diff --git a/hived/log.py b/hived/log.py
index f346e48..0617d61 100644
--- a/hived/log.py
+++ b/hived/log.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import logging
-
 from time import gmtime
 
+from traceback import format_exception
 import simplejson as json
 
 from hived import trail
@@ -33,4 +33,15 @@ def format(self, record):
         if trail.get_id():
             record_dict['_trail_id'] = trail.get_id()
 
-        return "{}{}".format(conf.LOG_PREFIX, json.dumps(record_dict, default=json_handler))
+        if record.exc_info:
+            etype, exc, tb = record.exc_info
+            record_dict['error'] = {
+                'etype': etype.__name__,
+                'exc': exc,
+                'locals': {k: repr(v)
+                           for k, v in tb.tb_frame.f_locals.iteritems()
+                           if not k.startswith('__')},
+                'traceback': format_exception(etype, exc, tb),
+            }
+
+        return '{}{}'.format(conf.LOG_PREFIX, json.dumps(record_dict, default=json_handler))
diff --git a/hived/queue.py b/hived/queue.py
index 7aa5f3c..c26ee70 100644
--- a/hived/queue.py
+++ b/hived/queue.py
@@ -89,18 +89,19 @@ def close(self):
         if self.connection is not None:
             self.connection.close()
 
-    def _try(self, method, _tries=1, **kwargs):
+    def _try(self, method, **kwargs):
         if self.channel is None:
             self._connect()
 
-        try:
-            return getattr(self.channel, method)(**kwargs)
-        except (AMQPError, IOError) as e:
-            if _tries < MAX_TRIES:
-                self._connect()
-                return self._try(method, _tries + 1, **kwargs)
-            else:
-                raise ConnectionError(e)
+        for attempt in xrange(MAX_TRIES, 0, -1):
+            try:
+                return getattr(self.channel, method)(**kwargs)
+
+            except (AMQPError, IOError):
+                if attempt > 1:
+                    time.sleep(.5)
+                else:
+                    raise
 
     def _subscribe(self):
         self.default_queue_name = '%s_%s' % (self.subscription, uuid.uuid4())
@@ -116,7 +117,8 @@ def subscribe(self, routing_key):
         self.subscription = routing_key
         self._connect()
 
-    def put(self, message_dict=None, routing_key='', exchange=None, body=None, priority=0):
+    def put(self, message_dict=None, routing_key='', exchange=None, body=None,
+            priority=0, mandatory=False):
         """
         Publishes a message to the queue.
         message_dict: the json-serializable object that will be published
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ def put(self, message_dict=None, routing_key='', exchange=None, body=None, prior
         return self._try('basic_publish',
                          msg=message,
                          exchange=exchange,
+                         mandatory=mandatory,
                          routing_key=routing_key)
 
     def _parse_message(self, message):
diff --git a/tests/test_queue.py b/tests/test_queue.py
index 385bd34..e380196 100644
--- a/tests/test_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_queue.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import json
 import unittest
 
-from amqp import Message, AMQPError, ConnectionError
+from amqp import Message, AMQPError, ConnectionError, Connection
 from mock import MagicMock, patch, call, Mock, ANY
 
 from hived.queue import (ExternalQueue, MAX_TRIES, SerializationError,
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@ def setUp(self):
 
         self.channel_mock = MagicMock()
         self.channel_mock.basic_get.return_value = self.message
+        self.channel_mock.basic_publish.return_value = None
 
         self.connection = MagicMock()
         self.connection.channel.return_value = self.channel_mock
 
         self.connection_cls_patcher = patch('amqp.Connection',
-                                                 return_value=self.connection)
+                                            return_value=self.connection)
         self.connection_cls_mock = self.connection_cls_patcher.start()
 
         self.external_queue = ExternalQueue('localhost', 'username', 'pwd',
@@ -79,8 +80,8 @@ def test__try_tries_up_to_max_tries(self):
         self.assertEqual(rv, 'rv')
 
     def test__try_doesnt_try_more_than_max_tries(self):
-        self.channel_mock.method.side_effect = [AMQPError, AMQPError, AMQPError, 'rv']
-        self.assertRaises(ConnectionError, self.external_queue._try, 'method')
+        self.channel_mock.method.side_effect = [AMQPError, AMQPError, AMQPError]
+        self.assertRaises(AMQPError, self.external_queue._try, 'method')
 
     def test_put_uses_default_exchange_if_not_supplied(self):
         amqp_msg = Message('body', delivery_mode=2, content_type='application/json', priority=0)
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ def test_put_uses_default_exchange_if_not_supplied(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.channel_mock.basic_publish.call_args_list,
                          [call(msg=amqp_msg,
                                exchange='default_exchange',
+                               mandatory=False,
                                routing_key='')])
 
     def test_add_trail_keys(self):