diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsBase.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsBase.js
index 748997e6..37db6e07 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsBase.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsBase.js
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ class PhysicsBase {
     this.stabilized = false;
     this.stabilizationIterations = 0;
     this.timestep = 0.5;
+
+    // parameters for the adaptive timestep
+    this.adaptiveTimestep = false;
+    this.adaptiveTimestepEnabled = false;
+    this.adaptiveCounter = 0;
+    this.adaptiveInterval = 3;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
index 9ddb7b75..e217727b 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsEngine.js
@@ -15,12 +15,6 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     this.freezeCache = {};
     this.renderTimer = undefined;
 
-    // parameters for the adaptive timestep
-    this.adaptiveTimestep = false;
-    this.adaptiveTimestepEnabled = false;
-    this.adaptiveCounter = 0;
-    this.adaptiveInterval = 3;
-
     this.ready = false; // will be set to true if the stabilize
 
     // default options
@@ -106,7 +100,6 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     });
     this.body.emitter.on('_positionUpdate',  (properties) => this.positionUpdateHandler(properties));
     this.body.emitter.on('_physicsUpdate',  (properties) => this.physicsUpdateHandler(properties));
-    // For identifying which nodes to send to worker thread
     this.body.emitter.on('dragStart', (properties) => {
       this.draggingNodes = properties.nodes;
     });
@@ -316,6 +309,7 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
   startSimulation() {
     if (this.physicsEnabled === true && this.options.enabled === true) {
       this.stabilized = false;
+      this._updateWorkerStabilized();
 
       // when visible, adaptivity is disabled.
       this.adaptiveTimestep = false;
@@ -339,6 +333,8 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
    */
   stopSimulation(emit = true) {
     this.stabilized = true;
+    this._updateWorkerStabilized();
+
     if (emit === true) {
       this._emitStabilized();
     }
@@ -351,6 +347,14 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     }
   }
 
+  _updateWorkerStabilized() {
+    if (this.physicsWorker) {
+      this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
+        type: 'setStabilized',
+        data: this.stabilized
+      });
+    }
+  }
 
   /**
    * The viewFunction inserts this step into each renderloop. It calls the physics tick and handles the cleanup at stabilized.
@@ -555,6 +559,7 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
     return totalVelocity;
   }
 
+  // TODO probably want to move freeze/restore to PhysicsBase and do in worker if running
   /**
    * When initializing and stabilizing, we can freeze nodes with a predefined position. This greatly speeds up stabilization
    * because only the supportnodes for the smoothCurves have to settle.
@@ -629,7 +634,7 @@ class PhysicsEngine extends PhysicsBase {
 
     if (this.physicsWorker) {
       this.physicsWorker.postMessage({
-        type: 'stabilization',
+        type: 'stabilize',
         data: {
           targetIterations: iterations
         }
diff --git a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
index d21812ca..67d9f4bf 100644
--- a/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
+++ b/lib/network/modules/PhysicsWorker.js
@@ -37,9 +37,12 @@ class PhysicsWorker extends PhysicsBase {
       case 'removeElements':
         this.removeElements(msg.data);
         break;
-      case 'stabilization':
+      case 'stabilize':
         this.stabilize(msg.data);
         break;
+      case 'setStabilized':
+        this.stabilized = msg.data;
+        break;
       case 'initPhysicsData':
         console.debug('init physics data');
         this.initPhysicsData(msg.data);
@@ -123,6 +126,9 @@ class PhysicsWorker extends PhysicsBase {
         if (opts.mass !== undefined) {
           optionsNode.options.mass = opts.mass;
         }
+        if (opts.edges && opts.edges.length) {
+          optionsNode.edges.length = opts.edges.length;
+        }
       } else {
         console.warn('sending properties to unknown node', data.id, data.options);
       }