diff --git a/alert_parser.c b/alert_parser.c
index b32bc21..8c603b9 100644
--- a/alert_parser.c
+++ b/alert_parser.c
@@ -96,7 +96,14 @@ AI_alerts_pool_thread ( void *arg )
 			continue;
 
 		if ( pthread_create ( &serializer_thread, NULL, AI_serializer_thread, NULL ) != 0 )
+		{
 			AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alerts' serializer thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ );
+		}
+
+		/* if ( pthread_join ( serializer_thread, NULL ) != 0 ) */
+		/* { */
+		/* 	AI_fatal_err ( "Could not join the alerts' serializer thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ ); */
+		/* } */
 	}
 
 	pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
@@ -163,7 +170,9 @@ AI_file_alertparser_thread ( void* arg )
 
 	/* Initialize the thread for managing the serialization of alerts' pool */
 	if ( pthread_create ( &alerts_pool_thread, NULL, AI_alerts_pool_thread, NULL ) != 0 )
+	{
 		AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alerts' pool management thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ );
+	}
 
 	while ( 1 )
 	{
@@ -285,12 +294,21 @@ AI_file_alertparser_thread ( void* arg )
 					}
 
 					if ( pthread_create ( &serializer_thread, NULL, AI_serializer_thread, alert ) != 0 )
+					{
 						AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alerts' serializer thread", __FILE__, __LINE__  );
+					}
 
+					if ( pthread_join ( serializer_thread, NULL ) != 0 )
+					{
+						AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to join the alerts' serializer thread", __FILE__, __LINE__  );
+					}
+					
 					if ( config->outdbtype != outdb_none )
 					{
 						if ( pthread_create ( &db_thread, NULL, AI_store_alert_to_db_thread, alert ) != 0 )
+						{
 							AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alert to db storing thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ );
+						}
 					}
 
 					in_alert = false;
diff --git a/db.c b/db.c
index 0006749..817d179 100644
--- a/db.c
+++ b/db.c
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ AI_db_alertparser_thread ( void *arg )
 
 	/* Initialize the thread for managing the serialization of alerts' pool */
 	if ( pthread_create ( &alerts_pool_thread, NULL, AI_alerts_pool_thread, NULL ) != 0 )
+	{
 		AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alerts' pool management thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ );
+	}
 
 	while ( 1 )
 	{
@@ -221,7 +223,9 @@ AI_db_alertparser_thread ( void *arg )
 		latest_time = time ( NULL );
 
 		if ( pthread_create ( &serializer_thread, NULL, AI_serializer_thread, alert ) != 0 )
+		{
 			AI_fatal_err ( "Failed to create the alerts' serializer thread", __FILE__, __LINE__ );
+		}
 	}
 
 	DB_close();
diff --git a/mysql.c b/mysql.c
index ec0c56d..c7cbdb0 100644
--- a/mysql.c
+++ b/mysql.c
@@ -130,6 +130,12 @@ mysql_do_query ( const char *query )
 unsigned long
 mysql_do_escape_string ( char **to, const char *from, unsigned long length )
 {
+	if ( !from )
+		return 0;
+
+	if ( strlen ( from ) == 0 )
+		return 0;
+
 	return mysql_real_escape_string ( db, *to, from, length );
 }
 
@@ -174,6 +180,12 @@ mysql_do_out_query ( const char *query )
 unsigned long
 mysql_do_out_escape_string ( char **to, const char *from, unsigned long length )
 {
+	if ( !from )
+		return 0;
+
+	if ( strlen ( from ) == 0 )
+		return 0;
+
 	return mysql_real_escape_string ( outdb, *to, from, length );
 }
 
diff --git a/outdb.c b/outdb.c
index 378b61c..b8455b7 100644
--- a/outdb.c
+++ b/outdb.c
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ AI_store_alert_to_db_thread ( void *arg )
 	{
 		pthread_mutex_unlock ( &outdb_mutex );
 		pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
+		return (void*) 0;
 	}
 
 	latest_ip_hdr_id = strtoul ( row[0], NULL, 10 );
@@ -147,12 +148,14 @@ AI_store_alert_to_db_thread ( void *arg )
 			_dpd.logMsg ( "AIPreproc: Warning: error in executing query: '%s'\n", query );
 			pthread_mutex_unlock ( &outdb_mutex );
 			pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
+			return (void*) 0;
 		}
 
 		if ( !( row = (DB_row) DB_fetch_row ( res )))
 		{
 			pthread_mutex_unlock ( &outdb_mutex );
 			pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
+			return (void*) 0;
 		}
 
 		latest_tcp_hdr_id = strtoul ( row[0], NULL, 10 );
@@ -213,12 +216,14 @@ AI_store_alert_to_db_thread ( void *arg )
 		_dpd.logMsg ( "AIPreproc: Warning: error in executing query: '%s'\n", query );
 		pthread_mutex_unlock ( &outdb_mutex );
 		pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
+		return (void*) 0;
 	}
 
 	if ( !( row = (DB_row) DB_fetch_row ( res )))
 	{
 		pthread_mutex_unlock ( &outdb_mutex );
 		pthread_exit ((void*) 0);
+		return (void*) 0;
 	}
 
 	latest_alert_id = strtoul ( row[0], NULL, 10 );