diff --git a/src/mu-cmd-extract.c b/src/mu-cmd-extract.c
index fdc8719c..7240497a 100644
--- a/src/mu-cmd-extract.c
+++ b/src/mu-cmd-extract.c
@@ -38,35 +38,30 @@ save_part (MuMsg *msg, const char *targetdir, guint partidx, gboolean overwrite,
 {
 	GError *err;
 	gchar *filepath;
+	gboolean rv;
 
 	err = NULL;
+	rv = FALSE;
 
 	filepath = mu_msg_part_filepath (msg, targetdir, partidx, &err);
-	if (!filepath) {
-		if (err) {
-			g_warning ("failed to save MIME-part: %s",
-				   err->message);
-			g_error_free (err);
-		}
-		g_free (filepath);
-		return FALSE;
-	}
+	if (!filepath)
+		goto exit;
 
-	if (!mu_msg_part_save (msg, filepath, partidx, overwrite, FALSE, &err)) {
-		if (err) {
-			g_warning ("failed to save MIME-part: %s",
-				   err->message);
-			g_error_free (err);
-		}
-		g_free (filepath);
-		return FALSE;
-	}
+	if (!mu_msg_part_save (msg, filepath, partidx, overwrite, FALSE, &err))
+		goto exit;
 
 	if (play)
-		mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE);
+		rv = mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE, &err);
+	else
+		rv = TRUE;
+exit:
+	if (err)
+		g_warning ("error with MIME-part: %s",
+			   err->message);
+	g_clear_error (&err);
 
 	g_free (filepath);
-	return TRUE;
+	return rv;
 }
 
 
@@ -211,30 +206,27 @@ save_part_if (MuMsg *msg, MuMsgPart *part, SaveData *sd)
 
 	err = NULL;
 	filepath = mu_msg_part_filepath (msg, sd->targetdir, part->index, &err);
-	if (!filepath) {
-		g_warning ("failed to get file path: %s",
-			   err&&err->message ? err->message : "error");
-		g_clear_error (&err);
-		goto leave;
-	}
+	if (!filepath)
+		goto exit;
 
 	if (!mu_msg_part_save (msg, filepath, part->index,
-			       sd->overwrite, FALSE, &err)) {
-		g_warning ("failed to save MIME-part: %s",
-			   err&&err->message ? err->message : "error");
-		g_clear_error (&err);
-		goto leave;
-	}
+			       sd->overwrite, FALSE, &err))
+		goto exit;
 
-	if (sd->play && !mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE))
-		goto leave;
+	if (sd->play)
+		rv = mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE, &err);
+	else
+		rv = TRUE;
 
-	rv = TRUE;
 	++sd->saved_num;
+exit:
+	if (err)
+		g_warning ("error saving MIME part: %s", err->message);
 
-leave:
-	sd->result = rv;
 	g_free (filepath);
+	g_clear_error (&err);
+	sd->result = rv;
+
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/src/mu-cmd-server.c b/src/mu-cmd-server.c
index 753c0413..229cc7ff 100644
--- a/src/mu-cmd-server.c
+++ b/src/mu-cmd-server.c
@@ -238,6 +238,38 @@ get_docid_from_msgid (MuQuery *query, const char *str, GError **err)
 }
 
 
+/* get a *list* of all messages with the given message id */
+G_GNUC_UNUSED static GSList*
+get_docid_from_msgid_list (MuQuery *query, const char *str, GError **err)
+{
+	gchar *querystr;
+	MuMsgIter *iter;
+	GSList *lst;
+
+	querystr = g_strdup_printf ("msgid:%s", str);
+	iter = mu_query_run (query, querystr, FALSE,
+			     MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_NONE, FALSE, 1, err);
+	g_free (querystr);
+
+	if (!iter || mu_msg_iter_is_done (iter)) {
+		mu_util_g_set_error (err, MU_ERROR_NO_MATCHES,
+				     "could not find message %s", str);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	for (lst = NULL; !mu_msg_iter_is_done (iter); mu_msg_iter_next(iter)) {
+		unsigned docid;
+		docid = mu_msg_iter_get_docid (iter);
+		lst = g_slist_prepend
+			(lst, GUINT_TO_POINTER(docid));
+	}
+
+	mu_msg_iter_destroy (iter);
+
+	return lst;
+}
+
+
 /* the string contains either a number (docid) or a message-id if it
  * doesn't look like a number, and the query param is non-nil, try to
  * locale the message with message-id in the database, and return its
@@ -510,11 +542,10 @@ open_part (MuMsg *msg, unsigned index, GError **err)
 	}
 
 	rv = mu_util_play (targetpath, TRUE/*allow local*/,
-			   FALSE/*allow remote*/);
-	if (!rv) {
-		print_error (MU_ERROR_FILE, "failed to open");
-		goto leave;
-	} else {
+			   FALSE/*allow remote*/, err);
+	if (!rv)
+		print_and_clear_g_error (err);
+	else {
 		gchar *path;
 		path = mu_str_escape_c_literal (targetpath, FALSE);
 		print_expr ("(:info open :message \"%s has been opened\")",
@@ -615,10 +646,6 @@ cmd_extract (MuStore *store, MuQuery *query, GSList *args, GError **err)
 
 
 
-
-
-
-
 /*
  * 'find' finds a list of messages matching some query, and takes a
  * parameter 'query' with the search query, and (optionally) a
diff --git a/src/mu-util.c b/src/mu-util.c
index 85f2a829..e9b75b31 100644
--- a/src/mu-util.c
+++ b/src/mu-util.c
@@ -323,12 +323,12 @@ mu_util_is_local_file (const char* path)
 
 
 gboolean
-mu_util_play (const char *path, gboolean allow_local, gboolean allow_remote)
+mu_util_play (const char *path, gboolean allow_local, gboolean allow_remote,
+	      GError **err)
 {
 	gboolean rv;
-	GError *err;
-	const gchar *prog;
-	char *cmdline, *escpath;
+	const gchar *argv[3];
+	const char *prog;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (path, FALSE);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (mu_util_is_local_file (path) || allow_remote,
@@ -345,19 +345,17 @@ mu_util_play (const char *path, gboolean allow_local, gboolean allow_remote)
 #endif /*!__APPLE__*/
 	}
 
-	escpath = g_strescape (path, NULL);
-	cmdline = g_strdup_printf ("%s \"%s\"", prog, escpath);
-	g_free (escpath);
+	argv[0] = prog;
+	argv[1] = path;
+	argv[2] = NULL;
 
 	err = NULL;
-	rv = g_spawn_command_line_async (cmdline, &err);
-	if (!rv) {
-		g_warning ("failed to spawn %s: %s",
-			   cmdline, err->message ? err->message : "error");
-		g_error_free (err);
-	}
-
-	g_free (cmdline);
+	rv = g_spawn_async (NULL,
+			    (gchar**)&argv,
+			    NULL,
+			    G_SPAWN_SEARCH_PATH,
+			    NULL, NULL, NULL,
+			    err);
 	return rv;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mu-util.h b/src/mu-util.h
index eb7dcbeb..d1c0c92c 100644
--- a/src/mu-util.h
+++ b/src/mu-util.h
@@ -178,11 +178,12 @@ gboolean mu_util_printerr_encoded (const char *frm, ...) G_GNUC_PRINTF(1,2);
  * @param path full path of the file to open
  * @param allow_local allow local files (ie. with file:// prefix or fs paths)
  * @param allow_remote allow URIs (ie., http, mailto)
+ * @param err receives error information, if any
  *
  * @return TRUE if it succeeded, FALSE otherwise
  */
-gboolean mu_util_play (const char *path,
-		       gboolean allow_local, gboolean allow_remote);
+gboolean mu_util_play (const char *path, gboolean allow_local,
+		       gboolean allow_remote, GError **err);
 
 
 
diff --git a/widgets/mu-msg-body-view.c b/widgets/mu-msg-body-view.c
index 00148f90..33912c6c 100644
--- a/widgets/mu-msg-body-view.c
+++ b/widgets/mu-msg-body-view.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ set_message (MuMsgBodyView *self, MuMsg *msg)
 {
 	if (self->_priv->_msg == msg)
 		return; /* nothing to todo */
-	
+
 	if (self->_priv->_msg)  {
 		mu_msg_unref (self->_priv->_msg);
 		self->_priv->_msg = NULL;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ save_file_for_cid (MuMsg *msg, const char* cid)
 	gchar *filepath;
 	gboolean rv;
 	GError *err;
-	
+
 	g_return_val_if_fail (msg, NULL);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (cid, NULL);
 
@@ -144,19 +144,19 @@ on_navigation_policy_decision_requested (MuMsgBodyView *self, WebKitWebFrame *fr
 {
 	const char* uri;
 	WebKitWebNavigationReason reason;
-	
+
 	uri = webkit_network_request_get_uri (request);
 	reason = webkit_web_navigation_action_get_reason (nav_action);
-	
+
 	/* if it wasn't a user click, don't the navigation */
 	if (reason != WEBKIT_WEB_NAVIGATION_REASON_LINK_CLICKED) {
 		webkit_web_policy_decision_ignore (policy_decision);
 		return TRUE;
 	}
-	
+
 	/* we handle links clicked ourselves, no need for navigation */
 	webkit_web_policy_decision_ignore (policy_decision);
-	
+
 	/* if there are 'cmd:<action>" links in the body text of
 	 * mu-internal messages (ie., notification from mu, not real
 	 * e-mail messages), we emit the 'action requested'
@@ -171,12 +171,12 @@ on_navigation_policy_decision_requested (MuMsgBodyView *self, WebKitWebFrame *fr
 		}
 		return TRUE;
 	}
-		
+
 	/* don't try to play files on our local file system, this is not something
 	 * external content should do.*/
 	if (!mu_util_is_local_file(uri))
-		mu_util_play (uri, FALSE, TRUE);
-	
+		mu_util_play (uri, FALSE, TRUE, NULL);
+
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ on_resource_request_starting (MuMsgBodyView *self, WebKitWebFrame *frame,
 	uri = webkit_network_request_get_uri (request);
 
 	/* g_warning ("%s: %s", __FUNCTION__, uri); */
-	
+
 	if (g_ascii_strncasecmp (uri, "cid:", 4) == 0) {
 		gchar *filepath;
 		filepath = save_file_for_cid (msg, uri);
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ on_menu_item_activate (GtkMenuItem *item, MuMsgBodyView *self)
 {
 	g_signal_emit (G_OBJECT(self),
 		       signals[ACTION_REQUESTED], 0,
-		       g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT(item), "action"));	
+		       g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT(item), "action"));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -230,15 +230,15 @@ popup_menu (MuMsgBodyView *self, guint button, guint32 activate_time)
 		{ "View source...", "view-source", VIEW_MODE_MSG },
 		{ "View message...", "view-message", VIEW_MODE_SOURCE },
 	};
-	
+
 	menu = gtk_menu_new ();
-	
+
 	for (i = 0; i != G_N_ELEMENTS(actions); ++i) {
 		GtkWidget *item;
 
 		if (self->_priv->_view_mode != actions[i].mode)
 			continue;
-		
+
 		item = gtk_menu_item_new_with_label(actions[i].title);
 		g_object_set_data (G_OBJECT(item), "action", (gpointer)actions[i].action);
 		g_signal_connect (item, "activate", G_CALLBACK(on_menu_item_activate),
@@ -263,8 +263,8 @@ on_button_press_event (MuMsgBodyView *self, GdkEventButton *event, gpointer data
 		break;
 	default: return TRUE; /* ignore */
 	}
-	
-	return (event->button > 1) ? TRUE : FALSE;	
+
+	return (event->button > 1) ? TRUE : FALSE;
 }
 
 
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ mu_msg_body_view_init (MuMsgBodyView *obj)
 
 	obj->_priv->_msg = NULL;
 	obj->_priv->_view_mode = VIEW_MODE_NONE;
-	
+
 	obj->_priv->_settings = webkit_web_settings_new ();
 	g_object_set (G_OBJECT(obj->_priv->_settings),
 		      "enable-scripts", FALSE,
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ mu_msg_body_view_finalize (GObject *obj)
 		g_object_unref (priv->_settings);
 
 	set_message (MU_MSG_BODY_VIEW(obj), NULL);
-	
+
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS(parent_class)->finalize (obj);
 }
 
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ static void
 set_text (MuMsgBodyView *self, const char* txt)
 {
 	g_return_if_fail (MU_IS_MSG_BODY_VIEW(self));
-	
+
 	webkit_web_view_load_string (WEBKIT_WEB_VIEW(self),
 				     txt ? txt : "",
 				     "text/plain",
@@ -347,13 +347,13 @@ void
 mu_msg_body_view_set_message (MuMsgBodyView *self, MuMsg *msg)
 {
 	const char* data;
-	
+
 	g_return_if_fail (self);
 
 	set_message (self, msg);
 
 	data = msg ? mu_msg_get_body_html (msg) : "";
-	if (data) 
+	if (data)
 		set_html (self, data);
 	else
 		set_text (self, mu_msg_get_body_text (msg));
@@ -372,9 +372,9 @@ mu_msg_body_view_set_message_source (MuMsgBodyView *self, MuMsg *msg)
 	g_return_if_fail (msg);
 
 	set_message (self, NULL);
-	
+
 	path = msg ? mu_msg_get_path (msg) : NULL;
-	
+
 	if (path && g_file_get_contents (path, &data, NULL, NULL)) {
 		set_text (self, data);
 		g_free (data);
@@ -391,9 +391,9 @@ mu_msg_body_view_set_note (MuMsgBodyView *self, const gchar *html)
 {
 	g_return_if_fail (self);
 	g_return_if_fail (html);
-		
+
 	set_message (self, NULL);
-	
+
 	set_html (self, html);
 
 	self->_priv->_view_mode = VIEW_MODE_NOTE;
diff --git a/widgets/mu-msg-view.c b/widgets/mu-msg-view.c
index 39983a96..119520f0 100644
--- a/widgets/mu-msg-view.c
+++ b/widgets/mu-msg-view.c
@@ -134,11 +134,10 @@ on_attach_activated (GtkWidget *w, guint partnum, MuMsg *msg)
 		if (!mu_msg_part_save (msg, filepath, partnum, FALSE, TRUE, &err)) {
 			g_warning ("failed to save %s: %s", filepath,
 				   err&&err->message?err->message:"error");
-			if (err)
-				g_error_free(err);
+			g_clear_error (&err);
 		}
 
-		mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE);
+		mu_util_play (filepath, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
 		g_free (filepath);
 	}
 }