diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index 59f900347..72f8a61c4 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -51,14 +51,15 @@ func (app *Basecoin) RegisterPlugin(plugin types.Plugin) {
 }
 
 // ABCI::SetOption
-func (app *Basecoin) SetOption(key string, value string) (log string) {
-	PluginName, key := splitKey(key)
-	if PluginName != PluginNameBase {
+func (app *Basecoin) SetOption(key string, value string) string {
+	pluginName, key := splitKey(key)
+	if pluginName != PluginNameBase {
 		// Set option on plugin
-		plugin := app.plugins.GetByName(PluginName)
+		plugin := app.plugins.GetByName(pluginName)
 		if plugin == nil {
-			return "Invalid plugin name: " + PluginName
+			return "Invalid plugin name: " + pluginName
 		}
+		log.Info("SetOption on plugin", "plugin", pluginName, "key", key, "value", value)
 		return plugin.SetOption(app.state, key, value)
 	} else {
 		// Set option on basecoin
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ func (app *Basecoin) SetOption(key string, value string) (log string) {
 				return "Error decoding acc message: " + err.Error()
 			}
 			app.state.SetAccount(acc.PubKey.Address(), acc)
+			log.Info("SetAccount", "addr", acc.PubKey.Address(), "acc", acc)
 			return "Success"
 		}
 		return "Unrecognized option key " + key
@@ -194,9 +196,3 @@ func splitKey(key string) (prefix string, suffix string) {
 	}
 	return key, ""
 }
-
-// (not meant to be called)
-// assert that Basecoin implements `abci.Application` at compile-time
-func _assertABCIApplication(basecoin *Basecoin) abci.Application {
-	return basecoin
-}
diff --git a/app/genesis.go b/app/genesis.go
index 93848c893..6933780b3 100644
--- a/app/genesis.go
+++ b/app/genesis.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func (app *Basecoin) LoadGenesis(path string) error {
 	for _, kv := range kvz {
 		log := app.SetOption(kv.Key, kv.Value)
 		// TODO: remove debug output
-		fmt.Printf("Set %v=%v. Log: %v", kv.Key, kv.Value, log)
+		fmt.Printf("Set %v=%v. Log: %v\n", kv.Key, kv.Value, log)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/app/log.go b/app/log.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52dc2ddfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/log.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-logger"
+)
+
+var log = logger.New("module", "app")
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/main.go b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
index 77f9827fd..8a39a4902 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/main.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ func main() {
 		commands.TxCmd,
 		commands.QueryCmd,
 		commands.KeyCmd,
-		commands.VerifyCmd, // TODO: move to merkleeyes?
-		commands.BlockCmd,  // TODO: move to adam?
+		commands.VerifyCmd,
+		commands.BlockCmd,
 		commands.AccountCmd,
 	}
 	app.Run(os.Args)
diff --git a/cmd/commands/ibc.go b/cmd/commands/ibc.go
index f8d0e0b61..34f4b7923 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/ibc.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/ibc.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/plugins/ibc"
-	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/types"
 
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-merkle"
@@ -17,10 +16,9 @@ import (
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
-// Register the IBC plugin at start and for transactions
-func RegisterIBC() {
-	RegisterTxSubcommand(IbcCmd)
-	RegisterStartPlugin("ibc", func() types.Plugin { return ibc.New() })
+// returns a new IBC plugin to be registered with Basecoin
+func NewIBCPlugin() *ibc.IBCPlugin {
+	return ibc.New()
 }
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -104,9 +102,9 @@ var (
 // ibc commands
 
 var (
-	IbcCmd = cli.Command{
+	IbcTxCmd = cli.Command{
 		Name:  "ibc",
-		Usage: "Send a transaction to the interblockchain (ibc) plugin",
+		Usage: "an IBC transaction, for InterBlockchain Communication",
 		Flags: TxFlags,
 		Subcommands: []cli.Command{
 			IbcRegisterTxCmd,
diff --git a/cmd/commands/query.go b/cmd/commands/query.go
index 97eff6727..231d32f9f 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/query.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/query.go
@@ -138,11 +138,7 @@ func cmdBlock(c *cli.Context) error {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Height must be an int, got %v: %v", heightString, err))
 	}
 
-	/*block, err := getBlock(c, height)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}*/
-	nextBlock, err := getBlock(c, height+1)
+	header, commit, err := getHeaderAndCommit(c, height)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -152,12 +148,12 @@ func cmdBlock(c *cli.Context) error {
 		JSON BlockJSON `json:"json"`
 	}{
 		BlockHex{
-			Header: wire.BinaryBytes(nextBlock.Header),
-			Commit: wire.BinaryBytes(nextBlock.LastCommit),
+			Header: wire.BinaryBytes(header),
+			Commit: wire.BinaryBytes(commit),
 		},
 		BlockJSON{
-			Header: nextBlock.Header,
-			Commit: nextBlock.LastCommit,
+			Header: header,
+			Commit: commit,
 		},
 	})))
 
diff --git a/cmd/commands/start.go b/cmd/commands/start.go
index 16e47fa60..72a13107d 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/start.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/start.go
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ func cmdStart(c *cli.Context) error {
 	// Create Basecoin app
 	basecoinApp := app.NewBasecoin(eyesCli)
 
-	// register all plugins
+	// register IBC plugn
+	basecoinApp.RegisterPlugin(NewIBCPlugin())
+
+	// register all other plugins
 	for _, p := range plugins {
 		basecoinApp.RegisterPlugin(p.newPlugin())
 	}
@@ -91,7 +94,9 @@ func cmdStart(c *cli.Context) error {
 	if c.Bool("in-proc") {
 		startTendermint(c, basecoinApp)
 	} else {
-		startBasecoinABCI(c, basecoinApp)
+		if err := startBasecoinABCI(c, basecoinApp); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/cmd/commands/tx.go b/cmd/commands/tx.go
index f54b6d0c2..d1c8980c6 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/tx.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/tx.go
@@ -36,12 +36,13 @@ var (
 		Subcommands: []cli.Command{
 			SendTxCmd,
 			AppTxCmd,
+			IbcTxCmd,
 		},
 	}
 
 	SendTxCmd = cli.Command{
 		Name:      "send",
-		Usage:     "Create, sign, and broadcast a SendTx transaction",
+		Usage:     "a SendTx transaction, for sending tokens around",
 		ArgsUsage: "",
 		Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 			return cmdSendTx(c)
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ var (
 
 	AppTxCmd = cli.Command{
 		Name:      "app",
-		Usage:     "Create, sign, and broadcast a raw AppTx transaction",
+		Usage:     "an AppTx transaction, for sending raw data to plugins",
 		ArgsUsage: "",
 		Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 			return cmdAppTx(c)
diff --git a/cmd/commands/utils.go b/cmd/commands/utils.go
index 0cbd5c8d7..bfd3d8564 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/utils.go
@@ -122,15 +122,19 @@ func getAcc(tmAddr string, address []byte) (*types.Account, error) {
 	return acc, nil
 }
 
-func getBlock(c *cli.Context, height int) (*tmtypes.Block, error) {
+func getHeaderAndCommit(c *cli.Context, height int) (*tmtypes.Header, *tmtypes.Commit, error) {
 	tmResult := new(ctypes.TMResult)
 	tmAddr := c.String("node")
 	clientURI := client.NewClientURI(tmAddr)
 
-	_, err := clientURI.Call("block", map[string]interface{}{"height": height}, tmResult)
+	method := "commit"
+	_, err := clientURI.Call(method, map[string]interface{}{"height": height}, tmResult)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Error on broadcast tx: %v", err))
+		return nil, nil, errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Error on %s: %v", method, err))
 	}
-	res := (*tmResult).(*ctypes.ResultBlock)
-	return res.Block, nil
+	resCommit := (*tmResult).(*ctypes.ResultCommit)
+	header := resCommit.Header
+	commit := resCommit.Commit
+
+	return header, commit, nil
 }
diff --git a/demo/start.sh b/demo/start.sh
index ad5da68d1..f2b85a581 100644
--- a/demo/start.sh
+++ b/demo/start.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,32 @@ function removeQuotes() {
 	echo "$temp"
 }
 
+function waitForNode() {
+        addr=$1
+	set +e
+        curl -s $addr/status > /dev/null
+        ERR=$?
+        while [ "$ERR" != 0 ]; do
+                sleep 1 
+                curl -s $addr/status > /dev/null
+                ERR=$?
+        done
+	set -e
+        echo "... node $addr is up"
+}
+
+function waitForBlock() {
+	addr=$1
+	b1=`curl -s $addr/status | jq .result[1].latest_block_height`
+	b2=$b1
+	while [ "$b2" == "$b1" ]; do
+                echo "Waiting for node $addr to commit a block ..."
+                sleep 1
+		b2=`curl -s $addr/status | jq .result[1].latest_block_height`
+	done
+}
+
+
 # grab the chain ids
 CHAIN_ID1=$(cat ./data/chain1/basecoin/genesis.json | jq .[1])
 CHAIN_ID1=$(removeQuotes $CHAIN_ID1)
@@ -35,7 +61,9 @@ basecoin start --address tcp://localhost:36658 --dir ./data/chain2/basecoin &> c
 echo ""
 echo "... waiting for chains to start"
 echo ""
-sleep 10
+
+waitForNode localhost:46657
+waitForNode localhost:36657
 
 echo "... registering chain1 on chain2"
 echo ""
@@ -66,10 +94,14 @@ echo "PACKET: $PACKET"
 echo "PROOF: $PROOF"
 
 
+# the query returns the height of the next block, which contains the app hash
+# but which may not be committed yet, so we have to wait for it to query the commit
 echo ""
-echo "... waiting for some blocks to be mined"
+echo "... waiting for a block to be committed"
 echo ""
-sleep 5
+
+waitForBlock localhost:46657
+waitForBlock localhost:36657
 
 echo ""
 echo "... querying for block data"
@@ -95,12 +127,12 @@ echo ""
 echo "... posting packet from chain1 on chain2"
 echo ""
 # post the packet from chain1 to chain2
-basecoin tx ibc --amount 10 $CHAIN_FLAGS2 packet post --from $CHAIN_ID1 --height $((HEIGHT + 1)) --packet 0x$PACKET --proof 0x$PROOF
+basecoin tx ibc --amount 10 $CHAIN_FLAGS2 packet post --from $CHAIN_ID1 --height $HEIGHT --packet 0x$PACKET --proof 0x$PROOF
 
 echo ""
 echo "... checking if the packet is present on chain2"
 echo ""
-# query for the packet on chain2 !
+# query for the packet on chain2
 basecoin query --node tcp://localhost:36657 ibc,ingress,test_chain_2,test_chain_1,1
 
 echo ""
diff --git a/glide.lock b/glide.lock
index 90bae6db4..83d5df539 100644
--- a/glide.lock
+++ b/glide.lock
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 hash: 3869944d14a8df914ffcad02c2ef3548173daba51c5ea697767f8af77c07b348
-updated: 2017-02-17T13:24:05.234809983+01:00
+updated: 2017-02-17T09:41:20.209551862-05:00
 imports:
 - name: github.com/btcsuite/btcd
-  version: afec1bd1245a4a19e6dfe1306974b733e7cbb9b8
+  version: d06c0bb181529331be8f8d9350288c420d9e60e4
   subpackages:
   - btcec
-- name: github.com/btcsuite/fastsha256
-  version: 637e656429416087660c84436a2a035d69d54e2e
 - name: github.com/BurntSushi/toml
   version: 99064174e013895bbd9b025c31100bd1d9b590ca
 - name: github.com/ebuchman/fail-test
@@ -18,7 +16,7 @@ imports:
   subpackages:
   - proto
 - name: github.com/golang/snappy
-  version: 7db9049039a047d955fe8c19b83c8ff5abd765c7
+  version: 553a641470496b2327abcac10b36396bd98e45c9
 - name: github.com/gorilla/websocket
   version: 3ab3a8b8831546bd18fd182c20687ca853b2bb13
 - name: github.com/jmhodges/levigo
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ imports:
 - name: github.com/mattn/go-colorable
   version: 5411d3eea5978e6cdc258b30de592b60df6aba96
 - name: github.com/mattn/go-isatty
-  version: 281032e84ae07510239465db46bf442aa44b953a
+  version: dda3de49cbfcec471bd7a70e6cc01fcc3ff90109
 - name: github.com/pkg/errors
   version: 248dadf4e9068a0b3e79f02ed0a610d935de5302
 - name: github.com/syndtr/goleveldb
@@ -115,7 +113,7 @@ imports:
   - types
   - version
 - name: github.com/urfave/cli
-  version: 347a9884a87374d000eec7e6445a34487c1f4a2b
+  version: 2526b57c56f30b50466c96c4133b1a4ad0f0191f
 - name: golang.org/x/crypto
   version: 453249f01cfeb54c3d549ddb75ff152ca243f9d8
   subpackages:
@@ -128,7 +126,7 @@ imports:
   - ripemd160
   - salsa20/salsa
 - name: golang.org/x/net
-  version: 61557ac0112b576429a0df080e1c2cef5dfbb642
+  version: b4690f45fa1cafc47b1c280c2e75116efe40cc13
   subpackages:
   - context
   - http2
@@ -138,11 +136,11 @@ imports:
   - lex/httplex
   - trace
 - name: golang.org/x/sys
-  version: e24f485414aeafb646f6fca458b0bf869c0880a1
+  version: 075e574b89e4c2d22f2286a7e2b919519c6f3547
   subpackages:
   - unix
 - name: google.golang.org/grpc
-  version: cbcceb2942a489498cf22b2f918536e819d33f0a
+  version: d0c32ee6a441117d49856d6120ca9552af413ee0
   subpackages:
   - codes
   - credentials
@@ -156,14 +154,15 @@ imports:
   - transport
 testImports:
 - name: github.com/davecgh/go-spew
-  version: 6d212800a42e8ab5c146b8ace3490ee17e5225f9
+  version: 346938d642f2ec3594ed81d874461961cd0faa76
   subpackages:
   - spew
 - name: github.com/pmezard/go-difflib
-  version: d8ed2627bdf02c080bf22230dbb337003b7aba2d
+  version: 792786c7400a136282c1664665ae0a8db921c6c2
   subpackages:
   - difflib
 - name: github.com/stretchr/testify
   version: 69483b4bd14f5845b5a1e55bca19e954e827f1d0
   subpackages:
   - assert
+  - require
diff --git a/plugins/ibc/ibc.go b/plugins/ibc/ibc.go
index 91b8c5498..25f5a6da8 100644
--- a/plugins/ibc/ibc.go
+++ b/plugins/ibc/ibc.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package ibc
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"net/url"
 	"strings"
@@ -329,6 +330,7 @@ func (sm *IBCStateMachine) runPacketPostTx(tx IBCPacketPostTx) {
 	save(sm.store, packetKeyIngress, packet)
 
 	// Load Header and make sure it exists
+	// If it exists, we already checked a valid commit for it in UpdateChainTx
 	var header tm.Header
 	exists, err := load(sm.store, headerKey, &header)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -341,16 +343,6 @@ func (sm *IBCStateMachine) runPacketPostTx(tx IBCPacketPostTx) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	/*
-		// Read Proof
-		var proof *merkle.IAVLProof
-		err = wire.ReadBinaryBytes(tx.Proof, &proof)
-		if err != nil {
-			sm.res.Code = IBCEncodingError
-			sm.res.Log = cmn.Fmt("Reading Proof: %v", err.Error())
-			return
-		}
-	*/
 	proof := tx.Proof
 	if proof == nil {
 		sm.res.Code = IBCCodeInvalidProof
@@ -368,7 +360,6 @@ func (sm *IBCStateMachine) runPacketPostTx(tx IBCPacketPostTx) {
 	}
 
 	return
-
 }
 
 func (ibc *IBCPlugin) InitChain(store types.KVStore, vals []*abci.Validator) {
@@ -432,6 +423,7 @@ func verifyCommit(chainState BlockchainState, header *tm.Header, commit *tm.Comm
 	if chainState.ChainID != header.ChainID {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Expected header.ChainID %v, got %v", chainState.ChainID, header.ChainID))
 	}
+	// Ensure things aren't empty
 	if len(chainState.Validators) == 0 {
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Blockchain has no validators")) // NOTE: Why would this happen?
 	}
@@ -439,18 +431,23 @@ func verifyCommit(chainState BlockchainState, header *tm.Header, commit *tm.Comm
 		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("Commit has no signatures"))
 	}
 	chainID := chainState.ChainID
-	vote0 := commit.Precommits[0]
 	vals := chainState.Validators
 	valSet := tm.NewValidatorSet(vals)
+	blockID := commit.Precommits[0].BlockID // XXX: incorrect
 
 	// NOTE: Currently this only works with the exact same validator set.
 	// Not this, but perhaps "ValidatorSet.VerifyCommitAny" should expose
 	// the functionality to verify commits even after validator changes.
-	err := valSet.VerifyCommit(chainID, vote0.BlockID, vote0.Height, commit)
+	err := valSet.VerifyCommit(chainID, blockID, header.Height, commit)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Ensure the committed blockID matches the header
+	if !bytes.Equal(header.Hash(), blockID.Hash) {
+		return errors.New(cmn.Fmt("blockID.Hash (%X) does not match header.Hash (%X)", blockID.Hash, header.Hash()))
+	}
+
 	// All ok!
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/state/execution.go b/state/execution.go
index 6e722bdc9..0b464c45a 100644
--- a/state/execution.go
+++ b/state/execution.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func ExecTx(state *State, pgz *types.Plugins, tx types.Tx, isCheckTx bool, evc e
 		}
 		if !tx.Input.Coins.IsGTE(types.Coins{tx.Fee}) {
 			log.Info(Fmt("Sender did not send enough to cover the fee %X", tx.Input.Address))
-			return abci.ErrBaseInsufficientFunds
+			return abci.ErrBaseInsufficientFunds.AppendLog(Fmt("input coins is %d, but fee is %d", tx.Input.Coins, types.Coins{tx.Fee}))
 		}
 
 		// Validate call address
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ func validateInputAdvanced(acc *types.Account, signBytes []byte, in types.TxInpu
 	}
 	// Check amount
 	if !balance.IsGTE(in.Coins) {
-		return abci.ErrBaseInsufficientFunds
+		return abci.ErrBaseInsufficientFunds.AppendLog(Fmt("balance is %d, tried to send %d", balance, in.Coins))
 	}
 	// Check signatures
 	if !acc.PubKey.VerifyBytes(signBytes, in.Signature) {