diff --git a/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go b/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
index 24a8894..c8be184 100644
--- a/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
+++ b/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -33,9 +34,17 @@
 	apid.InitializePlugins()
 
 	router := apid.API().Router()
-	// fake bundle repo
-	router.HandleFunc("/bundle", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
-		w.Write([]byte("bundle stuff"))
+	// fake unreliable bundle repo
+	downloadMultiplier = 10 * time.Millisecond
+	count := 0
+	router.HandleFunc("/bundle/{id}", func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
+		count++
+		if count % 2 == 0 {
+			w.WriteHeader(500)
+			return
+		}
+		vars := apid.API().Vars(req)
+		w.Write([]byte("/bundle/" + vars["id"]))
 	})
 	testServer = httptest.NewServer(router)
 })
diff --git a/deployments.go b/deployments.go
index 5c1b6b2..2f51b09 100644
--- a/deployments.go
+++ b/deployments.go
@@ -11,11 +11,17 @@
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"path"
 	"errors"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	DOWNLOAD_ATTEMPTS = 3
 )
 
 var (
-	bundlePath string
-	gitHubAccessToken string // todo: temporary - should come from Manifest
+	gitHubAccessToken string // todo: temporary - will not be used
+	downloadMultiplier = 10 * time.Second
 )
 
 type systemBundle struct {
@@ -68,12 +74,11 @@
 }
 
 // retrieveBundle retrieves bundle data from a URI
-func retrieveBundle(uriString string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+func getBundleReader(uriString string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
 
 	uri, err := url.Parse(uriString)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("DownloadFileUrl: Failed to parse urlStr: %s", uriString)
-
 	}
 
 	// todo: temporary - if not a github url, just open it or call GET on it
@@ -92,6 +97,9 @@
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		if res.StatusCode != 200 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Bundle uri %s failed with status %s", uriString, res.StatusCode)
+		}
 		return res.Body, nil
 	}
 
@@ -99,28 +107,67 @@
 	return github.GetUrlData(uri, gitHubAccessToken)
 }
 
-// todo: retry on error
 // check if already exists and skip
 func prepareBundle(depID string, bun bundle) error {
 
 	bundleFile := getBundleFilePath(depID, bun.URI)
-	out, err := os.Create(bundleFile)
+	bundleDir := path.Dir(bundleFile)
+
+	downloadBundle := func() (fileName string, err error) {
+
+		log.Debugf("Downloading bundle: %s", bun.URI)
+
+		var tempFile *os.File
+		tempFile, err = ioutil.TempFile(bundleDir, "download")
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Unable to create temp file: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		fileName = tempFile.Name()
+
+		var bundleReader io.ReadCloser
+		bundleReader, err = getBundleReader(bun.URI)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Unable to retrieve bundle %s: %v", bun.URI, err)
+			return
+		}
+		defer bundleReader.Close()
+
+		_, err = io.Copy(tempFile, bundleReader)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Unable to write bundle %s: %v", tempFile, err)
+		}
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	// retry
+	var tempFile string
+	var err error
+	for i := 1; i <= DOWNLOAD_ATTEMPTS; i++ {
+		tempFile, err = downloadBundle()
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		if tempFile != "" {
+			os.Remove(tempFile)
+		}
+
+		// simple back-off, we could potentially be more sophisticated
+		retryIn := time.Duration(i) * downloadMultiplier
+		log.Debugf("will retry download in %s", retryIn)
+		time.Sleep(retryIn)
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("Unable to create bundle file %s, Err: %s", bundleFile, err)
+		log.Errorf("failed %s download attempts. aborting.", DOWNLOAD_ATTEMPTS)
 		return err
 	}
-	defer out.Close()
 
-	bundleData, err := retrieveBundle(bun.URI)
+	err = os.Rename(tempFile, bundleFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("Unable to retrieve bundle %s, Err: %s", bun.URI, err)
-		return err
-	}
-	defer bundleData.Close()
-
-	_, err = io.Copy(out, bundleData)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("Unable to write bundle %s, Err: %s", bundleFile, err)
+		log.Errorf("Unable to rename temp bundle file %s to %s: %s", tempFile, bundleFile, err)
+		os.Remove(tempFile)
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -128,7 +175,7 @@
 }
 
 func getDeploymentFilesPath(depID string) string {
-	return bundlePath + "/" + depID
+	return path.Join(bundlePath, depID)
 }
 
 func getBundleFilePath(depID string, bundleURI string) string {
@@ -148,7 +195,7 @@
 	}
 
 	deploymentPath := getDeploymentFilesPath(depID)
-	err = os.Mkdir(deploymentPath, 0700)
+	err = os.MkdirAll(deploymentPath, 0700)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Deployment dir creation failed: %v", err)
 		return err
@@ -156,7 +203,8 @@
 
 	// download bundles and store them locally
 	errorsChan := make(chan error, len(dep.Bundles))
-	for i, bun := range dep.Bundles {
+	for i := range dep.Bundles {
+		bun := dep.Bundles[i]
 		go func() {
 			err := prepareBundle(depID, bun)
 			errorsChan <- err
@@ -185,7 +233,7 @@
 func parseManifest(manifestString string) (dep deployment, err error) {
 	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(manifestString), &dep)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("JSON decoding Manifest failed Err: %v", err)
+		log.Errorf("JSON decoding Manifest failed: %v", err)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index d6c2298..adaa6e7 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 package apiGatewayDeploy
 
 import (
+	"database/sql"
 	"github.com/30x/apid"
 	"github.com/30x/apidGatewayDeploy/github"
 	"os"
-	"database/sql"
 	"path"
 )
 
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
 )
 
 var (
-	log apid.LogService
-	db  *sql.DB
+	log        apid.LogService
+	db         *sql.DB
+	bundlePath string
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
 		log.Panicf("Failed bundle directory creation: %v", err)
 	}
 	storagePath := config.GetString("local_storage_path")
-	bundlePath := path.Join(storagePath, relativeBundlePath)
+	bundlePath = path.Join(storagePath, relativeBundlePath)
 	log.Infof("Bundle directory path is %s", bundlePath)
 
 	gitHubAccessToken = config.GetString(configGithubAccessToken)
diff --git a/listener.go b/listener.go
index 5fde4b3..c1e1000 100644
--- a/listener.go
+++ b/listener.go
@@ -77,40 +77,30 @@
 
 func processNewManifest(row common.Row) error {
 
-	var deploymentID, manifest string
+	var deploymentID, manifestString string
 	err := row.Get("id", &deploymentID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = row.Get("manifest_body", &manifest)
+	err = row.Get("manifest_body", &manifestString)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	//err = queueDeployment(deploymentID, manifest)
-	//
-	//if err == nil {
-	//	go serviceDeploymentQueue()
-	//}
-	bypassQueue(deploymentID, manifest)
-
-	return err
-}
-
-
-func bypassQueue(depID, manifestString string) {
-
 	manifest, err := parseManifest(manifestString)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		log.Errorf("error parsing manifest: %v", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
-	err = prepareDeployment(depID, manifest)
+	err = prepareDeployment(deploymentID, manifest)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("serviceDeploymentQueue prepare deployment failed: %v", depID)
-		return
+		log.Errorf("serviceDeploymentQueue prepare deployment failed: %s", deploymentID)
+		return err
 	}
 
-	log.Debugf("Signaling new deployment ready: %s", depID)
-	incoming <- depID
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+	log.Debugf("Signaling new deployment ready: %s", deploymentID)
+	incoming <- deploymentID
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/listener_test.go b/listener_test.go
index b72f9d7..28d6ce3 100644
--- a/listener_test.go
+++ b/listener_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"net/url"
 	"github.com/apigee-labs/transicator/common"
+	"io/ioutil"
 )
 
 var _ = Describe("listener", func() {
@@ -17,18 +18,25 @@
 
 		uri, err := url.Parse(testServer.URL)
 		Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-		uri.Path = "/bundle"
-		bundleUri := uri.String()
+		uri.Path = "/bundle/1"
+		bundleUri1 := uri.String()
+		uri.Path = "/bundle/2"
+		bundleUri2 := uri.String()
 
 		dep := deployment{
 			DeploymentID: deploymentID,
 			System: bundle{
-				URI: bundleUri,
+				URI: "whatever",
 			},
 			Bundles: []bundle{
 				{
-					BundleID: "bun",
-					URI: bundleUri,
+					BundleID: "/bundle/1",
+					URI: bundleUri1,
+					Scope: "some-scope",
+				},
+				{
+					BundleID: "/bundle/2",
+					URI: bundleUri2,
 					Scope: "some-scope",
 				},
 			},
@@ -60,9 +68,7 @@
 					return
 				}
 
-				depID, err := getCurrentDeploymentID()
-				Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(depID).Should(Equal(deploymentID))
+				testDeployment(dep)
 
 				close(done)
 			},
@@ -79,7 +85,7 @@
 
 		uri, err := url.Parse(testServer.URL)
 		Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-		uri.Path = "/bundle"
+		uri.Path = "/bundle/1"
 		bundleUri := uri.String()
 
 		dep := deployment{
@@ -89,7 +95,7 @@
 			},
 			Bundles: []bundle{
 				{
-					BundleID: "bun",
+					BundleID: "/bundle/1",
 					URI: bundleUri,
 					Scope: "some-scope",
 				},
@@ -123,9 +129,7 @@
 					return
 				}
 
-				depID, err := getCurrentDeploymentID()
-				Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(depID).Should(Equal(deploymentID))
+				testDeployment(dep)
 
 				close(done)
 			},
@@ -149,3 +153,23 @@
 func (t *test_handler) Handle(event apid.Event) {
 	t.f(event)
 }
+
+func testDeployment(dep deployment) {
+
+	depID, err := getCurrentDeploymentID()
+	Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+	Expect(depID).Should(Equal(dep.DeploymentID))
+
+	deployment, err := getDeployment(depID)
+	Expect(deployment.Bundles).To(HaveLen(len(dep.Bundles)))
+
+	for _, b := range dep.Bundles {
+		bundleFile := getBundleFilePath(depID, b.URI)
+		Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(bundleFile).To(BeARegularFile())
+
+		bytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(bundleFile)
+		Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(string(bytes)).Should(Equal(b.BundleID))
+	}
+}