diff --git a/focus.py b/focus.py
index f3f155e..b3343e3 100644
--- a/focus.py
+++ b/focus.py
@@ -385,10 +385,14 @@ def drop_privileges(uid, gid):
 manually find and kill any existing focus.py process")
             exit(1)
 
-    with open(pid_file, "w") as f:
-        # Drop ownership of the pidfile
-        os.fchown(f.fileno(), get_unprivileged_uid(), -1)
-        f.write(str(os.getpid()))
+    try:
+        with open(pid_file, "w") as f:
+            # Drop ownership of the pidfile
+            os.fchown(f.fileno(), get_unprivileged_uid(), -1)
+            f.write(str(os.getpid()))
+    except IOError:
+        log.warning("Couldn't create a pidfile. Please run this script as root.")
+        exit(1)
     atexit.register(clean_up_pid)
 
     config.update(load_config(config_file))
@@ -463,7 +467,7 @@ def drop_privileges(uid, gid):
 
 
                 # a request for an ip for a domain
-                if qtype is request_types["A"]:
+                if qtype is request_types["A"] or qtype is request_types["AAAA"]:
                     # if we can visit it now, it might be either A) not on the blacklist
                     # or B) on the blacklist, but not blacklisted at this time (due to
                     # the schedule permitting access).  in both cases, we should