diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/irqflags.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/irqflags.h
index 6a18464b..b1845e24 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/irqflags.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/irqflags.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ inline static uint32_t irq_nested_disable(void) {
 	asm volatile("pushf; cli; popl %0": "=r"(flags) : : "memory");
 	if (flags & (1 << 9))
 		return 1;
+	
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -71,8 +72,9 @@ inline static void irq_enable(void) {
  * @param flags Flags to set. Could be the old ones you got from irq_nested_disable.
  */
 inline static void irq_nested_enable(uint32_t flags) {
-	if (flags)
+	if (flags) {
 		irq_enable();
+	}
 }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/arch/x86/scc/iRCCE_mailbox.c b/arch/x86/scc/iRCCE_mailbox.c
index 4e42b262..3c13b801 100644
--- a/arch/x86/scc/iRCCE_mailbox.c
+++ b/arch/x86/scc/iRCCE_mailbox.c
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ int iRCCE_mail_send(
 			int dest	// UE that will receive the header
 			) {
 	uint32_t flags;
+	int i;
 
 	// check for an attempt to send to own mailbox
 	if( dest == RCCE_IAM ) {
@@ -402,16 +403,10 @@ int iRCCE_mail_send(
 	// if dest mailbox is full, check for incoming mail
 	RC_cache_invalidate();
 	while( iRCCE_mailbox_send[dest]->sent ) {
-		iRCCE_mailbox_check();
-		NOP8;
-		NOP8;
-		NOP8;
+		//iRCCE_mailbox_check();
 		RC_cache_invalidate();
 	}
 
-	/* disable interrupts */
-	flags = irq_nested_disable();
-
 	// check if mailbox is closed
 	RCCE_acquire_lock( dest );
 	RC_cache_invalidate();
@@ -420,6 +415,9 @@ int iRCCE_mail_send(
 		return iRCCE_MAILBOX_CLOSED;
 	}	
 
+	/* disable interrupts */
+//	flags = irq_nested_disable();
+
 	// prepare header
 	iRCCE_MAIL_HEADER header = { RCCE_IAM, size, tag, NULL, prio,
 			RCCE_FLAG_UNSET, RCCE_FLAG_UNSET,
@@ -441,10 +439,10 @@ int iRCCE_mail_send(
 	*(int *)RCCE_fool_write_combine_buffer = 1;			
 	RC_cache_invalidate(); 
 
-	RCCE_release_lock( dest );
-
 	/* enable interrupts */
-	irq_nested_enable(flags);
+//	irq_nested_enable(flags);
+
+	RCCE_release_lock( dest );
 
 	return iRCCE_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
index f8cab40b..f3c314ec 100644
--- a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
+++ b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ int icc_irq_ping()
 
 static inline void icc_mail_check_tag(iRCCE_MAIL_HEADER* mail) {
 	char* recv_buffer;
-	static int count = 0;
+	static int i = 0;
 	
 	if( !mail ) {
 		kprintf( "NO MAIL + ");
@@ -280,8 +280,8 @@ static inline void icc_mail_check_tag(iRCCE_MAIL_HEADER* mail) {
 		break;
 
 	case PING_REQ:
-//		count++;
-
+		++i;
+		if( !(i%1000) ) kprintf( "PingReq%d ", i );
 		iRCCE_mail_send(0, PING_RESP, 0, NULL, mail->source);
 		break;
 	
@@ -434,11 +434,11 @@ int icc_mail_noise() {
 	int flags;
 
 	// leave function if not participating
-/*	if( !((my_ue == 1) || (my_ue == 2) || (my_ue == CORE_A)  || (my_ue == CORE_B)) ) {
+	if( (my_ue == CORE_A)  /*|| (my_ue == CORE_B)*/ ) {
 		kprintf( "mail_noise: leaving" );
 		return -1;
 	}  
-*/
+
 
 	kprintf( "Hello from icc_mail_noise: my_ue = %d\n", my_ue );
 	kprintf( "num_ues = %d\n", num_ranks );
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ int icc_mail_noise() {
 		if( !(i%1000) ) kprintf( "%d ", i );
 		/* send a mail to each UE */
 		for( j=0; j<num_ranks; ++j ) {
-			if( (j == CORE_A) || (j == CORE_B) )
+			if( (j == CORE_A)  || (j == CORE_B) )
 				continue;
 			
 			/* send noise mail */
@@ -460,22 +460,17 @@ int icc_mail_noise() {
 
 #ifndef _IRQ_NOISE_
 		/* read some mails  */
-	/*	if( my_ue == CORE_B )
+		if( my_ue == CORE_B )
 			continue;
-	*/	
+		
 		
 		iRCCE_mail_check(iRCCE_MAILBOX_ALL);
-		
 		while( iRCCE_mail_recv(&recv_mail) == iRCCE_SUCCESS ) {
 			icc_mail_check_tag(recv_mail);
 			iRCCE_mail_release(&recv_mail);	
-			NOP8;
-			NOP8;
-			NOP8;
 		}
 
 #endif
-
 	}
 	
 	return 0;
diff --git a/kernel/tests.c b/kernel/tests.c
index d0b484df..299a897e 100644
--- a/kernel/tests.c
+++ b/kernel/tests.c
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ int test_init(void)
 	//create_kernel_task(NULL, join_test, NULL);
 	//create_kernel_task(NULL, producer, NULL);
 	//create_kernel_task(NULL, consumer, NULL);
-//	create_kernel_task(NULL, mail_ping, NULL);
+	create_kernel_task(NULL, mail_ping, NULL);
 	create_kernel_task(NULL, mail_noise, NULL);
 	//create_user_task(NULL, "/bin/hello", argv);
 	//create_user_task(NULL, "/bin/tests", argv);