diff --git a/daemon/core/broker.py b/daemon/core/broker.py
index cdbbb124..c1b8570d 100644
--- a/daemon/core/broker.py
+++ b/daemon/core/broker.py
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         """
         Reset to initial state.
         """
+        logger.info("broker reset")
         self.nodemap_lock.acquire()
         self.nodemap.clear()
         for server, count in self.nodecounts.iteritems():
@@ -178,11 +179,13 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         Spawn the receive loop for receiving messages.
         """
         if self.recvthread is not None:
+            logger.info("server receive loop already started")
             if self.recvthread.isAlive():
                 return
             else:
                 self.recvthread.join()
         # start reading data from connected sockets
+        logger.info("starting server receive loop")
         self.dorecvloop = True
         self.recvthread = threading.Thread(target=self.recvloop)
         self.recvthread.daemon = True
@@ -205,6 +208,8 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
             r, w, x = select.select(rlist, [], [], 1.0)
             for sock in r:
                 server = self.getserverbysock(sock)
+                logger.info("attempting to receive from server: peer:%s remote:%s",
+                            server.sock.getpeername(), server.sock.getsockname())
                 if server is None:
                     # servers may have changed; loop again
                     continue
@@ -227,6 +232,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         msghdr = server.sock.recv(coreapi.CoreMessage.header_len)
         if len(msghdr) == 0:
             # server disconnected
+            logger.info("server disconnected, closing server")
             server.close()
             return 0
 
@@ -238,9 +244,11 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         msgdata = server.sock.recv(msglen)
         data = msghdr + msgdata
         count = None
+        logger.info("received message type: %s", MessageTypes(msgtype))
         # snoop exec response for remote interactive TTYs
         if msgtype == MessageTypes.EXECUTE.value and msgflags & MessageFlags.TTY.value:
             data = self.fixupremotetty(msghdr, msgdata, server.host)
+            logger.info("created remote tty message: %s", data)
         elif msgtype == MessageTypes.NODE.value:
             # snoop node delete response to decrement node counts
             if msgflags & MessageFlags.DELETE.value:
@@ -295,7 +303,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
                 server.close()
                 del self.servers[name]
 
-            logger.info("adding server %s @ %s:%s" % (name, host, port))
+            logger.info("adding server: %s @ %s:%s" % (name, host, port))
             server = CoreServer(name, host, port)
             if host is not None and port is not None:
                 try:
@@ -403,11 +411,12 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
             remotenum = n1num
         else:
             remotenum = n2num
+
         if key in self.tunnels.keys():
             logger.warn("tunnel with key %s (%s-%s) already exists!" % (key, n1num, n2num))
         else:
             objid = key & ((1 << 16) - 1)
-            logger.info("Adding tunnel for %s-%s to %s with key %s", n1num, n2num, remoteip, key)
+            logger.info("adding tunnel for %s-%s to %s with key %s", n1num, n2num, remoteip, key)
             if localnum in self.physical_nodes:
                 # no bridge is needed on physical nodes; use the GreTap directly
                 gt = GreTap(node=None, name=None, session=self.session,
@@ -424,6 +433,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         Add GreTaps between network devices on different machines.
         The GreTapBridge is not used since that would add an extra bridge.
         """
+        logger.info("adding network tunnels for nodes: %s", self.network_nodes)
         for n in self.network_nodes:
             self.addnettunnel(n)
 
@@ -460,13 +470,16 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         for server in servers:
             if server.host is None:
                 continue
+            logger.info("adding server host for net tunnel: %s", server.host)
             hosts.append(server.host)
 
         if len(hosts) == 0:
             for session_client in self.session_clients:
                 # get IP address from API message sender (master)
                 if session_client.client_address != "":
-                    hosts.append(session_client.client_address[0])
+                    address = session_client.client_address[0]
+                    logger.info("adding session_client host: %s", address)
+                    hosts.append(address)
 
         r = []
         for host in hosts:
@@ -478,8 +491,11 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
                 myip = host
             key = self.tunnelkey(node_id, IpAddress.to_int(myip))
             if key in self.tunnels.keys():
+                logger.info("tunnel already exists, returning existing tunnel: %s", key)
+                gt = self.tunnels[key]
+                r.append(gt)
                 continue
-            logger.info("Adding tunnel for net %s to %s with key %s" % (node_id, host, key))
+            logger.info("adding tunnel for net %s to %s with key %s" % (node_id, host, key))
             gt = GreTap(node=None, name=None, session=self.session, remoteip=host, key=key)
             self.tunnels[key] = gt
             r.append(gt)
@@ -499,6 +515,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         """
         key = self.tunnelkey(n1num, n2num)
         try:
+            logger.info("deleting tunnel between %s - %s with key: %s", n1num, n2num, key)
             gt = self.tunnels.pop(key)
         except KeyError:
             gt = None
@@ -515,6 +532,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         :return: gre tap between nodes or none
         """
         key = self.tunnelkey(n1num, n2num)
+        logger.info("checking for tunnel(%s) in: %s", key, self.tunnels.keys())
         if key in self.tunnels.keys():
             return self.tunnels[key]
         else:
@@ -671,6 +689,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         # (for e.g. configuring services)
         if self.session.state == EventTypes.DEFINITION_STATE.value:
             return False
+
         # Decide whether message should be handled locally or forwarded, or both
         if message.message_type == MessageTypes.NODE.value:
             handle_locally, servers = self.handlenodemsg(message)
@@ -691,6 +710,8 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         if message.message_type == MessageTypes.LINK.value:
             # prepare a server list from two node numbers in link message
             handle_locally, servers, message = self.handlelinkmsg(message)
+            logger.info("broker handle link message: %s - %s", handle_locally,
+                        map(lambda x: "%s:%s" % (x.host, x.port), servers))
         elif len(servers) == 0:
             # check for servers based on node numbers in all messages but link
             nn = message.node_numbers()
@@ -704,7 +725,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         for handler in self.handlers:
             handler(message)
 
-        # Perform any message forwarding
+        # perform any message forwarding
         handle_locally |= self.forwardmsg(message, servers)
         return not handle_locally
 
@@ -848,6 +869,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
 
         # determine link message destination using non-network nodes
         nn = message.node_numbers()
+        logger.info("checking link nodes (%s) with network nodes (%s)", nn, self.network_nodes)
         if nn[0] in self.network_nodes:
             if nn[1] in self.network_nodes:
                 # two network nodes linked together - prevent loops caused by
@@ -858,8 +880,11 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         elif nn[1] in self.network_nodes:
             servers = self.getserversbynode(nn[0])
         else:
+            logger.info("link nodes are not network nodes")
             servers1 = self.getserversbynode(nn[0])
+            logger.info("servers for node(%s): %s", nn[0], servers1)
             servers2 = self.getserversbynode(nn[1])
+            logger.info("servers for node(%s): %s", nn[1], servers2)
             # nodes are on two different servers, build tunnels as needed
             if servers1 != servers2:
                 localn = None
@@ -887,6 +912,8 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
                         localn = nn[1]
                 if host is None:
                     host = self.getlinkendpoint(message, localn == nn[0])
+
+                logger.info("handle locally(%s) and local node(%s)", handle_locally, localn)
                 if localn is None:
                     message = self.addlinkendpoints(message, servers1, servers2)
                 elif message.flags & MessageFlags.ADD.value:
@@ -992,6 +1019,8 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
                 logger.info("server %s @ %s:%s is disconnected" % (
                     server.name, server.host, server.port))
             else:
+                logger.info("forwarding message to server: %s - %s:\n%s",
+                            server.host, server.port, message)
                 server.sock.send(message.raw_message)
         return handle_locally
 
diff --git a/daemon/core/corehandlers.py b/daemon/core/corehandlers.py
index 15c187c1..4d10dc5a 100644
--- a/daemon/core/corehandlers.py
+++ b/daemon/core/corehandlers.py
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ class CoreRequestHandler(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
         :return: nothing
         """
         if self.session and self.session.broker.handle_message(message):
-            logger.info("%s forwarding message:\n%s", threading.currentThread().getName(), message)
+            logger.info("message not being handled locally")
             return
 
         logger.info("%s handling message:\n%s", threading.currentThread().getName(), message)
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ class CoreRequestHandler(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
                 reply_message = "CoreMessage (type %d flags %d length %d)" % (
                     message_type, message_flags, message_length)
 
-            logger.info("%s: reply msg: \n%s", threading.currentThread().getName(), reply_message)
+            logger.info("reply to %s: \n%s", self.request.getpeername(), reply_message)
 
             try:
                 self.sendall(reply)
@@ -735,8 +735,11 @@ class CoreRequestHandler(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
             unidirectional = False
 
         # one of the nodes may exist on a remote server
+        logger.info("link message between node1(%s:%s) and node2(%s:%s)",
+                    node_num1, interface_index1, node_num2, interface_index2)
         if node_num1 is not None and node_num2 is not None:
             tunnel = self.session.broker.gettunnel(node_num1, node_num2)
+            logger.info("tunnel between nodes: %s", tunnel)
             if isinstance(tunnel, coreobj.PyCoreNet):
                 net = tunnel
                 if tunnel.remotenum == node_num1:
@@ -840,7 +843,6 @@ class CoreRequestHandler(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
                 key = message.get_tlv(LinkTlvs.KEY.value)
 
                 netaddrlist = []
-                # print " n1=%s n2=%s net=%s net2=%s" % (node1, node2, net, net2)
                 if node1 and net:
                     addrlist = []
                     if ipv41 is not None and ipv4_mask1 is not None:
diff --git a/daemon/core/netns/vnet.py b/daemon/core/netns/vnet.py
index c1a17a19..e2899c2b 100644
--- a/daemon/core/netns/vnet.py
+++ b/daemon/core/netns/vnet.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class EbtablesQueue(object):
         try:
             del self.last_update_time[wlan]
         except KeyError:
-            logger.exception("error deleting last update time for wlan: %s", wlan)
+            logger.exception("error deleting last update time for wlan, ignored before: %s", wlan)
 
         self.updatelock.release()
         if len(self.last_update_time) > 0:
diff --git a/daemon/core/phys/pnodes.py b/daemon/core/phys/pnodes.py
index 81ac4f56..e73672a0 100644
--- a/daemon/core/phys/pnodes.py
+++ b/daemon/core/phys/pnodes.py
@@ -169,7 +169,11 @@ class PhysicalNode(PyCoreNode):
             self.ifindex += 1
             return ifindex
 
-    def newnetif(self, net=None, addrlist=[], hwaddr=None, ifindex=None, ifname=None):
+    def newnetif(self, net=None, addrlist=None, hwaddr=None, ifindex=None, ifname=None):
+        logger.info("creating interface")
+        if not addrlist:
+            addrlist = []
+
         if self.up and net is None:
             raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -229,7 +233,7 @@ class PhysicalNode(PyCoreNode):
     def opennodefile(self, filename, mode="w"):
         dirname, basename = os.path.split(filename)
         if not basename:
-            raise ValueError, "no basename for filename: " + filename
+            raise ValueError("no basename for filename: " + filename)
         if dirname and dirname[0] == "/":
             dirname = dirname[1:]
         dirname = dirname.replace("/", ".")
diff --git a/daemon/core/session.py b/daemon/core/session.py
index d28e6574..69fff8a6 100644
--- a/daemon/core/session.py
+++ b/daemon/core/session.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from core.data import EventData
 from core.data import ExceptionData
 from core.data import FileData
 from core.emane.emanemanager import EmaneManager
-from core.enumerations import ConfigDataTypes
+from core.enumerations import ConfigDataTypes, EventTlvs
 from core.enumerations import ConfigFlags
 from core.enumerations import ConfigTlvs
 from core.enumerations import EventTypes
@@ -830,6 +830,10 @@ class Session(object):
         # set broker local instantiation to complete
         self.broker.local_instantiation_complete()
 
+        # notify listeners that instantiation is complete
+        event = EventData(event_type=EventTypes.INSTANTIATION_COMPLETE.value)
+        self.broadcast_event(event)
+
         # assume either all nodes have booted already, or there are some
         # nodes on slave servers that will be booted and those servers will
         # send a node status response message
@@ -935,9 +939,13 @@ class Session(object):
                 # TODO: determine instance type we need to check, due to method issue below
                 if isinstance(obj, nodes.PyCoreNode) and not nodeutils.is_node(obj, NodeTypes.RJ45):
                     # add a control interface if configured
+                    logger.info("booting node: %s - %s", obj.objid, obj.name)
                     self.add_remove_control_interface(node=obj, remove=False)
                     obj.boot()
 
+                # TODO(blake): send node emu ids back
+                # self.sendnodeemuid(obj.objid)
+
         self.update_control_interface_hosts()
 
     def validate_nodes(self):
diff --git a/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter1.py b/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter1.py
index 5dc062f0..19b882f2 100644
--- a/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter1.py
+++ b/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter1.py
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ def get_endpoints(network_object):
             if ep is not None:
                 endpoints.append(ep)
         except:
-            logger.exception("error geting enpoints")
+            logger.exception("error geting endpoints, was skipped before")
 
     return endpoints