diff --git a/app/res/layout/start.xml b/app/res/layout/start.xml
index cfd99ff48..1694e868e 100644
--- a/app/res/layout/start.xml
+++ b/app/res/layout/start.xml
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
-            android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
             android:background="#424242"
             android:clickable="true"
             android:focusable="true"
diff --git a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/db/DBHelper.java b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/db/DBHelper.java
index 296e4d4f5..19dd052b1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/db/DBHelper.java
+++ b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/db/DBHelper.java
@@ -639,6 +639,9 @@ public static void purgeDeletedActivities(
           () -> {
             int currentProgress = 0;
             for (Long id : list) {
+              if (!dialog.isShowing()) {
+                break;
+              }
               deleteActivity(db, id);
               currentProgress++;
               final int progressToShow = currentProgress;
@@ -648,8 +651,11 @@ public static void purgeDeletedActivities(
             // Post-execution step (runs on the main thread)
             handler.post(
                 () -> {
-                  db.close();
-                  mDBHelper.close();
+                  try {
+                    db.close();
+                    mDBHelper.close();
+                  } catch (Exception ignored) {
+                  }
                   if (onComplete != null) {
                     onComplete.run();
                   }
@@ -657,8 +663,11 @@ public static void purgeDeletedActivities(
           });
     } else {
       // No activities to delete, just clean up
-      db.close();
-      mDBHelper.close();
+      try {
+        db.close();
+        mDBHelper.close();
+      } catch (Exception ignored) {
+      }
       if (onComplete != null) {
         onComplete.run();
       }
diff --git a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/export/util/SyncHelper.java b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/export/util/SyncHelper.java
index 1bd619ea8..951573841 100644
--- a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/export/util/SyncHelper.java
+++ b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/export/util/SyncHelper.java
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Scanner;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
@@ -125,24 +124,31 @@ public static void setName(ContentValues c, String string) {
   }
 
   public static JSONObject parse(String in) throws JSONException {
-    final Scanner s = new Scanner(in);
-    final JSONObject o = new JSONObject(s.useDelimiter("\\A").next());
-    s.close();
-    return o;
+    return new JSONObject(in);
   }
 
   public static JSONObject parse(InputStream in) throws JSONException {
-    final Scanner s = new Scanner(in);
-    final JSONObject o = new JSONObject(s.useDelimiter("\\A").next());
-    s.close();
-    return o;
+    return parse(
+        new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(in, java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
   }
 
   public static JSONObject parse(Reader in) throws JSONException {
-    final Scanner s = new Scanner(in);
-    final JSONObject o = new JSONObject(s.useDelimiter("\\A").next());
-    s.close();
-    return o;
+    BufferedReader reader =
+        in instanceof BufferedReader ? (BufferedReader) in : new BufferedReader(in);
+    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+    String line;
+    try {
+      while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
+        sb.append(line).append('\n');
+      }
+    } catch (IOException e) {
+      if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O_MR1) {
+        throw new JSONException(e);
+      } else {
+        throw new JSONException(e.getMessage());
+      }
+    }
+    return new JSONObject(sb.toString());
   }
 
   public static JSONObject parse(HttpURLConnection conn, String name)
diff --git a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/Tracker.java b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/Tracker.java
index f880989a3..3910aa04f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/Tracker.java
+++ b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/Tracker.java
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ public class Tracker extends Service implements LocationListenerCompat, Constant
   private SQLiteDatabase mDB = null;
   private PersistentGpsLoggerListener mDBWriter = null;
   private PowerManager.WakeLock mWakeLock = null;
+
+  public SQLiteDatabase getDatabase() {
+    if (mDB == null) {
+      mDB = DBHelper.getWritableDatabase(this);
+    }
+    return mDB;
+  }
+
   private final List<WorkoutObserver> liveLoggers = new ArrayList<>();
 
   private Workout workout = null;
@@ -574,7 +582,10 @@ public void completeActivity(boolean save, Double manualDistance) {
 
   private void saveActivity(Double manualDistance) {
     if (mDB == null) {
-      Log.e("Tracker", "saveActivity called but mDB is null");
+      mDB = DBHelper.getWritableDatabase(this);
+    }
+    if (mDB == null) {
+      Log.e("Tracker", "saveActivity: mDB is still null after attempting to reopen");
       return;
     }
     ContentValues tmp = new ContentValues();
diff --git a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/component/TrackerReceiver.java b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/component/TrackerReceiver.java
index cd1d7f0ca..372e9bf1d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/component/TrackerReceiver.java
+++ b/app/src/main/org/runnerup/tracker/component/TrackerReceiver.java
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ private void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
     Workout workout = tracker.getWorkout();
     if (workout == null) return;
 
+    // Ensure database is available if we receive an action that might cause activity saving/pausing
+    tracker.getDatabase();
+
     if (Constants.Intents.PAUSE_RESUME.contentEquals(action)) {
       if (workout.isPaused()) workout.onResume(workout);
       else workout.onPause(workout);