diff --git a/permission/types/permissions.go b/permission/types/permissions.go
index cee1a43b..4eeec55c 100644
--- a/permission/types/permissions.go
+++ b/permission/types/permissions.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 var (
 	GlobalPermissionsAddress    = Zero256[:20]
 	GlobalPermissionsAddress256 = Zero256
-	DougAddress                 = append([]byte{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, []byte("THISISDOUG")...)
-	DougAddress256              = LeftPadWord256(DougAddress)
 )
 
 // A particular permission
@@ -154,6 +152,9 @@ func (aP *AccountPermissions) RmRole(role string) bool {
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// string utilities
+
+// CONTRACT: PermFlagToString functions assume the permFlag is valid, else return "#-UNKNOWN-#"
 func PermFlagToString(pf PermFlag) string {
 	if pf < FirstSNativePermFlag {
 		return BasePermFlagToString(pf)
@@ -178,6 +179,8 @@ func BasePermFlagToString(pf PermFlag) (perm string) {
 		perm = "bond"
 	case Name:
 		perm = "name"
+	default:
+		perm = "#-UNKNOWN-#"
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/permission/types/snatives.go b/permission/types/snatives.go
index 047edde0..95c5336b 100644
--- a/permission/types/snatives.go
+++ b/permission/types/snatives.go
@@ -14,18 +14,17 @@ const (
 	FirstSNativePermFlag PermFlag = 1 << 32
 )
 
-// we need to reset iota with no const block
+// we need to reset iota with new const block
 const (
 	// each snative has an associated permission flag
 	HasBase PermFlag = FirstSNativePermFlag << iota
 	SetBase
 	UnsetBase
 	SetGlobal
-	ClearBase
 	HasRole
 	AddRole
 	RmRole
-	NumSNativePermissions uint = 8 // NOTE adjust this too
+	NumSNativePermissions uint = 7 // NOTE adjust this too
 
 	TopSNativePermFlag  PermFlag = FirstSNativePermFlag << (NumSNativePermissions - 1)
 	AllSNativePermFlags PermFlag = (TopSNativePermFlag | (TopSNativePermFlag - 1)) &^ (FirstSNativePermFlag - 1)
@@ -34,9 +33,10 @@ const (
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // snative tx interface and argument encoding
 
-// SNatives are represented as an interface in the SNative tx,
-// so binary does the work of handling args and determining which snative we're calling
-// NOTE: we're definining an implicit map from registration bytes to perm flags
+// SNativesArgs are a registered interface in the SNativeTx,
+// so binary handles the arguments and each snative gets a type-byte
+// PermFlag() maps the type-byte to the permission
+// The account sending the SNativeTx must have this PermFlag set
 type SNativeArgs interface {
 	PermFlag() PermFlag
 }
@@ -46,10 +46,9 @@ const (
 	SNativeArgsTypeSetBase   = byte(0x02)
 	SNativeArgsTypeUnsetBase = byte(0x03)
 	SNativeArgsTypeSetGlobal = byte(0x04)
-	SNativeArgsTypeClearBase = byte(0x05)
-	SNativeArgsTypeHasRole   = byte(0x06)
-	SNativeArgsTypeAddRole   = byte(0x07)
-	SNativeArgsTypeRmRole    = byte(0x08)
+	SNativeArgsTypeHasRole   = byte(0x05)
+	SNativeArgsTypeAddRole   = byte(0x06)
+	SNativeArgsTypeRmRole    = byte(0x07)
 )
 
 // for binary.readReflect
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ var _ = binary.RegisterInterface(
 	binary.ConcreteType{&SetBaseArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeSetBase},
 	binary.ConcreteType{&UnsetBaseArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeUnsetBase},
 	binary.ConcreteType{&SetGlobalArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeSetGlobal},
-	binary.ConcreteType{&ClearBaseArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeClearBase},
 	binary.ConcreteType{&HasRoleArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeHasRole},
 	binary.ConcreteType{&AddRoleArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeAddRole},
 	binary.ConcreteType{&RmRoleArgs{}, SNativeArgsTypeRmRole},
@@ -102,14 +100,6 @@ func (*SetGlobalArgs) PermFlag() PermFlag {
 	return SetGlobal
 }
 
-type ClearBaseArgs struct {
-	//
-}
-
-func (*ClearBaseArgs) PermFlag() PermFlag {
-	return ClearBase
-}
-
 type HasRoleArgs struct {
 	Address []byte
 	Role    string
@@ -150,8 +140,6 @@ func SNativePermFlagToString(pF PermFlag) (perm string) {
 		perm = "UnsetBase"
 	case SetGlobal:
 		perm = "SetGlobal"
-	case ClearBase:
-		perm = "ClearBase"
 	case HasRole:
 		perm = "HasRole"
 	case AddRole:
@@ -174,8 +162,6 @@ func SNativeStringToPermFlag(perm string) (pF PermFlag, err error) {
 		pF = UnsetBase
 	case "SetGlobal":
 		pF = SetGlobal
-	case "ClearBase":
-		pF = ClearBase
 	case "HasRole":
 		pF = HasRole
 	case "AddRole":
diff --git a/state/execution.go b/state/execution.go
index 586c20ee..ddad8cfb 100644
--- a/state/execution.go
+++ b/state/execution.go
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Fireab
 		permFlag := tx.SNative.PermFlag()
 		// check permission
 		if !hasSNativePermission(blockCache, inAcc, permFlag) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Account %X does not have permission to call snative %s (%b)", tx.Input.Address, tx.SNative, permFlag)
+			return fmt.Errorf("Account %X does not have permission to call snative %s (%b)", tx.Input.Address, ptypes.SNativePermFlagToString(permFlag), permFlag)
 		}
 
 		// pubKey should be present in either "inAcc" or "tx.Input"
@@ -843,11 +843,9 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Fireab
 			err = permAcc.Permissions.Base.Unset(args.Permission)
 		case *ptypes.SetGlobalArgs:
 			if permAcc = blockCache.GetAccount(ptypes.GlobalPermissionsAddress); permAcc == nil {
-				// PanicSanity("can't find global permissions account")
+				PanicSanity("can't find global permissions account")
 			}
 			err = permAcc.Permissions.Base.Set(args.Permission, args.Value)
-		case *ptypes.ClearBaseArgs:
-			//
 		case *ptypes.HasRoleArgs:
 			return fmt.Errorf("HasRole is for contracts, not humans. Just look at the blockchain")
 		case *ptypes.AddRoleArgs:
@@ -865,7 +863,7 @@ func ExecTx(blockCache *BlockCache, tx types.Tx, runCall bool, evc events.Fireab
 				return fmt.Errorf("Role (%s) does not exist for account %X", args.Role, args.Address)
 			}
 		default:
-			// PanicSanity("invalid snative")
+			PanicSanity(Fmt("invalid snative: %s", ptypes.SNativePermFlagToString(permFlag)))
 		}
 
 		// TODO: maybe we want to take funds on error and allow txs in that don't do anythingi?
diff --git a/state/permissions_test.go b/state/permissions_test.go
index 5a4a6d53..de0cf207 100644
--- a/state/permissions_test.go
+++ b/state/permissions_test.go
@@ -836,6 +836,9 @@ func TestCreateAccountPermission(t *testing.T) {
 
 }
 
+// holla at my boy
+var DougAddress = append([]byte{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, []byte("THISISDOUG")...)
+
 func TestSNativeCALL(t *testing.T) {
 	stateDB := dbm.GetDB("state")
 	genDoc := newBaseGenDoc(PermsAllFalse, PermsAllFalse)
@@ -851,7 +854,7 @@ func TestSNativeCALL(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// make the main contract once
 	doug := &acm.Account{
-		Address:     ptypes.DougAddress,
+		Address:     DougAddress,
 		Balance:     0,
 		Code:        nil,
 		Sequence:    0,
@@ -925,9 +928,6 @@ func TestSNativeCALL(t *testing.T) {
 		return nil
 	})
 
-	// ClearBase
-	// TODO
-
 	fmt.Println("\n#### HasRole")
 	// HasRole
 	snativeAddress, data = snativeRoleTestInputCALL("HasRole", user[3], "bumble")
@@ -1022,9 +1022,6 @@ func TestSNativeTx(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected permission to be set true")
 	}
 
-	// ClearBase
-	// TODO
-
 	fmt.Println("\n#### AddRole")
 	// AddRole
 	snativeArgs = snativeRoleTestInputTx("AddRole", user[3], "chuck")
@@ -1184,7 +1181,6 @@ func snativePermTestInputCALL(name string, user *acm.PrivAccount, perm ptypes.Pe
 	case "SetGlobal":
 		data = Uint64ToWord256(uint64(perm)).Bytes()
 		data = append(data, boolToWord256(val).Bytes()...)
-	case "ClearBase":
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -1199,7 +1195,6 @@ func snativePermTestInputTx(name string, user *acm.PrivAccount, perm ptypes.Perm
 		snativeArgs = &ptypes.SetBaseArgs{user.Address, perm, val}
 	case "SetGlobal":
 		snativeArgs = &ptypes.SetGlobalArgs{perm, val}
-	case "ClearBase":
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/vm/snative.go b/vm/snative.go
index 7df081fb..bd72d9dd 100644
--- a/vm/snative.go
+++ b/vm/snative.go
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ type snativeInfo struct {
 }
 
 // Takes an appState so it can lookup/update accounts,
-// an account to check for permission to access the snative contract
-// and some input bytes (presumably 32byte words)
-type SNativeContract func(appState AppState, acc *Account, input []byte) (output []byte, err error)
+// and an input byte array containing at least one Word256
+// TODO: ABI
+type SNativeContract func(appState AppState, input []byte) (output []byte, err error)
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Registered SNative contracts
@@ -28,15 +28,13 @@ func getSNativeInfo(permFlag ptypes.PermFlag) *snativeInfo {
 	var errS string
 	switch permFlag {
 	case ptypes.HasBase:
-		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "hasBasePerm() takes two arguments (address, permission number)", hasBasePerm
+		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "hasBase() takes two arguments (address, permFlag)", hasBasePerm
 	case ptypes.SetBase:
-		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 3, "setBasePerm() takes three arguments (address, permission number, permission value)", setBasePerm
+		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 3, "setBase() takes three arguments (address, permFlag, permission value)", setBasePerm
 	case ptypes.UnsetBase:
-		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "unsetBasePerm() takes two arguments (address, permission number)", unsetBasePerm
+		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "unsetBase() takes two arguments (address, permFlag)", unsetBasePerm
 	case ptypes.SetGlobal:
-		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "setGlobalPerm() takes two arguments (permission number, permission value)", setGlobalPerm
-	case ptypes.ClearBase:
-		//
+		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "setGlobal() takes two arguments (permFlag, permission value)", setGlobalPerm
 	case ptypes.HasRole:
 		si.NArgs, errS, si.Executable = 2, "hasRole() takes two arguments (address, role)", hasRole
 	case ptypes.AddRole:
@@ -56,7 +54,7 @@ func getSNativeInfo(permFlag ptypes.PermFlag) *snativeInfo {
 
 // TODO: catch errors, log em, return 0s to the vm (should some errors cause exceptions though?)
 
-func hasBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func hasBasePerm(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, permNum := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -76,7 +74,7 @@ func hasBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, e
 	return LeftPadWord256([]byte{permInt}).Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func setBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func setBasePerm(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, permNum, perm := returnThreeArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -95,7 +93,7 @@ func setBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, e
 	return perm.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func unsetBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func unsetBasePerm(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, permNum := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -113,7 +111,7 @@ func unsetBasePerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte,
 	return permNum.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func setGlobalPerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func setGlobalPerm(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	permNum, perm := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(ptypes.GlobalPermissionsAddress256)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -132,12 +130,7 @@ func setGlobalPerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte,
 	return perm.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-// TODO: needs access to an iterator ...
-func clearPerm(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
-	return nil, nil
-}
-
-func hasRole(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func hasRole(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, role := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -154,7 +147,7 @@ func hasRole(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err e
 	return LeftPadWord256([]byte{permInt}).Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func addRole(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func addRole(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, role := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
@@ -172,7 +165,7 @@ func addRole(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err e
 	return LeftPadWord256([]byte{permInt}).Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func rmRole(appState AppState, acc *Account, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
+func rmRole(appState AppState, args []byte) (output []byte, err error) {
 	addr, role := returnTwoArgs(args)
 	vmAcc := appState.GetAccount(addr)
 	if vmAcc == nil {
diff --git a/vm/vm.go b/vm/vm.go
index d837abbd..a3934a9d 100644
--- a/vm/vm.go
+++ b/vm/vm.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func (vm *VM) callSNative(addr Word256, permFlag ptypes.PermFlag, caller *Accoun
 		return
 	}
 	// SNATIVE ACCESS
-	ret, err = snInfo.Executable(vm.appState, caller, input)
+	ret, err = snInfo.Executable(vm.appState, input)
 	// END SNATIVE ACCESS
 	if err != nil {
 		*exception = err.Error()