diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/linkvalidation/LinkValidationServiceBootstrap.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/linkvalidation/LinkValidationServiceBootstrap.java
index 63b0bd26a7..6589d0037a 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/linkvalidation/LinkValidationServiceBootstrap.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/linkvalidation/LinkValidationServiceBootstrap.java
@@ -26,11 +26,10 @@
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 package org.alfresco.linkvalidation;
 
-import org.alfresco.util.AbstractLifecycleBean;
-import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEvent;
-import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
-import org.alfresco.service.cmr.avm.AVMNotFoundException;
 import org.alfresco.repo.avm.util.RawServices;
+import org.alfresco.util.AbstractLifecycleBean;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEvent;
 
 /**
  * Bootstrap for LinkValidationService
@@ -39,10 +38,6 @@ public class LinkValidationServiceBootstrap extends AbstractLifecycleBean
 {
     private LinkValidationService linkValidationService_;
     
-    
-    /* (non-Javadoc)
-     * @see org.alfresco.util.AbstractLifecycleBean#onBootstrap(org.springframework.context.ApplicationEvent)
-     */
     @Override
     protected void onBootstrap(ApplicationEvent event)
     {
@@ -53,9 +48,6 @@ public class LinkValidationServiceBootstrap extends AbstractLifecycleBean
         linkValidationService_.onBootstrap();
     }
 
-    /* (non-Javadoc)
-     * @see org.alfresco.util.AbstractLifecycleBean#onShutdown(org.springframework.context.ApplicationEvent)
-     */
     @Override
     protected void onShutdown(ApplicationEvent event)
     {
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/OpenOfficeContentTransformer.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/OpenOfficeContentTransformer.java
index a169f18a8e..dfd36ef5ba 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/OpenOfficeContentTransformer.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/transform/OpenOfficeContentTransformer.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import net.sf.jooreports.converter.DocumentFormatRegistry;
 import net.sf.jooreports.converter.XmlDocumentFormatRegistry;
 import net.sf.jooreports.openoffice.connection.OpenOfficeConnection;
 import net.sf.jooreports.openoffice.connection.OpenOfficeException;
+import net.sf.jooreports.openoffice.converter.AbstractOpenOfficeDocumentConverter;
 import net.sf.jooreports.openoffice.converter.OpenOfficeDocumentConverter;
 
 import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.io.DefaultResourceLoader;
 public class OpenOfficeContentTransformer extends AbstractContentTransformer2
 {
     private OpenOfficeConnection connection;
-    private OpenOfficeDocumentConverter converter;
+    private AbstractOpenOfficeDocumentConverter converter;
     private String documentFormatsConfiguration;
     private DocumentFormatRegistry formatRegistry;
     
@@ -64,11 +65,27 @@ public class OpenOfficeContentTransformer extends AbstractContentTransformer2
     {
     }
     
+    /**
+     * @param connection            the connection that the converter uses
+     */
     public void setConnection(OpenOfficeConnection connection)
     {
         this.connection = connection;
     }
-    
+
+    /**
+     * Explicitly set the converter to be used.  The converter must use the same connection
+     * set in {@link #setConnection(OpenOfficeConnection)}.
+     * <p>
+     * If not set, then the <code>OpenOfficeDocumentConverter</code> will be used.
+     * 
+     * @param converter         the converter to use.
+     */
+    public void setConverter(AbstractOpenOfficeDocumentConverter converter)
+    {
+        this.converter = converter;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Set a non-default location from which to load the document format mappings.
      * 
@@ -110,7 +127,10 @@ public class OpenOfficeContentTransformer extends AbstractContentTransformer2
         }
         
         // set up the converter
-        converter = new OpenOfficeDocumentConverter(connection);
+        if (converter == null)
+        {
+            converter = new OpenOfficeDocumentConverter(connection);
+        }
         
         // Register
         super.register();
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/transaction/TransactionServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/transaction/TransactionServiceImpl.java
index a41bbe7841..12c7a54c1c 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/transaction/TransactionServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/transaction/TransactionServiceImpl.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import javax.transaction.UserTransaction;
 
 import org.alfresco.repo.cache.SimpleCache;
 import org.alfresco.service.transaction.TransactionService;
+import org.alfresco.util.VmShutdownListener;
 import org.alfresco.util.transaction.SpringAwareUserTransaction;
 import org.springframework.transaction.PlatformTransactionManager;
 import org.springframework.transaction.TransactionDefinition;
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ import org.springframework.transaction.TransactionDefinition;
  */
 public class TransactionServiceImpl implements TransactionService
 {
+    private static VmShutdownListener shutdownListener = new VmShutdownListener("TransactionService");
+
     private PlatformTransactionManager transactionManager;
     private int maxRetries = -1;
     private int minRetryWaitMs = -1;
@@ -79,8 +82,20 @@ public class TransactionServiceImpl implements TransactionService
     
     public boolean isReadOnly()
     {
-    	Boolean allowWrite = (Boolean)sysAdminCache.get(KEY_SYSADMIN_ALLOW_WRITE);
-    	return (allowWrite == null ? false : ! allowWrite);
+        if (shutdownListener.isVmShuttingDown())
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+        try
+        {
+            Boolean allowWrite = (Boolean)sysAdminCache.get(KEY_SYSADMIN_ALLOW_WRITE);
+            return (allowWrite == null ? false : ! allowWrite);
+        }
+        catch (IllegalStateException e)
+        {
+            // The cache is not working
+            return true;
+        }
     }
     
     /**