diff --git a/pando-rt/src/drvx/cores.cpp b/pando-rt/src/drvx/cores.cpp
index 32849566..0820d193 100644
--- a/pando-rt/src/drvx/cores.cpp
+++ b/pando-rt/src/drvx/cores.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ bool Cores::CoreActiveFlag::operator*() const noexcept {
 }
 
 Cores::TaskQueue* Cores::getTaskQueue(Place place) noexcept {
+  if(*toNativeDrvPtr(coreState, place) != +CoreState::Ready) return nullptr;
   return *toNativeDrvPtr(coreQueue, place);
 }
 
diff --git a/pando-rt/src/execute_on.cpp b/pando-rt/src/execute_on.cpp
index 131721d0..1340c227 100644
--- a/pando-rt/src/execute_on.cpp
+++ b/pando-rt/src/execute_on.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Status detail::executeOn(Place place, Task task) {
 
   auto* queue = Cores::getTaskQueue(place);
   const auto result = queue->enqueue(std::move(task));
-  hartYield();
+  //hartYield();
   return result;
 
 #else
diff --git a/pando-rt/src/start.cpp b/pando-rt/src/start.cpp
index a7ebe1e6..6854e594 100644
--- a/pando-rt/src/start.cpp
+++ b/pando-rt/src/start.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ extern "C" int __start(int argc, char** argv) {
             case SchedulerFailState::STEAL:
               for(std::int8_t i = 0; i <= coreDims.x && !task.has_value(); i++) {
                 auto* otherQueue =  pando::Cores::getTaskQueue(pando::Place{thisPlace.node, thisPlace.pod, pando::CoreIndex(i, 0)});
-                if(otherQueue == queue) {continue;}
+                if(!otherQueue || otherQueue == queue) {continue;}
                 if(otherQueue->getApproxSize() > STEAL_THRESH_HOLD_SIZE) {
                   task = otherQueue->tryDequeue();
                 }