diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h b/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
index 8f2d5ae5bd..d8a81438a9 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@
       */
         typedef struct _u3_ovum {
           void*            ptr_v;               //  context
+          c3_w             try_w;               //  retry count
           c3_w             mil_w;               //  timeout ms
           u3_noun            tar;               //  target (in arvo)
           u3_noun            wir;               //  wire
@@ -848,6 +849,7 @@
       */
         void
         u3_auto_peer(u3_ovum*      egg_u,
+                     void*         ptr_v,
                      u3_ovum_peer news_f,
                      u3_ovum_bail bail_f);
 
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
index 9fedc7017b..49b04b9358 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
@@ -54,9 +54,11 @@ u3_auto_plan(u3_auto* car_u, u3_ovum *egg_u)
 */
 void
 u3_auto_peer(u3_ovum*      egg_u,
+             void*         ptr_v,
              u3_ovum_peer news_f,
              u3_ovum_bail bail_f)
 {
+  egg_u->ptr_v = ptr_v;
   egg_u->cb_u.news_f = news_f;
   egg_u->cb_u.bail_f = bail_f;
 }
@@ -97,9 +99,8 @@ u3_auto_bail(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_noun lud)
   }
   else {
     u3_auto_bail_slog(egg_u, lud);
+    u3_ovum_free(egg_u);
   }
-
-  u3_ovum_free(egg_u);
 }
 
 /* _auto_news(): notify driver of ovum status
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
index be2c970a2c..a4bad01277 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/ames.c
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ _ames_hear_bail(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_noun lud)
       u3l_log("ames: packet failed (%" PRIu64 " total)\n\n", sam_u->fal_d);
     }
   }
+
+  u3_ovum_free(egg_u);
 }
 
 /* _ames_recv_cb(): receive callback.
@@ -473,7 +475,7 @@ _ames_recv_cb(uv_udp_t*        wax_u,
     u3_auto_peer(
       u3_auto_plan(&sam_u->car_u,
                    u3_ovum_init(0, c3__a, wir, cad)),
-      0, _ames_hear_bail);
+      0, 0, _ames_hear_bail);
 
     _ames_cap_queue(sam_u);
   }
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/behn.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/behn.c
index 5fa639da22..dbe99e65d6 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/behn.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/behn.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
     u3_auto    car_u;                   //  driver
     uv_timer_t tim_u;                   //  behn timer
     c3_o       alm_o;                   //  alarm
-    c3_w       bon_w;                   //  %born retry count
   } u3_behn;
 
 /* _behn_time_cb(): timer callback.
@@ -94,18 +93,14 @@ _behn_born_news(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_ovum_news new_e)
   }
 }
 
-static void
-_behn_io_talk(u3_auto* car_u);
-
 /* _behn_born_bail(): %born is essential, retry failures.
 */
 static void
 _behn_born_bail(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_noun lud)
 {
   u3_auto* car_u = egg_u->car_u;
-  u3_behn* teh_u = (u3_behn*)car_u;
 
-  if ( teh_u->bon_w == 2 ) {
+  if ( 2 == egg_u->try_w ) {
     u3l_log("behn: initialization failed\n");
 
     if ( 2 == u3qb_lent(lud) ) {
@@ -123,11 +118,12 @@ _behn_born_bail(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_noun lud)
       }
     }
 
+    u3_ovum_free(egg_u);
     u3_pier_bail(car_u->pir_u);
   }
   else {
-    _behn_io_talk(car_u);
-    teh_u->bon_w++;
+    egg_u->try_w++;
+    u3_auto_plan(car_u, egg_u);
   }
 
   u3z(lud);
@@ -144,6 +140,7 @@ _behn_io_talk(u3_auto* car_u)
 
   u3_auto_peer(
     u3_auto_plan(car_u, u3_ovum_init(0, c3__b, wir, cad)),
+    0,
     _behn_born_news,
     _behn_born_bail);
 }
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/fore.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/fore.c
index 4691e8a6e6..96f6dd53b7 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/fore.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/fore.c
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ _fore_inject_bail(u3_ovum* egg_u, u3_noun lud)
 {
   u3_auto_bail_slog(egg_u, lud);
   u3l_log("pier: injected event failed\n");
+
+  u3_ovum_free(egg_u);
 }
 
 /* _fore_inject(): inject an arbitrary ovum from a jammed file at [pax_c].
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ _fore_inject(u3_auto* car_u, c3_c* pax_c)
 
     u3_auto_peer(
       u3_auto_plan(car_u, u3_ovum_init(0, u3k(tar), u3k(wir), u3k(cad))),
-      0, _fore_inject_bail);
+      0, 0, _fore_inject_bail);
   }
 
   u3z(ovo);
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/ward.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/ward.c
index 993d132c69..bb9b092129 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/ward.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/ward.c
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ u3_ovum_init(c3_w     mil_w,
 {
   u3_ovum* egg_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*egg_u));
   egg_u->car_u = 0;
+  egg_u->try_w = 0;
   egg_u->ptr_v = 0;
   egg_u->mil_w = mil_w;
   egg_u->tar   = tar;