diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
index b29c0709d9..04a2591dae 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@
 #define FINE_PAGE     16384  //  packets per page TODO
 #define FINE_FRAG      1024  //  bytes per fragment packet
 #define FINE_PATH_MAX   384  //  longest allowed scry path
+#define FINE_SCRY_MAX    10  //  maximum allowed pending scry requests
 #define HEAD_SIZE         4  //  header size in bytes
 
+//  a hack to work around the inability to delete from a hashtable
+//
+#define FINE_PEND         1  //  scry cache sentinel value: "pending"
+#define FINE_DEAD         2  //  scry cache sentinel value: "dead"
+
 /* u3_fine: fine networking
 */
   typedef struct _u3_fine {
@@ -815,7 +821,7 @@ _ames_send(u3_pact* pac_u)
 {
   u3_ames* sam_u = pac_u->sam_u;
 
-  if ( !pac_u->hun_y 
+  if ( !pac_u->hun_y
     || !sam_u
     || !&sam_u->wax_u
     || !pac_u->len_w
@@ -1090,7 +1096,7 @@ _ames_czar(u3_pact* pac_u)
         pac_u->rut_u.dns_c =
           c3_malloc(1 + strlen(nam_c) + strlen(sam_u->dns_c));
 
-        sas_i = 
+        sas_i =
           snprintf(pac_u->rut_u.dns_c, 255, "%s.%s", nam_c + 1, sam_u->dns_c);
 
         c3_free(nam_c);
@@ -1125,14 +1131,20 @@ _ames_czar(u3_pact* pac_u)
 static void
 _fine_put_cache(u3_ames* sam_u, u3_noun pax, c3_w lop_w, u3_noun lis)
 {
-  c3_w cur_w = lop_w;
-  while ( lis != u3_nul ) {
-    u3_noun key = u3nc(u3k(pax), u3i_word(cur_w));
-    u3h_put(sam_u->fin_s.sac_p, key, u3k(u3h(lis)));
+  if ( (FINE_PEND == lis) || (FINE_DEAD == lis) ) {
+    u3_noun key = u3nc(u3k(pax), u3i_word(lop_w));
+    u3h_put(sam_u->fin_s.sac_p, key, lis);
+  }
+  else {
+    c3_w cur_w = lop_w;
+    while ( lis != u3_nul ) {
+      u3_noun key = u3nc(u3k(pax), u3i_word(cur_w));
+      u3h_put(sam_u->fin_s.sac_p, key, u3k(u3h(lis)));
 
-    lis = u3t(lis);
-    cur_w++;
-    u3z(key);
+      lis = u3t(lis);
+      cur_w++;
+      u3z(key);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -1514,6 +1526,34 @@ _fine_lop(c3_w fra_w)
   return 1 + (((fra_w - 1) / FINE_PAGE) * FINE_PAGE);
 }
 
+static u3_weak
+_fine_scry_path(u3_pact* pac_u, c3_o lop_o)
+{
+  u3_keen* ken_u = (
+    ( PACT_WAIL == pac_u->typ_y )
+    ? &pac_u->wal_u.ken_u
+    : &pac_u->pur_u.ken_u);
+
+  u3_noun pat;
+  {
+    u3_noun pux = u3i_string(ken_u->pat_c);
+    u3_noun ful = u3dc("rush", pux, u3v_wish("stap"));
+    if ( u3_nul == ful ) {
+      u3z(ful);
+      return u3_none;
+    }
+    pat = u3k(u3t(ful));
+    u3z(ful);
+  }
+
+  c3_w fra_w = ken_u->fra_w;
+  if ( c3y == lop_o ) {
+    fra_w = _fine_lop(fra_w);
+  }
+
+  return u3nc(pat, u3i_word(fra_w));
+}
+
 /* _fine_pack_scry_cb(): receive packets for datum out of fine
  */
 static void _fine_pack_scry_cb(void* vod_p, u3_noun nun)
@@ -1523,16 +1563,20 @@ static void _fine_pack_scry_cb(void* vod_p, u3_noun nun)
   u3_ames* sam_u = pac_u->sam_u;
   u3_keen* ken_u = &pac_u->pur_u.ken_u;
 
+  u3_noun pax = u3do("stab", u3i_string(ken_u->pat_c));
+  c3_w lop_w = _fine_lop(ken_u->fra_w);
+
+  //  if not [~ ~ fragments], mark as dead
+  //
   u3_weak pas = u3r_at(7, nun);
   if( pas == u3_none ) {
+    _fine_put_cache(sam_u, pax, lop_w, FINE_DEAD);
     _ames_pact_free(pac_u);
 
     u3z(nun);
     return;
   }
 
-  u3_noun pax = u3do("stab", u3i_string(ken_u->pat_c));
-  c3_w lop_w = _fine_lop(ken_u->fra_w);
   _fine_put_cache(sam_u, pax, lop_w, pas);
 
   // find requested fragment
@@ -1570,22 +1614,14 @@ static void
 _fine_hear_request(u3_pact* req_u, c3_w cur_w)
 {
   u3_pact* res_u;
-  
+  u3_weak key;
+
   if ( c3n == _fine_sift_wail(req_u, cur_w) ) {
     u3l_log("fine: _fine_hear_request bad wail\n");
     _ames_pact_free(req_u);
     return;
   }
 
-  u3_noun pux = u3i_string(req_u->wal_u.ken_u.pat_c);
-  u3_noun pat = u3dc("rush", pux, u3v_wish("stap"));
-  if ( u3_nul == pat ) {
-    u3l_log("fine: bad request\n");
-    _ames_pact_free(req_u);
-    u3z(pat);
-    return;
-  }
-
   //  fill in the parts of res_u that we know from req_u
   {
     res_u = c3_calloc(sizeof(*res_u));
@@ -1615,7 +1651,7 @@ _fine_hear_request(u3_pact* req_u, c3_w cur_w)
       .rog_d = 0
     };
 
-    //  copy unsigned request payload into response body 
+    //  copy unsigned request payload into response body
     //
     res_u->pur_u = (u3_purr) {
       .ken_u = req_u->wal_u.ken_u,
@@ -1628,6 +1664,15 @@ _fine_hear_request(u3_pact* req_u, c3_w cur_w)
       res_u->pur_u.ken_u.pat_c = c3_calloc(len_s + 1);
       memcpy(res_u->pur_u.ken_u.pat_c, req_u->wal_u.ken_u.pat_c, len_s);
     }
+
+    //  make scry cache key
+    //
+    key = _fine_scry_path(req_u, c3n);
+    if ( u3_none == key ) {
+      u3l_log("fine: bad request\n");
+      _ames_pact_free(req_u);
+      return;
+    }
     //  free incoming request
     //
     _ames_pact_free(req_u);
@@ -1643,24 +1688,35 @@ _fine_hear_request(u3_pact* req_u, c3_w cur_w)
 
   //  look up request in scry cache
   //
-  u3_noun key = u3nc(u3k(u3t(pat)), u3i_word(res_u->pur_u.ken_u.fra_w));
   u3_weak cac = u3h_git(res_u->sam_u->fin_s.sac_p, key);
-  if ( u3_none == cac ) {
+  //  already pending; drop
+  //
+  if ( FINE_PEND == cac ) {
+    //u3l_log("fine: pend %u %s\n", res_u->pur_u.ken_u.fra_w,
+    //                              res_u->pur_u.ken_u.pat_c);
+    _ames_pact_free(res_u);
+  }
+  //  cache miss or a previous scry blocked; try again
+  //
+  else if ( (u3_none == cac) || (FINE_DEAD == cac) ) {
     //u3l_log("fine: miss %u %s\n", res_u->pur_u.ken_u.fra_w,
     //                              res_u->pur_u.ken_u.pat_c);
-    //  cache miss, scry into arvo for a page of packets
-    //
     c3_w lop_w = _fine_lop(res_u->pur_u.ken_u.fra_w);
     u3_noun pax =
       u3nc(c3__fine,
       u3nq(c3__hunk,
            u3dc("scot", c3__ud, lop_w),
            u3dc("scot", c3__ud, FINE_PAGE),
-           u3k(u3t(pat))));
+           u3k(u3h(key))));
 
+    //  mark as pending in the scry cache
+    //
+    _fine_put_cache(res_u->sam_u, u3k(u3h(key)), lop_w, FINE_PEND);
+
+    //  scry into arvo for a page of packets
+    //
     u3_pier_peek_last(res_u->sam_u->car_u.pir_u, u3_nul, c3__ax, u3_nul,
                       pax, res_u, _fine_pack_scry_cb);
-
   }
   //  cache hit, fill in response meow and send
   //
@@ -1672,10 +1728,10 @@ _fine_hear_request(u3_pact* req_u, c3_w cur_w)
   }
   else {
     u3l_log("fine: _fine_hear_request meow bad\n");
+    _ames_pact_free(res_u);
   }
 
   u3z(key);
-  u3z(pat);
 }
 
 //  TODO: check protocol version
@@ -1819,14 +1875,14 @@ _ames_hear(u3_ames* sam_u,
   //  check contents match mug in header
  //
   if ( c3n == _ames_check_mug(pac_u) ) {
-        _log_head(&pac_u->hed_u);
-      sam_u->sat_u.mut_d++;
-      //  TODO: reinstate filter after debugging is over
-      //  if ( 0 == (sam_u->sat_u.mut_d % 100000) ) {
-      if ( 1 ) {
-        u3l_log("ames: %" PRIu64 " dropped for invalid mug\n",
-                sam_u->sat_u.mut_d);
-      }
+    _log_head(&pac_u->hed_u);
+    sam_u->sat_u.mut_d++;
+    //  TODO: reinstate filter after debugging is over
+    //  if ( 0 == (sam_u->sat_u.mut_d % 100000) ) {
+    if ( 1 ) {
+      u3l_log("ames: %" PRIu64 " dropped for invalid mug\n",
+              sam_u->sat_u.mut_d);
+    }
     _ames_pact_free(pac_u);
     return;
   }
@@ -2135,7 +2191,7 @@ _ames_kick_newt(u3_ames* sam_u, u3_noun tag, u3_noun dat)
     case c3__turf: {
       _ames_ef_turf(sam_u, u3k(dat));
       ret_o = c3y;
-    } break; 
+    } break;
   }
 
   u3z(tag); u3z(dat);