diff --git a/ui (gen4)/data.js b/ui (gen4)/data.js
index d549213f..f7d23620 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/data.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/data.js	
@@ -546,6 +546,10 @@ var DataPrototype = {
 	// XXX most of the complexity here comes from argument DSL parsing,
 	// 		might be good to revise argument syntax and handling...
 	getImage: function(target, mode, list){
+		// empty data...
+		if(this.order == null || (this.order && this.order.length == 0)){
+			return null
+		}
 		// no args...
 		if(target == null && mode == null && list == null){
 			return this.current
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/ribbons.js b/ui (gen4)/ribbons.js
index d12a0c41..b3e2cf50 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/ribbons.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/ribbons.js	
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ var RibbonsClassPrototype = {
 	},
 	// XXX NOTE: quots removal might render this incompatible with older data formats...
 	createRibbon: function(gids){
+		gids = gids || []
 		gids = gids.constructor !== Array ? [gids] : gids
 		var that = this
 		return $(gids.map(function(gid){
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ var RibbonsClassPrototype = {
 	},
 	// XXX NOTE: quots removal might render this incompatible with older data formats...
 	createImage: function(gids){
+		gids = gids || []
 		gids = gids.constructor !== Array ? [gids] : gids
 		var that = this
 		return $(gids.map(function(gid){
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/testing.js b/ui (gen4)/testing.js
index ae7357f0..5c574e71 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/testing.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/testing.js	
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ module.setupActions = function(viewer){
 	viewer = viewer == null ? $('.viewer') : viewer
 	//r = r == null ? makeTestRibbons(viewer, images) : r
 
-	//var vv = Object.create(v.Viewer)
 	var vv = Object.create(v.Client)
 
 	// XXX need to automate this...
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/ui.js b/ui (gen4)/ui.js
index 1c19b04d..ae4e5a4b 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/ui.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/ui.js	
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ $(function(){
 	// used switch experimental actions on (set to true) or off (unset or false)...
 	//a.experimental = true
 
+	// setup actions...
 	viewer.ImageGridFeatures.setup(a, [
 		'viewer-testing',
 
@@ -256,15 +257,20 @@ $(function(){
 	// this publishes all the actions...
 	//module.GLOBAL_KEYBOARD.__proto__ = a
 
+	// setup the viewer...
+	a.load({
+			viewer: $('.viewer'),
+		})
+
+
 	// load some testing data...
 	// NOTE: we can load this in parts...
 	a
+		.setEmptyMsg('Loading...')
 		.load({
-			viewer: $('.viewer'),
 			data: data.Data(testing.mock_data),
 			images: testing.makeTestImages(),
 		})
-		.setEmptyMsg('Loading...')
 		// this is needed when loading legacy sources that do not have tags
 		// synced...
 		// do not do for actual data...
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/viewer.js b/ui (gen4)/viewer.js
index d406611a..5f723fa7 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/viewer.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/viewer.js	
@@ -793,7 +793,6 @@ module.ImageGridFeatures = Object.create(features.FeatureSet)
 
 var ViewerActions = 
 module.ViewerActions = 
-//actions.Actions(Client, {
 actions.Actions({
 
 	/*
@@ -1528,6 +1527,10 @@ var PartialRibbonsActions = actions.Actions({
 			// 		the target might not be loaded...
 			var r_gid = data.getRibbon(target)
 
+			if(r_gid == null){
+				return
+			}
+
 			// localize transition prevention... 
 			// NOTE: for the initial load this may be empty...
 			var r = ribbons.getRibbon(r_gid)
@@ -1535,7 +1538,7 @@ var PartialRibbonsActions = actions.Actions({
 			// XXX do we need to for example ignore unloaded (r.length == 0)
 			// 		ribbons here, for example not load ribbons too far off 
 			// 		screen??
-
+			
 			ribbons
 				.preventTransitions(r)
 				.updateRibbon(