diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
index 93065b8d..d4d7c6d9 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
@@ -251,9 +251,14 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
       this.physicsUpdateHandler = (properties) => {
         if (properties.options.physics !== undefined) {
           if (properties.options.physics) {
+            let nodes = {};
+            nodes[properties.id] = this.createPhysicsNode(properties.id);
             this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
               type: 'addElements',
-              data: this.createPhysicsNode(properties.id)
+              data: {
+                nodes: nodes,
+                edges: {}
+              }
             });
           } else {
             this.physicsWorker.postMessage({type: 'removeElements', data: {
@@ -480,9 +485,7 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
 
   createPhysicsNode(nodeId) {
     let node = this.body.nodes[nodeId];
-    if (node && node.options.physics === true) {
-      // for updating fixed later
-      this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
+    if (node) {
       return {
         id: node.id.toString(),
         x: node.x,
@@ -498,6 +501,36 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
     }
   }
 
+  createPhysicsEdge(edgeId) {
+    let edge = this.body.edges[edgeId];
+    if (edge && edge.options.physics === true && edge.connected === true) {
+      let physicsEdge = {
+        connected: edge.connected,
+        id: edge.id,
+        edgeType: {},
+        toId: edge.toId,
+        fromId: edge.fromId,
+        to: {
+          id: edge.to.id
+        },
+        from: {
+          id: edge.from.id
+        },
+        options: {
+          length: edge.length
+        }
+      };
+      if (edge.edgeType.via) {
+        physicsEdge.edgeType = {
+          via: {
+            id: edge.edgeType.via.id
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      return physicsEdge;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Nodes and edges can have the physics toggles on or off. A collection of indices is created here so we can skip the check all the time.
    *
@@ -510,91 +543,60 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
     this.physicsBody.forces = {};
     this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices = [];
     this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices = [];
+    let physicsWorkerNodes = {};
+    let physicsWorkerEdges = {};
 
-    if (this.physicsWorker) {
-      let physicsWorkerNodes = {};
-      let physicsWorkerEdges = {};
 
-      for (let nodeId in nodes) {
-        if (nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-          physicsWorkerNodes[nodeId] = this.createPhysicsNode(nodeId);
-        }
-      }
-
-      for (let edgeId in edges) {
-        if (edges.hasOwnProperty(edgeId)) {
-          let edge = edges[edgeId];
-          if (edge.options.physics === true && edge.connected === true) {
-            physicsWorkerEdges[edgeId] = {
-              connected: edge.connected,
-              id: edge.id,
-              edgeType: {},
-              toId: edge.toId,
-              fromId: edge.fromId,
-              to: {
-                id: edge.to.id
-              },
-              from: {
-                id: edge.from.id
-              },
-              options: {
-                length: edge.length
-              }
-            };
-            if (edge.edgeType.via) {
-              physicsWorkerEdges[edgeId].edgeType = {
-                via: {
-                  id: edge.edgeType.via.id
-                }
-              }
-            }
+    // get node indices for physics
+    for (let nodeId in nodes) {
+      if (nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
+        if (nodes[nodeId].options.physics === true) {
+          this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
+          if (this.physicsWorker) {
+            physicsWorkerNodes[nodeId] = this.createPhysicsNode(nodeId);
           }
         }
       }
+    }
 
-      this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
-        type: 'physicsObjects',
-        data: {
-          nodes: physicsWorkerNodes,
-          edges: physicsWorkerEdges
-        }
-      });
-    } else {
-      // get node indices for physics
-      for (let nodeId in nodes) {
-        if (nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-          if (nodes[nodeId].options.physics === true) {
-            this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
+    // get edge indices for physics
+    for (let edgeId in edges) {
+      if (edges.hasOwnProperty(edgeId)) {
+        if (edges[edgeId].options.physics === true) {
+          this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.push(edgeId);
+          if (this.physicsWorker) {
+            physicsWorkerEdges[edgeId] = this.createPhysicsEdge(edgeId);
           }
         }
       }
+    }
 
-      // get edge indices for physics
-      for (let edgeId in edges) {
-        if (edges.hasOwnProperty(edgeId)) {
-          if (edges[edgeId].options.physics === true) {
-            this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.push(edgeId);
-          }
-        }
-      }
+    // get the velocity and the forces vector
+    for (let i = 0; i < this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.length; i++) {
+      let nodeId = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices[i];
+      this.physicsBody.forces[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
 
-      // get the velocity and the forces vector
-      for (let i = 0; i < this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.length; i++) {
-        let nodeId = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices[i];
-        this.physicsBody.forces[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
+      // forces can be reset because they are recalculated. Velocities have to persist.
+      if (this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] === undefined) {
+        this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
+      }
+    }
 
-        // forces can be reset because they are recalculated. Velocities have to persist.
-        if (this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] === undefined) {
-          this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
-        }
+    // clean deleted nodes from the velocity vector
+    for (let nodeId in this.physicsBody.velocities) {
+      if (nodes[nodeId] === undefined) {
+        delete this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId];
       }
+    }
 
-      // clean deleted nodes from the velocity vector
-      for (let nodeId in this.physicsBody.velocities) {
-        if (nodes[nodeId] === undefined) {
-          delete this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId];
+    if (this.physicsWorker) {
+      this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
+        type: 'initPhysicsData',
+        data: {
+          nodes: physicsWorkerNodes,
+          edges: physicsWorkerEdges
         }
-      }
+      });
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
index d379d920..f0f5b868 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
@@ -53,10 +53,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
         this.toRemove.nodes.push.apply(this.toRemove.nodes, msg.data.nodes);
         this.toRemove.edges.push.apply(this.toRemove.edges, msg.data.edges);
         break;
-      case 'physicsObjects':
-        this.body.nodes = msg.data.nodes;
-        this.body.edges = msg.data.edges;
-        this.initPhysicsData();
+      case 'initPhysicsData':
+        this.initPhysicsData(msg.data);
         break;
       case 'options':
         this.options = msg.data;
@@ -137,31 +135,43 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
     }
   }
 
-  addElements(data) {
-    // TODO expand to handle multiple and edges
-    let newNode = data;
-    let nodeId = newNode.id;
-    this.body.nodes[nodeId] = newNode;
-    this.positions[nodeId] = {
-      x: newNode.x,
-      y: newNode.y
-    };
-    this.physicsBody.forces[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
-    this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
-    if (this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.indexOf(nodeId) === -1) {
-      this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
+  addElements(data, replaceElements = true) {
+    let nodeIds = Object.keys(data.nodes);
+    for (let i = 0; i < nodeIds.length; i++) {
+      let nodeId = nodeIds[i];
+      let newNode = data.nodes[nodeId];
+      if (replaceElements) {
+        this.body.nodes[nodeId] = newNode;
+      }
+      this.positions[nodeId] = {
+        x: newNode.x,
+        y: newNode.y
+      };
+      this.physicsBody.forces[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
+      // forces can be reset because they are recalculated. Velocities have to persist.
+      if (this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] === undefined) {
+        this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
+      }
+      if (this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.indexOf(nodeId) === -1) {
+        this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
+      }
+    }
+    let edgeIds = Object.keys(data.edges);
+    for (let i = 0; i < edgeIds.length; i++) {
+      let edgeId = edgeIds[i];
+      if (replaceElements) {
+        this.body.edges[edgeId] = data.edges[edgeId];
+      }
+      if (this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.indexOf(edgeId) === -1) {
+        this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.push(edgeId);
+      }
     }
-    console.log('added node', nodeId);
   }
 
   processRemovals() {
     while (this.toRemove.nodes.length > 0) {
       let nodeId = this.toRemove.nodes.pop();
-      // TODO any optimization here?
       let index = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.indexOf(nodeId);
-      if (index === -1 && typeof nodeId === 'number') {
-        index = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.indexOf(nodeId.toString());
-      }
       if (index > -1) {
         this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.splice(index,1);
       }
@@ -169,7 +179,6 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
       delete this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId];
       delete this.positions[nodeId];
       delete this.body.nodes[nodeId];
-      console.log('removed node', nodeId);
     }
     while (this.toRemove.edges.length > 0) {
       let edgeId = this.toRemove.edges.pop();
@@ -186,49 +195,22 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
    *
    * @private
    */
-  initPhysicsData() {
+  initPhysicsData(data) {
     this.physicsBody.forces = {};
     this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices = [];
     this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices = [];
-    let nodes = this.body.nodes;
-    let edges = this.body.edges;
-
-    // get node indices for physics
-    for (let nodeId in nodes) {
-      if (nodes.hasOwnProperty(nodeId)) {
-        this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.push(nodeId);
-        this.positions[nodeId] = {
-          x: nodes[nodeId].x,
-          y: nodes[nodeId].y
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    // get edge indices for physics
-    for (let edgeId in edges) {
-      if (edges.hasOwnProperty(edgeId)) {
-        this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.push(edgeId);
-      }
-    }
-
-    // get the velocity and the forces vector
-    for (let i = 0; i < this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.length; i++) {
-      let nodeId = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices[i];
-      this.physicsBody.forces[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
+    this.positions = {};
 
-      // forces can be reset because they are recalculated. Velocities have to persist.
-      if (this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] === undefined) {
-        this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId] = {x: 0, y: 0};
-      }
-    }
+    this.body.nodes = data.nodes;
+    this.body.edges = data.edges;
+    this.addElements(data, false);
 
     // clean deleted nodes from the velocity vector
     for (let nodeId in this.physicsBody.velocities) {
-      if (nodes[nodeId] === undefined) {
+      if (this.body.nodes[nodeId] === undefined) {
         delete this.physicsBody.velocities[nodeId];
       }
     }
-    // console.log(this.physicsBody);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
index 787520c9..3c0d38a1 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ class Node {
       this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {id: this.id, options: physOpts});
     }
 
+    // TODO make embedded physics trigger this or handle _physicsUpdate messages
     if (options.hidden !== undefined) {
       return true;
     }