body.  Updates @a buf and @a buf_size.
+ *
+ * @param[in,out] buf pointer to body to compress
+ * @param[in,out] buf_size pointer to initial size of @a buf
+ * @return #MHD_YES if @a buf was compressed
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_body_compress (void **buf,
+			    size_t *buf_size);
+
+
+/**
+ * Is HTTP body deflate compression supported by the client?
+ *
+ * @param connection connection to check
+ * @return #MHD_YES if 'deflate' compression is allowed
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_can_compress (struct MHD_Connection *connection);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send JSON object as response.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection
+ * @param json the json object
+ * @param response_code the http response code
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                         const json_t *json,
+                         unsigned int response_code);
+
+
+/**
+ * Function to call to handle the request by building a JSON
+ * reply from a format string and varargs.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to handle
+ * @param response_code HTTP response code to use
+ * @param fmt format string for pack
+ * @param ... varargs
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_json_pack (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+                              unsigned int response_code,
+                              const char *fmt,
+                              ...);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an invalid signature.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_signature_invalid (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                      const char *param_name);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an invalid argument.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_invalid (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an argument refering to a
+ * resource unknown to the auditor (i.e. unknown reserve or
+ * denomination key).
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is invalid
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_unknown (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating a missing argument.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param param_name the parameter that is missing
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_arg_missing (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                const char *param_name);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating permission denied.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about why access was denied
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_permission_denied (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                      const char *hint);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an internal error.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about the internal error's nature
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				   enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                   const char *hint);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an external error.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @param hint hint about the error's nature
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_external_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				   enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
+                                   const char *hint);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating an error committing a
+ * transaction (concurrent interference).
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_commit_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec);
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating a failure to talk to the Auditor's
+ * database.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @param ec error code uniquely identifying the error
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_internal_db_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
+				      enum TALER_ErrorCode ec);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating that the request was too big.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_request_too_large (struct MHD_Connection *connection);
+
+
+/**
+ * Send a response indicating that the JSON was malformed.
+ *
+ * @param connection the MHD connection to use
+ * @return a MHD result code
+ */
+int
+TAH_RESPONSE_reply_invalid_json (struct MHD_Connection *connectionx);
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
index 8fbb2f85f..6c2d342ba 100644
--- a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
+++ b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-httpd_keystate.c
@@ -1930,6 +1930,8 @@ read_again:
   GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sigint);
   GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sighup);
   GNUNET_SIGNAL_handler_uninstall (sigchld);
+  GNUNET_break (0 == close (reload_pipe[0]));
+  GNUNET_break (0 == close (reload_pipe[1]));
   return ret;
 }