diff --git a/pywb/apps/cdx_server.py b/pywb/apps/cdx_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..893531b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pywb/apps/cdx_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+from pywb.cdx.cdxserver import create_cdx_server
+
+from pywb.framework.wsgi_wrappers import init_app, start_wsgi_server
+from pywb.framework.archivalrouter import ArchivalRouter, Route
+
+from pywb.core.handlers import CDXHandler
+
+DEFAULT_RULES = 'pywb/rules.yaml'
+
+# cdx-server only config
+DEFAULT_CONFIG = 'pywb/cdx/config.yaml'
+
+#=================================================================
+# create simple cdx server under '/cdx' using config file
+# TODO: support multiple collections like full wayback?
+
+def create_cdx_server_app(config):
+    cdx_server = create_cdx_server(config, DEFAULT_RULES)
+    routes = [Route('cdx', CDXHandler(cdx_server))]
+    return ArchivalRouter(routes)
+
+#=================================================================
+# init pywb app
+#=================================================================
+application = init_app(create_cdx_server_app,
+                       load_yaml=True,
+                       config_file=DEFAULT_CONFIG)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    start_wsgi_server(application)
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/cdxobject.py b/pywb/cdx/cdxobject.py
index 49cd74c5..9ea4a92e 100644
--- a/pywb/cdx/cdxobject.py
+++ b/pywb/cdx/cdxobject.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class CDXObject(OrderedDict):
                 cdxformat = i
 
         if not cdxformat:
-            raise Exception('unknown {0}-field cdx format'.format(len(fields)))
+            raise CDXException('unknown {0}-field cdx format'.format(len(fields)))
 
         for header, field in itertools.izip(cdxformat, fields):
             self[header] = field
@@ -87,8 +87,15 @@ class CDXObject(OrderedDict):
         """
         if fields is None:
             return str(self) + '\n'
-        else:
-            return ' '.join(self[x] for x in fields) + '\n'
+
+        try:
+            result = ' '.join(self[x] for x in fields) + '\n'
+        except KeyError as ke:
+            msg = 'Invalid field "{0}" found in fields= argument'
+            msg = msg.format(ke.message)
+            raise CDXException(msg)
+
+        return result
 
     def __str__(self):
         if self.cdxline:
@@ -111,7 +118,7 @@ class IDXObject(OrderedDict):
 
         if len(fields) < self.NUM_REQ_FIELDS:
             msg = 'invalid idx format: {0} fields found, {1} required'
-            raise Exception(msg.format(len(fields), self.NUM_REQ_FIELDS))
+            raise CDXException(msg.format(len(fields), self.NUM_REQ_FIELDS))
 
         for header, field in itertools.izip(self.FORMAT, fields):
             self[header] = field
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/cdxops.py b/pywb/cdx/cdxops.py
index e3a1a13b..6963b28c 100644
--- a/pywb/cdx/cdxops.py
+++ b/pywb/cdx/cdxops.py
@@ -31,9 +31,18 @@ def cdx_load(sources, query, perms_checker=None, process=True):
     if perms_checker:
         cdx_iter = restrict_cdx(cdx_iter, query, perms_checker)
 
+    if query.output == 'text':
+        cdx_iter = cdx_to_text(cdx_iter, query.fields)
+
     return cdx_iter
 
 
+#=================================================================
+def cdx_to_text(cdx_iter, fields):
+    for cdx in cdx_iter:
+        yield cdx.to_text(fields)
+
+
 #=================================================================
 def restrict_cdx(cdx_iter, query, perms_checker):
     """
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/query.py b/pywb/cdx/query.py
index dc480836..6449223a 100644
--- a/pywb/cdx/query.py
+++ b/pywb/cdx/query.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from urllib import urlencode
 from urlparse import parse_qs
+from cdxobject import CDXException
 
 
 #=================================================================
@@ -62,6 +63,9 @@ class CDXQuery(object):
     @property
     def fields(self):
         v = self.params.get('fields')
+        # check old param name
+        if not v:
+            v = self.params.get('fl')
         return v.split(',') if v else None
 
     @property
@@ -105,9 +109,6 @@ class CDXQuery(object):
         """
         params = parse_qs(env['QUERY_STRING'])
 
-        if not 'output' in params:
-            params['output'] = 'text'
-
         # parse_qs produces arrays for single values
         # cdx processing expects singleton params for all params,
         # except filters, so convert here
@@ -116,4 +117,8 @@ class CDXQuery(object):
             if name != 'filter':
                 params[name] = val[0]
 
+        if not 'output' in params:
+            params['output'] = 'text'
+
+
         return params
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/test/cdxserver_test.py b/pywb/cdx/test/cdxserver_test.py
index e261ead4..f0a3398d 100644
--- a/pywb/cdx/test/cdxserver_test.py
+++ b/pywb/cdx/test/cdxserver_test.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ import pytest
 
 def cdx_ops_test(url, sources = [test_cdx_dir + 'iana.cdx'], **kwparams):
     kwparams['url'] = url
+    kwparams['output'] = 'cdxobject'
     fields = kwparams.get('fields')
     if fields:
         fields = fields.split(',')
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/test/wsgi_cdxserver_test.py b/pywb/cdx/test/wsgi_cdxserver_test.py
deleted file mode 100644
index a7d1ecdb..00000000
--- a/pywb/cdx/test/wsgi_cdxserver_test.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-import webtest
-from pywb.cdx.wsgi_cdxserver import create_app
-from pywb import get_test_dir
-
-class TestCdx:
-    def setup(self):
-        self.app = create_app(get_test_dir() + 'cdx/')
-        self.testapp = webtest.TestApp(self.app)
-
-    def test_cdx(self):
-        resp = self.testapp.get('/cdx?url=http://www.iana.org/_css/2013.1/screen.css')
-        assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
-        assert resp.content_length > 0
-
-
diff --git a/pywb/cdx/wsgi_cdxserver.py b/pywb/cdx/wsgi_cdxserver.py
deleted file mode 100644
index c9fe11d7..00000000
--- a/pywb/cdx/wsgi_cdxserver.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,103 +0,0 @@
-from werkzeug.wrappers import BaseResponse
-from cdxserver import create_cdx_server
-from pywb import get_test_dir
-from query import CDXQuery
-
-import logging
-import os
-import yaml
-import pkg_resources
-
-#=================================================================
-CONFIG_FILE = 'config.yaml'
-
-RULES_FILE = 'rules.yaml'
-
-DEFAULT_PORT = 8080
-
-#=================================================================
-
-class CDXQueryRequest(object):
-    def __init__(self, environ):
-        self.query = CDXQuery.from_wsgi_env(environ)
-
-
-class WSGICDXServer(object):
-    def __init__(self, config, rules_file):
-        self.cdxserver = create_cdx_server(config, rules_file)
-
-    def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
-        request = CDXQueryRequest(environ)
-        try:
-            logging.debug('request.args=%s', request.query)
-            result = self.cdxserver.load_cdx_query(request.query)
-
-            # TODO: select response type by "output" parameter
-            response = PlainTextResponse(result, request.query.fields)
-            return response(environ, start_response)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            logging.error('load_cdx failed', exc_info=1)
-            # TODO: error response should be different for each response
-            # type
-            start_response('400 Error', [('Content-Type', 'text/plain')])
-            return [str(exc)]
-
-def cdx_text_out(cdx, fields):
-    if not fields:
-        return str(cdx) + '\n'
-    else:
-        logging.info('cdx fields=%s', cdx.keys)
-        # TODO: this will results in an exception if fields contain
-        # non-existent field name.
-        return ' '.join(cdx[x] for x in fields) + '\n'
-
-class PlainTextResponse(BaseResponse):
-    def __init__(self, cdxitr, fields, status=200, content_type='text/plain'):
-        super(PlainTextResponse, self).__init__(
-            response=(
-                cdx.to_text(fields) for cdx in cdxitr
-                ),
-            status=status, content_type=content_type)
-
-# class JsonResponse(Response):
-#     pass
-# class MementoResponse(Response):
-#     pass
-
-def create_app(config=None):
-    logging.basicConfig(format='%(asctime)s: [%(levelname)s]: %(message)s',
-                        level=logging.DEBUG)
-
-    if not config:
-        index_paths = get_test_dir() + 'cdx/'
-        config = dict(index_paths=index_paths)
-
-    return WSGICDXServer(config, RULES_FILE)
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    from optparse import OptionParser
-    from werkzeug.serving import run_simple
-
-    opt = OptionParser('%prog [OPTIONS]')
-    opt.add_option('-p', '--port', type='int', default=None)
-
-    options, args = opt.parse_args()
-
-    configdata = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__, CONFIG_FILE)
-    config = yaml.load(configdata)
-
-    port = options.port
-    if port is None:
-        port = (config and config.get('port')) or DEFAULT_PORT
-
-    app = create_app(config)
-
-    logging.debug('Starting CDX Server on port %s', port)
-    try:
-        run_simple('0.0.0.0', port, app, use_reloader=True, use_debugger=True)
-    except KeyboardInterrupt as ex:
-        pass
-    logging.debug('Stopping CDX Server')
-else:
-    # XXX pass production config
-    application = create_app()
diff --git a/pywb/core/handlers.py b/pywb/core/handlers.py
index 1984a4df..18bd0fc9 100644
--- a/pywb/core/handlers.py
+++ b/pywb/core/handlers.py
@@ -3,28 +3,13 @@ import pkgutil
 import mimetypes
 import time
 
-from pywb.rewrite.wburl import WbUrl
 from pywb.cdx.query import CDXQuery
+from pywb.framework.basehandlers import BaseHandler, WbUrlHandler
 from pywb.framework.wbrequestresponse import WbResponse
-from wbexceptions import WbException, NotFoundException
+from pywb.framework.wbexceptions import WbException, NotFoundException
 from views import TextCapturesView
 
 
-#=================================================================
-class BaseHandler(object):
-    def __call__(self, wbrequest):
-        return wbrequest
-
-    def get_wburl_type(self):
-        return None
-
-
-#=================================================================
-class WbUrlHandler(BaseHandler):
-    def get_wburl_type(self):
-        return WbUrl
-
-
 #=================================================================
 # Standard WB Handler
 #=================================================================
diff --git a/pywb/core/indexreader.py b/pywb/core/indexreader.py
index a422d0b4..b77f8590 100644
--- a/pywb/core/indexreader.py
+++ b/pywb/core/indexreader.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class IndexReader(object):
             params.update(wbrequest.custom_params)
 
         params['allowFuzzy'] = True
+        params['output'] = 'cdxobject'
 
         cdxlines = self.load_cdx(url=wburl.url, **params)
 
diff --git a/pywb/framework/archivalrouter.py b/pywb/framework/archivalrouter.py
index 2ae3bb5f..29701fa8 100644
--- a/pywb/framework/archivalrouter.py
+++ b/pywb/framework/archivalrouter.py
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ class ArchivalRouter(object):
                  home_view=None, error_view=None):
 
         self.routes = routes
-        self.fallback = ReferRedirect(hostpaths)
+
+        if hostpaths:
+            self.fallback = ReferRedirect(hostpaths)
+        else:
+            self.fallback = None
+
         self.abs_path = abs_path
 
         self.home_view = home_view
diff --git a/pywb/framework/basehandlers.py b/pywb/framework/basehandlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8ae4d662
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pywb/framework/basehandlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from pywb.rewrite.wburl import WbUrl
+
+
+#=================================================================
+class BaseHandler(object):
+    """
+    Represents a base handler class that handles any request
+    """
+    def __call__(self, wbrequest):
+        return wbrequest
+
+    def get_wburl_type(self):
+        return None
+
+
+#=================================================================
+class WbUrlHandler(BaseHandler):
+    """
+    Represents a handler which assumes the request contains a WbUrl
+    Ensure that the WbUrl is parsed in the request
+    """
+    def get_wburl_type(self):
+        return WbUrl
diff --git a/pywb/framework/test/test_archivalrouter.py b/pywb/framework/test/test_archivalrouter.py
index 86df528a..706027ba 100644
--- a/pywb/framework/test/test_archivalrouter.py
+++ b/pywb/framework/test/test_archivalrouter.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ False
 """
 
 from pywb.framework.archivalrouter import Route, ReferRedirect
-from pywb.core.handlers import BaseHandler, WbUrlHandler
+from pywb.framework.basehandlers import BaseHandler, WbUrlHandler
 import pprint
 
 def print_req(req):
diff --git a/pywb/utils/dsrules.py b/pywb/utils/dsrules.py
index bfbb5a1a..672ce738 100644
--- a/pywb/utils/dsrules.py
+++ b/pywb/utils/dsrules.py
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ from loaders import load_yaml_config
 
 
 #=================================================================
-
 DEFAULT_RULES_FILE = 'pywb/rules.yaml'
 
+
 #=================================================================
 class RuleSet(object):
     DEFAULT_KEY = ''
diff --git a/pywb/utils/loaders.py b/pywb/utils/loaders.py
index 0f925105..d2ca827f 100644
--- a/pywb/utils/loaders.py
+++ b/pywb/utils/loaders.py
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ class BlockLoader(object):
             afile = open(url, 'rb')
 
         except IOError:
-            #if file_only:
-            #    raise
+            if file_only:
+                raise
 
             # then, try as package.path/file
             pkg_split = url.split('/', 1)
-            #if len(pkg_split) == 1:
-            #    raise
+            if len(pkg_split) == 1:
+                raise
 
             afile = pkg_resources.resource_stream(pkg_split[0],
                                                   pkg_split[1])
diff --git a/pywb/warc/resolvingloader.py b/pywb/warc/resolvingloader.py
index 041024e7..6a44739d 100644
--- a/pywb/warc/resolvingloader.py
+++ b/pywb/warc/resolvingloader.py
@@ -176,6 +176,6 @@ class ResolvingLoader:
         params = {'url': url,
                   'closest': timestamp,
                   'filter': 'digest:' + digest,
-                  'output': 'raw'}
+                  'output': 'cdxobject'}
 
         return self.cdx_server.load_cdx(**params)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 889fe2a8..54f136b4 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@ setup(
         'pywb.cdx',
         'pywb.warc',
         'pywb.rewrite',
+        'pywb.framework'
         'pywb.core',
-        'pywb.dispatch',
-        'pywb.bootstrap'
         'pywb.apps'
         ],
     package_data={
diff --git a/tests/test_wsgi_cdxserver.py b/tests/test_cdx_server_app.py
similarity index 73%
rename from tests/test_wsgi_cdxserver.py
rename to tests/test_cdx_server_app.py
index 8eee2484..613273b5 100644
--- a/tests/test_wsgi_cdxserver.py
+++ b/tests/test_cdx_server_app.py
@@ -1,32 +1,26 @@
-import os
 import re
+import webtest
 
-import pytest
 from urllib import urlencode
 
-from werkzeug.test import Client
-from werkzeug.wrappers import BaseResponse, Response
-
-import yaml
-
 from pywb.cdx.cdxobject import CDXObject
-from pywb.cdx.wsgi_cdxserver import create_app
+from pywb.apps.cdx_server import application
 
-from tests.fixture import testconfig
+import pytest
 
+#================================================================
 @pytest.fixture
-def client(testconfig):
-    app = create_app(testconfig)
-    return Client(app, Response)
+def client():
+    return webtest.TestApp(application)
 
-# ================================================================
 
-def query(client, url, **params):
+#================================================================
+def query(client, url, is_error=False, **params):
     params['url'] = url
-    return client.get('/cdx?' + urlencode(params, doseq=1))
+    return client.get('/cdx?' + urlencode(params, doseq=1), expect_errors=is_error)
 
-# ================================================================
 
+#================================================================
 def test_exact_url(client):
     """
     basic exact match, no filters, etc.
@@ -34,48 +28,54 @@ def test_exact_url(client):
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/')
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
-    print resp.data
+    print resp.body
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_prefix_match(client):
     """
     prefix match test
     """
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/', matchType='prefix')
 
-    print resp.data.splitlines()
+    print resp.body.splitlines()
     assert resp.status_code == 200
 
     suburls = 0
-    for l in resp.data.splitlines():
+    for l in resp.body.splitlines():
         fields = l.split(' ')
         if len(fields[0]) > len('org,iana)/'):
             suburls += 1
     assert suburls > 0
-               
+
+
+#================================================================
 def test_filters(client):
     """
     filter cdxes by mimetype and filename field, exact match.
     """
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/_css/2013.1/screen.css',
                  filter=('mimetype:warc/revisit', 'filename:dupes.warc.gz'))
-    
-    assert resp.status_code == 200
-    assert resp.mimetype == 'text/plain'
 
-    for l in resp.data.splitlines():
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
+
+    for l in resp.body.splitlines():
         fields = l.split(' ')
         assert fields[0] == 'org,iana)/_css/2013.1/screen.css'
         assert fields[3] == 'warc/revisit'
         assert fields[10] == 'dupes.warc.gz'
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_limit(client):
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/_css/2013.1/screen.css',
                  limit='1')
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
-    assert resp.mimetype == 'text/plain'
+    assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
 
-    cdxes = resp.data.splitlines()
+    cdxes = resp.body.splitlines()
     assert len(cdxes) == 1
     fields = cdxes[0].split(' ')
     assert fields[0] == 'org,iana)/_css/2013.1/screen.css'
@@ -86,15 +86,17 @@ def test_limit(client):
                  limit='1', reverse='1')
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
-    assert resp.mimetype == 'text/plain'
+    assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
 
-    cdxes = resp.data.splitlines()
+    cdxes = resp.body.splitlines()
     assert len(cdxes) == 1
     fields = cdxes[0].split(' ')
     assert fields[0] == 'org,iana)/_css/2013.1/screen.css'
     assert fields[1] == '20140127171239'
     assert fields[3] == 'warc/revisit'
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_fields(client):
     """
     retrieve subset of fields with ``fields`` parameter.
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ def test_fields(client):
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
 
-    cdxes = resp.data.splitlines()
+    cdxes = resp.body.splitlines()
 
     for cdx in cdxes:
         fields = cdx.split(' ')
@@ -113,16 +115,21 @@ def test_fields(client):
         assert re.match(r'\d{14}$', fields[1])
         assert re.match(r'\d{3}|-', fields[2])
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_fields_undefined(client):
     """
-    server shall respond with Bad Request (TODO: with proper explanation),
+    server shall respond with Bad Request and name of undefined
     when ``fields`` parameter contains undefined name(s).
     """
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/_css/2013.1/print.css',
+                 is_error=True,
                  fields='urlkey,nosuchfield')
 
     resp.status_code == 400
-    
+
+
+#================================================================
 def test_resolveRevisits(client):
     """
     with ``resolveRevisits=true``, server adds three fields pointing to
@@ -132,9 +139,9 @@ def test_resolveRevisits(client):
                  resolveRevisits='true'
                  )
     assert resp.status_code == 200
-    assert resp.mimetype == 'text/plain'
+    assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
 
-    cdxes = resp.data.splitlines()
+    cdxes = resp.body.splitlines()
     originals = {}
     for cdx in cdxes:
         fields = cdx.split(' ')
@@ -151,6 +158,8 @@ def test_resolveRevisits(client):
             orig = originals.get(sha)
             assert orig == (int(orig_size), int(orig_offset), orig_fn)
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_resolveRevisits_orig_fields(client):
     """
     when resolveRevisits=true, extra three fields are named
@@ -162,9 +171,9 @@ def test_resolveRevisits_orig_fields(client):
                  fields='urlkey,orig.length,orig.offset,orig.filename'
                  )
     assert resp.status_code == 200
-    assert resp.mimetype == 'text/plain'
+    assert resp.content_type == 'text/plain'
 
-    cdxes = resp.data.splitlines()
+    cdxes = resp.body.splitlines()
     for cdx in cdxes:
         fields = cdx.split(' ')
         assert len(fields) == 4
@@ -172,6 +181,8 @@ def test_resolveRevisits_orig_fields(client):
         assert (orig_len == '-' and orig_offset == '-' and orig_fn == '-' or
                 (int(orig_len), int(orig_offset), orig_fn))
 
+
+#================================================================
 def test_collapseTime_resolveRevisits_reverse(client):
     resp = query(client, 'http://www.iana.org/_css/2013.1/print.css',
                  collapseTime='11',
@@ -179,11 +190,10 @@ def test_collapseTime_resolveRevisits_reverse(client):
                  reverse='true'
                  )
 
-    cdxes = [CDXObject(l) for l in resp.data.splitlines()]
-    
+    cdxes = [CDXObject(l) for l in resp.body.splitlines()]
+
     assert len(cdxes) == 3
 
     # timestamp is in descending order
     for i in range(len(cdxes) - 1):
         assert cdxes[i]['timestamp'] >= cdxes[i + 1]['timestamp']
-