diff --git a/examples/basecoin/app/app_test.go b/examples/basecoin/app/app_test.go
index 4c578579b..66de2b68b 100644
--- a/examples/basecoin/app/app_test.go
+++ b/examples/basecoin/app/app_test.go
@@ -273,9 +273,6 @@ func TestQuizMsg(t *testing.T) {
 
 func SignCheckDeliver(t *testing.T, bapp *BasecoinApp, msg sdk.Msg, seq int64, expPass bool) {
 
-	// TODO:
-	var fee sdk.StdFee
-
 	// Sign the tx
 	tx := sdk.NewStdTx(msg, fee, []sdk.StdSignature{{
 		PubKey:    priv1.PubKey(),
diff --git a/types/coin.go b/types/coin.go
index ad541b99b..92871cd17 100644
--- a/types/coin.go
+++ b/types/coin.go
@@ -139,8 +139,14 @@ func (coins Coins) IsGTE(coinsB Coins) bool {
 }
 
 // IsZero returns true if there are no coins
+// or all coins are zero.
 func (coins Coins) IsZero() bool {
-	return len(coins) == 0
+	for _, coin := range coins {
+		if !coin.IsZero() {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
 }
 
 // IsEqual returns true if the two sets of Coins have the same value
diff --git a/x/auth/ante.go b/x/auth/ante.go
index 4305929b9..2da0d9286 100644
--- a/x/auth/ante.go
+++ b/x/auth/ante.go
@@ -64,9 +64,12 @@ func NewAnteHandler(accountMapper sdk.AccountMapper) sdk.AnteHandler {
 
 			// first sig pays the fees
 			if i == 0 {
-				signerAcc, res = deductFees(signerAcc, fee)
-				if !res.IsOK() {
-					return ctx, res, true
+				// TODO: min fee
+				if !fee.Amount.IsZero() {
+					signerAcc, res = deductFees(signerAcc, fee)
+					if !res.IsOK() {
+						return ctx, res, true
+					}
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -134,6 +137,7 @@ func processSig(
 func deductFees(acc sdk.Account, fee sdk.StdFee) (sdk.Account, sdk.Result) {
 	coins := acc.GetCoins()
 	feeAmount := fee.Amount
+
 	newCoins := coins.Minus(feeAmount)
 	if !newCoins.IsNotNegative() {
 		errMsg := fmt.Sprintf("%s < %s", coins, feeAmount)
diff --git a/x/auth/ante_test.go b/x/auth/ante_test.go
index cecc4a141..ecd222623 100644
--- a/x/auth/ante_test.go
+++ b/x/auth/ante_test.go
@@ -190,28 +190,38 @@ func TestAnteHandlerSequences(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Test logic around fee deduction.
 func TestAnteHandlerFees(t *testing.T) {
-	// // setup
-	// ms, capKey := setupMultiStore()
-	// mapper := NewAccountMapper(capKey, &BaseAccount{})
-	// anteHandler := NewAnteHandler(mapper)
-	// ctx := sdk.NewContext(ms, abci.Header{ChainID: "mychainid"}, false, nil)
-	//
-	// // keys and addresses
-	// priv1, addr1 := privAndAddr()
-	// priv2, addr2 := privAndAddr()
-	//
-	// // set the accounts
-	// acc1 := mapper.NewAccountWithAddress(ctx, addr1)
-	// mapper.SetAccount(ctx, acc1)
-	// acc2 := mapper.NewAccountWithAddress(ctx, addr2)
-	// mapper.SetAccount(ctx, acc2)
-	//
-	// // msg and signatures
-	// var tx sdk.Tx
-	// msg := newTestMsg(addr1)
-	// tx = newTestTx(ctx, msg, []crypto.PrivKey{priv1}, []int64{0}, int64(1))
+	// setup
+	ms, capKey := setupMultiStore()
+	mapper := NewAccountMapper(capKey, &BaseAccount{})
+	anteHandler := NewAnteHandler(mapper)
+	ctx := sdk.NewContext(ms, abci.Header{ChainID: "mychainid"}, false, nil)
 
-	// TODO
+	// keys and addresses
+	priv1, addr1 := privAndAddr()
+
+	// set the accounts
+	acc1 := mapper.NewAccountWithAddress(ctx, addr1)
+	mapper.SetAccount(ctx, acc1)
+
+	// msg and signatures
+	var tx sdk.Tx
+	msg := newTestMsg(addr1)
+	privs, seqs := []crypto.PrivKey{priv1}, []int64{0}
+	fee := sdk.NewStdFee(100,
+		sdk.Coin{"atom", 150},
+	)
+
+	// signer does not have enough funds to pay the fee
+	tx = newTestTx(ctx, msg, privs, seqs, fee)
+	checkInvalidTx(t, anteHandler, ctx, tx, sdk.CodeInsufficientFunds)
+
+	acc1.SetCoins(sdk.Coins{{"atom", 149}})
+	mapper.SetAccount(ctx, acc1)
+	checkInvalidTx(t, anteHandler, ctx, tx, sdk.CodeInsufficientFunds)
+
+	acc1.SetCoins(sdk.Coins{{"atom", 150}})
+	mapper.SetAccount(ctx, acc1)
+	checkValidTx(t, anteHandler, ctx, tx)
 }
 
 func TestAnteHandlerBadSignBytes(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/x/auth/baseaccount_test.go b/x/auth/baseaccount_test.go
index 85674af18..85adc8cdc 100644
--- a/x/auth/baseaccount_test.go
+++ b/x/auth/baseaccount_test.go
@@ -11,42 +11,106 @@ import (
 	wire "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
 )
 
-func TestBaseAccount(t *testing.T) {
+func keyPubAddr() (crypto.PrivKey, crypto.PubKey, sdk.Address) {
 	key := crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519()
 	pub := key.PubKey()
 	addr := pub.Address()
+	return key.Wrap(), pub, addr
+}
+
+func TestBaseAccountAddressPubKey(t *testing.T) {
+	_, pub1, addr1 := keyPubAddr()
+	_, pub2, addr2 := keyPubAddr()
+	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr1)
+
+	// check the address (set) and pubkey (not set)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, addr1, acc.GetAddress())
+	assert.EqualValues(t, crypto.PubKey{}, acc.GetPubKey())
+
+	// cant override address
+	err := acc.SetAddress(addr2)
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, addr1, acc.GetAddress())
+
+	// set the pubkey
+	err = acc.SetPubKey(pub1)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, pub1, acc.GetPubKey())
+
+	// cant override pubkey
+	err = acc.SetPubKey(pub2)
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, pub1, acc.GetPubKey())
+
+	//------------------------------------
+
+	// can set address on empty account
+	acc2 := BaseAccount{}
+	err = acc2.SetAddress(addr2)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, addr2, acc2.GetAddress())
+}
+
+func TestBaseAccountCoins(t *testing.T) {
+	_, _, addr := keyPubAddr()
+	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr)
+
+	someCoins := sdk.Coins{{"atom", 123}, {"eth", 246}}
+
+	err := acc.SetCoins(someCoins)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, someCoins, acc.GetCoins())
+}
+
+func TestBaseAccountSequence(t *testing.T) {
+	_, _, addr := keyPubAddr()
+	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr)
+
+	seq := int64(7)
+
+	err := acc.SetSequence(seq)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, seq, acc.GetSequence())
+}
+
+func TestBaseAccountMarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	_, pub, addr := keyPubAddr()
+	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr)
+
 	someCoins := sdk.Coins{{"atom", 123}, {"eth", 246}}
 	seq := int64(7)
 
-	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr)
+	// set everything on the account
+	err := acc.SetPubKey(pub)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	err = acc.SetSequence(seq)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	err = acc.SetCoins(someCoins)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
 
 	// need a codec for marshaling
 	codec := wire.NewCodec()
 	wire.RegisterCrypto(codec)
 
-	err := acc.SetPubKey(pub)
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, pub, acc.GetPubKey())
-
-	assert.EqualValues(t, addr, acc.GetAddress())
-
-	err = acc.SetCoins(someCoins)
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, someCoins, acc.GetCoins())
-
-	err = acc.SetSequence(seq)
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, seq, acc.GetSequence())
-
 	b, err := codec.MarshalBinary(acc)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 
-	var acc2 BaseAccount
+	acc2 := BaseAccount{}
 	err = codec.UnmarshalBinary(b, &acc2)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, acc, acc2)
 
+	// error on bad bytes
 	acc2 = BaseAccount{}
 	err = codec.UnmarshalBinary(b[:len(b)/2], &acc2)
 	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+
+}
+
+func TestBaseAccountGetSet(t *testing.T) {
+	_, _, addr := keyPubAddr()
+	acc := NewBaseAccountWithAddress(addr)
+
+	assert.Panics(t, func() { acc.Get("key") })
+	assert.Panics(t, func() { acc.Set("key", "value") })
 }
diff --git a/x/auth/context.go b/x/auth/context.go
index 90de99f78..91259d9e6 100644
--- a/x/auth/context.go
+++ b/x/auth/context.go
@@ -38,5 +38,9 @@ func WithSigners(ctx types.Context, accounts []types.Account) types.Context {
 }
 
 func GetSigners(ctx types.Context) []types.Account {
-	return ctx.Value(contextKeySigners).([]types.Account)
+	v := ctx.Value(contextKeySigners)
+	if v == nil {
+		return []types.Account{}
+	}
+	return v.([]types.Account)
 }