diff --git a/build/bundle.js b/build/bundle.js
index 105f53a2..67019aa4 100644
--- a/build/bundle.js
+++ b/build/bundle.js
@@ -6739,8 +6739,8 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
         treeString: JSON.stringify(options.tree)
       }
     ));
-    // return the newly created gitEngine
-    return this.originVis.gitEngine;
+    // return the newly created visualization which will soon have a git engine
+    return this.originVis;
   },
 
   setTreeIndex: function(level) {
@@ -7066,7 +7066,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.hasOrigin = function() {
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.isOrigin = function() {
-  return !!this.localRepro;
+  return !!this.localRepo;
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
@@ -7191,13 +7191,24 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeOrigin = function(tree) {
   // we grab the gitengine out of that and assign that as our origin repo
   // which connects the two
   var masterVis = this.gitVisuals.getVisualization();
-  var originRepo = masterVis.makeOrigin({
+  var originVis = masterVis.makeOrigin({
     localRepo: this,
     tree: this.getDefaultTree()
   });
 
-  this.origin = originRepo;
-  originRepo.assignLocalRepo(this);
+  // defer the starting of our animation until origin has been created
+  this.animationQueue.set('defer', true);
+  originVis.customEvents.on('gitEngineReady', function() {
+    this.origin = originVis.gitEngine;
+    originVis.gitEngine.assignLocalRepo(this);
+    // and then here is the crazy part -- we need the ORIGIN to refresh
+    // itself in a separate animation. @_____@
+    this.origin.externalRefresh();
+    this.animationQueue.start();
+  }, this);
+
+  // add a simple refresh animation
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.getOrMakeRecursive = function(tree, createdSoFar, objID) {
@@ -8444,6 +8455,16 @@ GitEngine.prototype.filterError = function(err) {
   }
 };
 
+// called on a origin repo from a local -- simply refresh immediately with
+// an animation
+GitEngine.prototype.externalRefresh = function() {
+  this.animationQueue = new AnimationQueue({
+    callback: function() {}
+  });
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
+  this.animationQueue.start();
+};
+
 GitEngine.prototype.dispatch = function(command, deferred) {
   // current command, options, and args are stored in the gitEngine
   // for easy reference during processing.
@@ -22578,7 +22599,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.hasOrigin = function() {
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.isOrigin = function() {
-  return !!this.localRepro;
+  return !!this.localRepo;
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
@@ -22703,13 +22724,24 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeOrigin = function(tree) {
   // we grab the gitengine out of that and assign that as our origin repo
   // which connects the two
   var masterVis = this.gitVisuals.getVisualization();
-  var originRepo = masterVis.makeOrigin({
+  var originVis = masterVis.makeOrigin({
     localRepo: this,
     tree: this.getDefaultTree()
   });
 
-  this.origin = originRepo;
-  originRepo.assignLocalRepo(this);
+  // defer the starting of our animation until origin has been created
+  this.animationQueue.set('defer', true);
+  originVis.customEvents.on('gitEngineReady', function() {
+    this.origin = originVis.gitEngine;
+    originVis.gitEngine.assignLocalRepo(this);
+    // and then here is the crazy part -- we need the ORIGIN to refresh
+    // itself in a separate animation. @_____@
+    this.origin.externalRefresh();
+    this.animationQueue.start();
+  }, this);
+
+  // add a simple refresh animation
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.getOrMakeRecursive = function(tree, createdSoFar, objID) {
@@ -23956,6 +23988,16 @@ GitEngine.prototype.filterError = function(err) {
   }
 };
 
+// called on a origin repo from a local -- simply refresh immediately with
+// an animation
+GitEngine.prototype.externalRefresh = function() {
+  this.animationQueue = new AnimationQueue({
+    callback: function() {}
+  });
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
+  this.animationQueue.start();
+};
+
 GitEngine.prototype.dispatch = function(command, deferred) {
   // current command, options, and args are stored in the gitEngine
   // for easy reference during processing.
@@ -33029,8 +33071,8 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
         treeString: JSON.stringify(options.tree)
       }
     ));
-    // return the newly created gitEngine
-    return this.originVis.gitEngine;
+    // return the newly created visualization which will soon have a git engine
+    return this.originVis;
   },
 
   setTreeIndex: function(level) {
diff --git a/src/js/git/index.js b/src/js/git/index.js
index b14d4cab..21f14ee2 100644
--- a/src/js/git/index.js
+++ b/src/js/git/index.js
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.hasOrigin = function() {
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.isOrigin = function() {
-  return !!this.localRepro;
+  return !!this.localRepo;
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
@@ -209,13 +209,24 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeOrigin = function(tree) {
   // we grab the gitengine out of that and assign that as our origin repo
   // which connects the two
   var masterVis = this.gitVisuals.getVisualization();
-  var originRepo = masterVis.makeOrigin({
+  var originVis = masterVis.makeOrigin({
     localRepo: this,
     tree: this.getDefaultTree()
   });
 
-  this.origin = originRepo;
-  originRepo.assignLocalRepo(this);
+  // defer the starting of our animation until origin has been created
+  this.animationQueue.set('defer', true);
+  originVis.customEvents.on('gitEngineReady', function() {
+    this.origin = originVis.gitEngine;
+    originVis.gitEngine.assignLocalRepo(this);
+    // and then here is the crazy part -- we need the ORIGIN to refresh
+    // itself in a separate animation. @_____@
+    this.origin.externalRefresh();
+    this.animationQueue.start();
+  }, this);
+
+  // add a simple refresh animation
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
 };
 
 GitEngine.prototype.getOrMakeRecursive = function(tree, createdSoFar, objID) {
@@ -1462,6 +1473,16 @@ GitEngine.prototype.filterError = function(err) {
   }
 };
 
+// called on a origin repo from a local -- simply refresh immediately with
+// an animation
+GitEngine.prototype.externalRefresh = function() {
+  this.animationQueue = new AnimationQueue({
+    callback: function() {}
+  });
+  this.animationFactory.refreshTree(this.animationQueue, this.gitVisuals);
+  this.animationQueue.start();
+};
+
 GitEngine.prototype.dispatch = function(command, deferred) {
   // current command, options, and args are stored in the gitEngine
   // for easy reference during processing.
diff --git a/src/js/visuals/visualization.js b/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
index db8fda0a..aa758b9c 100644
--- a/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
+++ b/src/js/visuals/visualization.js
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ var Visualization = Backbone.View.extend({
         treeString: JSON.stringify(options.tree)
       }
     ));
-    // return the newly created gitEngine
-    return this.originVis.gitEngine;
+    // return the newly created visualization which will soon have a git engine
+    return this.originVis;
   },
 
   setTreeIndex: function(level) {