diff --git a/src/actions/index.ts b/src/actions/index.ts
index c3f65c74..add7a608 100644
--- a/src/actions/index.ts
+++ b/src/actions/index.ts
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ export { default as onTutorialConfigContinue } from './onTutorialConfigContinue'
 export { default as onValidateSetup } from './onValidateSetup'
 export { default as onRunReset } from './onRunReset'
 export { default as onErrorPage } from './onErrorPage'
-export { runTest, onTestPass } from './onTest'
+export { runTest } from './onTest'
 export { onOpenLogs } from './onOpenLogs'
diff --git a/src/actions/onStartup.ts b/src/actions/onStartup.ts
index 3c4441dd..c0a751ba 100644
--- a/src/actions/onStartup.ts
+++ b/src/actions/onStartup.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
-import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
 import * as E from 'typings/error'
 import Context from '../services/context/context'
+import { send } from '../commands'
 import { WORKSPACE_ROOT, TUTORIAL_URL } from '../environment'
 import fetch from 'node-fetch'
-import logger from '../services/logger'
 
-const onStartup = async (
-  context: Context,
-  workspaceState: vscode.Memento,
-  send: (action: T.Action) => Promise<void>,
-): Promise<void> => {
+const onStartup = async (context: Context): Promise<void> => {
   try {
     // check if a workspace is open, otherwise nothing works
     const noActiveWorkspace = !WORKSPACE_ROOT.length
@@ -38,9 +33,9 @@ const onStartup = async (
     // continue from tutorial from local storage
     const tutorial: TT.Tutorial | null = context.tutorial.get()
 
-    // no stored tutorial, must start new tutorial
+    // NEW: no stored tutorial, must start new tutorial
     if (!tutorial || !tutorial.id) {
-      if (TUTORIAL_URL) {
+      if (!!TUTORIAL_URL) {
         // NEW_FROM_URL
         try {
           const tutorialRes = await fetch(TUTORIAL_URL)
@@ -52,7 +47,7 @@ const onStartup = async (
           console.log(`Failed to load tutorial from url ${TUTORIAL_URL} with error "${e.message}"`)
         }
       }
-      // NEW
+      // NEW from start click
       send({ type: 'START_NEW_TUTORIAL', payload: { env } })
       return
     }
diff --git a/src/actions/onTest.ts b/src/actions/onTest.ts
index 51ade58d..66d3a8ce 100644
--- a/src/actions/onTest.ts
+++ b/src/actions/onTest.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
-import * as git from '../services/git'
 import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
 import { COMMANDS } from '../commands'
-import Context from '../services/context/context'
-
-export const onTestPass = (action: T.Action, context: Context): void => {
-  context.position.set({ ...action.payload.position, complete: true })
-  git.saveCommit('Save progress')
-}
 
 export const runTest = (action?: T.Action): void => {
   vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.RUN_TEST, action?.payload)
diff --git a/src/actions/onTutorialConfigContinue.ts b/src/actions/onTutorialConfigContinue.ts
index 431a9b5b..397e96ad 100644
--- a/src/actions/onTutorialConfigContinue.ts
+++ b/src/actions/onTutorialConfigContinue.ts
@@ -3,20 +3,22 @@ import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
 import Context from '../services/context/context'
 import tutorialConfig from './utils/tutorialConfig'
-import { COMMANDS } from '../commands'
+import { COMMANDS, send } from '../commands'
+import logger from '../services/logger'
 
-const onTutorialConfigContinue = async (action: T.Action, context: Context, send: T.Send): Promise<void> => {
+const onTutorialConfigContinue = async (action: T.Action, context: Context): Promise<void> => {
+  logger('onTutorialConfigContinue', action)
   try {
-    const tutorialContinue: TT.Tutorial | null = context.tutorial.get()
-    if (!tutorialContinue) {
+    const tutorialToContinue: TT.Tutorial | null = context.tutorial.get()
+    if (!tutorialToContinue) {
       throw new Error('Invalid tutorial to continue')
     }
+    // update the current stepId on startup
+    vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_POSITION, action.payload.position)
     await tutorialConfig({
-      data: tutorialContinue,
+      data: tutorialToContinue,
       alreadyConfigured: true,
     })
-    // update the current stepId on startup
-    vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_POSITION, action.payload.position)
   } catch (e) {
     const error = {
       type: 'UnknownError',
diff --git a/src/actions/onTutorialConfigNew.ts b/src/actions/onTutorialConfigNew.ts
index 0ddd6729..b0c83037 100644
--- a/src/actions/onTutorialConfigNew.ts
+++ b/src/actions/onTutorialConfigNew.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ import { onEvent } from '../services/telemetry'
 import { version, compareVersions } from '../services/dependencies'
 import Context from '../services/context/context'
 import tutorialConfig from './utils/tutorialConfig'
+import { send } from '../commands'
 
-const onTutorialConfigNew = async (action: T.Action, context: Context, send: T.Send): Promise<void> => {
+const onTutorialConfigNew = async (action: T.Action, context: Context): Promise<void> => {
   try {
     const data: TT.Tutorial = action.payload.tutorial
 
diff --git a/src/actions/onValidateSetup.ts b/src/actions/onValidateSetup.ts
index f01977c4..5cc622b6 100644
--- a/src/actions/onValidateSetup.ts
+++ b/src/actions/onValidateSetup.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as E from 'typings/error'
 import { version } from '../services/dependencies'
 import { checkWorkspaceEmpty } from '../services/workspace'
+import { send } from '../commands'
 
-const onValidateSetup = async (send: T.Send): Promise<void> => {
+const onValidateSetup = async (): Promise<void> => {
   try {
     // check workspace is selected
     const isEmptyWorkspace = await checkWorkspaceEmpty()
diff --git a/src/actions/utils/tutorialConfig.ts b/src/actions/utils/tutorialConfig.ts
index a4ef01d9..ef1ecbb7 100644
--- a/src/actions/utils/tutorialConfig.ts
+++ b/src/actions/utils/tutorialConfig.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const tutorialConfig = async ({ data, alreadyConfigured }: TutorialConfigParams)
     }
   }
 
-  await vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.CONFIG_TEST_RUNNER, data)
+  await vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.CONFIG_TEST_RUNNER, { data, alreadyConfigured })
 
   if (!DISABLE_RUN_ON_SAVE) {
     // verify if file test should run based on document saved
diff --git a/src/channel.ts b/src/channel.ts
index 9b34d2fa..ad41f040 100644
--- a/src/channel.ts
+++ b/src/channel.ts
@@ -9,22 +9,12 @@ import * as hooks from './services/hooks'
 
 interface Channel {
   receive(action: T.Action): Promise<void>
-  send(action: T.Action): Promise<void>
-}
-
-interface ChannelProps {
-  postMessage: (action: T.Action) => Thenable<boolean>
-  workspaceState: vscode.Memento
 }
 
 class Channel implements Channel {
-  private postMessage: (action: T.Action) => Thenable<boolean>
-  private workspaceState: vscode.Memento
-  private context: Context
-  constructor({ postMessage, workspaceState }: ChannelProps) {
-    // workspaceState used for local storage
-    this.workspaceState = workspaceState
-    this.postMessage = postMessage
+  public context: Context
+  constructor(workspaceState: vscode.Memento) {
+    // workspaceState used for local storages
     this.context = new Context(workspaceState)
   }
 
@@ -32,24 +22,23 @@ class Channel implements Channel {
   public receive = async (action: T.Action): Promise<void> => {
     // action may be an object.type or plain string
     const actionType: string = typeof action === 'string' ? action : action.type
-    // const onError = (error: T.ErrorMessage) => this.send({ type: 'ERROR', payload: { error } })
 
     logger(`EXT RECEIVED: "${actionType}"`)
 
     switch (actionType) {
       case 'EDITOR_STARTUP':
-        actions.onStartup(this.context, this.workspaceState, this.send)
+        actions.onStartup(this.context)
         return
       // clear tutorial local storage
       // configure test runner, language, git
       case 'EDITOR_TUTORIAL_CONFIG':
-        actions.onTutorialConfigNew(action, this.context, this.send)
+        actions.onTutorialConfigNew(action, this.context)
         return
       case 'EDITOR_TUTORIAL_CONTINUE_CONFIG':
-        actions.onTutorialConfigContinue(action, this.context, this.send)
+        actions.onTutorialConfigContinue(action, this.context)
         return
       case 'EDITOR_VALIDATE_SETUP':
-        actions.onValidateSetup(this.send)
+        actions.onValidateSetup()
         return
       case 'EDITOR_REQUEST_WORKSPACE':
         openWorkspace()
@@ -95,26 +84,6 @@ class Channel implements Channel {
         return
     }
   }
-  // send to webview
-  public send = async (action: T.Action): Promise<void> => {
-    // load error page if error action is triggered
-    actions.onErrorPage(action)
-    // action may be an object.type or plain string
-    const actionType: string = typeof action === 'string' ? action : action.type
-
-    logger(`EXT TO CLIENT: "${actionType}"`)
-
-    switch (actionType) {
-      case 'TEST_PASS':
-        actions.onTestPass(action, this.context)
-    }
-
-    // send message
-    const sentToClient = await this.postMessage(action)
-    if (!sentToClient) {
-      throw new Error(`Message post failure: ${JSON.stringify(action)}`)
-    }
-  }
 }
 
 export default Channel
diff --git a/src/commands.ts b/src/commands.ts
index 84f52327..bffc21d8 100644
--- a/src/commands.ts
+++ b/src/commands.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import createTestRunner from './services/testRunner'
 import createWebView from './services/webview'
 import * as hooks from './services/hooks'
 import logger from './services/logger'
+import * as actions from './actions'
+import Channel from './channel'
 
 export const COMMANDS = {
   START: 'coderoad.start',
@@ -26,7 +28,12 @@ let sendToClient = (action: T.Action): void => {
 // This makes it easier to pass the send
 // function throughout the codebase
 export const send = (action: T.Action): void => {
-  sendToClient(action)
+  // load error page if error action is triggered
+  actions.onErrorPage(action)
+
+  logger(`EXT TO CLIENT: "${typeof action === 'string' ? action : action.type}"`)
+
+  if (action) sendToClient(action)
 }
 
 export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandProps): { [key: string]: any } => {
@@ -34,6 +41,7 @@ export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandP
   let webview: any
   let currentPosition: T.Position
   let testRunner: any
+  const channel = new Channel(workspaceState)
 
   return {
     // initialize
@@ -42,24 +50,33 @@ export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandP
         webview.createOrShow()
       } else {
         // activate machine
-        webview = createWebView({
+        webview = await createWebView({
           extensionPath,
-          workspaceState,
+          channel,
         })
         // make send to client function exportable
         // as "send".
         sendToClient = webview.send
       }
     },
-    [COMMANDS.CONFIG_TEST_RUNNER]: async (data: TT.Tutorial) => {
-      const setupActions = data.config.setup
-      if (setupActions) {
-        hooks.onInit(setupActions)
+    [COMMANDS.CONFIG_TEST_RUNNER]: async ({
+      data,
+      alreadyConfigured,
+    }: {
+      data: TT.Tutorial
+      alreadyConfigured: boolean
+    }) => {
+      if (!alreadyConfigured) {
+        const setupActions = data.config.setup
+        if (setupActions) {
+          hooks.onInit(setupActions)
+        }
       }
       testRunner = createTestRunner(data, {
         onSuccess: (position: T.Position) => {
           logger('test pass position', position)
           // send test pass message back to client
+          channel.context.position.set({ ...position, complete: true })
           send({ type: 'TEST_PASS', payload: { position: { ...position, complete: true } } })
         },
         onFail: (position: T.Position, failSummary: T.TestFail): void => {
@@ -83,6 +100,7 @@ export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandP
     [COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_POSITION]: (position: T.Position) => {
       // set from last setup stepAction
       currentPosition = position
+      channel.context.position.set(position)
     },
     [COMMANDS.RUN_TEST]: ({
       subtasks,
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 49a65006..dd5e990c 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import * as vscode from 'vscode'
 import { createCommands } from './commands'
 import * as telemetry from './services/telemetry'
 
-let onDeactivate = () => {}
+let onDeactivate = () => {
+  /* placeholder for unsubscribing fn */
+}
 
 // activate run on vscode extension initialization
 export const activate = (vscodeExt: vscode.ExtensionContext): void => {
diff --git a/src/services/git/index.ts b/src/services/git/index.ts
index 84025769..613641ef 100644
--- a/src/services/git/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/git/index.ts
@@ -160,3 +160,34 @@ export async function loadCommitHistory(): Promise<string[]> {
 export function getShortHash(hash: string): string {
   return hash.slice(0, 7)
 }
+
+export async function getCommitMessage(hash: string): Promise<string | null> {
+  try {
+    // returns an list of commit hashes
+    const { stdout, stderr } = await exec({ command: `git log -n 1 --pretty=format:%s ${hash}` })
+    if (stderr) {
+      return null
+    }
+    // string match on remote output
+    return stdout
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger('error', error)
+    // likely no git commit message found
+    return null
+  }
+}
+
+export async function commitsExistsByMessage(message: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    // returns a list of commit hashes
+    const { stdout, stderr } = await exec({ command: `git log -g --grep='${message}'` })
+    if (stderr) {
+      return false
+    }
+    return !!stdout.length
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger('error', error)
+    // likely no commit found
+    return false
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/index.ts b/src/services/hooks/index.ts
index 7170451a..a99c9db8 100644
--- a/src/services/hooks/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/hooks/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
 import * as git from '../git'
-import loadCommits from './utils/loadCommits'
+import { loadCommits } from './utils/commits'
 import { loadWatchers, resetWatchers } from './utils/watchers'
 import openFiles from './utils/openFiles'
 import runCommands from './utils/runCommands'
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export const onError = async (error: Error): Promise<void> => {
 }
 
 export const onStepComplete = async ({ levelId, stepId }: { levelId: string; stepId: string }): Promise<void> => {
+  git.saveCommit(`Save progress: ${stepId}`)
   logger(`ON STEP COMPLETE: ${JSON.stringify({ levelId, stepId })}`)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/utils/commits.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/commits.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..407c7b1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/commits.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import * as git from '../../git'
+
+// avoid duplicate commits
+const verifyCommitUnique = async (hash: string): Promise<boolean> => {
+  const message: string | null = await git.getCommitMessage(hash)
+  if (!message) {
+    return false
+  }
+  const exists: boolean = await git.commitsExistsByMessage(message)
+  return exists
+}
+
+export const loadCommits = async (commits: string[] = []): Promise<void> => {
+  if (commits && commits.length) {
+    // load the current list of commits for validation
+    for (const commit of commits) {
+      const commitExists = await verifyCommitUnique(commit)
+      if (!commitExists) {
+        await git.loadCommit(commit)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f65b4545..00000000
--- a/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import * as git from '../../git'
-
-const loadCommits = async (commits: string[] = []): Promise<void> => {
-  if (commits && commits.length) {
-    // load the current list of commits for validation
-    for (const commit of commits) {
-      await git.loadCommit(commit)
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-export default loadCommits
diff --git a/src/services/logger/index.ts b/src/services/logger/index.ts
index 4abf92bf..3e57e525 100644
--- a/src/services/logger/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/logger/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { LOG } from '../../environment'
 
-export type Log = string | number | object | null | undefined // eslint-disable-line
+export type Log = any
 
 const logger = (...messages: Log[]): void => {
   if (!LOG) {
diff --git a/src/services/webview/index.ts b/src/services/webview/index.ts
index c16a2a3c..91e1484f 100644
--- a/src/services/webview/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/webview/index.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as path from 'path'
-import { Action } from 'typings'
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
-import Channel from '../../channel'
 import render from './render'
 
 interface ReactWebViewProps {
   extensionPath: string
-  workspaceState: vscode.Memento
+  channel: any
 }
 
 interface Output {
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ interface Output {
 
 const state = { loaded: false }
 
-const createReactWebView = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: ReactWebViewProps): Output => {
+const createReactWebView = ({ extensionPath, channel }: ReactWebViewProps): Output => {
   // TODO add disposables
   const disposables: vscode.Disposable[] = []
 
@@ -53,15 +51,9 @@ const createReactWebView = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: ReactWebViewProps
     disposables,
   )
 
-  const channel = new Channel({
-    workspaceState,
-    postMessage: (action: Action): Thenable<boolean> => {
-      return panel.webview.postMessage(action)
-    },
-  })
   // Handle messages from the webview
   const receive = channel.receive
-  const send = channel.send
+  const send = (action: T.Action) => panel.webview.postMessage(action)
 
   panel.webview.onDidReceiveMessage(receive, null, disposables)
 
diff --git a/web-app/src/services/state/actions/context.ts b/web-app/src/services/state/actions/context.ts
index 55a13fcb..99da6d3f 100644
--- a/web-app/src/services/state/actions/context.ts
+++ b/web-app/src/services/state/actions/context.ts
@@ -15,16 +15,14 @@ export const setStart = assign({
   },
 })
 
-export const loadContinuedTutorial = assign((context: T.MachineContext, event: T.MachineEvent): any => {
-  return {
-    env: {
-      ...context.env,
-      ...event.payload.env,
-    },
-    tutorial: event.payload.tutorial,
-    position: event.payload.position,
-  }
-})
+export const loadContinuedTutorial = assign((context: T.MachineContext, event: T.MachineEvent): any => ({
+  env: {
+    ...context.env,
+    ...event.payload.env,
+  },
+  tutorial: event.payload.tutorial,
+  position: event.payload.position,
+}))
 
 export const initPosition = assign({
   position: (context: T.MachineContext, event: T.MachineEvent): any => {
diff --git a/web-app/src/services/state/actions/editor.ts b/web-app/src/services/state/actions/editor.ts
index c57296e2..43482bcc 100644
--- a/web-app/src/services/state/actions/editor.ts
+++ b/web-app/src/services/state/actions/editor.ts
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ export default (editorSend: any) => ({
       type: 'EDITOR_STEP_COMPLETE',
       payload: {
         levelId: context.position.levelId,
-        stepId: context.position.levelId,
+        stepId: context.position.stepId,
       },
     })
   },