diff --git a/pysipp/agent.py b/pysipp/agent.py
index 1cf2a66..cfb0d43 100644
--- a/pysipp/agent.py
+++ b/pysipp/agent.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def name(self):
     mediaaddr = tuple_property(('media_addr', 'media_port'))
     proxyaddr = tuple_property(('proxy_host', 'proxy_port'))
     ipcaddr = tuple_property(('ipc_host', 'ipc_port'))
-    call_load = tuple_property(('limit', 'rate', 'call_count'))
+    call_load = tuple_property(('rate', 'limit', 'call_count'))
 
     def __call__(self, block=True, timeout=180, runner=None, raise_exc=True,
                  **kwargs):
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ def logdir(self):
 
     @logdir.setter
     def logdir(self, dirpath):
-        assert path.isdir(dirpath)
+        assert path.isdir(dirpath), '{} is an invalid path'.format(dirpath)
         for name, attr in self.iter_logfile_items():
-            # set all log files
+            # assemble all log file paths
             setattr(self, name,
                     path.join(dirpath, "{}_{}".format(self.name, name)))
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def logdir(self, dirpath):
     def plays_media(self, patt='play_pcap_audio'):
         """Bool determining whether script plays media
         """
-        # FIXME: should be able to parse using -sd
+        # TODO: should be able to parse using -sd
         if not self.scen_file:
             return False
 
diff --git a/pysipp/command.py b/pysipp/command.py
index fbd8228..2ac285e 100644
--- a/pysipp/command.py
+++ b/pysipp/command.py
@@ -137,9 +137,19 @@ def keys(cls):
             return [key for key, descr in cls.descriptoritems()]
 
         def applydict(self, d):
-            """Apply contents of dict `d` onto local instance variables
+            """Apply contents of dict `d` onto local instance variables.
+            Composite attrs (those not found in `_specparams`) are applied
+            last so that any inter-attr dependencies are (hopefully) resolved.
             """
+            composite = OrderedDict()
             for name, value in d.items():
+                if name not in self._specparams:
+                    composite[name] = value
+                else:
+                    setattr(self, name, value)
+
+            # apply composites last
+            for name, value in composite.items():
                 setattr(self, name, value)
 
         def todict(self):
diff --git a/pysipp/launch.py b/pysipp/launch.py
index ba322da..dc28b12 100644
--- a/pysipp/launch.py
+++ b/pysipp/launch.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def _signalall(self, signum):
         signalled = OrderedDict()
         for cmd, proc in self.iterprocs():
             proc.send_signal(signum)
-            log.debug("sent signal '{}' to cmd '{}' with pid '{}'"
+            log.warn("sent signal '{}' to cmd '{}' with pid '{}'"
                       .format(signum, cmd, proc.pid))
             signalled[cmd] = proc
         return signalled
diff --git a/tests/test_stack.py b/tests/test_stack.py
index 825bea8..6c8acf8 100644
--- a/tests/test_stack.py
+++ b/tests/test_stack.py
@@ -87,12 +87,12 @@ def test_unreachable_uas(basic_scen):
     uas = basic_scen.prepare()[0]
     logdir = uas.logdir
     # verify log file generation
-    for name, path in itertools.chain(
-        *[tuple(ua.iter_logfile_items()) for ua in basic_scen.prepare()]
-    ):
-        assert tempfile.gettempdir() in path
-        assert logdir in path
-        assert os.path.isfile(path)
+    for ua in basic_scen.prepare():
+        for name, path in ua.iter_logfile_items():
+            assert tempfile.gettempdir() in path
+            assert ua.name in path
+            assert logdir in path
+            assert os.path.isfile(path)
 
 
 # def test_async_run(scenwalk):