diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/link.go b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
index 875fde5e..98c080c7 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/link.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
@@ -291,9 +291,11 @@ func (intf *linkInterface) _cancelStallTimer() {
 	}
 }
 
-// called by an AfterFunc if we appear to have timed out
+// This gets called from a time.AfterFunc, and notifies the switch that we appear
+// to have gotten blocked on a write, so the switch should start routing traffic
+// through other links, if alternatives exist
 func (intf *linkInterface) notifyBlockedSend() {
-	intf.Act(nil, func() { // Sent from a time.AfterFunc
+	intf.Act(nil, func() {
 		if intf.sendTimer != nil {
 			//As far as we know, we're still trying to send, and the timer fired.
 			intf.link.core.switchTable.blockPeer(intf.peer.port)
@@ -387,8 +389,12 @@ func (w *linkWriter) sendFrom(from phony.Actor, bss [][]byte, isLinkTraffic bool
 			size += len(bs)
 		}
 		w.intf.notifySending(size, isLinkTraffic)
+		// start a timer that will fire if we get stuck in writeMsgs for an oddly long time
 		var once sync.Once
 		timer := time.AfterFunc(time.Millisecond, func() {
+			// 1 ms is kind of arbitrary
+			// the rationale is that this should be very long compared to a syscall
+			// but it's still short compared to end-to-end latency or human perception
 			once.Do(func() {
 				w.intf.Act(nil, w.intf._notifySyscall)
 			})
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/switch.go b/src/yggdrasil/switch.go
index 0150e173..ba30758c 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/switch.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/switch.go
@@ -721,15 +721,6 @@ func (t *switchTable) _handleIn(packet []byte, idle map[switchPort]struct{}, sen
 			ports[best.elem.port].sendPacketsFrom(t, [][]byte{packet})
 			return true
 		}
-		//delete(idle, best.elem.port)
-		// Tell ourselves to send to this node later
-		// If another (e.g. even better) hop becomes idle in the mean time, it'll take the packet instead
-		// FIXME this is just a hack, but seems to help with stability...
-		//go t.Act(nil, func() {
-		//	t._idleIn(best.elem.port)
-		//})
-		//ports[best.elem.port].sendPacketsFrom(t, [][]byte{packet})
-		//return true
 	}
 	// Didn't find anyone idle to send it to
 	return false
@@ -799,6 +790,7 @@ func (b *switch_buffers) _cleanup(t *switchTable) {
 // Loops over packets and sends the newest one that's OK for this peer to send
 // Returns true if the peer is no longer idle, false if it should be added to the idle list
 func (t *switchTable) _handleIdle(port switchPort) bool {
+	// TODO? only send packets for which this is the best next hop that isn't currently blocked sending
 	to := t.core.peers.getPorts()[port]
 	if to == nil {
 		return true