I knew there was something else...
 
If your machine (the whole thing, not the little virtual ones) is shutdown,
it is possible that the console spool may end up in LISTSERV's reader.
 
In my case, there was an empty reader file (rc=101 from WAKEUP) which
LISTSERV kept finding and abending on.
 
If this happens to anyone else before a fix is made to LISTSERV, simply
purge that reader file (or transfer it elsewhere).
 
--Marc
  "...but it committed suicide!"