diff --git a/scripts/distributed.py b/scripts/distributed.py
index ec92e0c..e5f84a9 100644
--- a/scripts/distributed.py
+++ b/scripts/distributed.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import re
 import signal
 import sys
 import time
-from threading import Thread, current_thread
+from threading import Thread
 from typing import List
 import gradio
 import urllib3
@@ -330,7 +330,8 @@ class Script(scripts.Script):
             payload_temp['seed'] += prior_images if payload_temp['subseed_strength'] == 0 else 0
             logger.debug(
                 f"'{job.worker.label}' job's given starting seed is "
-                f"{payload_temp['seed']} with {prior_images} coming before it")
+                f"{payload_temp['seed']} with {prior_images} coming before it"
+            )
 
             if job.worker.loaded_model != name or job.worker.loaded_vae != vae:
                 sync = True
diff --git a/scripts/spartan/pmodels.py b/scripts/spartan/pmodels.py
index 45c8c5b..e349dc8 100644
--- a/scripts/spartan/pmodels.py
+++ b/scripts/spartan/pmodels.py
@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ class ConfigModel(BaseModel):
     job_timeout: Optional[int] = Field(default=3)
     enabled: Optional[bool] = Field(description="Whether the extension as a whole should be active or disabled", default=True)
     complement_production: Optional[bool] = Field(description="Whether to generate complementary images to prevent under-utilizing hardware", default=True)
-    step_reduction: Optional[bool] = Field(description="Whether to downscale requested steps in order to meet time constraints")
+    step_scaling: Optional[bool] = Field(description="Whether to downscale requested steps in order to meet time constraints", default=False)
diff --git a/scripts/spartan/shared.py b/scripts/spartan/shared.py
index 52512b7..5400464 100644
--- a/scripts/spartan/shared.py
+++ b/scripts/spartan/shared.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ logger.addHandler(gui_handler)
 # end logging
 
 warmup_samples = 2  # number of samples to do before recording a valid benchmark sample
-samples = 4  # number of times to benchmark worker after warmup benchmarks are completed
+samples = 3  # number of times to benchmark worker after warmup benchmarks are completed
 
 
 class BenchmarkPayload(BaseModel):
diff --git a/scripts/spartan/ui.py b/scripts/spartan/ui.py
index bbcdd74..d0f4d27 100644
--- a/scripts/spartan/ui.py
+++ b/scripts/spartan/ui.py
@@ -85,10 +85,8 @@ class UI:
         """updates the options visible on the settings tab"""
 
         self.world.thin_client_mode = thin_client_mode
-        logger.debug(f"thin client mode is now {thin_client_mode}")
         job_timeout = int(job_timeout)
         self.world.job_timeout = job_timeout
-        logger.debug(f"job timeout is now {job_timeout} seconds")
         self.world.complement_production = complement_production
         self.world.step_scaling = step_scaling
         self.world.save_config()
@@ -216,7 +214,6 @@ class UI:
                     interactive=True
                 )
                 main_toggle.input(self.main_toggle_btn)
-                setattr(main_toggle, 'do_not_save_to_config', True)  # ui_loadsave.py apply_field()
                 components.append(main_toggle)
 
                 with gradio.Tab('Status') as status_tab:
@@ -355,13 +352,13 @@ class UI:
                 with gradio.Tab('Settings'):
                     thin_client_cbx = gradio.Checkbox(
                         label='Thin-client mode',
-                        info="Only generate images using remote workers. There will be no previews (yet) when enabled.",
+                        info="Only generate images remotely (no image previews yet)",
                         value=self.world.thin_client_mode
                     )
                     job_timeout = gradio.Number(
                         label='Job timeout', value=self.world.job_timeout,
                         info="Seconds until a worker is considered too slow to be assigned an"
-                             " equal share of the total request. Longer than 2 seconds is recommended."
+                             " equal share of the total request. Longer than 2 seconds is recommended"
                     )
 
                     complement_production = gradio.Checkbox(
@@ -390,4 +387,7 @@ class UI:
                         """
                     )
 
+            # prevent wui from overriding any values
+            for component in components:
+                setattr(component, 'do_not_save_to_config', True)  # ui_loadsave.py apply_field()
             return components
diff --git a/scripts/spartan/world.py b/scripts/spartan/world.py
index 5156cc6..1b2bfcb 100644
--- a/scripts/spartan/world.py
+++ b/scripts/spartan/world.py
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class World:
 
         return lag
 
-    def update_jobs(self):
+    def make_jobs(self):
         """creates initial jobs (before optimization) """
 
         # clear jobs if this is not the first time running
@@ -367,6 +367,7 @@ class World:
                     worker.benchmark()
 
                 self.jobs.append(Job(worker=worker, batch_size=batch_size))
+                logger.debug(f"added job for worker {worker.label}")
 
     def update(self, p):
         """preps world for another run"""
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ class World:
             logger.debug("world was already initialized")
 
         self.p = p
-        self.update_jobs()
+        self.make_jobs()
 
     def get_workers(self):
         filtered: List[Worker] = []
@@ -525,7 +526,7 @@ class World:
                 if num_images_compensate == 0 and self.step_scaling:
                     seconds_per_sample = job.worker.eta(payload=payload, batch_size=1, samples=1)
                     realtime_samples = slack_time // seconds_per_sample
-                    logger.critical(
+                    logger.debug(
                         f"job for '{job.worker.label}' downscaled to {realtime_samples} samples to meet time constraints\n"
                         f"{realtime_samples:.0f} samples = {slack_time:.2f}s slack ÷ {seconds_per_sample:.2f}s/sample\n"
                         f"  step reduction: {payload['steps']} -> {realtime_samples:.0f}"
@@ -652,7 +653,7 @@ class World:
         self.job_timeout = config.job_timeout
         self.enabled = config.enabled
         self.complement_production = config.complement_production
-        self.step_scaling = config.step_reduction
+        self.step_scaling = config.step_scaling
 
         logger.debug("config loaded")