diff --git a/build/bundle.js b/build/bundle.js
index 4d0b9489..dcd12f3d 100644
--- a/build/bundle.js
+++ b/build/bundle.js
@@ -5387,7 +5387,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
 
 GitEngine.prototype.printTree = function(tree) {
   tree = tree || this.exportTree();
-  TreeCompare.prototype.stripTreeFields([tree]);
+  TreeCompare.prototype.reduceTreeFields([tree]);
 
   var str = JSON.stringify(tree);
   if (/'/.test(str)) {
@@ -7333,7 +7333,7 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.compareBranchWithinTrees = function(treeA, treeB, branchNa
   treeA = this.convertTreeSafe(treeA);
   treeB = this.convertTreeSafe(treeB);
 
-  this.stripTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
+  this.reduceTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
 
   // we need a recursive comparison function to bubble up the  branch
   var recurseCompare = function(commitA, commitB) {
@@ -7371,39 +7371,49 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.convertTreeSafe = function(tree) {
   return tree;
 };
 
-TreeCompare.prototype.stripTreeFields = function(trees) {
-  var commitStripFields = [
-    'createTime',
-    'author',
-    'commitMessage',
-    'gitVisuals',
-    'children',
-    'visNode',
-    'type'
-  ];
-  var branchStripFields = [
-    'type',
-    'visBranch'
+TreeCompare.prototype.reduceTreeFields = function(trees) {
+  var commitSaveFields = [
+    'parents',
+    'id',
+    'rootCommit'
   ];
   var commitSortFields = ['children', 'parents'];
+  var branchSaveFields = [
+    'target',
+    'id'
+  ];
 
-  var strip = function(objects, stripFields, sortFields) {
-    _.each(objects, function(obj) {
-      _.each(stripFields, function(field) {
-        delete obj[field];
-      });
-      _.each(sortFields, function(field) {
-        if (obj[field]) {
-          obj[field].sort();
+  // this function saves only the specified fields of a tree
+  var saveOnly = function(tree, treeKey, saveFields, sortFields) {
+    var objects = tree[treeKey];
+    _.each(objects, function(obj, objKey) {
+      // our blank slate to copy over
+      var blank = {};
+      _.each(saveFields, function(field) {
+        if (obj[field] !== undefined) {
+          blank[field] = obj[field];
         }
       });
+
+      _.each(sortFields, function(field) {
+        // also sort some fields
+        if (obj[field]) {
+          obj[field].sort();
+          blank[field] = obj[field];
+        }
+      });
+      tree[treeKey][objKey] = blank;
     });
   };
 
   _.each(trees, function(tree) {
-    strip(tree.commits, commitStripFields, commitSortFields);
-    strip(tree.branches, branchStripFields);
-    strip([tree.HEAD], branchStripFields);
+    saveOnly(tree, 'commits', commitSaveFields, commitSortFields);
+    saveOnly(tree, 'branches', branchSaveFields);
+
+    tree.HEAD = {
+      target: tree.HEAD.target,
+      id: tree.HEAD.id
+    };
   });
 };
 
@@ -7413,7 +7423,7 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.compareTrees = function(treeA, treeB) {
 
   // now we need to strip out the fields we don't care about, aka things
   // like createTime, message, author
-  this.stripTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
+  this.reduceTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
 
   console.log('comparing tree A', treeA, 'to', treeB);
 
@@ -9767,7 +9777,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
 
 GitEngine.prototype.printTree = function(tree) {
   tree = tree || this.exportTree();
-  TreeCompare.prototype.stripTreeFields([tree]);
+  TreeCompare.prototype.reduceTreeFields([tree]);
 
   var str = JSON.stringify(tree);
   if (/'/.test(str)) {
@@ -11346,7 +11356,7 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.compareBranchWithinTrees = function(treeA, treeB, branchNa
   treeA = this.convertTreeSafe(treeA);
   treeB = this.convertTreeSafe(treeB);
 
-  this.stripTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
+  this.reduceTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
 
   // we need a recursive comparison function to bubble up the  branch
   var recurseCompare = function(commitA, commitB) {
@@ -11384,39 +11394,49 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.convertTreeSafe = function(tree) {
   return tree;
 };
 
-TreeCompare.prototype.stripTreeFields = function(trees) {
-  var commitStripFields = [
-    'createTime',
-    'author',
-    'commitMessage',
-    'gitVisuals',
-    'children',
-    'visNode',
-    'type'
-  ];
-  var branchStripFields = [
-    'type',
-    'visBranch'
+TreeCompare.prototype.reduceTreeFields = function(trees) {
+  var commitSaveFields = [
+    'parents',
+    'id',
+    'rootCommit'
   ];
   var commitSortFields = ['children', 'parents'];
+  var branchSaveFields = [
+    'target',
+    'id'
+  ];
 
-  var strip = function(objects, stripFields, sortFields) {
-    _.each(objects, function(obj) {
-      _.each(stripFields, function(field) {
-        delete obj[field];
-      });
-      _.each(sortFields, function(field) {
-        if (obj[field]) {
-          obj[field].sort();
+  // this function saves only the specified fields of a tree
+  var saveOnly = function(tree, treeKey, saveFields, sortFields) {
+    var objects = tree[treeKey];
+    _.each(objects, function(obj, objKey) {
+      // our blank slate to copy over
+      var blank = {};
+      _.each(saveFields, function(field) {
+        if (obj[field] !== undefined) {
+          blank[field] = obj[field];
         }
       });
+
+      _.each(sortFields, function(field) {
+        // also sort some fields
+        if (obj[field]) {
+          obj[field].sort();
+          blank[field] = obj[field];
+        }
+      });
+      tree[treeKey][objKey] = blank;
     });
   };
 
   _.each(trees, function(tree) {
-    strip(tree.commits, commitStripFields, commitSortFields);
-    strip(tree.branches, branchStripFields);
-    strip([tree.HEAD], branchStripFields);
+    saveOnly(tree, 'commits', commitSaveFields, commitSortFields);
+    saveOnly(tree, 'branches', branchSaveFields);
+
+    tree.HEAD = {
+      target: tree.HEAD.target,
+      id: tree.HEAD.id
+    };
   });
 };
 
@@ -11426,7 +11446,7 @@ TreeCompare.prototype.compareTrees = function(treeA, treeB) {
 
   // now we need to strip out the fields we don't care about, aka things
   // like createTime, message, author
-  this.stripTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
+  this.reduceTreeFields([treeA, treeB]);
 
   console.log('comparing tree A', treeA, 'to', treeB);
 
diff --git a/spec/git.spec.js b/spec/git.spec.js
index 380f8e25..31890f2c 100644
--- a/spec/git.spec.js
+++ b/spec/git.spec.js
@@ -14,18 +14,96 @@ var compareAnswer = function(headless, expectedJSON) {
   expect(equal).toBe(true);
 };
 
-var expectCommandToProduceTree = function(command, expectedJSON) {
+var expectTree = function(command, expectedJSON) {
   var headless = new HeadlessGit();
   headless.sendCommand(command);
   compareAnswer(headless, expectedJSON);
 };
 
 describe('GitEngine', function() {
-  it('Should commit off of head', function() {
-
-    expectCommandToProduceTree(
+  it('Commits', function() {
+    expectTree(
       'git commit',
       '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"id":"HEAD","target":"master","type":"general ref"}}'
     );
   });
+
+  it('Checkouts', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git checkout -b side',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C1","id":"side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Rebases', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'gc; git checkout -b side C1; gc; git rebase master',
+      '%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C2%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%7D%2C%22side%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C3%27%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22side%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%2C%22C2%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C1%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C2%22%7D%2C%22C3%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C1%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C3%22%7D%2C%22C3%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C2%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C3%27%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22side%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%7D%7D'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Reverts', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git revert HEAD',
+      '%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%27%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%2C%22C1%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C1%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%27%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%7D%7D'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Merges', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'gc; git checkout -b side C1; gc; git merge master',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C4","id":"side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"},"C4":{"parents":["C2","C3"],"id":"C4"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Resets', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git commit; git reset HEAD~1',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Branches', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git branch side C0',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C0","id":"side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Deletes branches', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git branch side; git branch -d side',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Ammends commits', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git commit --amend',
+      '%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%27%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%2C%22C1%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%27%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22master%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%7D%7D'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Cherry picks', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git checkout -b side C0; gc; git cherry-pick C1',
+      '%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%7D%2C%22side%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%27%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22side%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%2C%22C2%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C2%22%7D%2C%22C1%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C2%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%27%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22side%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%7D%7D'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Forces branches', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git checkout -b side; git branch -f side C0',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C0","id":"side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD"}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Rebases only new commits to destination', function() {
+    expectTree(
+      'git checkout -b side C0; gc; gc;git cherry-pick C1;git rebase master',
+      '%7B%22branches%22%3A%7B%22master%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C1%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22master%22%7D%2C%22side%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22C3%27%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22side%22%7D%7D%2C%22commits%22%3A%7B%22C0%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C0%22%2C%22rootCommit%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22C1%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%22%7D%2C%22C2%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C0%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C2%22%7D%2C%22C3%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C2%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C3%22%7D%2C%22C1%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C3%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C1%27%22%7D%2C%22C2%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C1%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C2%27%22%7D%2C%22C3%27%22%3A%7B%22parents%22%3A%5B%22C2%27%22%5D%2C%22id%22%3A%22C3%27%22%7D%7D%2C%22HEAD%22%3A%7B%22target%22%3A%22side%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22HEAD%22%7D%7D'
+    );
+  });
+
 });
+
diff --git a/src/js/git/headless.js b/src/js/git/headless.js
index 7252592c..3d133703 100644
--- a/src/js/git/headless.js
+++ b/src/js/git/headless.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ HeadlessGit.prototype.sendCommand = function(value) {
     var commandObj = new Command({
       rawStr: commandStr
     });
-    console.log('dispatching command', value);
+    console.log('dispatching command "', commandStr, '"');
     var done = function() {};
     this.gitEngine.dispatch(commandObj, done);
   }, this);
diff --git a/src/js/git/index.js b/src/js/git/index.js
index 65d0d473..289fad09 100644
--- a/src/js/git/index.js
+++ b/src/js/git/index.js
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@ var Errors = require('../util/errors');
 var GitError = Errors.GitError;
 var CommandResult = Errors.CommandResult;
 
-// backbone or something uses _.uniqueId, so we make our own here
-var uniqueId = (function() {
-  var n = 0;
-  return function(prepend) {
-    return prepend? prepend + n++ : n++;
-  };
-})();
-
 function GitEngine(options) {
   this.rootCommit = null;
   this.refs = {};
@@ -43,6 +35,14 @@ function GitEngine(options) {
   this.generalArgs = [];
 
   this.events.on('processCommand', _.bind(this.dispatch, this));
+
+  // backbone or something uses _.uniqueId, so we make our own here
+  this.uniqueId = (function() {
+    var n = 0;
+    return function(prepend) {
+      return prepend? prepend + n++ : n++;
+    };
+  })();
 }
 
 GitEngine.prototype.defaultInit = function() {
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ GitEngine.prototype.exportTree = function() {
 
 GitEngine.prototype.printTree = function(tree) {
   tree = tree || this.exportTree();
-  TreeCompare.prototype.stripTreeFields([tree]);
+  TreeCompare.prototype.reduceTreeFields([tree]);
 
   var str = JSON.stringify(tree);
   if (/'/.test(str)) {
@@ -357,9 +357,9 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeCommit = function(parents, id, options) {
   // people like nikita (thanks for finding this!) could
   // make branches named C2 before creating the commit C2
   if (!id) {
-    id = uniqueId('C');
+    id = this.uniqueId('C');
     while (this.refs[id]) {
-      id = uniqueId('C');
+      id = this.uniqueId('C');
     }
   }