diff --git a/common/common.cpp b/common/common.cpp
index be344278a3..f23d111b09 100644
--- a/common/common.cpp
+++ b/common/common.cpp
@@ -120,15 +120,17 @@ StructColors ColorRefs[NBCOLOR] =
 bool g_DisableFloatingPointLocalNotation = false;
 
 
-void SetLocaleTo_C_standard( void )
+int LOCALE_IO::C_count;
+
+
+void SetLocaleTo_C_standard()
 {
     setlocale( LC_NUMERIC, "C" );    // Switch the locale to standard C
 }
 
-
-void SetLocaleTo_Default( void )
+void SetLocaleTo_Default()
 {
-    if( ! g_DisableFloatingPointLocalNotation )
+    if( !g_DisableFloatingPointLocalNotation )
         setlocale( LC_NUMERIC, "" );      // revert to the current locale
 }
 
diff --git a/common/footprint_info.cpp b/common/footprint_info.cpp
index a8af4e515d..9b0602e25d 100644
--- a/common/footprint_info.cpp
+++ b/common/footprint_info.cpp
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 
 #include <pcbcommon.h>
 #include <pcbstruct.h>
-#include <richio.h>
-#include <filter_reader.h>
 #include <footprint_info.h>
 #include <io_mgr.h>
 
@@ -42,57 +40,68 @@
  */
 bool FOOTPRINT_LIST::ReadFootprintFiles( wxArrayString& aFootprintsLibNames )
 {
-    wxFileName  filename;
-    wxString    libname;
-
     // Clear data before reading files
     m_filesNotFound.Empty();
     m_filesInvalid.Empty();
     m_List.clear();
 
-    PLUGIN::RELEASER pi( IO_MGR::PluginFind( IO_MGR::LEGACY ) );
-
-    // Parse Libraries Listed
-    for( unsigned ii = 0; ii < aFootprintsLibNames.GetCount(); ii++ )
+    // try
     {
-        filename = aFootprintsLibNames[ii];
-        filename.SetExt( FootprintLibFileExtension );
+        PLUGIN::RELEASER pi( IO_MGR::PluginFind( IO_MGR::LEGACY ) );
 
-        libname = wxGetApp().FindLibraryPath( filename );
-
-        if( libname.IsEmpty() )
+        // Parse Libraries Listed
+        for( unsigned ii = 0; ii < aFootprintsLibNames.GetCount(); ii++ )
         {
-            m_filesNotFound << filename.GetFullName() << wxT("\n");
-            continue;
-        }
+            wxFileName filename = aFootprintsLibNames[ii];
 
-        try
-        {
-            wxArrayString fpnames = pi->FootprintEnumerate( libname );
+            filename.SetExt( FootprintLibFileExtension );
 
-            for( unsigned i=0; i<fpnames.GetCount();  ++i )
+            wxString libPath = wxGetApp().FindLibraryPath( filename );
+
+            if( !libPath )
             {
-                std::auto_ptr<MODULE> m( pi->FootprintLoad( libname, fpnames[i] ) );
+                m_filesNotFound << filename.GetFullName() << wxT("\n");
+                continue;
+            }
 
-                FOOTPRINT_INFO* fpinfo = new FOOTPRINT_INFO();
+            try
+            {
+                wxArrayString fpnames = pi->FootprintEnumerate( libPath );
 
-                fpinfo->m_Module   = fpnames[i];
-                fpinfo->m_LibName  = libname;
-                fpinfo->m_padCount = m->GetPadCount();
-                fpinfo->m_KeyWord  = m->GetKeywords();
-                fpinfo->m_Doc      = m->GetDescription();
+                for( unsigned i=0; i<fpnames.GetCount();  ++i )
+                {
+                    auto_ptr<MODULE> m( pi->FootprintLoad( libPath, fpnames[i] ) );
 
-                AddItem( fpinfo );
+                    // we're loading what we enumerated, all must be there.
+                    wxASSERT( m.get() );
+
+                    FOOTPRINT_INFO* fpinfo = new FOOTPRINT_INFO();
+
+                    fpinfo->m_Module   = fpnames[i];
+                    fpinfo->m_LibName  = libPath;
+                    fpinfo->m_padCount = m->GetPadCount();
+                    fpinfo->m_KeyWord  = m->GetKeywords();
+                    fpinfo->m_Doc      = m->GetDescription();
+
+                    AddItem( fpinfo );
+                }
+            }
+            catch( IO_ERROR ioe )
+            {
+                m_filesInvalid << ioe.errorText << wxT("\n");
             }
         }
-        catch( IO_ERROR ioe )
-        {
-            m_filesInvalid << ioe.errorText << wxT("\n");
-        }
     }
 
+    /*  caller should catch this, UI seems not wanted here.
+    catch( IO_ERROR ioe )
+    {
+        DisplayError( NULL, ioe.errorText );
+        return false;
+    }
+    */
+
     m_List.sort();
 
     return true;
 }
-
diff --git a/include/common.h b/include/common.h
index 4e10dc5f0e..12d8efe3f7 100644
--- a/include/common.h
+++ b/include/common.h
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ void SetLocaleTo_C_standard();
  */
 void SetLocaleTo_Default();
 
+
 /**
  * Class LOCALE_IO
  * is a class that can be instantiated within a scope in which you are expecting
@@ -464,10 +465,23 @@ void SetLocaleTo_Default();
 class LOCALE_IO
 {
 public:
-    LOCALE_IO()     { SetLocaleTo_C_standard(); }
-    ~LOCALE_IO()    { SetLocaleTo_Default(); }
+    LOCALE_IO()
+    {
+        if( C_count++ == 0 )
+            SetLocaleTo_C_standard();
+    }
+
+    ~LOCALE_IO()
+    {
+        if( --C_count == 0 )
+            SetLocaleTo_Default();
+    }
+
+private:
+    static int C_count;     // allow for nesting of LOCALE_IO instantiations
 };
 
+
 /**
  * Function EnsureTextCtrlWidth
  * sets the minimum pixel width on a text control in order to make a text
diff --git a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
index 81ffe64e71..52476367ac 100644
--- a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
@@ -4186,6 +4186,17 @@ bool LEGACY_PLUGIN::IsFootprintLibWritable( const wxString& aLibraryPath )
 }
 
 
+LEGACY_PLUGIN::LEGACY_PLUGIN() :
+    m_board( 0 ),
+    m_props( 0 ),
+    m_reader( 0 ),
+    m_fp( 0 ),
+    m_cache( 0 )
+{
+    init( NULL );
+}
+
+
 LEGACY_PLUGIN::~LEGACY_PLUGIN()
 {
     delete m_cache;
diff --git a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
index ae19e59ede..c62201c120 100644
--- a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
+++ b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ struct FPL_CACHE;
 /**
  * Class LEGACY_PLUGIN
  * is a PLUGIN derivation which could possibly be put into a DLL/DSO.
- * It is not thread safe, but it is re-entrant multiple times in sequence.
+ * As with any PLUGIN, there is no UI, i.e. windowing calls allowed.
  */
 class LEGACY_PLUGIN : public PLUGIN
 {
@@ -99,14 +99,7 @@ public:
 
     //-----</PLUGIN IMPLEMENTATION>---------------------------------------------
 
-    LEGACY_PLUGIN() :
-        m_board( 0 ),
-        m_props( 0 ),
-        m_reader( 0 ),
-        m_fp( 0 ),
-        m_cache( 0 )
-    {}
-
+    LEGACY_PLUGIN();
     ~LEGACY_PLUGIN();
 
     void SetReader( LINE_READER* aReader )      { m_reader = aReader; }