diff --git a/chameleonic.p8 b/chameleonic.p8
index a4fdc40..784047f 100644
--- a/chameleonic.p8
+++ b/chameleonic.p8
@@ -760,6 +760,7 @@ function rope:new(
   ancs={},
   dst={x=x,y=y,todo={}},
   state={name="cast",dx=dx,dy=dy},
+  dirty=true,
   latch=nil,
   latch_frame=0,
  }
@@ -783,6 +784,14 @@ function rope:busy()
 end
 
 function rope:update()
+ local was_busy=self:busy()
+ for i=0,#self.ancs+1 do
+  local anc=self:_anc(i)
+  _apply(anc,anc.todo,i)
+ end
+ local is_busy=self:busy()
+ if (was_busy and not is_busy) self.dirty=true
+
  if self.state.name=="cast" then
   self:continue_cast()
  elseif self.state.name=="latched" then
@@ -791,7 +800,7 @@ function rope:update()
    self.latch_frame=10
   end
 
-  self:_make_consistent()
+  if (not is_busy) self:_make_consistent()
  elseif self.state.name=="destroy" then -- destroy
   self.state.frame+=1
   if (self.state.frame>=5) self.state={name="done"}
@@ -806,15 +815,8 @@ function rope:destroy()
 end
 
 function rope:_make_consistent()
- for i=0,#self.ancs+1 do
-  local anc=self:_anc(i)
-  _apply(anc,anc.todo,i)
- end
-
  if (self.latch==nil) self:destroy() return
 
- self:_tidy_up_gen()
-
  if 
   self.latch!=nil and
   self.latch.rec!=nil 
@@ -830,24 +832,14 @@ function rope:_make_consistent()
    end
   end
  end
- local invalid=false
+ self:_tidy_up_gen()
  for i=0,#self.ancs do
   local a0=self:_anc(i)
   local a1=self:_anc(i+1)
   if not self:_can_stretch(a0,a1) then
-   invalid=true
-   break
+   self:destroy()
   end
  end
- if (invalid) self:make_dirty() self:_tidy_up_gen()
- for i=0,#self.ancs do
-  local a0=self:_anc(i)
-  local a1=self:_anc(i+1)
-  if not self:_can_stretch(a0,a1) then
-   self:_destroy()
-  end
- end
-  
 end
 
 function rope:continue_cast()
@@ -926,6 +918,9 @@ function rope:draw()
  for _,p in pairs(level._anch) do
 	 pset(p.x,p.y,11)
 	end
+ print("dirty:"..tostr(self.dirty),32,0,9)
+ print("busy:"..tostr(self:busy()),32,7,9)
+ print("state:"..tostr(self.state.name),32,14,9)
 	if self.all_ops!=nil then
 	 for i,o in ipairs(self.all_ops) do
 	  rect(o.mx*8,o.my*8,o.mx*8+7,o.my*8+7,4)
@@ -976,6 +971,17 @@ function rope:make_dirty()
 end
 
 function rope:_tidy_up_gen()
+ local invalid=false
+ for i=0,#self.ancs do
+  local a0=self:_anc(i)
+  local a1=self:_anc(i+1)
+  if not self:_can_stretch(a0,a1) then
+   invalid=true
+   break
+  end
+ end
+ if (invalid) self:make_dirty() 
+
  if (not self:latched()) return
  if (not self.dirty) return