diff --git a/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.c b/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.c
index 9b55e42..5fb9cd8 100644
--- a/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.c
+++ b/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.c
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   /* Set up the semaphore */
   sem_init(&lock_results, 0, 1) ;
 
+  /* Prepare the TCP socket */
+  ret = init_tcp_socket() ;
+  if (ret)
+    goto exit ;
+
   /* Launch the TCP thread */
   ret = pthread_create(&tcp_server_thread, NULL,
                        &tcp_server, NULL) ;
@@ -216,23 +221,18 @@ void store_result(owl_result *new_result)
 
 
 /*
- * Opens the TCP socket and wait for requests from HTTP clients.
+ * Opens the TCP socket.
+ * Returns a non-zero value in case of error.
  */
-void* tcp_server(void *NULL_value)
+int init_tcp_socket()
 {
-  int newsockfd ;
-  socklen_t client_len ;
-  struct sockaddr_in server_addr, client_addr ;
-  ssize_t nbytes ; // recv/send return value
-  char client_message[CLIENT_MESSAGE_STRLEN] ;
-  char client_request[CLIENT_REQUEST_STRLEN] ;
-  int request_id ;
+  struct sockaddr_in server_addr ;
 
   tcp_sockfd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0) ;
   if (tcp_sockfd < 0)
     {
       perror("Error opening the TCP socket") ;
-      exit(1) ;
+      return tcp_sockfd ;
     }
 
   bzero((char *) &server_addr, sizeof(server_addr)) ;
@@ -240,13 +240,31 @@ void* tcp_server(void *NULL_value)
   server_addr.sin_addr.s_addr = INADDR_ANY ;
   server_addr.sin_port = htons(TCP_PORT) ;
 
+
   if (bind(tcp_sockfd, (struct sockaddr *) &server_addr,
            sizeof(server_addr)) < 0)
     {
       perror("Error binding the TCP socket") ;
-      exit(1) ;
+      return -1 ;
     }
 
+  return 0 ;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Waits for requests from HTTP clients.
+ */
+void* tcp_server(void *NULL_value)
+{
+  int newsockfd ;
+  socklen_t client_len ;
+  struct sockaddr_in client_addr ;
+  ssize_t nbytes ; // recv/send return value
+  char client_message[CLIENT_MESSAGE_STRLEN] ;
+  char client_request[CLIENT_REQUEST_STRLEN] ;
+  int request_id ;
+
   listen(tcp_sockfd, NB_CONNECTIONS) ;
   client_len = sizeof(client_addr) ;
 
diff --git a/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.h b/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.h
index 46b2538..f504fce 100644
--- a/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.h
+++ b/owlps-udp-to-http/owlps-udp-to-http.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ typedef struct _results_list
 
 int receive_udp(void) ;
 void store_result(owl_result *result) ;
+int init_tcp_socket(void) ;
 void* tcp_server(void *NULL_value) ;
 int
 extract_request_from_message(char client_request[CLIENT_REQUEST_STRLEN],