diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRoute.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRoute.java
index d37f8bd..eaee714 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRoute.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRoute.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 import net.sf.json.JSONObject;
 import net.sf.json.JSONSerializer;
 
+import org.apache.commons.configuration.ConfigurationRuntimeException;
 import org.codehaus.jackson.JsonParseException;
 import org.codehaus.jackson.map.JsonMappingException;
 import org.codehaus.jackson.map.ObjectMapper;
@@ -150,10 +151,10 @@
         @Override
         public void run() {
             log.debug("Running topology change detection task");
+            // TODO: Fix the code below after topoLinkService was removed
+            /*
             synchronized (linkUpdates) {
-                //This is the model the REST API uses to retrieve network graph info
-                // TODO: Fix the code below after topoLinkService was removed
-                /*
+
                 ITopoLinkService topoLinkService = new TopoLinkServiceImpl();
 
                 List<Link> activeLinks = topoLinkService.getActiveLinks();
@@ -168,8 +169,8 @@
                         it.remove();
                     }
                 }
-                */
             }
+            */
 
             if (!topologyReady) {
                 if (linkUpdates.isEmpty()) {
@@ -211,13 +212,13 @@
             vlan = config.getVlan();
         } catch (JsonParseException e) {
             log.error("Error in JSON file", e);
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new ConfigurationRuntimeException("Error in JSON file", e);
         } catch (JsonMappingException e) {
             log.error("Error in JSON file", e);
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new ConfigurationRuntimeException("Error in JSON file", e);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             log.error("Error reading JSON file", e);
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new ConfigurationRuntimeException("Error in JSON file", e);
         }
 
         // Populate the interface Patricia Trie
@@ -291,7 +292,8 @@
         bgpdRestIp = context.getConfigParams(this).get("BgpdRestIp");
         if (bgpdRestIp == null) {
             log.error("BgpdRestIp property not found in config file");
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new ConfigurationRuntimeException(
+                    "BgpdRestIp property not found in config file");
         } else {
             log.info("BgpdRestIp set to {}", bgpdRestIp);
         }
@@ -299,7 +301,8 @@
         routerId = context.getConfigParams(this).get("RouterId");
         if (routerId == null) {
             log.error("RouterId property not found in config file");
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new ConfigurationRuntimeException(
+                    "RouterId property not found in config file");
         } else {
             log.info("RouterId set to {}", routerId);
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRouteResource.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRouteResource.java
index 7337a79..9093118 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRouteResource.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/BgpRouteResource.java
@@ -108,15 +108,16 @@
 
             reply = "[POST: " + prefix + "/" + mask + ":" + nexthop + "]";
             log.info(reply);
-        } else if ("1".equals(capability)) {
-            reply = "[POST-capability: " + capability + "]\n";
-            log.info(reply);
-            // to store the number in the top node of the Ptree
         } else {
             reply = "[POST-capability: " + capability + "]\n";
             log.info(reply);
             // to store the number in the top node of the Ptree
         }
+        /*else if ("1".equals(capability)) {
+            reply = "[POST-capability: " + capability + "]\n";
+            log.info(reply);
+            // to store the number in the top node of the Ptree
+        }*/
 
         return reply + "\n";
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/PatriciaTrie.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/PatriciaTrie.java
index 245b574..54f8129 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/PatriciaTrie.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/PatriciaTrie.java
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     private final byte[] maskBits = {(byte) 0x00, (byte) 0x80, (byte) 0xc0, (byte) 0xe0, (byte) 0xf0,
             (byte) 0xf8, (byte) 0xfc, (byte) 0xfe, (byte) 0xff};
 
-    private int maxPrefixLength;
+    private final int maxPrefixLength;
 
     private Node top;
 
@@ -16,187 +16,196 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public synchronized V put(Prefix prefix, V value) {
-        if (prefix == null || value == null) {
-            throw new NullPointerException();
-        }
-
-        if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
-                    "Prefix length %d is greater than max prefix length %d",
-                    prefix.getPrefixLength(), maxPrefixLength));
-        }
-
-        Node node = top;
-        Node match = null;
-
-        while (node != null
-                && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= prefix.getPrefixLength()
-                && key_match(node.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
-            if (node.prefix.getPrefixLength() == prefix.getPrefixLength()) {
-                /*
-                 * Prefix is already in tree. This may be an aggregate node, in which case
-                 * we are inserting a new prefix, or it could be an actual node, in which
-                 * case we are inserting a new nexthop for the prefix and should return
-                 * the old nexthop.
-                 */
-                V oldValue = node.value;
-                node.value = value;
-                return oldValue;
+    public V put(Prefix prefix, V value) {
+        synchronized (this) {
+            if (prefix == null || value == null) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Null argument");
             }
 
-            match = node;
-
-            if (bit_check(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
-                node = node.right;
-            } else {
-                node = node.left;
+            if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+                        "Prefix length %d is greater than max prefix length %d",
+                        prefix.getPrefixLength(), maxPrefixLength));
             }
-        }
 
-        Node add = null;
+            Node node = top;
+            Node match = null;
 
-        if (node == null) {
-            //add = new Node(p, r);
-            add = new Node(prefix);
-            add.value = value;
+            while (node != null
+                    && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= prefix.getPrefixLength()
+                    && checkKeyMatch(node.prefix.getAddress(),
+                            node.prefix.getPrefixLength(),
+                            prefix.getAddress(),
+                            prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
+                if (node.prefix.getPrefixLength() == prefix.getPrefixLength()) {
+                    /*
+                     * Prefix is already in tree. This may be an aggregate node, in which case
+                     * we are inserting a new prefix, or it could be an actual node, in which
+                     * case we are inserting a new nexthop for the prefix and should return
+                     * the old nexthop.
+                     */
+                    V oldValue = node.value;
+                    node.value = value;
+                    return oldValue;
+                }
 
-            if (match != null) {
-                node_link(match, add);
-            } else {
-                top = add;
+                match = node;
+
+                if (checkBit(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
+                    node = node.right;
+                } else {
+                    node = node.left;
+                }
             }
-        } else {
-            add = node_common(node, prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength());
 
-            if (match != null) {
-                node_link(match, add);
-            } else {
-                top = add;
-            }
-            node_link(add, node);
+            Node add = null;
 
-            if (add.prefix.getPrefixLength() != prefix.getPrefixLength()) {
-                match = add;
-
+            if (node == null) {
                 //add = new Node(p, r);
                 add = new Node(prefix);
                 add.value = value;
-                node_link(match, add);
-            } else {
-                add.value = value;
-            }
-        }
 
-        //If we added a new Node, there was no previous mapping
-        return null;
-        //return addReference(add);
+                if (match == null) {
+                    top = add;
+                } else {
+                    linkNodes(match, add);
+                }
+            } else {
+                add = findCommonNode(node, prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength());
+
+                if (match == null) {
+                    top = add;
+                } else {
+                    linkNodes(match, add);
+                }
+                linkNodes(add, node);
+
+                if (add.prefix.getPrefixLength() == prefix.getPrefixLength()) {
+                    add.value = value;
+                } else {
+                    match = add;
+
+                    //add = new Node(p, r);
+                    add = new Node(prefix);
+                    add.value = value;
+                    linkNodes(match, add);
+                }
+            }
+
+            //If we added a new Node, there was no previous mapping
+            return null;
+            //return addReference(add);
+        }
     }
 
     /*exact match*/
     @Override
-    public synchronized V lookup(Prefix prefix) {
-        if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        /*
-        Node node = top;
-
-        while (node != null
-                && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= p.getPrefixLength()
-                && key_match(node.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), p.getAddress(), p.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
-            if (node.prefix.getPrefixLength() == p.getPrefixLength()) {
-                //return addReference(node);
-                return node.rib;
+    public V lookup(Prefix prefix) {
+        synchronized (this) {
+            if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
+                return null;
             }
 
-            if (bit_check(p.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
-                node = node.right;
-            } else {
-                node = node.left;
+            /*
+            Node node = top;
+
+            while (node != null
+                    && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= p.getPrefixLength()
+                    && key_match(node.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), p.getAddress(), p.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+                if (node.prefix.getPrefixLength() == p.getPrefixLength()) {
+                    //return addReference(node);
+                    return node.rib;
+                }
+
+                if (bit_check(p.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+                    node = node.right;
+                } else {
+                    node = node.left;
+                }
             }
+            */
+
+            Node node = findNode(prefix);
+
+            return node == null ? null : node.value;
         }
-        */
-
-        Node node = findNode(prefix);
-
-        return node == null ? null : node.value;
     }
 
-    /*closest containing prefix*/
+    // closest containing prefix
     @Override
-    public synchronized V match(Prefix prefix) {
+    public V match(Prefix prefix) {
         //TODO
-        if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
-            return null;
+        synchronized (this) {
+            if (prefix.getPrefixLength() > maxPrefixLength) {
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            Node closestNode = findClosestNode(prefix);
+
+            return closestNode == null ? null : closestNode.value;
         }
-
-        Node closestNode = findClosestNode(prefix);
-
-        return closestNode == null ? null : closestNode.value;
     }
 
     @Override
-    public synchronized boolean remove(Prefix prefix, V value) {
-        Node child;
-        Node parent;
+    public boolean remove(Prefix prefix, V value) {
+        synchronized (this) {
+            if (prefix == null || value == null) {
+                return false;
+            }
 
-        if (prefix == null || value == null) {
-            return false;
-        }
+            Node node = findNode(prefix);
 
-        Node node = findNode(prefix);
+            if (node == null || node.isAggregate() || !node.value.equals(value)) {
+                //Given <prefix, nexthop> mapping is not in the tree
+                return false;
+            }
 
-        if (node == null || node.isAggregate() || !node.value.equals(value)) {
-            //Given <prefix, nexthop> mapping is not in the tree
-            return false;
-        }
+            if (node.left != null && node.right != null) {
+                //Remove the RibEntry entry and leave this node as an aggregate node
+                //In the future, maybe we should re-evaluate what the aggregate prefix should be?
+                //It shouldn't necessarily stay the same.
+                //More complicated if the above prefix is also aggregate.
+                node.value = null;
+                return true;
+            }
 
-        if (node.left != null && node.right != null) {
-            //Remove the RibEntry entry and leave this node as an aggregate node
-            //In the future, maybe we should re-evaluate what the aggregate prefix should be?
-            //It shouldn't necessarily stay the same.
-            //More complicated if the above prefix is also aggregate.
-            node.value = null;
+            Node child;
+            if (node.left != null) {
+                child = node.left;
+            } else {
+                child = node.right;
+            }
+
+            Node parent = node.parent;
+
+            if (child != null) {
+                child.parent = parent;
+            }
+
+            if (parent != null) {
+                if (parent.left == node) {
+                    parent.left = child;
+                } else {
+                    parent.right = child;
+                }
+            } else {
+                top = child;
+            }
+
+            /*
+             * TODO not sure what to do here. I think this is lazily deleting aggregate nodes,
+             * notice that it used to do nothing if it detected both children were not null earlier.
+             * But here, what we really should do is reevaluate the aggregate prefix of the parent
+             * node (if it is indeed an aggregate). Because at the moment, no aggregate node will ever
+             * be removed. BUT, I don't actually think this presents a correctness problem, at
+             * least from an external point of view.
+             */
+            //if (parent != null && parent.refCount == 0) {
+            //node_remove(parent);
+            //}
+
             return true;
         }
-
-        if (node.left != null) {
-            child = node.left;
-        } else {
-            child = node.right;
-        }
-
-        parent = node.parent;
-
-        if (child != null) {
-            child.parent = parent;
-        }
-
-        if (parent != null) {
-            if (parent.left == node) {
-                parent.left = child;
-            } else {
-                parent.right = child;
-            }
-        } else {
-            top = child;
-        }
-
-        /*
-         * TODO not sure what to do here. I think this is lazily deleting aggregate nodes,
-         * notice that it used to do nothing if it detected both children were not null earlier.
-         * But here, what we really should do is reevaluate the aggregate prefix of the parent
-         * node (if it is indeed an aggregate). Because at the moment, no aggregate node will ever
-         * be removed. BUT, I don't actually think this presents a correctness problem, at
-         * least from an external point of view.
-         */
-        //if (parent != null && parent.refCount == 0) {
-        //node_remove(parent);
-        //}
-
-        return true;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -209,13 +218,15 @@
 
         while (node != null
                 && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= prefix.getPrefixLength()
-                && key_match(node.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+                && checkKeyMatch(node.prefix.getAddress(),
+                        node.prefix.getPrefixLength(),
+                        prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
             if (node.prefix.getPrefixLength() == prefix.getPrefixLength()) {
                 //return addReference(node);
                 return node;
             }
 
-            if (bit_check(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+            if (checkBit(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
                 node = node.right;
             } else {
                 node = node.left;
@@ -231,12 +242,14 @@
 
         while (node != null
                 && node.prefix.getPrefixLength() <= prefix.getPrefixLength()
-                && key_match(node.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+                && checkKeyMatch(node.prefix.getAddress(),
+                        node.prefix.getPrefixLength(),
+                        prefix.getAddress(), prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
             if (!node.isAggregate()) {
                 match = node;
             }
 
-            if (bit_check(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength()) == true) {
+            if (checkBit(prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength())) {
                 node = node.right;
             } else {
                 node = node.left;
@@ -255,16 +268,16 @@
         return Math.max((bitNumber + 7) / 8, 1);
     }
 
-    private boolean key_match(byte[] key1, int key1_len, byte[] key2, int key2_len) {
+    private boolean checkKeyMatch(byte[] key1, int key1Length, byte[] key2, int key2Length) {
         //int offset;
         //int shift;
 
-        if (key1_len > key2_len) {
+        if (key1Length > key2Length) {
             return false;
         }
 
-        int offset = (Math.min(key1_len, key2_len)) / 8;
-        int shift = (Math.min(key1_len, key2_len)) % 8;
+        int offset = (Math.min(key1Length, key2Length)) / 8;
+        int shift = (Math.min(key1Length, key2Length)) % 8;
 
         if (shift != 0) {
             if ((maskBits[shift] & (key1[offset] ^ key2[offset])) != 0) {
@@ -281,24 +294,20 @@
         return true;
     }
 
-    private boolean bit_check(byte[] key, int key_bits) {
-        int offset = key_bits / 8;
-        int shift = 7 - (key_bits % 8);
+    private boolean checkBit(byte[] key, int keyBits) {
+        int offset = keyBits / 8;
+        int shift = 7 - (keyBits % 8);
         int bit = key[offset] & 0xff;
 
         bit >>= shift;
 
-        if ((bit & 1) == 1) {
-            return true;
-        } else {
-            return false;
-        }
+        return ((bit & 1) == 1);
     }
 
-    private void node_link(Node node, Node add) {
-        boolean bit = bit_check(add.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength());
+    private void linkNodes(Node node, Node add) {
+        boolean bit = checkBit(add.prefix.getAddress(), node.prefix.getPrefixLength());
 
-        if (bit == true) {
+        if (bit) {
             node.right = add;
         } else {
             node.left = add;
@@ -306,9 +315,9 @@
         add.parent = node;
     }
 
-    private Node node_common(Node node, byte[] key, int key_bits) {
+    private Node findCommonNode(Node node, byte[] key, int keyBits) {
         int i;
-        int limit = Math.min(node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), key_bits) / 8;
+        int limit = Math.min(node.prefix.getPrefixLength(), keyBits) / 8;
 
         for (i = 0; i < limit; i++) {
             if (node.prefix.getAddress()[i] != key[i]) {
@@ -319,12 +328,12 @@
         int commonLen = i * 8;
         int boundary = 0;
 
-        if (commonLen != key_bits) {
+        if (commonLen != keyBits) {
             byte diff = (byte) (node.prefix.getAddress()[i] ^ key[i]);
             byte mask = (byte) 0x80;
             int shiftMask = 0;
 
-            while (commonLen < key_bits && ((mask & diff) == 0)) {
+            while (commonLen < keyBits && ((mask & diff) == 0)) {
                 boundary = 1;
 
                 shiftMask = (mask & 0xff);
@@ -335,11 +344,6 @@
             }
         }
 
-        //Node add = new Node(null, common_len, maxKeyOctets);
-        //if (add == null)
-        //Another -ENOMEM;
-        //return null;
-
         //Creating a new Prefix with a prefix length of common_len
         //Bits are copied from node's up until the common_len'th bit
         //RibEntry is null, because this is an aggregate prefix - it's not
@@ -348,11 +352,14 @@
         byte[] newPrefix = new byte[getByteContainingBit(maxPrefixLength)];
 
         int j;
-        for (j = 0; j < i; j++)
+        for (j = 0; j < i; j++) {
             newPrefix[j] = node.prefix.getAddress()[j];
+        }
 
-        if (boundary != 0)
-            newPrefix[j] = (byte) (node.prefix.getAddress()[j] & maskBits[commonLen % 8]);
+        if (boundary != 0) {
+            newPrefix[j] =
+                    (byte) (node.prefix.getAddress()[j] & maskBits[commonLen % 8]);
+        }
 
         //return new Node(new Prefix(newPrefix, common_len), null);
         return new Node(new Prefix(newPrefix, commonLen));
@@ -360,9 +367,9 @@
     }
 
     private class Node {
-        public Node parent = null;
-        public Node left = null;
-        public Node right = null;
+        public Node parent;
+        public Node left;
+        public Node right;
 
         public final Prefix prefix;
         public V value;
@@ -385,8 +392,8 @@
     }
 
     private class PatriciaTrieEntry implements Entry<V> {
-        private Prefix prefix;
-        private V value;
+        private final Prefix prefix;
+        private final V value;
 
         public PatriciaTrieEntry(Prefix prefix, V value) {
             this.prefix = prefix;
@@ -405,9 +412,8 @@
     }
 
     private class PatriciaTrieIterator implements Iterator<Entry<V>> {
-
         private Node current;
-        private boolean started = false;
+        private boolean started; // initialized to false
 
         public PatriciaTrieIterator(Node start) {
             current = start;
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Prefix.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Prefix.java
index 9ba046c..0d297bf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Prefix.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Prefix.java
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
     }
 
     public byte[] getAddress() {
-        return address;
+        return Arrays.copyOf(address, address.length);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Ptree.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Ptree.java
index da8501f..7f9a009 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Ptree.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/Ptree.java
@@ -63,9 +63,6 @@
             }
         } else {
             add = node_common(node, key, key_bits);
-            if (add == null) {
-                return null;
-            }
 
             if (match != null) {
                 node_link(match, add);
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/RestClient.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/RestClient.java
index 338b599..f1fc370 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/RestClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/bgproute/RestClient.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import java.net.HttpURLConnection;
 import java.net.MalformedURLException;
 import java.net.URL;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.ConnectTimeoutException;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@
                 log.warn("The content received from {} is not json", str);
             }
 
-            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader((conn.getInputStream())));
+            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
+                            conn.getInputStream(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
             String line;
             while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                 response.append(line);