diff --git a/overlay_address.c b/overlay_address.c
index 14335645..d9442a13 100644
--- a/overlay_address.c
+++ b/overlay_address.c
@@ -395,6 +395,12 @@ static int add_explain_response(struct subscriber *subscriber, void *context){
     response->please_explain->payload=ob_new();
     ob_limitsize(response->please_explain->payload, 1024);
   }
+  
+  // if one of our identities is unknown, 
+  // the header of our next payload must include our full sid.
+  if (subscriber->reachable==REACHABLE_SELF)
+    subscriber->send_full = 1;
+  
   // add the whole subscriber id to the payload, stop if we run out of space
   DEBUGF("Adding full sid by way of explanation %s", alloca_tohex_sid(subscriber->sid));
   if (ob_append_bytes(response->please_explain->payload, subscriber->sid, SID_SIZE))
diff --git a/overlay_interface.c b/overlay_interface.c
index 8b0a9d40..1cd5c250 100644
--- a/overlay_interface.c
+++ b/overlay_interface.c
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ void overlay_dummy_poll(struct sched_ent *alarm)
     /* if there's no input, while we want to check for more soon,
 	we need to allow all other low priority alarms to fire first,
 	otherwise we'll dominate the scheduler without accomplishing anything */
-    alarm->alarm = gettime_ms() + 20;
+    alarm->alarm = gettime_ms() + 5;
     if (interface->last_tick_ms != -1 && alarm->alarm > interface->last_tick_ms + interface->tick_ms)
       alarm->alarm = interface->last_tick_ms + interface->tick_ms;
     alarm->deadline = alarm->alarm + 10000;
@@ -633,8 +633,8 @@ void overlay_dummy_poll(struct sched_ent *alarm)
       if (nread == -1)
 	WHY_perror("read");
       else {
-	interface->recv_offset += nread;
 	if (nread == sizeof packet) {
+	  interface->recv_offset += nread;
 	  plen = packet[110] + (packet[111] << 8);
 	  if (plen > nread - 128)
 	    plen = -1;
@@ -658,9 +658,12 @@ void overlay_dummy_poll(struct sched_ent *alarm)
       }
     }
     /* keep reading new packets as fast as possible, 
-	but don't prevent other high priority alarms */
-    alarm->alarm = gettime_ms();
-    alarm->deadline = alarm->alarm + 200;
+	but don't completely prevent other high priority alarms */
+    if (interface->recv_offset >= length)
+      alarm->alarm = gettime_ms() + 5;
+    else
+      alarm->alarm = gettime_ms();
+    alarm->deadline = alarm->alarm + 100;
   }
   
   schedule(alarm);
diff --git a/overlay_packetformats.c b/overlay_packetformats.c
index cc719cc6..1796c2a8 100644
--- a/overlay_packetformats.c
+++ b/overlay_packetformats.c
@@ -258,6 +258,10 @@ int packetOkOverlay(struct overlay_interface *interface,unsigned char *packet, s
 
     if (f.type==OF_TYPE_SELFANNOUNCE){
       sender = f.source;
+      // skip the entire packet if it came from me
+      if (sender->reachable==REACHABLE_SELF)
+	break;
+      
       overlay_address_set_sender(f.source);
       
       // if this is a dummy announcement for a node that isn't in our routing table