diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatTranslator.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatTranslator.js
index 0112886cd58..a9343dd725a 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatTranslator.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatTranslator.js
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ function makeTranslateVatSyscallToKernelSyscall(vatID, kernelKeeper) {
 
   function insistValidVatstoreKey(key) {
     assert.typeof(key, 'string');
-    assert(key.match(/^[\w.+/]+$/));
+    assert(key.match(/^[-\w.+/]+$/));
   }
 
   function translateVatstoreGet(key) {
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/clist-inbound.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/clist-inbound.js
index 9f2a14cdca6..b9dca24abce 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/clist-inbound.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/clist-inbound.js
@@ -36,19 +36,15 @@ export function makeInbound(state) {
     const remote = state.getRemote(remoteID);
     const lpid = remote.mapFromRemote(flipRemoteSlot(rpid));
     remote.deleteToRemoteMapping(lpid);
-    remote.enqueueRetirement(remote.nextSendSeqNum(), rpid);
+    remote.enqueueRetirement(rpid);
     cdebug(`comms begin retiring ${remoteID} ${rpid} ${lpid}`);
   }
 
   function retireAcknowledgedRemotePromiseIDs(remoteID, ackSeqNum) {
     const remote = state.getRemote(remoteID);
-    for (;;) {
-      const rpid = remote.nextReadyRetirement(ackSeqNum);
-      if (rpid) {
-        retireRemotePromiseID(remoteID, flipRemoteSlot(rpid));
-      } else {
-        break;
-      }
+    const readyToRetire = remote.getReadyRetirements(ackSeqNum);
+    for (const rpid of readyToRetire) {
+      retireRemotePromiseID(remoteID, flipRemoteSlot(rpid));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/delivery.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/delivery.js
index b6338a222ef..4b66038fd45 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/delivery.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/delivery.js
@@ -136,9 +136,9 @@ export function makeDeliveryKit(state, syscall, transmit, clistKit) {
     assert(delim1 >= 0, X`received message ${message} lacks seqNum delimiter`);
     const seqNum = message.substring(0, delim1);
     const remote = state.getRemote(remoteID);
-    remote.advanceReceivedSeqNum();
+    const recvSeqNum = remote.advanceReceivedSeqNum();
     assert(
-      seqNum === '' || seqNum === `${remote.lastReceivedSeqNum()}`,
+      seqNum === '' || seqNum === `${recvSeqNum}`,
       X`unexpected recv seqNum ${seqNum}`,
     );
 
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/dispatch.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/dispatch.js
index d18d8b6d98a..6cd2a045435 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/dispatch.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/dispatch.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function buildCommsDispatch(
   vatParameters = {},
 ) {
   const { identifierBase = 0, sendExplicitSeqNums = true } = vatParameters;
-  const state = makeState(null, identifierBase);
+  const state = makeState(syscall, identifierBase);
   const clistKit = makeCListKit(state, syscall);
 
   function transmit(remoteID, msg) {
@@ -41,10 +41,20 @@ export function buildCommsDispatch(
 
   // our root object (o+0) is the Comms Controller
   const controller = makeVatSlot('object', true, 0);
-  state.addMetaObject(controller);
-  cdebug(`comms controller is ${controller}`);
+
+  let needToInitializeState = true;
+
+  function initializeState() {
+    state.initialize();
+    state.addMetaObject(controller);
+    cdebug(`comms controller is ${controller}`);
+    needToInitializeState = false;
+  }
 
   function deliver(target, method, args, result) {
+    if (needToInitializeState) {
+      initializeState();
+    }
     // console.debug(`comms.deliver ${target} r=${result}`);
     insistCapData(args);
 
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/remote.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/remote.js
index 512b2e8af43..908bb5f88d0 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/remote.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/remote.js
@@ -85,8 +85,10 @@ export function makeRemote(store, remoteID) {
 
   function advanceReceivedSeqNum() {
     const key = `${remoteID}.recvSeq`;
-    const seqNum = Number(store.getRequired(key));
-    store.set(key, `${seqNum + 1}`);
+    let seqNum = Number(store.getRequired(key));
+    seqNum += 1;
+    store.set(key, `${seqNum}`);
+    return seqNum;
   }
 
   function allocateRemoteObject() {
@@ -113,25 +115,30 @@ export function makeRemote(store, remoteID) {
     return makeRemoteSlot('promise', false, index);
   }
 
-  function enqueueRetirement(seqNum, rpid) {
-    const key = `${remoteID}.rq`;
-    const retirementQueue = JSON.parse(store.getRequired(key));
+  function enqueueRetirement(rpid) {
+    const seqNum = nextSendSeqNum();
+    const queueKey = `${remoteID}.rq`;
+    const retirementQueue = JSON.parse(store.getRequired(queueKey));
     retirementQueue.push([seqNum, rpid]);
-    store.set(key, JSON.stringify(retirementQueue));
+    store.set(queueKey, JSON.stringify(retirementQueue));
   }
 
-  function nextReadyRetirement(ackSeqNum) {
+  function getReadyRetirements(ackSeqNum) {
     const key = `${remoteID}.rq`;
     const retirementQueue = JSON.parse(store.getRequired(key));
-    if (retirementQueue.length > 0) {
+    const ready = [];
+    while (retirementQueue.length > 0) {
       const [sentSeqNum, rpid] = retirementQueue[0];
-      if (sentSeqNum <= ackSeqNum) {
-        retirementQueue.shift();
-        store.set(key, JSON.stringify(retirementQueue));
-        return rpid;
+      if (sentSeqNum > ackSeqNum) {
+        break;
       }
+      ready.push(rpid);
+      retirementQueue.shift();
+    }
+    if (ready.length > 0) {
+      store.set(key, JSON.stringify(retirementQueue));
     }
-    return undefined;
+    return ready;
   }
 
   return harden({
@@ -151,6 +158,6 @@ export function makeRemote(store, remoteID) {
     lastReceivedSeqNum,
     advanceReceivedSeqNum,
     enqueueRetirement,
-    nextReadyRetirement,
+    getReadyRetirements,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/state.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/state.js
index fca5af8a454..5e052f456c6 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/state.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/vats/comms/state.js
@@ -9,25 +9,34 @@ import { cdebug } from './cdebug';
 const COMMS = 'comms';
 const KERNEL = 'kernel';
 
-function makeEphemeralVatstore() {
-  const store = new Map();
+function makeEphemeralSyscallVatstore() {
+  console.log('making fake vatstore');
+  const map = new Map();
+  return harden({
+    vatstoreGet: key => map.get(key),
+    vatstoreSet: (key, value) => map.set(key, value),
+    vatstoreDelete: key => map.delete(key),
+  });
+}
+
+function makeSyscallStore(syscall) {
   return harden({
     get(key) {
       assert.typeof(key, 'string');
-      return store.get(key);
+      return syscall.vatstoreGet(key);
     },
     set(key, value) {
       assert.typeof(key, 'string');
       assert.typeof(value, 'string');
-      store.set(key, value);
+      syscall.vatstoreSet(key, value);
     },
     delete(key) {
       assert.typeof(key, 'string');
-      return store.delete(key);
+      return syscall.vatstoreDelete(key);
     },
     getRequired(key) {
       assert.typeof(key, 'string');
-      const result = store.get(key);
+      const result = syscall.vatstoreGet(key);
       assert(result !== undefined, X`store lacks required key ${key}`);
       return result;
     },
@@ -57,7 +66,7 @@ function commaSplit(s) {
 // record the new `p+NN` value anywhere. The counter we use for allocation
 // will continue on to the next higher NN.
 
-export function makeState(store, identifierBase = 0) {
+export function makeState(syscall, identifierBase = 0) {
   // Comms vat state is kept in the vatstore, which is managed by the kernel and
   // accessed as part of the syscall interface.  The schema used here is very
   // similar to (in fact, modelled upon) the schema the kernel uses for its own
@@ -90,7 +99,9 @@ export function makeState(store, identifierBase = 0) {
   // r.nextID = $NN  // remote connection identifier allocation counter (rNN)
   // r.$loid = r$NN  // mapping receiver objects to remotes they receive from
   // rname.$name = r$NN // mapping from remote names to remote IDs
+  //   (remote name strings are limited to sequences of [A-Za-z0-9.+-] )
   // r$NN.initialized = true // present if this remote has had its storage initialized
+  // r$NN.name = name // name for this remote
   // r$NN.transmitterID = $kfref // transmitter object for sending to remote
   // r$NN.c.$rref = $lref // r$NN inbound c-list (ro+NN/ro-NN/rp+NN/rp-NN -> loNN/lpNN)
   // r$NN.c.$lref = $rref // r$NN outbound c-list (loNN/lpNN -> ro+NN/ro-NN/rp+NN/rp-NN)
@@ -100,18 +111,21 @@ export function makeState(store, identifierBase = 0) {
   // r$NN.p.nextID = $NN // r$NN promise identifier allocation counter (rp-NN)
   // r$NN.rq = [[$seqnum,$rpid],[$seqnum,$rpid]...] // r$NN promise retirement queue
 
-  if (!store) {
-    store = makeEphemeralVatstore();
+  if (!syscall) {
+    syscall = makeEphemeralSyscallVatstore();
   }
+  const store = makeSyscallStore(syscall);
 
-  function createStartingCommsVatState() {
-    store.set('identifierBase', `${identifierBase}`);
-    store.set('lo.nextID', `${identifierBase + 10}`);
-    store.set('lp.nextID', `${identifierBase + 20}`);
-    store.set('o.nextID', `${identifierBase + 30}`);
-    store.set('p.nextID', `${identifierBase + 40}`);
-    store.set('r.nextID', '1');
-    store.set('initialized', 'true');
+  function initialize() {
+    if (!store.get('initialized')) {
+      store.set('identifierBase', `${identifierBase}`);
+      store.set('lo.nextID', `${identifierBase + 10}`);
+      store.set('lp.nextID', `${identifierBase + 20}`);
+      store.set('o.nextID', `${identifierBase + 30}`);
+      store.set('p.nextID', `${identifierBase + 40}`);
+      store.set('r.nextID', '1');
+      store.set('initialized', 'true');
+    }
   }
 
   function mapFromKernel(kfref) {
@@ -320,7 +334,7 @@ export function makeState(store, identifierBase = 0) {
   }
 
   function addRemote(name, transmitterID) {
-    assert(/^\w+$/.test(name), X`not a valid remote name: ${name}`);
+    assert(/^[-\w.+]+$/.test(name), `not a valid remote name: ${name}`);
     const nameKey = `rname.${name}`;
     assert(!store.get(nameKey), X`remote name ${name} already in use`);
 
@@ -354,11 +368,9 @@ export function makeState(store, identifierBase = 0) {
     return store.get(`r.${receiverID}`);
   }
 
-  if (!store.get('initialized')) {
-    createStartingCommsVatState();
-  }
-
   return harden({
+    initialize,
+
     mapFromKernel,
     mapToKernel,
     addKernelMapping,
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/test/commsVatDriver.js b/packages/SwingSet/test/commsVatDriver.js
index b75647a2e7e..af3f8e3fac2 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/test/commsVatDriver.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/test/commsVatDriver.js
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ const oCommsRoot = '@o+0'; // Always the root of the comms vat
  * @returns {unknown} a syscall object
  */
 function loggingSyscall(log) {
+  const fakestore = new Map();
   return harden({
     send(target, method, args, result) {
       // console.log(`<< send ${target}, ${method}, ${JSON.stringify(args)}, ${result}`);
@@ -161,6 +162,15 @@ function loggingSyscall(log) {
       // console.log(`<< subscribe ${slot}`);
       log.push(slot);
     },
+    vatstoreGet(key) {
+      return fakestore.get(key);
+    },
+    vatstoreSet(key, value) {
+      fakestore.set(key, value);
+    },
+    vatstoreDelete(key) {
+      fakestore.delete(key);
+    },
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/test/test-comms.js b/packages/SwingSet/test/test-comms.js
index ee3471021ba..1b3d8259b72 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/test/test-comms.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/test/test-comms.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { commsVatDriver } from './commsVatDriver';
 
 test('provideRemoteForLocal', t => {
   const s = makeState(null, 0);
+  s.initialize();
   const fakeSyscall = {};
   const clistKit = makeCListKit(s, fakeSyscall);
   const { provideRemoteForLocal } = clistKit;
@@ -23,12 +24,22 @@ test('provideRemoteForLocal', t => {
 
 function mockSyscall() {
   const sends = [];
+  const fakestore = new Map();
   const syscall = harden({
     send(targetSlot, method, args) {
       sends.push([targetSlot, method, args]);
       return 'r-1';
     },
     subscribe(_targetSlot) {},
+    vatstoreGet(key) {
+      return fakestore.get(key);
+    },
+    vatstoreSet(key, value) {
+      fakestore.set(key, value);
+    },
+    vatstoreDelete(key) {
+      fakestore.delete(key);
+    },
   });
   return { syscall, sends };
 }
@@ -47,6 +58,7 @@ test('transmit', t => {
   const { syscall, sends } = mockSyscall();
   const d = buildCommsDispatch(syscall, 'fakestate', 'fakehelpers');
   const { state, clistKit } = debugState.get(d);
+  state.initialize();
   const {
     provideKernelForLocal,
     provideLocalForKernel,
@@ -118,6 +130,7 @@ test('receive', t => {
   const { syscall, sends } = mockSyscall();
   const d = buildCommsDispatch(syscall, 'fakestate', 'fakehelpers');
   const { state, clistKit } = debugState.get(d);
+  state.initialize();
   const {
     provideLocalForKernel,
     getKernelForLocal,