diff --git a/src/erasure.rs b/src/erasure.rs
index 0b0b2cb9df..8eea39ca55 100644
--- a/src/erasure.rs
+++ b/src/erasure.rs
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ pub fn generate_coding(
 // examine the window beginning at block_start for missing or
 //  stale (based on block_start_idx) blobs
 // if a blob is stale, remove it from the window slot
+//  side effect: block will be cleaned of old blobs
 fn find_missing(
     debug_id: u64,
     block_start_idx: u64,
@@ -359,54 +360,49 @@ fn find_missing(
         let idx = (i - block_start) as u64 + block_start_idx;
         let n = i % window.len();
 
-        // swap blob out with None, if it's in the right place, put it back
-        if let Some(blob) = mem::replace(&mut window[n].data, None) {
-            let blob_idx = blob.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap();
-            if blob_idx == idx {
-                trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} good data", debug_id, idx);
-                mem::replace(&mut window[n].data, Some(blob));
+        fn is_missing(
+            debug_id: u64,
+            idx: u64,
+            window_slot: &mut Option<SharedBlob>,
+            recycler: &BlobRecycler,
+            c_or_d: &str,
+        ) -> bool {
+            if let Some(blob) = mem::replace(window_slot, None) {
+                let blob_idx = blob.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap();
+                if blob_idx == idx {
+                    trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} good {}", debug_id, idx, c_or_d);
+                    mem::replace(window_slot, Some(blob));
+                    false
+                } else {
+                    trace!(
+                        "recover {:x}: idx: {} old {} {}, recycling",
+                        debug_id,
+                        idx,
+                        c_or_d,
+                        blob_idx,
+                    );
+                    recycler.recycle(blob);
+                    true
+                }
             } else {
-                trace!(
-                    "recover {:x}: idx: {} old data {}, recycling",
-                    debug_id,
-                    idx,
-                    blob_idx
-                );
-                recycler.recycle(blob);
-                data_missing += 1;
+                trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} None {}", debug_id, idx, c_or_d);
+                true
             }
-        } else {
-            trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} None data", debug_id, idx);
+        }
+
+        if is_missing(debug_id, idx, &mut window[n].data, recycler, "data") {
             data_missing += 1;
         }
 
-        if i >= coding_start {
-            // swap blob out with None, if it's in the right place, put it back
-            if let Some(blob) = mem::replace(&mut window[n].coding, None) {
-                let blob_idx = blob.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap();
-                if blob_idx == idx {
-                    trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} good coding", debug_id, idx);
-                    mem::replace(&mut window[n].coding, Some(blob));
-                } else {
-                    trace!(
-                        "recover {:x}: idx: {} old coding {}, recycling",
-                        debug_id,
-                        idx,
-                        blob_idx
-                    );
-                    recycler.recycle(blob);
-                    coding_missing += 1;
-                }
-            } else {
-                trace!("recover {:x}: idx: {} None coding", debug_id, idx);
-                coding_missing += 1;
-            }
+        if i >= coding_start && is_missing(debug_id, idx, &mut window[n].coding, recycler, "coding")
+        {
+            coding_missing += 1;
         }
     }
     (data_missing, coding_missing)
 }
 
-// Recover missing blocks into window
+// Recover a missing block into window
 //   missing blocks should be None or old...
 //   Use recycler to allocate new ones.
 //   If not enough coding or data blocks are present to restore
@@ -418,178 +414,172 @@ pub fn recover(
     window: &mut [WindowSlot],
     start_idx: u64,
     start: usize,
-    num_blobs: usize,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    let num_blocks = (num_blobs / NUM_DATA) + 1;
-    let mut block_start = start - (start % NUM_DATA);
-    let mut block_start_idx = start_idx - (start_idx % NUM_DATA as u64);
+    let block_start = start - (start % NUM_DATA);
+    let block_start_idx = start_idx - (start_idx % NUM_DATA as u64);
 
-    debug!(
-        "num_blocks: {} start: {} num_blobs: {} block_start: {}",
-        num_blocks, start, num_blobs, block_start
+    debug!("start: {} block_start: {}", start, block_start);
+
+    let coding_start = block_start + NUM_DATA - NUM_CODING;
+    let block_end = block_start + NUM_DATA;
+    trace!(
+        "recover {:x}: block_start_idx: {} block_start: {} coding_start: {} block_end: {}",
+        debug_id,
+        block_start_idx,
+        block_start,
+        coding_start,
+        block_end
     );
 
-    for _ in 0..num_blocks {
-        let coding_start = block_start + NUM_DATA - NUM_CODING;
-        let block_end = block_start + NUM_DATA;
+    let (data_missing, coding_missing) =
+        find_missing(debug_id, block_start_idx, block_start, window, recycler);
+
+    // if we're not missing data, or if we have too much missin but have enough coding
+    if data_missing == 0 {
+        // nothing to do...
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if (data_missing + coding_missing) > NUM_CODING {
         trace!(
-            "recover {:x}: block_start_idx: {} block_start: {} coding_start: {} block_end: {}",
+            "recover {:x}: start: {} skipping recovery data: {} coding: {}",
             debug_id,
-            block_start_idx,
             block_start,
-            coding_start,
-            block_end
-        );
-
-        let (data_missing, coding_missing) =
-            find_missing(debug_id, block_start_idx, block_start, window, recycler);
-
-        // if we're not missing data, or if we have too much missin but have enough coding
-        if data_missing == 0 || (data_missing + coding_missing) > NUM_CODING {
-            trace!(
-                "recover {:x}: start: {} skipping recovery data: {} coding: {}",
-                debug_id,
-                block_start,
-                data_missing,
-                coding_missing
-            );
-            block_start += NUM_DATA;
-            block_start_idx += NUM_DATA as u64;
-            // on to the next block
-            continue;
-        }
-        trace!(
-            "recover {:x}: recovering: data: {} coding: {}",
-            debug_id,
             data_missing,
             coding_missing
         );
-        let mut blobs: Vec<SharedBlob> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA + NUM_CODING);
-        let mut locks = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA + NUM_CODING);
-        let mut erasures: Vec<i32> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_CODING);
-        let mut meta = None;
-        let mut size = None;
-
-        // add the data blobs we have into recovery blob vector
-        for i in block_start..block_end {
-            let j = i % window.len();
-
-            if let Some(b) = window[j].data.clone() {
-                if meta.is_none() {
-                    meta = Some(b.read().unwrap().meta.clone());
-                    trace!("recover {:x} meta at {} {:?}", debug_id, j, meta);
-                }
-                blobs.push(b);
-            } else {
-                let n = recycler.allocate();
-                window[j].data = Some(n.clone());
-                // mark the missing memory
-                blobs.push(n);
-                erasures.push((i - block_start) as i32);
-            }
-        }
-        for i in coding_start..block_end {
-            let j = i % window.len();
-            if let Some(b) = window[j].coding.clone() {
-                if size.is_none() {
-                    size = Some(b.read().unwrap().meta.size - BLOB_HEADER_SIZE);
-                }
-                blobs.push(b);
-            } else {
-                let n = recycler.allocate();
-                window[j].coding = Some(n.clone());
-                //mark the missing memory
-                blobs.push(n);
-                erasures.push(((i - coding_start) + NUM_DATA) as i32);
-            }
-        }
-        // now that we have size (from coding), zero out data blob tails
-        for i in block_start..block_end {
-            let j = i % window.len();
-
-            if let Some(b) = &window[j].data {
-                let size = size.unwrap();
-                let mut b_wl = b.write().unwrap();
-                for i in b_wl.meta.size..size {
-                    b_wl.data[i] = 0;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        // marks end of erasures
-        erasures.push(-1);
-        trace!(
-            "erasures[]: {:x} {:?} data_size: {}",
-            debug_id,
-            erasures,
-            size.unwrap(),
-        );
-        //lock everything for write
-        for b in &blobs {
-            locks.push(b.write().expect("'locks' arr in pb fn recover"));
-        }
-
-        {
-            let mut coding_ptrs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_CODING);
-            let mut data_ptrs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA);
-            for (i, l) in locks.iter_mut().enumerate() {
-                if i < NUM_DATA {
-                    trace!("{:x} pushing data: {}", debug_id, i);
-                    data_ptrs.push(&mut l.data[..size.unwrap()]);
-                } else {
-                    trace!("{:x} pushing coding: {}", debug_id, i);
-                    coding_ptrs.push(&mut l.data_mut()[..size.unwrap()]);
-                }
-            }
-            trace!(
-                "{:x} coding_ptrs.len: {} data_ptrs.len {}",
-                debug_id,
-                coding_ptrs.len(),
-                data_ptrs.len()
-            );
-            decode_blocks(
-                data_ptrs.as_mut_slice(),
-                coding_ptrs.as_mut_slice(),
-                &erasures,
-            )?;
-        }
-
-        let mut corrupt = false;
-        // repopulate header data size from recovered blob contents
-        for i in &erasures[..erasures.len() - 1] {
-            let n = *i as usize;
-            let mut idx = n as u64 + block_start_idx;
-
-            let mut data_size;
-            if n < NUM_DATA {
-                data_size = locks[n].get_data_size().unwrap();
-                data_size -= BLOB_HEADER_SIZE as u64;
-            } else {
-                data_size = size.unwrap() as u64;
-                idx -= NUM_CODING as u64;
-                locks[n].set_index(idx).unwrap();
-            }
-
-            locks[n].meta = meta.clone().unwrap();
-            locks[n].set_size(data_size as usize);
-            trace!(
-                "{:x} erasures[{}] ({}) size: {:x} data[0]: {}",
-                debug_id,
-                *i,
-                idx,
-                data_size,
-                locks[n].data()[0]
-            );
-            if data_size > BLOB_SIZE as u64 {
-                corrupt = true;
-            }
-        }
-        assert!(!corrupt, " {:x} ", debug_id);
-
-        block_start += NUM_DATA;
-        block_start_idx += NUM_DATA as u64;
+        // nothing to do...
+        return Err(ErasureError::NotEnoughBlocksToDecode);
     }
 
+    trace!(
+        "recover {:x}: recovering: data: {} coding: {}",
+        debug_id,
+        data_missing,
+        coding_missing
+    );
+    let mut blobs: Vec<SharedBlob> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA + NUM_CODING);
+    let mut locks = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA + NUM_CODING);
+    let mut erasures: Vec<i32> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_CODING);
+    let mut meta = None;
+    let mut size = None;
+
+    // add the data blobs we have into recovery blob vector
+    for i in block_start..block_end {
+        let j = i % window.len();
+
+        if let Some(b) = window[j].data.clone() {
+            if meta.is_none() {
+                meta = Some(b.read().unwrap().meta.clone());
+                trace!("recover {:x} meta at {} {:?}", debug_id, j, meta);
+            }
+            blobs.push(b);
+        } else {
+            let n = recycler.allocate();
+            window[j].data = Some(n.clone());
+            // mark the missing memory
+            blobs.push(n);
+            erasures.push((i - block_start) as i32);
+        }
+    }
+    for i in coding_start..block_end {
+        let j = i % window.len();
+        if let Some(b) = window[j].coding.clone() {
+            if size.is_none() {
+                size = Some(b.read().unwrap().meta.size - BLOB_HEADER_SIZE);
+            }
+            blobs.push(b);
+        } else {
+            let n = recycler.allocate();
+            window[j].coding = Some(n.clone());
+            //mark the missing memory
+            blobs.push(n);
+            erasures.push(((i - coding_start) + NUM_DATA) as i32);
+        }
+    }
+    // now that we have size (from coding), zero out data blob tails
+    for i in block_start..block_end {
+        let j = i % window.len();
+
+        if let Some(b) = &window[j].data {
+            let size = size.unwrap();
+            let mut b_wl = b.write().unwrap();
+            for i in b_wl.meta.size..size {
+                b_wl.data[i] = 0;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // marks end of erasures
+    erasures.push(-1);
+    trace!(
+        "erasures[]: {:x} {:?} data_size: {}",
+        debug_id,
+        erasures,
+        size.unwrap(),
+    );
+    //lock everything for write
+    for b in &blobs {
+        locks.push(b.write().expect("'locks' arr in pb fn recover"));
+    }
+
+    {
+        let mut coding_ptrs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_CODING);
+        let mut data_ptrs: Vec<&mut [u8]> = Vec::with_capacity(NUM_DATA);
+        for (i, l) in locks.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            if i < NUM_DATA {
+                trace!("{:x} pushing data: {}", debug_id, i);
+                data_ptrs.push(&mut l.data[..size.unwrap()]);
+            } else {
+                trace!("{:x} pushing coding: {}", debug_id, i);
+                coding_ptrs.push(&mut l.data_mut()[..size.unwrap()]);
+            }
+        }
+        trace!(
+            "{:x} coding_ptrs.len: {} data_ptrs.len {}",
+            debug_id,
+            coding_ptrs.len(),
+            data_ptrs.len()
+        );
+        decode_blocks(
+            data_ptrs.as_mut_slice(),
+            coding_ptrs.as_mut_slice(),
+            &erasures,
+        )?;
+    }
+
+    let mut corrupt = false;
+    // repopulate header data size from recovered blob contents
+    for i in &erasures[..erasures.len() - 1] {
+        let n = *i as usize;
+        let mut idx = n as u64 + block_start_idx;
+
+        let mut data_size;
+        if n < NUM_DATA {
+            data_size = locks[n].get_data_size().unwrap();
+            data_size -= BLOB_HEADER_SIZE as u64;
+        } else {
+            data_size = size.unwrap() as u64;
+            idx -= NUM_CODING as u64;
+            locks[n].set_index(idx).unwrap();
+        }
+
+        locks[n].meta = meta.clone().unwrap();
+        locks[n].set_size(data_size as usize);
+        trace!(
+            "{:x} erasures[{}] ({}) size: {:x} data[0]: {}",
+            debug_id,
+            *i,
+            idx,
+            data_size,
+            locks[n].data()[0]
+        );
+        if data_size > BLOB_SIZE as u64 {
+            corrupt = true;
+        }
+    }
+    assert!(!corrupt, " {:x} ", debug_id);
+
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -831,7 +821,6 @@ mod test {
                 &mut window,
                 (offset + WINDOW_SIZE) as u64,
                 offset,
-                num_blobs
             ).is_ok()
         );
         println!("** after-recover:");
@@ -879,7 +868,6 @@ mod test {
                 &mut window,
                 (offset + WINDOW_SIZE) as u64,
                 offset,
-                num_blobs
             ).is_ok()
         );
         println!("** after-recover:");
@@ -926,7 +914,6 @@ mod test {
                 &mut window,
                 (offset + WINDOW_SIZE) as u64,
                 offset,
-                num_blobs
             ).is_ok()
         );
         println!("** after-recover:");
diff --git a/src/streamer.rs b/src/streamer.rs
index acd5744a0b..4ef44ac043 100644
--- a/src/streamer.rs
+++ b/src/streamer.rs
@@ -297,23 +297,22 @@ fn retransmit_all_leader_blocks(
 ///      starting from consumed is thereby formed, add that continuous
 ///      range of blobs to a queue to be sent on to the next stage.
 ///
-/// * `b` -  the blob to be processed into the window and rebroadcast
+/// * `debug_id` - this node's id in a useful-for-debug format
+/// * `blob` -  the blob to be processed into the window and rebroadcast
 /// * `pix` -  the index of the blob, corresponds to
 ///            the entry height of this blob
-/// * `w` -  the index this blob would land at within the window
 /// * `consume_queue` - output, blobs to be rebroadcast are placed here
 /// * `window` - the window we're operating on
-/// * `debug_id` - this node's id in a useful-for-debug format
 /// * `recycler` - where to return the blob once processed, also where
 ///                  to return old blobs from the window
 /// * `consumed` - input/output, the entry-height to which this
 ///                 node has populated and rebroadcast entries
 fn process_blob(
+    debug_id: u64,
     blob: SharedBlob,
     pix: u64,
     consume_queue: &mut SharedBlobs,
     window: &Window,
-    debug_id: u64,
     recycler: &BlobRecycler,
     consumed: &mut u64,
     received: u64,
@@ -327,31 +326,52 @@ fn process_blob(
         blob_r.is_coding()
     };
 
+    // insert a newly received blob into a window slot, clearing out and recycling any previous
+    //  blob unless the incoming blob is a duplicate (based on idx)
+    // returns whether the incoming is a duplicate blob
+    fn insert_blob_is_dup(
+        debug_id: u64,
+        blob: SharedBlob,
+        pix: u64,
+        window_slot: &mut Option<SharedBlob>,
+        recycler: &BlobRecycler,
+        c_or_d: &str,
+    ) -> bool {
+        if let Some(old) = mem::replace(window_slot, Some(blob)) {
+            if old.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap() == pix {
+                trace!(
+                    "{:x}: duplicate {} blob at index {:}",
+                    debug_id,
+                    c_or_d,
+                    pix
+                );
+            }
+            trace!(
+                "{:x}: recycling {} blob at index {:}",
+                debug_id,
+                c_or_d,
+                pix
+            );
+            recycler.recycle(old);
+            true
+        } else {
+            trace!("{:x}: empty {} window slot {:}", debug_id, c_or_d, pix);
+            false
+        }
+    }
+
     // insert the new blob into the window, overwrite and recycle old (or duplicate) entry
     let is_duplicate = if is_coding {
-        if let Some(old) = mem::replace(&mut window[w].coding, Some(blob)) {
-            if old.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap() == pix {
-                trace!("{:x}: duplicate coding blob at index {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            }
-            trace!("{:x}: recycling coding blob at index {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            recycler.recycle(old);
-            true
-        } else {
-            trace!("{:x}: empty coding window slot {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            false
-        }
+        insert_blob_is_dup(
+            debug_id,
+            blob,
+            pix,
+            &mut window[w].coding,
+            recycler,
+            "coding",
+        )
     } else {
-        if let Some(old) = mem::replace(&mut window[w].data, Some(blob)) {
-            if old.read().unwrap().get_index().unwrap() == pix {
-                trace!("{:x}: duplicate data blob at index {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            }
-            trace!("{:x}: recycling data blob at index {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            recycler.recycle(old);
-            true
-        } else {
-            trace!("{:x}: empty data window slot {:}", debug_id, pix);
-            false
-        }
+        insert_blob_is_dup(debug_id, blob, pix, &mut window[w].data, recycler, "data")
     };
 
     if is_duplicate {
@@ -366,7 +386,6 @@ fn process_blob(
             &mut window,
             *consumed,
             (*consumed % WINDOW_SIZE) as usize,
-            (received - *consumed) as usize,
         ).is_err()
         {
             trace!("{:x}: erasure::recover failed", debug_id);
@@ -460,11 +479,11 @@ fn recv_window(
         trace!("{:x} window pix: {} size: {}", debug_id, pix, meta_size);
 
         process_blob(
+            debug_id,
             b,
             pix,
             &mut consume_queue,
             window,
-            debug_id,
             recycler,
             consumed,
             *received,