diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7fe20073..021431c1 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ checksum = "95505c38b4572b2d910cecb0281560f54b440a19336cbbcb27bf6ce6adc6f5a8"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "hvm-core"
-version = "0.2.21"
+version = "0.2.22"
 dependencies = [
  "arrayvec",
  "clap",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index dff6ed6e..40f9ab9d 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "hvm-core"
-version = "0.2.21"
+version = "0.2.22"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "HVM-Core is a massively parallel Interaction Combinator evaluator."
 license = "MIT"
diff --git a/src/run/node.rs b/src/run/node.rs
index 60b27e2e..fb0116d2 100644
--- a/src/run/node.rs
+++ b/src/run/node.rs
@@ -60,4 +60,11 @@ impl<'a, M: Mode> Net<'a, M> {
     self.link_port_port(port, Port::new_var(wire.addr()));
     wire
   }
+
+  /// Creates a wire pointing to a trg (this is a no-op if it is already a
+  /// wire); sometimes necessary to avoid deadlock.
+  #[inline(always)]
+  pub fn wire_to_trg(&mut self, trg: Trg) -> Wire {
+    if trg.is_wire() { trg.as_wire() } else { self.create_wire_to(trg.as_port()) }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/stdlib.rs b/src/stdlib.rs
index 6e284ab6..76147b38 100644
--- a/src/stdlib.rs
+++ b/src/stdlib.rs
@@ -44,27 +44,17 @@ pub struct LogDef<F>(Arc<Mutex<Host>>, F);
 impl<F: Fn(Tree) + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static> AsHostedDef for LogDef<F> {
   fn call<M: Mode>(def: &Def<Self>, net: &mut Net<M>, port: Port) {
     let (arg, seq) = net.do_ctr(0, Trg::port(port));
-    let (wire, port) = net.create_wire();
-    if M::LAZY {
-      net.link_trg_port(arg, port);
-      net.link_trg_port(seq, Port::new_ref(unsafe { &*IDENTITY }));
-      net.normal_from(wire.clone());
-      def.data.1(def.data.0.lock().unwrap().readback_tree(&wire));
-      net.link_wire_port(wire, Port::ERA);
-    } else {
-      // SAFETY: the function inside `readback` won't live longer than
-      // the net, and thus won't live longer than the host, where the
-      // `&Def<Self>` points to
-      let def: &'static Def<Self> = unsafe { core::mem::transmute(def) };
-      let readback = readback(def.data.0.clone(), port, |net, tree| {
-        (def.data.1)(tree);
-        dispatch_dyn_net!(net => {
-          net.link_wire_port(wire, Port::ERA);
-          net.link_trg_port(seq, Port::new_ref(unsafe { &*IDENTITY }));
-        });
+    let seq = net.wire_to_trg(seq);
+    // SAFETY: the function inside `readback` won't live longer than
+    // the net, and thus won't live longer than the host, where the
+    // `&Def<Self>` points to
+    let def: &'static Def<Self> = unsafe { core::mem::transmute(def) };
+    readback(net, def.data.0.clone(), arg, |net, tree| {
+      (def.data.1)(tree);
+      dispatch_dyn_net!(net => {
+        net.link_wire_port(seq, Port::new_ref(unsafe { &*IDENTITY }));
       });
-      net.link_trg_port(arg, readback);
-    }
+    });
   }
 }
 
@@ -172,7 +162,7 @@ impl<T: AsHostedDef> AsDef for HostedDef<T> {
 
 use crate::ast::Tree;
 
-#[derive(Clone)]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub struct UniqueTreePtr(*mut Tree);
 unsafe impl Send for UniqueTreePtr {}
 unsafe impl Sync for UniqueTreePtr {}
@@ -188,7 +178,6 @@ pub struct ReadbackDef<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> {
   host: Arc<Mutex<Host>>,
   var_idx: Arc<AtomicUsize>,
   tree: UniqueTreePtr,
-  out: Port,
 }
 
 impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> ReadbackDef<F> {
@@ -196,10 +185,9 @@ impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> ReadbackDef<F> {
     let Some(root) = Arc::into_inner(root) else { return };
     (root)(net)
   }
-  fn with(&self, tree: *mut Tree, out: Port) -> Port {
+  fn with(&self, tree: *mut Tree) -> Port {
     Port::new_ref(Box::leak(BoxDef::new_boxed(LabSet::ALL, Self {
       tree: UniqueTreePtr(tree),
-      out,
       root: self.root.clone(),
       var_idx: self.var_idx.clone(),
       host: self.host.clone(),
@@ -210,7 +198,7 @@ impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> ReadbackDef<F> {
 impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> AsBoxDef for ReadbackDef<F> {
   fn call<M: Mode>(def: Box<Def<Self>>, net: &mut Net<M>, port: Port) {
     match port.tag() {
-      Tag::Red => {
+      Tag::Var | Tag::Red => {
         unreachable!()
       }
       Tag::Ref if port != Port::ERA => {
@@ -221,23 +209,18 @@ impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> AsBoxDef for ReadbackDef<F> {
             (*def.data.tree.0) = var.clone();
             (*other.data.0.tree.0) = var;
           }
-          net.link_port_port(def.data.out, other.data.0.out);
           Self::maybe_finish(DynNetMut::from(&mut *net), other.data.0.root);
         } else if let Some(back) = def.data.host.lock().unwrap().back.get(&port.addr()) {
           unsafe { *(def.data.tree.0) = Tree::Ref { nam: back.clone() } };
-          net.link_port_port(def.data.out, port);
         } else {
           unsafe { *(def.data.tree.0) = Tree::Era };
-          net.link_port_port(def.data.out, port);
         }
       }
       Tag::Ref => {
         unsafe { *(def.data.tree.0) = Tree::Era };
-        net.link_port_port(def.data.out, port);
       }
       Tag::Num => {
         unsafe { *(def.data.tree.0) = Tree::Num { val: port.num() } };
-        net.link_port_port(def.data.out, port)
       }
       Tag::Mat => {
         unsafe {
@@ -246,19 +229,13 @@ impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> AsBoxDef for ReadbackDef<F> {
         };
         let Tree::Mat { zero, succ, out } = (unsafe { &mut *(def.data.tree.0) }) else { unreachable!() };
         let old = port.clone().consume_node();
-        let new = net.create_node(Tag::Mat, old.lab);
         let old_sel = old.p1.load_target().consume_node();
-        let new_sel = net.create_node(Tag::Ctr, old_sel.lab);
-        net.link_port_port(def.data.out.clone(), new.p0);
-        net.link_port_port(new.p1, new_sel.p0);
-        net.link_wire_port(old.p2, def.data.with(out.as_mut(), new.p2));
-        net.link_wire_port(old_sel.p1, def.data.with(zero.as_mut(), new_sel.p1));
-        net.link_wire_port(old_sel.p2, def.data.with(succ.as_mut(), new_sel.p2));
+        net.link_wire_port(old.p2, def.data.with(out.as_mut()));
+        net.link_wire_port(old_sel.p1, def.data.with(zero.as_mut()));
+        net.link_wire_port(old_sel.p2, def.data.with(succ.as_mut()));
       }
-      Tag::Var => net.link_port_port(def.data.out, port),
       tag @ (Tag::Op | Tag::Ctr) => {
         let old = port.clone().consume_node();
-        let new = net.create_node(tag, old.lab);
         let (lhs, rhs): (*mut Tree, *mut Tree) = match tag {
           Tag::Op => {
             unsafe {
@@ -274,40 +251,42 @@ impl<F: FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> AsBoxDef for ReadbackDef<F> {
           }
           _ => unreachable!(),
         };
-        net.link_port_port(def.data.out.clone(), new.p0);
-        net.link_wire_port(old.p1, def.data.with(lhs, new.p1));
-        net.link_wire_port(old.p2, def.data.with(rhs, new.p2));
+        net.link_wire_port(old.p1, def.data.with(lhs));
+        net.link_wire_port(old.p2, def.data.with(rhs));
       }
     }
     Self::maybe_finish(DynNetMut::from(net), def.data.root);
   }
 }
 
-// public api:
-// readback: Wire -> FnOnce(Tree) -> Port
-// readback_and_wait: Net -> Wire -> Tree
-
-pub fn readback(host: Arc<Mutex<Host>>, out: Port, f: impl FnOnce(DynNetMut, Tree) + Send + Sync + 'static) -> Port {
-  let root = Box::leak(Box::new(Tree::default()));
+pub fn readback<M: Mode>(
+  net: &mut Net<M>,
+  host: Arc<Mutex<Host>>,
+  from: Trg,
+  f: impl FnOnce(DynNetMut, Tree) + Send + Sync + 'static,
+) {
+  let root = UniqueTreePtr(Box::leak(Box::new(Tree::default())));
 
-  let root_ptr = UniqueTreePtr(root);
-  let root = UniqueTreePtr(root);
+  if M::LAZY {
+    let from = net.wire_to_trg(from);
+    net.normal_from(from.clone());
+    let tree = host.lock().unwrap().readback_tree(&from);
+    net.link_wire_port(from, Port::ERA);
+    f(DynNetMut::from(net), tree);
+  } else {
+    let closure: Box<dyn FnOnce(DynNetMut) + Send + Sync + 'static> = Box::new(move |net| {
+      let root = unsafe { root.to_box() };
+      f(net, *root);
+    });
 
-  use crate::run;
-  let closure: Box<
-    dyn for<'a, 'b> FnOnce(run::DynNetInner<&'a mut run::Net<'b, run::Lazy>, &'a mut run::Net<'b, run::Strict>>)
-      + Send
-      + Sync
-      + 'static,
-  > = Box::new(move |net| {
-    let root = unsafe { root.to_box() };
-    f(net, *root);
-  });
-  Port::new_ref(Box::leak(BoxDef::new_boxed(LabSet::ALL, ReadbackDef {
-    root: Arc::new(closure),
-    host,
-    tree: root_ptr,
-    var_idx: Arc::new(AtomicUsize::from(0)),
-    out,
-  })))
+    net.link_trg_port(
+      from,
+      Port::new_ref(Box::leak(BoxDef::new_boxed(LabSet::ALL, ReadbackDef {
+        root: Arc::new(closure),
+        host,
+        tree: root,
+        var_idx: Arc::new(AtomicUsize::from(0)),
+      }))),
+    );
+  }
 }
diff --git a/tests/snapshots/tests__pre_reduce_run@log.hvmc.snap b/tests/snapshots/tests__pre_reduce_run@log.hvmc.snap
index 3af9ec61..47f7b5c1 100644
--- a/tests/snapshots/tests__pre_reduce_run@log.hvmc.snap
+++ b/tests/snapshots/tests__pre_reduce_run@log.hvmc.snap
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ RWTS   :               0
 - DREF :               0
 - OPER :               0
 run:
-RWTS   :               8
+RWTS   :               7
 - ANNI :               2
 - COMM :               0
-- ERAS :               1
+- ERAS :               0
 - DREF :               5
 - OPER :               0
diff --git a/tests/snapshots/tests__run@log.hvmc.snap b/tests/snapshots/tests__run@log.hvmc.snap
index e1d4ea7b..5d5c16e6 100644
--- a/tests/snapshots/tests__run@log.hvmc.snap
+++ b/tests/snapshots/tests__run@log.hvmc.snap
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ expression: output
 input_file: tests/programs/log.hvmc
 ---
 #2
-RWTS   :               8
+RWTS   :               7
 - ANNI :               2
 - COMM :               0
-- ERAS :               1
+- ERAS :               0
 - DREF :               5
 - OPER :               0