diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 37c91958a..2a12295e3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -51,3 +51,8 @@ build2/
 /contrib/lokinet-bootstrap-winnt/data.enc
 /contrib/lokinet-bootstrap-winnt/out.bine
 default.profraw
+
+# ctags shit
+GTAGS
+GRTAGS
+GPATH
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 165e43a4e..249042e41 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,11 +59,10 @@ add_subdirectory(vendor/nlohmann)
 # still need the headers unconditionally
 set(ABSEIL_DIR vendor/abseil-cpp)
 include_directories(${ABSEIL_DIR})
-
 if (NOT WIN32)
   add_compile_options(-fPIC)
-  add_subdirectory(${ABSEIL_DIR})
 endif(NOT WIN32)
+add_subdirectory(${ABSEIL_DIR})
 
 # turns off those annoying warnings for
 # target-specific crypto code paths not
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ if(ASAN)
 endif(ASAN)
 
 if(SHADOW)
-  set(WITH_STATIC OFF)
+  set(WITH_SHARED ON)
   add_compile_options(-fPIC)
   if("${SHADOW_ROOT}" STREQUAL "")
     set(SHADOW_ROOT "$ENV{HOME}/.shadow")
@@ -182,12 +181,10 @@ if(SHADOW)
   set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${SHADOW_ROOT}/share/cmake/Modules")
   include_directories(${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH})
   include(ShadowTools)
-  add_compile_options( -fno-inline -fno-strict-aliasing )
-  add_definitions(-DTESTNET=true)
+  add_compile_options(-fno-inline -fno-strict-aliasing )
+  add_definitions(-DTESTNET=1)
   add_definitions(-DSHADOW_TESTNET)
   include_directories(${SHADOW_ROOT}/include)
-else()
-  set(WITH_STATIC ON)
 endif(SHADOW)
 
 if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES "[Dd][Ee][Bb][Uu][Gg]")
@@ -346,11 +343,19 @@ endif(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "FreeBSD")
 add_log_tag(${ABYSS_EXE})
 add_log_tag(${ABYSS_LIB})
 
+if (WIN32)
+  set(EXE_LIBS ${STATIC_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
+else()
+  set(EXE_LIBS ${STATIC_LIB} cppbackport libutp)
+endif(WIN32)
+
+
 if(SHADOW)
-  add_shadow_plugin(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${EXE_SRC})
-  target_include_directories(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} PUBLIC ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/llarp ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/crypto/include ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/cppbackport-master/lib)
-  target_link_libraries(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${STATIC_LIB} ${LIBS})
-  install(TARGETS shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} DESTINATION plugins)
+  set(LOKINET_SHADOW shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB})
+  set(LOKINET_SHADOW_LIBS ${SHARED_LIB})
+  add_shadow_plugin(${LOKINET_SHADOW} ${EXE_SRC})
+  target_link_libraries(${LOKINET_SHADOW} ${LOKINET_SHADOW_LIBS})
+  target_include_directories(${LOKINET_SHADOW} PUBLIC ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/llarp ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/crypto/include ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/cppbackport-master/lib)
 else()
   if(NOT WIN32)
     add_executable(${EXE} ${EXE_SRC})
@@ -371,12 +376,7 @@ else()
     install(CODE "execute_process(COMMAND setcap cap_net_admin,cap_net_bind_service=+eip ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/bin/lokinet)")
   endif(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "Linux")
 
-  if (WIN32)
-    target_link_libraries(${EXE} PUBLIC ${STATIC_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
-  else()
-    target_link_libraries(${EXE} PUBLIC ${STATIC_LIB} cppbackport libutp)
-  endif(WIN32)
-
+  target_link_libraries(${EXE} PUBLIC ${EXE_LIBS})
 
   if(ANDROID)
     add_library(${ANDROID_LIB} SHARED jni/lokinet_android.cpp)
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2d752643f..a4f80574c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ SHADOW_LOG=$(REPO)/shadow.log.txt
 SHADOW_SRC ?= $(HOME)/local/shadow
 SHADOW_PARSE ?= $(PYTHON) $(SHADOW_SRC)/src/tools/parse-shadow.py - -m 0 --packet-data
 SHADOW_PLOT ?= $(PYTHON) $(SHADOW_SRC)/src/tools/plot-shadow.py -d $(REPO) LokiNET -c $(SHADOW_CONFIG) -r 10000 -e '.*'
+SHADOW_OPTS ?=
 
 TESTNET_ROOT=/tmp/lokinet_testnet_tmp
 TESTNET_CONF=$(TESTNET_ROOT)/supervisor.conf
@@ -82,11 +83,11 @@ BUILD_ROOT = $(REPO)/build
 
 SCAN_BUILD ?= scan-build
 
-CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) '$(REPO)'")
+CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON '$(REPO)'")
 
-ANALYZE_CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "$(SCAN_BUILD) cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) '$(REPO)'")
+ANALYZE_CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "$(SCAN_BUILD) cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON '$(REPO)'")
 
-COVERAGE_CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) -DWITH_COVERAGE=yes '$(REPO)'")
+COVERAGE_CONFIG_CMD = $(shell /bin/echo -n "cd '$(BUILD_ROOT)' && " ; /bin/echo -n "cmake -G'$(CMAKE_GEN)' -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=$(CROSS) -DSTATIC_LINK_RUNTIME=$(STATIC_LINK) -DUSE_NETNS=$(NETNS) -DUSE_AVX2=$(AVX2) -DUSE_LIBABYSS=$(JSONRPC) -DNON_PC_TARGET=$(NON_PC_TARGET) -DWITH_SHARED=$(SHARED_LIB) -DWITH_COVERAGE=yes -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON '$(REPO)'")
 
 TARGETS = $(REPO)/lokinet
 SIGS = $(TARGETS:=.sig)
@@ -139,8 +140,8 @@ shadow-build: shadow-configure
 
 shadow-run: shadow-build
 	$(PYTHON) $(REPO)/contrib/shadow/genconf.py $(SHADOW_CONFIG)
-	cp $(SHADOW_PLUGIN) $(REPO)
-	bash -c "$(SHADOW_BIN) -w $$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | wc -l) $(SHADOW_CONFIG) | $(SHADOW_PARSE)"
+	cp $(SHADOW_PLUGIN) $(REPO)/libshadow-plugin-lokinet.so
+	$(SHADOW_BIN) $(SHADOW_OPTS) $(SHADOW_CONFIG) | $(SHADOW_PARSE)
 
 shadow-plot: shadow-run
 	$(SHADOW_PLOT)
@@ -184,14 +185,16 @@ android-gradle: android-gradle-prepare
 android: android-gradle
 	cp -f $(ANDROID_DIR)/build/outputs/apk/*.apk $(REPO)
 
-windows-configure: clean
+windows-release-configure: clean
 	mkdir -p '$(BUILD_ROOT)'
-	$(CONFIG_CMD) -DCMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING=ON -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE='$(REPO)/contrib/cross/mingw.cmake'  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=i686-w64-mingw32-gcc-win32 -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=i686-w64-mingw32-g++-win32 -DCMAKE_ASM_FLAGS='$(ASFLAGS)' -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS='$(CFLAGS)' -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS='$(CXXFLAGS)'
+	$(CONFIG_CMD) -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE='$(REPO)/contrib/cross/mingw.cmake'  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_ASM_FLAGS='$(ASFLAGS)' -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS='$(CFLAGS)' -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS='$(CXXFLAGS)'
 
-windows: windows-configure
+windows-release: windows-release-configure
 	$(MAKE) -C '$(BUILD_ROOT)'
 	cp '$(BUILD_ROOT)/lokinet.exe' '$(REPO)/lokinet.exe'
 
+windows: windows-release
+
 abyss: debug
 	$(ABYSS_EXE)
 
diff --git a/llarp/ev/ev_win32.cpp b/llarp/ev/ev_win32.cpp
index 34e85bd07..402fc3d74 100644
--- a/llarp/ev/ev_win32.cpp
+++ b/llarp/ev/ev_win32.cpp
@@ -12,13 +12,12 @@ static CRITICAL_SECTION HandlerMtx;
 std::list< win32_tun_io* > tun_listeners;
 
 void
-begin_tun_loop(int nThreads)
+win32_tun_io::begin_tun_loop(int nThreads)
 {
   kThreadPool = new HANDLE[nThreads];
   for(int i = 0; i < nThreads; ++i)
   {
-    kThreadPool[i] =
-        CreateThread(nullptr, 0, &tun_ev_loop, nullptr, 0, nullptr);
+    kThreadPool[i] = CreateThread(nullptr, 0, &tun_ev_loop, this, 0, nullptr);
   }
   llarp::LogInfo("created ", nThreads, " threads for TUN event queue");
   poolSize = nThreads;
@@ -124,11 +123,48 @@ win32_tun_io::read(byte_t* buf, size_t sz)
   ReadFile(tunif->tun_fd, buf, sz, nullptr, &pkt->pkt);
 }
 
+static void
+tun_ev_tick_and_flush(void* user)
+{
+  llarp_tun_io* tun = static_cast< llarp_tun_io* >(user);
+  if(tun->tick)
+    tun->tick(tun);
+  tun->flush(tun);
+}
+
+struct tun_pkt_t
+{
+  std::vector< byte_t > pkt;
+  llarp_tun_io* tun;
+
+  tun_pkt_t(llarp_tun_io* t, const byte_t* buf, size_t sz) : tun(t), pkt(sz)
+  {
+    std::copy_n(buf, sz, pkt.begin());
+  }
+
+  static void
+  recv_pkt(void* user)
+  {
+    tun_pkt_t* pkt = static_cast< tun_pkt_t* >(user);
+    pkt->Recv();
+    delete pkt;
+  }
+
+ private:
+  void
+  Recv()
+  {
+    llarp_buffer_t buf(pkt);
+    if(tun->recvpkt)
+      tun->recvpkt(tun, buf);
+  }
+}
+
 // and now the event loop itself
 extern "C" DWORD FAR PASCAL
-tun_ev_loop(void* unused)
+tun_ev_loop(void* user)
 {
-  UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(unused);
+  win32_tun_io* tun_io = static_cast< win32_tun_io* >(user);
 
   DWORD size         = 0;
   OVERLAPPED* ovl    = nullptr;
@@ -148,11 +184,14 @@ tun_ev_loop(void* unused)
       // of the tun logic
       for(const auto& tun : tun_listeners)
       {
+        /*
         EnterCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
         if(tun->t->tick)
           tun->t->tick(tun->t);
         tun->flush_write();
         LeaveCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
+        */
+        tun_io->logic->queue_job({tun->t, &tun_ev_tick_and_flush});
       }
       continue;  // let's go at it once more
     }
@@ -173,8 +212,10 @@ tun_ev_loop(void* unused)
         continue;
       }
       // EnterCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
-      if(ev->t->recvpkt)
-        ev->t->recvpkt(ev->t, llarp_buffer_t(pkt->buf, size));
+      tun_pkt_t* recv_pkt = new tun_pkt_t(ev->t, pkt->buf, size);
+      tun_io->logic->queue_job({recv_pkt, &tun_pkt_t::recv_pkt});
+      // if(ev->t->recvpkt)
+      //  ev->t->recvpkt(ev->t, llarp_buffer_t(pkt->buf, size));
       ev->read(ev->readbuf, sizeof(ev->readbuf));
       // LeaveCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
     }
@@ -185,11 +226,14 @@ tun_ev_loop(void* unused)
       ev->read(ev->readbuf, sizeof(ev->readbuf));
       // LeaveCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
     }
+    /*
     EnterCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
     if(ev->t->tick)
       ev->t->tick(ev->t);
     ev->flush_write();
     LeaveCriticalSection(&HandlerMtx);
+    */
+    tun_io->logic->queue_job({ev->t, &tun_ev_tick_and_flush});
     delete pkt;  // don't leak
   }
   llarp::LogDebug("exit TUN event loop thread from system managed thread pool");
@@ -657,4 +701,4 @@ llarp_win32_loop::stop()
     upoll_destroy(upollfd);
   upollfd = nullptr;
   llarp::LogDebug("destroy upoll");
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/llarp/ev/ev_win32.hpp b/llarp/ev/ev_win32.hpp
index 0d9c31fd8..d3ac84c34 100644
--- a/llarp/ev/ev_win32.hpp
+++ b/llarp/ev/ev_win32.hpp
@@ -23,14 +23,11 @@ struct asio_evt_pkt
 };
 
 extern "C" DWORD FAR PASCAL
-tun_ev_loop(void* unused);
+tun_ev_loop(void* ev);
 
 void
 exit_tun_loop();
 
-void
-begin_tun_loop(int nThreads);
-
 namespace llarp
 {
   struct udp_listener : public ev_io
@@ -60,10 +57,12 @@ namespace llarp
 struct win32_tun_io
 {
   llarp_tun_io* t;
+  llarp::Logic* logic;
   device* tunif;
   byte_t readbuf[EV_READ_BUF_SZ] = {0};
 
-  win32_tun_io(llarp_tun_io* tio) : t(tio), tunif(tuntap_init()){};
+  win32_tun_io(llarp_tun_io* tio, llarp::Logic* l)
+      : t(tio), logic(l), tunif(tuntap_init()){};
 
   bool
   queue_write(const byte_t* buf, size_t sz);
@@ -152,4 +151,4 @@ struct llarp_win32_loop : public llarp_ev_loop
   stop();
 };
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif
diff --git a/llarp/handlers/tun.hpp b/llarp/handlers/tun.hpp
index c66e8a099..b83d11d93 100644
--- a/llarp/handlers/tun.hpp
+++ b/llarp/handlers/tun.hpp
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ namespace llarp
       QueueInboundPacketForExit(const llarp_buffer_t& buf)
       {
         ManagedBuffer copy{buf};
-
         return m_NetworkToUserPktQueue.EmplaceIf(
             [&](llarp::net::IPv4Packet& pkt) -> bool {
               if(!pkt.Load(copy.underlying))
diff --git a/llarp/link/server.cpp b/llarp/link/server.cpp
index e594314a7..8cd6fac76 100644
--- a/llarp/link/server.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/server.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,10 @@ namespace llarp
           ++itr;
         }
         else
+        {
+          LogInfo("pending session at ", itr->first, " timed out");
           itr = m_Pending.erase(itr);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
@@ -166,14 +169,6 @@ namespace llarp
     return false;
   }
 
-  void
-  ILinkLayer::RemovePending(ILinkSession* s)
-  {
-    Lock l(&m_PendingMutex);
-    llarp::Addr remote = s->GetRemoteEndpoint();
-    m_Pending.erase(remote);
-  }
-
   util::StatusObject
   ILinkLayer::ExtractStatus() const
   {
diff --git a/llarp/link/server.hpp b/llarp/link/server.hpp
index ef5cc0f2e..dc2ba4dc2 100644
--- a/llarp/link/server.hpp
+++ b/llarp/link/server.hpp
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ namespace llarp
     SessionRenegotiateHandler SessionRenegotiate;
 
     /// called by link session to remove a pending session who is timed out
-    void
-    RemovePending(ILinkSession* s) LOCKS_EXCLUDED(m_PendingMutex);
+    // void
+    // RemovePending(ILinkSession* s) LOCKS_EXCLUDED(m_PendingMutex);
 
    private:
     static void
diff --git a/llarp/link/utp.cpp b/llarp/link/utp.cpp
index 4b8c81b9b..ac5ee31cc 100644
--- a/llarp/link/utp.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/utp.cpp
@@ -358,7 +358,6 @@ namespace llarp
           utp_close(arg->socket);
         else
           session->Close();
-        link->RemovePending(session);
       }
       return 0;
     }