diff --git a/src/wmtk/multimesh/utils/find_local_switch_sequence.cpp b/src/wmtk/multimesh/utils/find_local_switch_sequence.cpp
index 131b15efdf..0cc8e85bc1 100644
--- a/src/wmtk/multimesh/utils/find_local_switch_sequence.cpp
+++ b/src/wmtk/multimesh/utils/find_local_switch_sequence.cpp
@@ -1,48 +1,132 @@
 #include "find_local_switch_sequence.hpp"
+#include <cassert>
 #include "local_switch_tuple.hpp"
 namespace wmtk::multimesh::utils {
 
 
 namespace {
-
-std::vector<PrimitiveType> find_local_switch_sequence_trimesh(
+std::pair<bool, std::vector<PrimitiveType>> find_local_switch_sequence_on_edge(
     const Tuple& source,
-    const Tuple& target)
+    const Tuple& target,
+    const PrimitiveType mesh_pt)
 {
-    // TODO: assert that base_source and base_target use the same global CID
+    assert(mesh_pt >= PrimitiveType::Edge);
     if (source == target) {
-        return std::vector<PrimitiveType>{};
+        return {true, std::vector<PrimitiveType>{}};
+    } else if (local_switch_tuple(mesh_pt, source, PrimitiveType::Vertex) == target) {
+        return {true, std::vector<PrimitiveType>{PrimitiveType::Vertex}};
     }
+    return {false, std::vector<PrimitiveType>{}};
+}
+
+std::pair<bool, std::vector<PrimitiveType>> find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(
+    const Tuple& source,
+    const Tuple& target,
+    const PrimitiveType mesh_pt)
+{
+    assert(mesh_pt >= PrimitiveType::Face);
 
-    // circulate
     Tuple cur_tuple = source;
     std::vector<PrimitiveType> switches;
-    auto try_and_record = [&](PrimitiveType pt) -> bool {
-        cur_tuple = local_switch_tuple(PrimitiveType::Face, cur_tuple, pt);
-        switches.emplace_back(pt);
-        return cur_tuple == target;
-    };
-    for (long j = 0; j < 3; ++j) {
-        for (PrimitiveType pt : {PrimitiveType::Vertex, PrimitiveType::Edge}) {
-            if (try_and_record(pt)) {
-                return switches;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    throw "switch sequence was unable to find a sequence of switches to match tuples";
-    return switches;
+    {
+        auto [success, edge_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_edge(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            return {true, edge_local_operations};
+        }
+    }
+    switches.emplace_back(PrimitiveType::Edge);
+    cur_tuple = local_switch_tuples(mesh_pt, source, switches);
+    {
+        auto [success, edge_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_edge(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            switches.insert(
+                switches.end(),
+                edge_local_operations.begin(),
+                edge_local_operations.end());
+            return {true, switches};
+        }
+    }
+
+    switches.insert(switches.begin(), PrimitiveType::Vertex);
+    cur_tuple = local_switch_tuples(mesh_pt, source, switches);
+    {
+        auto [success, edge_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_edge(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            switches.insert(
+                switches.end(),
+                edge_local_operations.begin(),
+                edge_local_operations.end());
+            return {true, switches};
+        }
+    }
+    return {false, std::vector<PrimitiveType>{}};
 }
-std::vector<PrimitiveType> find_local_switch_sequence_edgemesh(
+
+std::pair<bool, std::vector<PrimitiveType>> find_local_switch_sequence_on_tet(
     const Tuple& source,
-    const Tuple& target)
+    const Tuple& target,
+    const PrimitiveType mesh_pt)
 {
-    if (source != target) {
-        return std::vector<PrimitiveType>{PrimitiveType::Vertex};
-    } else {
-        return std::vector<PrimitiveType>{};
+    // TODO: test it in the future
+    throw "not tested yet";
+    assert(mesh_pt == PrimitiveType::Tetrahedron);
+    Tuple cur_tuple = source;
+    std::vector<PrimitiveType> switches;
+
+    {
+        auto [success, triangle_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            return {true, triangle_local_operations};
+        }
+    }
+    switches.emplace_back(PrimitiveType::Face);
+    cur_tuple = local_switch_tuples(mesh_pt, source, switches);
+    {
+        auto [success, triangle_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            switches.insert(
+                switches.end(),
+                triangle_local_operations.begin(),
+                triangle_local_operations.end());
+            return {true, switches};
+        }
+    }
+
+    switches.insert(switches.begin(), PrimitiveType::Edge);
+    cur_tuple = local_switch_tuples(mesh_pt, source, switches);
+    {
+        auto [success, triangle_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            switches.insert(
+                switches.end(),
+                triangle_local_operations.begin(),
+                triangle_local_operations.end());
+            return {true, switches};
+        }
+    }
+
+    switches.insert(switches.begin(), PrimitiveType::Vertex);
+    cur_tuple = local_switch_tuples(mesh_pt, source, switches);
+    {
+        auto [success, triangle_local_operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(cur_tuple, target, mesh_pt);
+        if (success) {
+            switches.insert(
+                switches.end(),
+                triangle_local_operations.begin(),
+                triangle_local_operations.end());
+            return {true, switches};
+        }
     }
-    throw "switch sequence was unable to find a sequence of switches to match tuples";
+    return {false, std::vector<PrimitiveType>{}};
 }
+
 } // namespace
 
 // Maps the tuple source according to the operation sequence
@@ -52,10 +136,31 @@ std::vector<PrimitiveType>
 find_local_switch_sequence(const Tuple& source, const Tuple& target, PrimitiveType primitive_type)
 {
     switch (primitive_type) {
-    case PrimitiveType::Face: return find_local_switch_sequence_trimesh(source, target);
-    case PrimitiveType::Edge: return find_local_switch_sequence_edgemesh(source, target);
+    case PrimitiveType::Edge: {
+        auto [success, operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_edge(source, target, PrimitiveType::Edge);
+        if (!success) {
+            throw "switch sequence was unable to find a sequence of switches to match tuples";
+        }
+        return operations;
+    }
+    case PrimitiveType::Face: {
+        auto [success, operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_triangle(source, target, PrimitiveType::Face);
+        if (!success) {
+            throw "switch sequence was unable to find a sequence of switches to match tuples";
+        }
+        return operations;
+    }
+    case PrimitiveType::Tetrahedron: {
+        auto [success, operations] =
+            find_local_switch_sequence_on_tet(source, target, PrimitiveType::Tetrahedron);
+        if (!success) {
+            throw "switch sequence was unable to find a sequence of switches to match tuples";
+        }
+        return operations;
+    }
     case PrimitiveType::Vertex: return {};
-    case PrimitiveType::Tetrahedron:
     default: return {};
     }
 }