diff --git a/uspv/eight333.go b/uspv/eight333.go
index eb2bbd85..26dd0a96 100644
--- a/uspv/eight333.go
+++ b/uspv/eight333.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func OpenSPV(remoteNode string, hfn, tsfn string,
 	go s.outgoingMessageHandler()
 	s.mBlockQueue = make(chan HashAndHeight, 32) // queue depth 32 is a thing
 	s.fPositives = make(chan int32, 4000)        // a block full, approx
-	s.inWaitState = make(chan bool)
+	s.inWaitState = make(chan bool, 1)
 	go s.fPositiveHandler()
 
 	return s, nil
@@ -308,7 +308,18 @@ func (s *SPVCon) IngestMerkleBlock(m *wire.MsgMerkleBlock) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	hah := <-s.mBlockQueue // pop height off mblock queue
+	var hah HashAndHeight
+	select {
+	case hah = <-s.mBlockQueue: // pop height off mblock queue
+		// not super comfortable with this but it seems to work.
+		if len(s.mBlockQueue) == 0 { // done and fully sync'd
+			s.inWaitState <- true
+		}
+		break
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("Unrequested merkle block")
+	}
+
 	// this verifies order, and also that the returned header fits
 	// into our SPV header file
 	newMerkBlockSha := m.Header.BlockSha()
@@ -328,10 +339,6 @@ func (s *SPVCon) IngestMerkleBlock(m *wire.MsgMerkleBlock) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// not super comfortable with this but it seems to work.
-	if len(s.mBlockQueue) == 0 { // done and fully sync'd
-		s.inWaitState <- true
-	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/uspv/msghandler.go b/uspv/msghandler.go
index 8c6ecfbe..5b648e0a 100644
--- a/uspv/msghandler.go
+++ b/uspv/msghandler.go
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ func (s *SPVCon) TxHandler(m *wire.MsgTx) {
 			m.TxSha().String())
 		s.fPositives <- 1 // add one false positive to chan
 	} else {
-		log.Printf("tx %s ingested and matches utxo/adrs. sum %d",
-			m.TxSha().String(), s.TS.Sum)
+		log.Printf("tx %s ingested and matches %d utxo/adrs.",
+			m.TxSha().String(), hits)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -167,10 +167,13 @@ func (s *SPVCon) InvHandler(m *wire.MsgInv) {
 			case <-s.inWaitState:
 				// start getting headers
 				fmt.Printf("asking for headers due to inv block\n")
-				s.AskForHeaders()
+				err := s.AskForHeaders()
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Printf("AskForHeaders error: %s", err.Error())
+				}
 			default:
 				// drop it as if its component particles had high thermal energies
-				fmt.Printf("inv block but ignoring, not synched\n")
+				fmt.Printf("inv block but ignoring; not synched\n")
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/uspv/txstore.go b/uspv/txstore.go
index 5937bc85..505586ff 100644
--- a/uspv/txstore.go
+++ b/uspv/txstore.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 type TxStore struct {
 	OKTxids map[wire.ShaHash]int32 // known good txids and their heights
 
-	Sum     int64    // racks on racks
 	Adrs    []MyAdr  // endeavouring to acquire capital
 	StateDB *bolt.DB // place to write all this down
 	// this is redundant with the SPVCon param... ugly and should be taken out
diff --git a/uspv/utxodb.go b/uspv/utxodb.go
index 07f3ee82..28475470 100644
--- a/uspv/utxodb.go
+++ b/uspv/utxodb.go
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@ func (ts *TxStore) Ingest(tx *wire.MsgTx) (uint32, error) {
 					return hits, err
 				}
 				nUtxoBytes = append(nUtxoBytes, b)
-				ts.Sum += newu.Value
 				hits++
 				break // only one match
 			}
@@ -318,7 +317,6 @@ func (ts *TxStore) Ingest(tx *wire.MsgTx) (uint32, error) {
 					if err != nil {
 						return err
 					}
-					ts.Sum -= lostTxo.Value
 					hits++
 					// then delete the utxo from duf, save to old
 					err = duf.Delete(k)