diff --git a/epictest/addcat_test.go b/epictest/addcat_test.go
index 7c028135a..c9ccb931a 100644
--- a/epictest/addcat_test.go
+++ b/epictest/addcat_test.go
@@ -94,14 +94,16 @@ func DirectAddCat(data []byte, conf Config) error {
 		Bandwidth: math.MaxInt32,
 	})
 
-	if len(mn.Peers()) < numPeers {
+	peers := mn.Peers()
+	if len(peers) < numPeers {
 		return errors.New("test initialization error")
 	}
-	adder, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(mn.Peers()[0], mn.Net(mn.Peers()[0]), conf))
+
+	adder, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(peers[0], mn.Net(peers[0]), conf))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	catter, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(mn.Peers()[1], mn.Net(mn.Peers()[1]), conf))
+	catter, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(peers[1], mn.Net(peers[1]), conf))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/epictest/core.go b/epictest/core.go
index b7dac264a..bb2f00756 100644
--- a/epictest/core.go
+++ b/epictest/core.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
 	datastore "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-datastore"
 	sync "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-datastore/sync"
+
 	blockstore "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/blocks/blockstore"
 	blockservice "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/blockservice"
 	exchange "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/exchange"
@@ -22,8 +23,11 @@ import (
 	util "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/datastore2"
 	delay "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/delay"
+	eventlog "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/eventlog"
 )
 
+var log = eventlog.Logger("epictest")
+
 // TODO merge with core.IpfsNode
 type core struct {
 	repo Repo
@@ -128,6 +132,8 @@ func MocknetTestRepo(p peer.ID, n net.Network, conf Config) RepoFactory {
 		const alwaysSendToPeer = true
 		dsDelay := delay.Fixed(conf.BlockstoreLatency)
 		ds := sync.MutexWrap(datastore2.WithDelay(datastore.NewMapDatastore(), dsDelay))
+
+		log.Debugf("MocknetTestRepo: %s %s %s", p, n.LocalPeer(), n)
 		dhtt := dht.NewDHT(ctx, p, n, ds)
 		bsn := bsnet.NewFromIpfsNetwork(n, dhtt)
 		bstore, err := blockstore.WriteCached(blockstore.NewBlockstore(ds), kWriteCacheElems)
diff --git a/epictest/three_legged_cat_test.go b/epictest/three_legged_cat_test.go
index 40de2cae7..d66578305 100644
--- a/epictest/three_legged_cat_test.go
+++ b/epictest/three_legged_cat_test.go
@@ -38,18 +38,19 @@ func RunThreeLeggedCat(data []byte, conf Config) error {
 		Bandwidth: math.MaxInt32,
 	})
 
-	if len(mn.Peers()) < numPeers {
+	peers := mn.Peers()
+	if len(peers) < numPeers {
 		return errors.New("test initialization error")
 	}
-	adder, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(mn.Peers()[0], mn.Net(mn.Peers()[0]), conf))
+	adder, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(peers[0], mn.Net(peers[0]), conf))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	catter, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(mn.Peers()[1], mn.Net(mn.Peers()[1]), conf))
+	catter, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(peers[1], mn.Net(peers[1]), conf))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	bootstrap, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(mn.Peers()[2], mn.Net(mn.Peers()[2]), conf))
+	bootstrap, err := makeCore(ctx, MocknetTestRepo(peers[2], mn.Net(peers[2]), conf))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/net/mock/interface.go b/net/mock/interface.go
index 5f40397d7..be6bd4bb2 100644
--- a/net/mock/interface.go
+++ b/net/mock/interface.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type Mocknet interface {
 	// ID is derived from PrivKey
 	AddPeer(ic.PrivKey, ma.Multiaddr) (inet.Network, error)
 
-	// retrieve things
+	// retrieve things (with randomized iteration order)
 	Peers() []peer.ID
 	Net(peer.ID) inet.Network
 	Nets() []inet.Network
diff --git a/net/mux.go b/net/mux.go
index b8cebd55a..9145369e9 100644
--- a/net/mux.go
+++ b/net/mux.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package net
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
@@ -66,17 +65,24 @@ func (m *Mux) ReadProtocolHeader(s io.Reader) (string, StreamHandler, error) {
 	case !found && m.Default != nil:
 		return name, m.Default, nil
 	case !found && m.Default == nil:
-		return name, nil, errors.New("no handler with name: " + name)
+		return name, nil, fmt.Errorf("%s no handler with name: %s (%d)", m, name, len(name))
 	default:
 		return name, h, nil
 	}
 }
 
+// String returns the muxer's printing representation
+func (m *Mux) String() string {
+	m.RLock()
+	defer m.RUnlock()
+	return fmt.Sprintf("<Muxer %p %d>", m, len(m.Handlers))
+}
+
 // SetHandler sets the protocol handler on the Network's Muxer.
 // This operation is threadsafe.
 func (m *Mux) SetHandler(p ProtocolID, h StreamHandler) {
+	log.Debugf("%s setting handler for protocol: %s (%d)", m, p, len(p))
 	m.Lock()
-	log.Debug("setting protocol ", p)
 	m.Handlers[p] = h
 	m.Unlock()
 }