Debugging tips: * without a compile with debug: $ ulimit -c unlimited $ export BONOBO_ACTIVATION_DEBUG=1 That should dump a core from b-a-s in ~ * with debug; ( --enable-bonobo-activation-debug=yes ) $ export BONOBO_ACTIVATION_DEBUG=1 $ export BONOBO_ACTIVATION_DEBUG_OUTPUT=1 gdb /path/to/b-a-s/b-a-s $ r --register-server ... * If tons of applets are failing / not registering + most likely cause is a b-a-s crash.