diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e3e9dc8aba..3178aa4849 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ their feature or bug fix is ready.
 If it is a simple/trivial/non-controversial change, then one of the Dash
 development team members simply pulls it.
 
+If it is a *more complicated or potentially controversial* change, then the patch
+submitter will be asked to start a discussion (if they haven't already) on the
+[mailing list](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev)
 
 The patch will be accepted if there is broad consensus that it is a good thing.
 Developers should expect to rework and resubmit patches if the code doesn't
diff --git a/doc/gitian-building.md b/doc/gitian-building.md
index 68734251c3..d287c675ec 100644
--- a/doc/gitian-building.md
+++ b/doc/gitian-building.md
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ In the VirtualBox GUI click "Create" and choose the following parameters in the
 - Disk size: at least 40GB; as low as 20GB *may* be possible, but better to err on the safe side 
 - Push the `Create` button
 
-Get the [Debian 7.4 net installer](http://ftp.at.debian.org/debian-jigdo/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-7.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso) (a more recent minor version should also work, see also [Debian Network installation](https://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/)).
+Get the [Debian 7.8 net installer](http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/7.8.0/amd64/iso-cd/debian-7.8.0-amd64-netinst.iso) (a more recent minor version should also work, see also [Debian Network installation](https://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/)).
 This DVD image can be validated using a SHA256 hashing tool, for example on
 Unixy OSes by entering the following in a terminal:
 
diff --git a/src/compat.h b/src/compat.h
index 7529604e08..dd120e9635 100644
--- a/src/compat.h
+++ b/src/compat.h
@@ -90,4 +90,12 @@ typedef u_int SOCKET;
 
 size_t strnlen_int( const char *start, size_t max_len);
 
+bool static inline IsSelectableSocket(SOCKET s) {
+#ifdef WIN32
+    return true;
+#else
+    return (s < FD_SETSIZE);
+#endif
+}
+
 #endif // BITCOIN_COMPAT_H
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 230827c6e1..6d09801f2d 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -415,6 +415,12 @@ CNode* ConnectNode(CAddress addrConnect, const char *pszDest, bool darkSendMaste
     if (pszDest ? ConnectSocketByName(addrConnect, hSocket, pszDest, Params().GetDefaultPort(), nConnectTimeout, &proxyConnectionFailed) :
                   ConnectSocket(addrConnect, hSocket, nConnectTimeout, &proxyConnectionFailed))
     {
+        if (!IsSelectableSocket(hSocket)) {
+            LogPrintf("Cannot create connection: non-selectable socket created (fd >= FD_SETSIZE ?)\n");
+            CloseSocket(hSocket);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+
         addrman.Attempt(addrConnect);
 
         // Add node
@@ -884,8 +890,14 @@ void ThreadSocketHandler()
                     if (nErr != WSAEWOULDBLOCK)
                         LogPrintf("socket error accept failed: %s\n", NetworkErrorString(nErr));
                 }
+                else if (!IsSelectableSocket(hSocket))
+                {
+                    LogPrintf("connection from %s dropped: non-selectable socket\n", addr.ToString());
+                    CloseSocket(hSocket);
+                }
                 else if (nInbound >= nMaxConnections - MAX_OUTBOUND_CONNECTIONS)
                 {
+                    LogPrint("net", "connection from %s dropped (full)\n", addr.ToString());
                     CloseSocket(hSocket);
                 }
                 else if (CNode::IsBanned(addr) && !whitelisted)
@@ -1515,6 +1527,13 @@ bool BindListenPort(const CService &addrBind, string& strError, bool fWhiteliste
         LogPrintf("%s\n", strError);
         return false;
     }
+    if (!IsSelectableSocket(hListenSocket))
+    {
+        strError = "Error: Couldn't create a listenable socket for incoming connections";
+        LogPrintf("%s\n", strError);
+        return false;
+    }
+
 
 #ifndef WIN32
 #ifdef SO_NOSIGPIPE
diff --git a/src/netbase.cpp b/src/netbase.cpp
index 02e9d96cca..5436d2dca0 100644
--- a/src/netbase.cpp
+++ b/src/netbase.cpp
@@ -267,6 +267,9 @@ bool static InterruptibleRecv(char* data, size_t len, int timeout, SOCKET& hSock
         } else { // Other error or blocking
             int nErr = WSAGetLastError();
             if (nErr == WSAEINPROGRESS || nErr == WSAEWOULDBLOCK || nErr == WSAEINVAL) {
+                if (!IsSelectableSocket(hSocket)) {
+                    return false;
+                }
                 struct timeval tval = MillisToTimeval(std::min(endTime - curTime, maxWait));
                 fd_set fdset;
                 FD_ZERO(&fdset);
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index ce46f57900..62c305a114 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 #include <boost/thread.hpp>
 #include <openssl/crypto.h>
 #include <openssl/rand.h>
+#include <openssl/conf.h>
 
 // Work around clang compilation problem in Boost 1.46:
 // /usr/include/boost/program_options/detail/config_file.hpp:163:17: error: call to function 'to_internal' that is neither visible in the template definition nor found by argument-dependent lookup
@@ -154,6 +155,13 @@ public:
             ppmutexOpenSSL[i] = new CCriticalSection();
         CRYPTO_set_locking_callback(locking_callback);
 
+        // OpenSSL can optionally load a config file which lists optional loadable modules and engines.
+        // We don't use them so we don't require the config. However some of our libs may call functions
+        // which attempt to load the config file, possibly resulting in an exit() or crash if it is missing
+        // or corrupt. Explicitly tell OpenSSL not to try to load the file. The result for our libs will be
+        // that the config appears to have been loaded and there are no modules/engines available.
+        OPENSSL_no_config();
+
 #ifdef WIN32
         // Seed OpenSSL PRNG with current contents of the screen
         RAND_screen();