diff --git a/gg-g_counter/src/main.rs b/gg-g_counter/src/main.rs
index 6ee5d04..2482829 100644
--- a/gg-g_counter/src/main.rs
+++ b/gg-g_counter/src/main.rs
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ impl Node for Counter {
                     let v = kv.read(runner, KEY).unwrap().unwrap();
                     if kv.cas(runner, KEY, v.clone(), v.clone(), false).is_ok() {
                         rounds += 1;
+                        val = v;
                     }
-                    val = v;
                 }
 
                 let body = Body::from_type("read_ok").with_payload(mk_payload(&[("value", val)]));
diff --git a/nebkor-maelstrom/src/lib.rs b/nebkor-maelstrom/src/lib.rs
index a4dded8..45ab037 100644
--- a/nebkor-maelstrom/src/lib.rs
+++ b/nebkor-maelstrom/src/lib.rs
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@ impl Runner {
     }
 
     pub fn run(&self, on_init: Option<OnInit>) {
-        let (outbound_tx, outbound_rx) = channel();
-        let _ = self.outbound_tx.get_or_init(|| outbound_tx);
-
         let (stdin_tx, stdin_rx) = channel();
         thread::spawn(move || {
             let stdin = std::io::stdin().lock().lines();
@@ -69,8 +66,16 @@ impl Runner {
             }
         });
 
-        self.run_output(stdout_tx, outbound_rx);
-        self.run_input(stdin_rx, on_init);
+        let (outbound_tx, outbound_rx) = channel();
+        let _ = self.outbound_tx.get_or_init(|| outbound_tx);
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            while let Ok(msg) = outbound_rx.recv() {
+                let msg = serde_json::to_string(&msg).unwrap();
+                stdout_tx.send(msg).unwrap();
+            }
+        });
+
+        self.process_input(stdin_rx, on_init);
     }
 
     pub fn get_backdoor(&self) -> Sender<Message> {
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ impl Runner {
         let _ = self.nodes.get_or_init(|| nodes);
     }
 
-    fn run_input(&self, stdin_rx: Receiver<String>, on_init: Option<OnInit>) {
+    fn process_input(&self, stdin_rx: Receiver<String>, on_init: Option<OnInit>) {
         let (json_tx, json_rx) = channel();
         let _ = self.backdoor.get_or_init(|| json_tx.clone());
         let proms = self.promises.clone();
@@ -160,28 +165,20 @@ impl Runner {
             }
         });
 
-        for msg in json_rx {
-            if msg.body.typ.as_str() == "init" {
-                self.init(&msg);
-                let body = Body::from_type("init_ok");
-                self.reply(&msg, body);
-                if let Some(ref on_init) = on_init {
-                    on_init(self);
-                }
-            } else {
-                let mut node = self.node.lock().unwrap();
-                node.handle(self, msg);
+        let msg = json_rx.recv().unwrap();
+        {
+            self.init(&msg);
+            let body = Body::from_type("init_ok");
+            self.reply(&msg, body);
+            if let Some(on_init) = on_init {
+                on_init(self);
             }
         }
-    }
 
-    fn run_output(&self, stdout_tx: Sender<String>, node_output_rx: Receiver<Message>) {
-        thread::spawn(move || {
-            while let Ok(msg) = node_output_rx.recv() {
-                let msg = serde_json::to_string(&msg).unwrap();
-                stdout_tx.send(msg).unwrap();
-            }
-        });
+        let mut node = self.node.lock().unwrap();
+        for msg in json_rx {
+            node.handle(self, msg);
+        }
     }
 
     fn mk_msg(&self, dest: &str, body: Body) -> Message {