diff --git a/src/client/nvim/codemp.lua b/src/client/nvim/codemp.lua
index 111a151..90fac65 100644
--- a/src/client/nvim/codemp.lua
+++ b/src/client/nvim/codemp.lua
@@ -21,18 +21,23 @@ M.attach = function(path)
 		{
 			callback = function()
 				local cursor = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(0)
-				M.insert(path, vim.v.char, cursor[2])
+				local off = vim.fn.line2byte(cursor[1]) + cursor[2] - 1
+				M.insert(path, vim.v.char, off)
 			end,
 		}
 	)
 	vim.keymap.set('i', '<BS>', function()
 		local cursor = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(0)
-		M.delete(path, cursor[2], 1)
+		local off = vim.fn.line2byte(cursor[1]) + cursor[2] - 1
+		if off > 0 then
+			M.delete(path, off, 1)
+		end
 		return '<BS>'
 	end, {expr = true})
 	vim.keymap.set('i', '<CR>', function()
 		local cursor = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(0)
-		M.insert(path, "\n", cursor[2])
+		local off = vim.fn.line2byte(cursor[1]) + cursor[2] - 1
+		M.insert(path, "\n", off)
 		return '<CR>'
 	end, {expr = true})
 	return vim.rpcrequest(vim.g.codemp_jobid, "attach", path)
diff --git a/src/client/nvim/main.rs b/src/client/nvim/main.rs
index 138c808..7a8d392 100644
--- a/src/client/nvim/main.rs
+++ b/src/client/nvim/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::{net::TcpStream, sync::Mutex};
+
 use codemp::client::CodempClient;
 use codemp::proto::buffer_client::BufferClient;
 use rmpv::Value;
@@ -19,6 +21,18 @@ fn nullable_optional_str(args: &Vec<Value>, index: usize) -> Option<String> {
 	Some(args.get(index)?.as_str()?.to_string())
 }
 
+fn default_empty_str(args: &Vec<Value>, index: usize) -> String {
+	nullable_optional_str(args, index).unwrap_or("".into())
+}
+
+fn nullable_optional_number(args: &Vec<Value>, index: usize) -> Option<u64> {
+	Some(args.get(index)?.as_u64()?)
+}
+
+fn default_zero_number(args: &Vec<Value>, index: usize) -> u64 {
+	nullable_optional_number(args, index).unwrap_or(0)
+}
+
 #[async_trait]
 impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 	type Writer = Compat<Stdout>;
@@ -29,6 +43,7 @@ impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 		args: Vec<Value>,
 		nvim: Neovim<Compat<Stdout>>,
 	) -> Result<Value, Value> {
+		debug!("processing '{}' - {:?}", name, args);
 		match name.as_ref() {
 			"ping" => Ok(Value::from("pong")),
 
@@ -38,7 +53,7 @@ impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 				if args.len() < 1 {
 					return Err(Value::from("no path given"));
 				}
-				let path = args.get(0).unwrap().as_str().unwrap().into();
+				let path = default_empty_str(&args, 0);
 				let content = nullable_optional_str(&args, 1);
 				let mut c = self.client.clone();
 				match c.create(path, content).await {
@@ -54,9 +69,9 @@ impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 				if args.len() < 3 {
 					return Err(Value::from("not enough arguments"));
 				}
-				let path = args.get(0).unwrap().as_str().unwrap().into();
-				let txt = args.get(1).unwrap().as_str().unwrap().into();
-				let pos = args.get(2).unwrap().as_u64().unwrap();
+				let path = default_empty_str(&args, 0);
+				let txt = default_empty_str(&args, 1);
+				let pos = default_zero_number(&args, 2);
 
 				let mut c = self.client.clone();
 				match c.insert(path, txt, pos).await {
@@ -72,9 +87,9 @@ impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 				if args.len() < 3 {
 					return Err(Value::from("not enough arguments"));
 				}
-				let path = args.get(0).unwrap().as_str().unwrap().into();
-				let pos = args.get(1).unwrap().as_u64().unwrap();
-				let count = args.get(2).unwrap().as_u64().unwrap();
+				let path = default_empty_str(&args, 0);
+				let pos = default_zero_number(&args, 1);
+				let count = default_zero_number(&args, 2);
 
 				let mut c = self.client.clone();
 				match c.delete(path, pos, count).await {
@@ -90,8 +105,12 @@ impl Handler for NeovimHandler {
 				if args.len() < 1 {
 					return Err(Value::from("no path given"));
 				}
-				let path = args.get(0).unwrap().as_str().unwrap().into();
-				let buf = nvim.get_current_buf().await.unwrap();
+				let path = default_empty_str(&args, 0);
+				let buf = match nvim.get_current_buf().await {
+					Ok(b) => b,
+					Err(e) => return Err(Value::from(format!("could not get current buffer: {}", e))),
+				};
+
 				let mut c = self.client.clone();
 
 				match c.attach(path, move |x| {
@@ -138,13 +157,22 @@ struct CliArgs {
 async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 	let args = CliArgs::parse();
 
-	tracing_subscriber::fmt()
+	let sub = tracing_subscriber::fmt()
 		.compact()
 		.without_time()
-		.with_ansi(false)
-		.with_writer(std::io::stderr)
-		.with_max_level(if args.debug { tracing::Level::DEBUG } else { tracing::Level::INFO })
-		.init();
+		.with_ansi(false);
+	match TcpStream::connect("127.0.0.1:6969") {
+		Ok(stream) => {
+			sub.with_writer(Mutex::new(stream))
+				.with_max_level(if args.debug { tracing::Level::DEBUG } else { tracing::Level::INFO })
+				.init();
+		},
+		Err(_) => {
+			sub.with_writer(std::io::stderr)
+				.with_max_level(if args.debug { tracing::Level::DEBUG } else { tracing::Level::INFO })
+				.init();
+		},
+	}
 
 	let client = BufferClient::connect(args.host).await?;
 	debug!("client connected");
diff --git a/src/lib/client.rs b/src/lib/client.rs
index 5dae970..89b499e 100644
--- a/src/lib/client.rs
+++ b/src/lib/client.rs
@@ -111,11 +111,15 @@ impl CodempClient {
 			match stream.message().await {
 				Ok(v) => match v {
 					Some(operation) => {
-						let op = serde_json::from_str(&operation.opseq).unwrap();
-						let res = { factory.lock().unwrap().process(op) };
-						match res {
-							Ok(x) => callback(x),
-							Err(e) => break error!("desynched: {}", e),
+						match serde_json::from_str(&operation.opseq) {
+							Ok(op) => {
+								let res = { factory.lock().unwrap().process(op) };
+								match res {
+									Ok(x) => callback(x),
+									Err(e) => break error!("desynched: {}", e),
+								}
+							},
+							Err(e) => break error!("could not deserialize opseq: {}", e),
 						}
 					}
 					None => break warn!("stream closed"),