diff --git a/src/modules/shellfilter-999999.0a1.0.tm b/src/modules/shellfilter-999999.0a1.0.tm
index 54a6119f..65926617 100644
--- a/src/modules/shellfilter-999999.0a1.0.tm
+++ b/src/modules/shellfilter-999999.0a1.0.tm
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ tcl::namespace::eval shellfilter::log {
                 lappend sourcelist $tag
             }
 
-            #note new_worker
+            #review new_worker/assign_worker?
             set worker_tid [shellthread::manager::new_worker $tag $settingsdict]
             #puts stderr "shellfilter::log::open this_threadid: [thread::id] tag: $tag worker_tid: $worker_tid"
             return $worker_tid
@@ -1761,7 +1761,7 @@ namespace eval shellfilter::stack {
                             dict set transform_record -obj $obj
                             dict set transform_record -note "insert_transform-with-aside"
                             lappend stack $transform_record
-                            #add back poplist *except* the one we transferred into -aside (if we were able)
+                            # add back poplist *except* the one we transferred into -aside (if we were able)
                             foreach p [lrange $poplist $put_aside end] {
                                 set t [dict get $p -transform]
                                 set tsettings [dict get $p -settings]
diff --git a/src/modules/shellthread-999999.0a1.0.tm b/src/modules/shellthread-999999.0a1.0.tm
index 7e82e45f..bc0c4391 100644
--- a/src/modules/shellthread-999999.0a1.0.tm
+++ b/src/modules/shellthread-999999.0a1.0.tm
@@ -493,7 +493,11 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
                     dict set workers $sourcetag $winfo  ;#writeback
                     return [dict get $winfo tid]
                 } else {
-                    error "shellthread::manager::new_worker error: tag $sourcetag already has a worker with a different configuration\nexisting: $existing_settings\nattempted: $settingsdict"
+                    set emsg    "shellthread::manager::new_worker error: tag $sourcetag already has a worker with a different configuration\n"
+                    append emsg "existing: $existing_settings\n"
+                    append emsg "attempted: $settingsdict\n"
+                    append emsg "workers info: $winfo"
+                    error $emsg
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -514,7 +518,9 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
             if {[llength $free_threads]} {
                 #todo - re-use from tail - as most likely to have been doing similar work?? review
 
-                set free_threads [lassign $free_threads tidworker]
+                #set free_threads [lassign $free_threads tidworker]
+                set tidworker [lpop free_threads 0]
+
                 #todo - keep track of real ts_start of free threads... kill when too old
                 set winfo [dict create tid $tidworker list_client_tids [list $tidclient] ts_start $ts_start ts_end_list [list] workertype [dict get $settingsdict -workertype]]
                 #puts stderr "shellfilter::new_worker Re-using free worker thread: $tidworker with tag $sourcetag"
@@ -690,6 +696,8 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
         foreach workertid $subscriberless_workers {
             if {$workertid ni $shuttingdown_workers} {
                 if {$workertid ni $free_threads && $workertid ne "noop"} {
+                    thread::send $workertid {set ::shellthread::worker::settings {}}
+                    #todo - log freeing up of thread
                     lappend free_threads $workertid
                 }
             }
@@ -709,7 +717,9 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
         }
         return $taginfo_list
     }
+
     proc get_tag_config {tag} {
+        #review
         variable workers
         if {![dict exists $workers $tag]} {
             error "shellthread::manager::get_tag_config error no existing tag $tag"