diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
index e217727b..bd81ea94 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
@@ -158,7 +158,15 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
    */
   initEmbeddedPhysics() {
     this.positionUpdateHandler = () => {};
-    this.physicsUpdateHandler = () => {};
+    this.physicsUpdateHandler = (properties) => {
+      if (properties.options.physics !== undefined) {
+        // we've received a node that has changed physics state
+        // so rebuild physicsBody
+        this.initPhysicsData();
+      }
+      // else we're accessing the information directly out of the node
+      // so no need to do anything.
+    };
     if (this.physicsWorker) {
       this.options.useWorker = false;
       this.physicsWorker.terminate();
@@ -172,11 +180,13 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     if (!this.physicsWorker) {
       // setup path to webworker javascript file
       if (!__webpack_public_path__) {
+        // search for element with id of 'visjs'
         let parentScript = document.getElementById('visjs');
         if (parentScript) {
           let src = parentScript.getAttribute('src')
           __webpack_public_path__ = src.substr(0, src.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
         } else {
+          // search all scripts for 'vis.js'
           let scripts = document.getElementsByTagName('script');
           for (let i = 0; i < scripts.length; i++) {
             let src = scripts[i].getAttribute('src');
@@ -383,7 +393,6 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     }
   }
 
-  // TODO determine when startedStabilization needs to be propogated from the worker
   /**
    * trigger the stabilized event.
    * @private
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
index 67d9f4bf..dfc13a92 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class PhysicsWorker extends PhysicsBase {
     var msg = event.data;
     switch (msg.type) {
       case 'physicsTick':
+        this.processRemovals();
         this.physicsTick();
         this.sendPositions();
         break;
@@ -57,24 +58,6 @@ class PhysicsWorker extends PhysicsBase {
     }
   }
 
-//  physicsTick() {
-//    if(this.physicsTimeout) {
-//      // cancel any outstanding requests to prevent manipulation of data while iterating
-//      // and we're going to handle it next anyways.
-//      clearTimeout(this.physicsTimeout);
-//    }
-//    this.processRemovals();
-//    if (this.options.enabled) {
-//      this.calculateForces();
-//      this.moveNodes();
-//      // Handle the case where physics was enabled, data was removed
-//      // but this physics tick was longer than the timeout and during that delta
-//      // physics was disabled.
-//      this.processRemovals();
-//    }
-//    this.stabilizationIterations++;
-//  }
-
   sendPositions() {
     let nodeIndices = this.physicsBody.physicsNodeIndices;
     let positions = {};
@@ -182,17 +165,9 @@ class PhysicsWorker extends PhysicsBase {
     this.toRemove.nodeIds.push.apply(this.toRemove.nodeIds, data.nodeIds);
     this.toRemove.edgeIds.push.apply(this.toRemove.edgeIds, data.edgeIds);
     // Handle case where physics is disabled.
-    if(this.physicsTimeout) {
-      // don't schedule more than one physicsTick
-      clearTimeout(this.physicsTimeout);
+    if (!this.options.enabled) {
+      this.processRemovals();
     }
-    this.physicsTimeout = setTimeout(()=> {
-      // if physics is still enabled, the next tick will handle removeElements
-      if (!this.options.enabled) {
-        this.physicsTimeout = null;
-        this.physicsTick();
-      }
-    }, 250);
   }
 
   processRemovals() {