diff --git a/src/syndicate/actors.nim b/src/syndicate/actors.nim
index 8156312..181fc2f 100644
--- a/src/syndicate/actors.nim
+++ b/src/syndicate/actors.nim
@@ -189,15 +189,18 @@ proc run*(facet: Facet; action: TurnAction) = queueTurn(facet, action)
 
 proc facet*(turn: Turn): Facet = turn.facet
 
-proc queueEffect*(turn: Turn; target: Facet; act: TurnAction) =
-  var next = Turn(facet: target)
-  assert not target.isNil
-  next.work.addLast((target, act,))
-  when tracing:
-    next.desc.id = nextTurnId()
-    next.desc.cause = TurnCause(orKind: TurnCauseKind.turn)
-    next.desc.cause.turn.id = turn.desc.id
-  turn.effects.add next
+proc queueEffect*(turn: var Turn; target: Facet; act: TurnAction) =
+  if target.actor == turn.facet.actor:
+    turn.work.addLast((target, act,))
+  else:
+    var next = Turn(facet: target)
+    assert not target.isNil
+    next.work.addLast((target, act,))
+    when tracing:
+      next.desc.id = nextTurnId()
+      next.desc.cause = TurnCause(orKind: TurnCauseKind.turn)
+      next.desc.cause.turn.id = turn.desc.id
+    turn.effects.add next
 
 type Bindings = Table[Value, Value]
 
@@ -354,9 +357,8 @@ proc message*(turn: var Turn; r: Cap; v: Value) =
     queueEffect(turn, r.relay) do (turn: var Turn):
       r.target.message(turn, AssertionRef(value: a))
 
-proc message*[T](turn: Turn; r: Cap; v: T) =
-  queueEffect(turn, r.relay) do (turn: Turn):
-    message(turn, r, v.toPreserves)
+proc message*[T](turn: var Turn; r: Cap; v: T) =
+  message(turn, r, v.toPreserves)
 
 proc sync(turn: var Turn; e: Entity; peer: Cap) =
   e.sync(turn, peer)
@@ -641,8 +643,8 @@ proc run(turn: var Turn) =
     trace(turn.facet.actor, act)
   turn.facet = nil # invalidate the turn
   # TODO: catch exceptions here
-  while turn.effects.len > 0:
-    turnQueue.addLast turn.effects.pop()
+  for eff in turn.effects.mitems:
+    turnQueue.addLast(move eff)
 
 proc run* =
   ## Run actors to completion