diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
index d4d7c6d9..5c18d42b 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
@@ -251,20 +251,34 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
       this.physicsUpdateHandler = (properties) => {
         if (properties.options.physics !== undefined) {
           if (properties.options.physics) {
-            let nodes = {};
-            nodes[properties.id] = this.createPhysicsNode(properties.id);
+            let data = {
+              nodes: {},
+              edges: {}
+            };
+            if (properties.type === 'node') {
+              data.nodes[properties.id] = this.createPhysicsNode(properties.id);
+            } else if (properties.type === 'edge') {
+              data.edges[properties.id] = this.createPhysicsEdge(properties.id);
+            } else {
+              console.warn('invalid element type');
+            }
             this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
               type: 'addElements',
-              data: {
-                nodes: nodes,
-                edges: {}
-              }
+              data: data
             });
           } else {
-            this.physicsWorker.postMessage({type: 'removeElements', data: {
-              nodes: [properties.id.toString()],
-              edges: []
-            }});
+            let data = {
+              nodeIds: [],
+              edgeIds: []
+            };
+            if (properties.type === 'node') {
+              data.nodeIds = [properties.id.toString()];
+            } else if (properties.type === 'edge') {
+              data.edgeIds = [properties.id.toString()];
+            } else {
+              console.warn('invalid element type');
+            }
+            this.physicsWorker.postMessage({type: 'removeElements', data: data});
           }
         } else {
           this.physicsWorker.postMessage({type: 'updateProperties', data: properties});
@@ -505,11 +519,14 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
     let edge = this.body.edges[edgeId];
     if (edge && edge.options.physics === true && edge.connected === true) {
       let physicsEdge = {
-        connected: edge.connected,
         id: edge.id,
+        connected: edge.connected,
         edgeType: {},
         toId: edge.toId,
         fromId: edge.fromId,
+        // TODO when will toId not match to.id given that connected is true
+        // can we rewrite SpringSolver to only use toId and not to.id
+        // and remove these parameters
         to: {
           id: edge.to.id
         },
@@ -520,6 +537,7 @@ class PhysicsEngine {
           length: edge.length
         }
       };
+      // TODO test/implment dynamic
       if (edge.edgeType.via) {
         physicsEdge.edgeType = {
           via: {
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
index f0f5b868..99586d71 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
     this.positions = {};
     this.timestep = 0.5;
     this.toRemove = {
-      nodes: [],
-      edges: []
+      nodeIds: [],
+      edgeIds: []
     };
   }
 
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
       case 'removeElements':
         // schedule removal of elements on the next physicsTick
         // avoids having to defensively check every node read in each physics implementation
-        this.toRemove.nodes.push.apply(this.toRemove.nodes, msg.data.nodes);
-        this.toRemove.edges.push.apply(this.toRemove.edges, msg.data.edges);
+        this.toRemove.nodeIds.push.apply(this.toRemove.nodeIds, msg.data.nodeIds);
+        this.toRemove.edgeIds.push.apply(this.toRemove.edgeIds, msg.data.edgeIds);
         break;
       case 'initPhysicsData':
         this.initPhysicsData(msg.data);
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
     this.processRemovals();
     this.calculateForces();
     this.moveNodes();
-    for (let i = 0; i < this.toRemove.nodes.length; i++) {
-      delete this.positions[this.toRemove.nodes[i]];
+    for (let i = 0; i < this.toRemove.nodeIds.length; i++) {
+      delete this.positions[this.toRemove.nodeIds[i]];
     }
     this.postMessage({
       type: 'positions',
@@ -116,22 +116,36 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
   }
 
   updateProperties(data) {
-    let optionsNode = this.body.nodes[data.id];
-    if (optionsNode) {
-      let opts = data.options;
-      if (opts.fixed) {
-        if (opts.fixed.x !== undefined) {
-          optionsNode.options.fixed.x = opts.fixed.x;
+    if (data.type === 'node') {
+      let optionsNode = this.body.nodes[data.id];
+      if (optionsNode) {
+        let opts = data.options;
+        if (opts.fixed) {
+          if (opts.fixed.x !== undefined) {
+            optionsNode.options.fixed.x = opts.fixed.x;
+          }
+          if (opts.fixed.y !== undefined) {
+            optionsNode.options.fixed.y = opts.fixed.y;
+          }
         }
-        if (opts.fixed.y !== undefined) {
-          optionsNode.options.fixed.y = opts.fixed.y;
+        if (opts.mass !== undefined) {
+          optionsNode.options.mass = opts.mass;
         }
+      } else {
+        console.warn('sending properties to unknown node');
       }
-      if (opts.mass !== undefined) {
-        optionsNode.options.mass = opts.mass;
+    } else if (data.type === 'edge') {
+      let edge = this.body.edges[data.id];
+      if (edge) {
+        let opts = data.options;
+        if (opts.connected) {
+          edge.connected = opts.connected;
+        }
+      } else {
+        console.warn('sending properties to unknown edge');
       }
     } else {
-      console.log('sending property to unknown node');
+      console.warn('sending properties to unknown element');
     }
   }
 
@@ -169,8 +183,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
   }
 
   processRemovals() {
-    while (this.toRemove.nodes.length > 0) {
-      let nodeId = this.toRemove.nodes.pop();
+    while (this.toRemove.nodeIds.length > 0) {
+      let nodeId = this.toRemove.nodeIds.pop();
       let index = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.indexOf(nodeId);
       if (index > -1) {
         this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices.splice(index,1);
@@ -180,8 +194,8 @@ class PhysicsWorker {
       delete this.positions[nodeId];
       delete this.body.nodes[nodeId];
     }
-    while (this.toRemove.edges.length > 0) {
-      let edgeId = this.toRemove.edges.pop();
+    while (this.toRemove.edgeIds.length > 0) {
+      let edgeId = this.toRemove.edgeIds.pop();
       let index = this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.indexOf(edgeId);
       if (index > -1) {
         this.physicsBody.physicsEdgeIndices.splice(index,1);
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/Edge.js b/lib/network/modules/components/Edge.js
index 236e10de..2cd057cf 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/Edge.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/Edge.js
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ class Edge {
 
     this.labelModule = new Label(this.body, this.options);
 
+    // prevents sending connected messages on initial creation as it should be handled by added element
+    this.sendPhysicsUpdates = false;
     this.setOptions(options);
+    this.sendPhysicsUpdates = true;
   }
 
 
@@ -86,10 +89,14 @@ class Edge {
     // A node is connected when it has a from and to node that both exist in the network.body.nodes.
     this.connect();
 
+    // TODO make changing physics of 1 edge not trigger a complete rebuild of physics processing.
     if (options.hidden !== undefined || options.physics !== undefined) {
       dataChanged = true;
     }
 
+    // TODO if edgeType.via.id, toId, fromId, to.id, or from.id changed
+    // emit _physicsUpdate
+
     return dataChanged;
   }
 
@@ -252,6 +259,8 @@ class Edge {
    * Connect an edge to its nodes
    */
   connect() {
+    let previousConnected = this.connected;
+
     this.disconnect();
 
     this.from = this.body.nodes[this.fromId] || undefined;
@@ -272,6 +281,10 @@ class Edge {
     }
 
     this.edgeType.connect();
+
+    if (this.sendPhysicsUpdates && this.connected !== previousConnected) {
+      this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {type: 'edge', id: this.id, options: {connected: this.connected}});
+    }
   }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
index 3c0d38a1..b4aaee8e 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/components/Node.js
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class Node {
     // TODO split out fixed portion?
     let physOpts = Node.parseOptions(this.options, {fixed: newFixed});
     if (Object.keys(physOpts).length > 0) {
-      this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {id: this.id, options: physOpts});
+      this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {type: 'node', id: this.id, options: physOpts});
     }
   }
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class Node {
     }
 
     if (Object.keys(physOpts).length > 0) {
-      this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {id: this.id, options: physOpts});
+      this.body.emitter.emit('_physicsUpdate', {type: 'node', id: this.id, options: physOpts});
     }
 
     // TODO make embedded physics trigger this or handle _physicsUpdate messages