diff --git a/csys/environ.lisp b/csys/environ.lisp
index 1d23edc..04d689a 100644
--- a/csys/environ.lisp
+++ b/csys/environ.lisp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
         :default (csys:no-op :no-forward t)))
 
 (defun cell-created (msg scope)
-  (util:lgw "debug" msg scope)
+  ;(util:lgw "debug" msg scope)
   (let* ((data (shape:data msg))
          (addr (getf data :addr))
          (new (getf data :new)))
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@
              (ct (find-cell scope ct-addr :no-warn t)))
         (when ct (csys:send-connect new ct)))
     (csys:send-message new (list (message:domain msg) :next) data)
-    nil))
+    msg))
+    ;nil))
 
 (defun forward (msg scope)
   (let ((rcvr (or (actor:customer msg) 
@@ -100,12 +101,13 @@
          (head (shape:head msg))
          (data (shape:data msg))
          (dom (car head))
-         (cat (getf data :cat))
-         (spc (getf (spaces scope) dom)))
+         (cat (getf data :cat :c00))
+         (spc (getf (spaces scope) dom))
+         loc-new)
     (unless addr 
       (setf addr (gethash rcvr (cells scope))))
-    ;(util:plist-add data :loc (car (space:free-loc-at spc (caddr addr))))
-    (util:plist-add data :addr (list dom cat (car (space:free-loc-at spc (caddr addr)))))
+    (setf loc-new (car (space:free-loc-at spc (caddr addr))))
+    (util:plist-add data :addr (list dom cat loc-new))
     (csys:send-message rcvr head data))
   nil)
 
diff --git a/csys/program/gene.lisp b/csys/program/gene.lisp
index f0895ca..9609b1d 100644
--- a/csys/program/gene.lisp
+++ b/csys/program/gene.lisp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-;;;; cl-scopes/csys/program/gene - generative / genetic programs
+;;;; cl-scopes/csys/program/gene - generic generative (genetic) programs
 
 (defpackage :scopes/csys/program/gene
   (:use :common-lisp)
@@ -7,18 +7,28 @@
                     (:environ :scopes/csys/environ)
                     (:message :scopes/core/message)
                     (:util :scopes/util))
-  (:export #:prog-g0))
+  (:export #:config-g0))
 
 (in-package :scopes/csys/program/gene)
 
 ;;;; gene-0: zero-only network for explicit messages and interactive testing
 
-(defun prog-g0 ()
-  (let ((val-action (csys:value-add))) 
+(defun config-g0 ()
+  (let* ((ops (list :inhibit (csys:multiply -1)))
+         (std (list :bias 0 :cat :c00 :ops ops))
+         (eff (list :bias 2))
+         (cfg (list :std std :eff eff)))
+    (list (prog-g0 cfg) :std std
+          :contacts '(:e00 (#(1 0) #(1 1))))))
+
+(defun prog-g0 (cfg)
+  (let* ((std (getf cfg :std))
+         (eff (getf cfg :eff))
+         (bias-e (getf eff :bias 0))
+         (threshold-e (getf eff :threshold 1))
+         (val-action-e (csys:value-add :bias bias-e :threshold threshold-e))) 
     (csys:make-program
-      (list '(:c00 :initial) (csys:std-proc :value val-action)
-            '(:e00 :initial) (csys:eff-proc)
+      (list '(:c00 :initial) (csys:std-proc)
+            '(:e00 :initial) (csys:eff-proc :value val-action-e)
             ':default (csys:std-proc)))))
 
-
-
diff --git a/test/test-csys.lisp b/test/test-csys.lisp
index 193890e..57561c6 100644
--- a/test/test-csys.lisp
+++ b/test/test-csys.lisp
@@ -127,9 +127,11 @@
     (teardown)))
 
 (deftest test-gene-0 ()
-  (let ((environ:*env* (setup (list (gene:prog-g0))))
+  (let ((environ:*env* (setup (gene:config-g0)))
         (rcvr (tc:receiver t:*test-suite*)))
-    (environ:send-create '(:csys :c00 #(0 0)) :cat :e01 :connect :succ)
+    (environ:send-create '(:csys :c00 #(0 0)) :cat :e00 :connect :succ)
+    (sleep 0.01)
+    (environ:send-value '(:c00 #(0 0)) 2)
     (sleep 0.01) (print (tc:collected rcvr))
     (teardown)))