diff --git a/src/radical/utils/debug.py b/src/radical/utils/debug.py
index 78b426ee..01397baf 100644
--- a/src/radical/utils/debug.py
+++ b/src/radical/utils/debug.py
@@ -174,9 +174,13 @@ def get_exception_trace(msg=None):
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-def print_exception_trace(msg=None):
+def print_exception_trace(msg=None, exc=None):
 
-    print_stacktrace(msg=msg, _stack=get_exception_trace())
+    if not exc:
+        print_stacktrace(msg=msg, _stack=get_exception_trace())
+    else:
+        print_stacktrace(msg=msg,
+                         _stack=traceback.extract_tb(exc.__traceback__))
 
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/radical/utils/flux.py b/src/radical/utils/flux.py
index bec64006..1d177a22 100644
--- a/src/radical/utils/flux.py
+++ b/src/radical/utils/flux.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # pylint: disable=cell-var-from-loop
 
 import os
+import sys
 import time
 import json
 
@@ -49,6 +50,16 @@ def __init__(self, uid  : str,
         self._watcher = None
 
         try:
+            cmd = 'flux python -c "import flux; print(flux.__file__)"'
+            out, err, ret = sh_callout(cmd)
+
+            if ret:
+                raise RuntimeError('flux not found: %s' % err)
+
+            flux_path = os.path.dirname(out.strip())
+            mod_path  = os.path.dirname(flux_path)
+            sys.path.append(mod_path)
+
             self._flux     = import_module('flux')
             self._flux_job = import_module('flux.job')
 
@@ -297,6 +308,16 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         self._executors = list()  # TODO
 
         try:
+            cmd = 'flux python -c "import flux; print(flux.__file__)"'
+            out, err, ret = sh_callout(cmd)
+
+            if ret:
+                raise RuntimeError('flux not found: %s' % err)
+
+            flux_path = os.path.dirname(out.strip())
+            mod_path  = os.path.dirname(flux_path)
+            sys.path.append(mod_path)
+
             self._flux     = import_module('flux')
             self._flux_job = import_module('flux.job')
 
diff --git a/src/radical/utils/logger.py b/src/radical/utils/logger.py
index 9aef1968..f6b01902 100644
--- a/src/radical/utils/logger.py
+++ b/src/radical/utils/logger.py
@@ -32,6 +32,15 @@
 """
 
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# NOTE: ForkingPickler does not like lambdas nor local functions, thus use
+#       a module level function to disable loggers.
+#
+def _noop(*args, **kwargs):
+    pass
+
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 import os
@@ -403,21 +412,21 @@ def _ensure_handler(self):
         # class has no constructor, we do it this way.
 
         # disable all loggers
-        self.critical = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.error    = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.warn     = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.warning  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.info     = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug    = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_1  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_2  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_3  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_4  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_5  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_6  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_7  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_8  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
-        self.debug_9  = lambda *args, **kwargs: None
+        self.critical = _noop
+        self.error    = _noop
+        self.warn     = _noop
+        self.warning  = _noop
+        self.info     = _noop
+        self.debug    = _noop
+        self.debug_1  = _noop
+        self.debug_2  = _noop
+        self.debug_3  = _noop
+        self.debug_4  = _noop
+        self.debug_5  = _noop
+        self.debug_6  = _noop
+        self.debug_7  = _noop
+        self.debug_8  = _noop
+        self.debug_9  = _noop
 
         # enable the ones we are configured for:
         if self._num_level <= 50: self.critical = self._logger.critical