diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index a80f5d7b..be9511ad 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
+Snapshot 34e2271833
+
+* Activity launching fixes (marco)
+
 Snapshot 6d2828e54e
 
 * Code cleanups (marco)
 
 Snapshot 1eb9932ab3
 
+* sugar.presence tracking handles of buddies (morgs)
 * Cleanup activity destruction (marco)
 * Added TimeoutAlert (erikos)
 
diff --git a/bin/sugar-activity b/bin/sugar-activity
index ed6c7df8..2e10922a 100755
--- a/bin/sugar-activity
+++ b/bin/sugar-activity
@@ -94,17 +94,6 @@ if len(args) == 0:
 bundle_path = os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_PATH']
 sys.path.append(bundle_path)
 
-bundle = ActivityBundle(bundle_path)
-
-gettext.bindtextdomain(bundle.get_bundle_id(),
-                       bundle.get_locale_path())
-gettext.textdomain(bundle.get_bundle_id())
-
-gtk.icon_theme_get_default().append_search_path(bundle.get_icons_path())
-
-_sugarbaseext.set_prgname(bundle.get_bundle_id())
-_sugarbaseext.set_application_name(bundle.get_name())
-
 splitted_module = args[0].rsplit('.', 1)
 module_name = splitted_module[0]
 class_name = splitted_module[1]
@@ -112,10 +101,8 @@ class_name = splitted_module[1]
 module = __import__(module_name)        
 for comp in module_name.split('.')[1:]:
     module = getattr(module, comp)
-    if hasattr(module, 'start'):
-        module.start()
-constructor = getattr(module, class_name)
 
+constructor = getattr(module, class_name)
 handle = activityhandle.ActivityHandle(
             activity_id=options.activity_id,
             object_id=options.object_id, uri=options.uri)
@@ -123,9 +110,8 @@ handle = activityhandle.ActivityHandle(
 if options.single_process is True:
     bus = dbus.SessionBus()
 
-    bundle_id = bundle.get_bundle_id()
-    service_name = get_single_process_name(bundle_id)
-    service_path = get_single_process_path(bundle_id)
+    service_name = get_single_process_name(options.bundle_id)
+    service_path = get_single_process_path(options.bundle_id)
 
     bus_object = bus.get_object(
             'org.freedesktop.DBus', '/org/freedesktop/DBus')
@@ -144,6 +130,20 @@ if options.single_process is True:
         print 'Created %s in a single process.' % service_name
         sys.exit(0)
 
+if hasattr(module, 'start'):
+    module.start()
+
+bundle = ActivityBundle(bundle_path)
+
+os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_ID'] = bundle.get_bundle_id()
+os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_NAME'] = bundle.get_name()
+
+gettext.bindtextdomain(bundle.get_bundle_id(),
+                       bundle.get_locale_path())
+gettext.textdomain(bundle.get_bundle_id())
+
+gtk.icon_theme_get_default().append_search_path(bundle.get_icons_path())
+
 create_activity_instance(constructor, handle)
 
 gtk.main()
diff --git a/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py b/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
index 4bb214f4..8fceb6b1 100644
--- a/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
         return self._activity_id
 
     def get_bundle_id(self):
-        return _sugarbaseext.get_prgname()
+        return os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_ID']
 
     def set_canvas(self, canvas):
         Window.set_canvas(self, canvas)
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
 
     def __realize_cb(self, window):
         wm.set_bundle_id(window.window, self.get_bundle_id())
-        wm.set_activity_id(window.window, self._activity_id)
+        wm.set_activity_id(window.window, str(self._activity_id))
 
     def __delete_event_cb(self, widget, event):
         self.close()
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
 def get_bundle_name():
     """Return the bundle name for the current process' bundle
     """
-    return _sugarbaseext.get_application_name()
+    return os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_NAME']
     
 def get_bundle_path():
     """Return the bundle path for the current process' bundle
diff --git a/lib/sugar/datastore/datastore.py b/lib/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
index a865c303..6f1e1461 100644
--- a/lib/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
+++ b/lib/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
@@ -117,20 +117,28 @@ class DSObject(object):
 
     file_path = property(get_file_path, set_file_path)
 
+    def _get_activities_for_mime(self, mime_type):
+        registry = activity.get_registry()
+        result = registry.get_activities_for_type(mime_type)
+        if not result:
+            for parent_mime in mime.get_mime_parents(mime_type):
+                 result.extend(registry.get_activities_for_type(parent_type))
+
     def get_activities(self):
         activities = []
 
-        if self.metadata['activity']:
-            activity_info = activity.get_registry().get_activity(self.metadata['activity'])
+        bundle_id = self.metadata['activity']
+        if bundle_id:
+            activity_info = activity.get_registry().get_activity(bundle_id)
             if activity_info:
                 activities.append(activity_info)
 
         mime_type = self.metadata['mime_type']
         if mime_type:
-            activities_info = activity.get_registry().get_activities_for_type(mime_type)
-            for activity_info in activities_info:
-                if activity_info.bundle_id != self.metadata['activity']:
-                    activities.append(activity_info)
+            activities_info = self._get_activities_for_mime(mime_type)
+            for info in activities_info:
+                if activity_info.bundle_id != bundle_id:
+                    activities.append(info)
 
         return activities