diff --git a/presence/conversation.rkt b/presence/conversation.rkt
index 9bdea58..dcd0bb2 100644
--- a/presence/conversation.rkt
+++ b/presence/conversation.rkt
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@
 (define (co-topic t)
   (struct-copy topic t [role (co-role (topic-role t))]))
 
-(define (refine-topic t new-pattern)
-  (struct-copy topic t [pattern new-pattern] [virtual? #f]))
+(define (refine-topic remote-topic new-pattern)
+  (struct-copy topic remote-topic [pattern new-pattern]))
 
 (define (roles-intersect? l r)
   (eq? l (co-role r)))
@@ -269,11 +269,19 @@
 (define (binding-has-topic? b topic)
   (set-member? (binding-topics b) topic))
 
+;; True iff the flow between remote-topic and local-topic should be
+;; visible to the local peer. This is the case when either local-topic
+;; is virtual (in which case everything is seen) or otherwise if
+;; remote-topic is also not virtual.
+(define (flow-visible? local-topic remote-topic)
+  (or (topic-virtual? local-topic)
+      (not (topic-virtual? remote-topic))))
+
 ;; Inserts a new flow in the records of b1, and signals b1 if the flow
 ;; is new to it.
 ;; Topics and flow must all be canonicalized.
 (define (insert-flow! b1 topic1 flow topic2 b2)
-  (when (not (topic-virtual? topic2))
+  (when (flow-visible? topic1 topic2)
     (define old-count (hash-ref (binding-flows b1) flow 0))
     ;;(write `(count for flow ,flow at ,(binding-debug-name b1) was ,old-count)) (newline)
     (when (zero? old-count)
@@ -286,7 +294,7 @@
 ;; ended after the removal.
 ;; Topic and flow must be canonicalized.
 (define (remove-flow! why b1 topic1 flow topic2 b2)
-  (when (not (topic-virtual? topic2))
+  (when (flow-visible? topic1 topic2)
     (define old-flows (binding-flows b1))
     (define old-count (hash-ref old-flows flow)) ;; error if absent
     (define new-count (- old-count 1))
@@ -312,20 +320,21 @@
 	   [other-topic (binding-topics other-binding)])
       (let ((flow-pattern (topic-intersection arriving-topic other-topic)))
 	(when flow-pattern
-	  (define flow (refine-topic arriving-topic flow-pattern))
-	  (insert-flow! b arriving-topic (co-topic flow) other-topic other-binding)
-	  (insert-flow! other-binding other-topic flow arriving-topic b))))))
+	  (define flow1 (refine-topic other-topic flow-pattern))
+	  (define flow2 (refine-topic arriving-topic flow-pattern))
+	  (insert-flow! b arriving-topic flow1 other-topic other-binding)
+	  (insert-flow! other-binding other-topic flow2 arriving-topic b))))))
 
 ;; Topic must be canonicalized.
 (define (depart! b departing-topic why)
   (when (binding-has-topic? b departing-topic)
-    (define co-departing-topic (co-topic departing-topic))
-    (for* ([(co-flow old-routes) (binding-routes b)]
-	   #:when (specialization? co-flow co-departing-topic)
+    (for* ([(flow1 old-routes) (binding-routes b)]
+	   #:when (specialization? (topic-pattern flow1) (topic-pattern departing-topic))
 	   [r old-routes] #:when (equal? (route-local-topic r) departing-topic))
       (match-define (route _ remote-topic remote-binding) r)
-      (remove-flow! why b departing-topic co-flow remote-topic remote-binding)
-      (remove-flow! why remote-binding remote-topic (co-topic co-flow) departing-topic b))
+      (define flow2 (refine-topic departing-topic (topic-pattern flow1)))
+      (remove-flow! why b departing-topic flow1 remote-topic remote-binding)
+      (remove-flow! why remote-binding remote-topic flow2 departing-topic b))
     (set-binding-topics! b (set-remove (binding-topics b) departing-topic))))
 
 (define (((handle-binding-message b) message) state)
diff --git a/presence/test-conversation-socket.rkt b/presence/test-conversation-socket.rkt
index 2f9e617..bd34a75 100644
--- a/presence/test-conversation-socket.rkt
+++ b/presence/test-conversation-socket.rkt
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@
    (lambda ()
      (define h (join-room pool 'LISTEN-THREAD))
      (define server-address (tcp-address #f port-no))
-     (send h assert! (topic-subscriber (tcp-stream (wild-address) server-address)))
+     (send h assert! (topic-subscriber (tcp-stream (wild-address) server-address)
+				       #:virtual? #t))
      (define (quit-proc) (send h depart))
      (let loop ()
        (match (send h listen)
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@
 	   (topic 'publisher
 		  (and inbound-stream (tcp-stream (tcp-address (? non-wild?) (? non-wild?))
 						  (== server-address)))
-		  _))
+		  #f))
 	  (write `(starting session for ,inbound-stream)) (newline)
 	  (standard-thread (lambda () (session inbound-stream quit-proc)))
 	  (loop)]
@@ -78,18 +79,21 @@
 (listen port-number)
 
 (define (wait-until-pool-empty)
-  (define h (join-room pool 'WAITER))
+  (define h (join-room pool 'POOL-WAITER))
   (send h assert! (topic-publisher (wild) #:virtual? #t))
   (send h assert! (topic-subscriber (wild) #:virtual? #t))
   (let loop ((show-count #t) (count 0))
     (when show-count
       (write `(pool has ,count members)) (newline))
     (match (send h listen)
+      [(arrived (and x (topic _ _ #t)))
+       (write `(ignoring arrival of ,x)) (newline)
+       (loop #f count)]
       [(arrived x)
        (write `(,x arrived in pool)) (newline)
        (loop #t (+ count 1))]
-      [(departed _ _) (if (= count 1)
-			  'done
-			  (loop #t (- count 1)))]
+      [(departed (topic _ _ #f) _) (if (= count 1)
+				       'done
+				       (loop #t (- count 1)))]
       [_ (loop #f count)])))
 (wait-until-pool-empty)