diff --git a/fedora_repository.module b/fedora_repository.module
index 8820b4a0..a969369b 100644
--- a/fedora_repository.module
+++ b/fedora_repository.module
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@ function islandora_callback_prep() {
 }
 
 function islandora_fedora_settings_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
-
+  module_load_include('inc', 'fedora_repository', 'api/fedora_utils');
   $op = isset($form_state['values']['op']) ? $form_state['values']['op'] : '';
   if ($form_state['ahah_submission'] == TRUE) {
     $form_state['rebuild'] = TRUE;
@@ -1814,9 +1814,15 @@ function islandora_fedora_settings_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   //set elements previously defined in config code.
   //the elements are left in to allow for third party modules.
   if ($op != t('Reset to defaults')) {
-    $fedora_base = variable_get('fedora_base_url', 'http://localhost:8080/fedora');
-    variable_set('fedora_soap_url', $fedora_base . '/wsdl?api=API-A');
-    variable_set('fedora_soap_manage_url', $fedora_base . '/wsdl?api=API-M');
+    $fedora_path = variable_get('fedora_base_url', 'http://localhost:8080/fedora');
+    $response = do_curl_ext($fedora_path . '/describe');
+    $available = ($response != NULL) ? ($response[1] == 0) : FALSE;
+    if ($available) {
+      variable_set('fedora_soap_url', $fedora_path . '/wsdl?api=API-A');
+      variable_set('fedora_soap_manage_url', $fedora_path . '/wsdl?api=API-M');
+      $root = variable_get('fedora_repository_pid', 'islandora:root');
+      islandora_guarantee_root_collection($root);
+    }
   }
   if ($op == t('Reset to defaults')) {
     drupal_set_message(t('The configuration options have been reset to their default values.'));
@@ -1825,8 +1831,7 @@ function islandora_fedora_settings_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
     drupal_set_message(t('The Islandora configuration options have been saved.'));
   }
 
-  $root = variable_get('fedora_repository_pid', 'islandora:root');
-  islandora_guarantee_root_collection($root);
+
   cache_clear_all();
   drupal_rebuild_theme_registry();
 }
@@ -1834,13 +1839,9 @@ function islandora_fedora_settings_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
 function islandora_guarantee_root_collection($pid) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'fedora_repository', 'api/fedora_utils');
   module_load_include('inc', 'fedora_repository', 'api/fedora_item');
-  if(!fedora_available ()){
-    drupal_set_message(t('Fedora is not available'));
-    return;
-  }
+
   $item = new Fedora_Item($pid);
   if ($item->exists()) {
-    
     return;
   }
   $item = Fedora_item::ingest_new_item($pid, 'A', 'Islandora Root Collection', 'admin');
diff --git a/formClass.inc b/formClass.inc
index 5cfe17ef..9e63f7bc 100644
--- a/formClass.inc
+++ b/formClass.inc
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ class formClass {
     module_load_include('inc', 'fedora_repository', 'api/fedora_utils');
     module_load_include('inc', 'fedora_repository', 'ObjectHelper');
     $fedora_path = isset($form_state['values']['fedora_base_url']) ? $form_state['values']['fedora_base_url'] : variable_get('fedora_base_url', 'http://localhost:8080/fedora');
+    $parts = @parse_url($fedora_path);
+    if($parts &!isset($parts['scheme'])){
+      $fedora_path = "http://" . $fedora_path;
+    }
     $triplepath = "$fedora_path/risearch";
     $response = do_curl_ext($fedora_path . '/describe');
     $available = ($response != NULL) ? ($response[1] == 0) : FALSE;