diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b2ed1d2..4cf90c5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ node_modules
 .cljs_node_repl
 .cpcache
 .cache
+.DS_Store
 
 *.swp
 
diff --git a/js/packages/core/__tests__/__snapshots__/core.test.js.snap b/js/packages/core/__tests__/__snapshots__/core.test.js.snap
index 3e98a21..24fa4ca 100644
--- a/js/packages/core/__tests__/__snapshots__/core.test.js.snap
+++ b/js/packages/core/__tests__/__snapshots__/core.test.js.snap
@@ -529,6 +529,9 @@ exports[`garbage collection 1`] = `
 
 exports[`garbage collection 2`] = `
 [
+  [
+    5,
+  ],
   [
     1,
     520300429,
@@ -537,9 +540,6 @@ exports[`garbage collection 2`] = `
     1,
     1423955117,
   ],
-  [
-    5,
-  ],
 ]
 `;
 
diff --git a/js/packages/core/index.ts b/js/packages/core/index.ts
index 82e8ad2..8281d64 100644
--- a/js/packages/core/index.ts
+++ b/js/packages/core/index.ts
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ class Delegate {
 
     this.batch = {
       createNode: [],
-      deleteNode: [],
       appendChild: [],
       setProperty: [],
       activateRoots: [],
       commitUpdates: [],
+      deleteNode: []
     };
   }
 
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ class Delegate {
   getPackedInstructions() {
     return [
       ...this.batch.createNode,
-      ...this.batch.deleteNode,
       ...this.batch.appendChild,
       ...this.batch.setProperty,
       ...this.batch.activateRoots,
       ...this.batch.commitUpdates,
+      ...this.batch.deleteNode,
     ];
   }
 }
diff --git a/runtime/elem/GraphRenderSequence.h b/runtime/elem/GraphRenderSequence.h
index 9432fd5..eae39e7 100644
--- a/runtime/elem/GraphRenderSequence.h
+++ b/runtime/elem/GraphRenderSequence.h
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ namespace elem
 
             // Next we prepare the render operation
             bufferMap.emplace(node->getId(), ba.next());
+            auto* outputData = bufferMap.at(node->getId());
 
-            renderOps.push_back([=, bufferMap = this->bufferMap](HostContext<FloatType>& ctx) {
-                auto* outputData = bufferMap.at(node->getId());
+            renderOps.push_back([=](HostContext<FloatType>& ctx) {
 
                 node->process(BlockContext<FloatType> {
                     ctx.inputData,
@@ -117,18 +117,18 @@ namespace elem
             }
 
             // Next we prepare the render operation
-            bufferMap.emplace(node->getId(), ba.next());
+            auto* outputData = ba.next();
+            bufferMap.emplace(node->getId(), outputData);
 
             // Allocate room for the child pointers here, gets moved into the lambda capture group below
             std::vector<FloatType*> ptrs(children.size());
+            auto const numChildren = children.size();
 
-            renderOps.push_back([=, bufferMap = this->bufferMap, ptrs = std::move(ptrs)](HostContext<FloatType>& ctx) mutable {
-                auto* outputData = bufferMap.at(node->getId());
-                auto const numChildren = children.size();
+            for (size_t j = 0; j < numChildren; ++j) {
+                ptrs[j] = bufferMap.at(children[j]);
+            }
 
-                for (size_t j = 0; j < numChildren; ++j) {
-                    ptrs[j] = bufferMap.at(children[j]);
-                }
+            renderOps.push_back([=, ptrs = std::move(ptrs)](HostContext<FloatType>& ctx) mutable {
 
                 node->process(BlockContext<FloatType> {
                     const_cast<const FloatType**>(ptrs.data()),
diff --git a/runtime/elem/Runtime.h b/runtime/elem/Runtime.h
index 051393e..b6a1b06 100644
--- a/runtime/elem/Runtime.h
+++ b/runtime/elem/Runtime.h
@@ -332,42 +332,68 @@ namespace elem
         // Populate and activate from the incoming event
         std::set<NodeId> active;
 
-        for (auto const& v : roots) {
+        for (auto const& v : roots)
+        {
             if (!v.isNumber())
+            {
+                ELEM_DBG("[Error] activateRoot - Invalid nodeId format.");
                 return ReturnCode::InvalidInstructionFormat();
+            }
 
-            int32_t nodeId = static_cast<int32_t>((js::Number) v);
+            int32_t nodeId = static_cast<int32_t>((js::Number)v);
             ELEM_DBG("[Native] activateRoot " << nodeIdToHex(nodeId));
 
-            if (nodeTable.find(nodeId) == nodeTable.end())
+            // Using find() method for safe access to nodeTable elements
+            auto it = nodeTable.find(nodeId);
+            if (it == nodeTable.end())
+            {
+                ELEM_DBG("[Error] activateRoot - NodeId not found: " << nodeIdToHex(nodeId));
                 return ReturnCode::NodeNotFound();
+            }
 
-            if (auto ptr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<RootNode<FloatType>>(nodeTable.at(nodeId))) {
-                ptr->setProperty("active", true);
+            // Attempt to cast the found node to a RootNode type and activate it
+            auto ptr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<RootNode<FloatType>>(it->second);
+            if (ptr)
+            {
+                ptr->activate(currentRoots.empty() ? FloatType(1) : FloatType(0));
                 active.insert(nodeId);
+                ELEM_DBG("[Success] Activated root: " << nodeIdToHex(nodeId));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ELEM_DBG("[Error] Failed to cast to RootNode or activate: " << nodeIdToHex(nodeId));
             }
         }
 
-        // Deactivate any prior roots
-        for (auto const& n : currentRoots) {
-            if (auto ptr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<RootNode<FloatType>>(nodeTable.at(n))) {
+        // Deactivate any prior roots not included in the incoming active set
+        for (auto const& n : currentRoots)
+        {
+            auto it = nodeTable.find(n);
+            if (it != nodeTable.end())
+            {
+                auto ptr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<RootNode<FloatType>>(it->second);
                 // If any current root was not marked active in this event, we deactivate it
-                if (active.count(n) == 0) {
-                    ptr->setProperty("active", false);
-                }
-
-                // And if it's still running, we hang onto it
-                if (ptr->stillRunning()) {
-                    active.insert(n);
+                if (ptr)
+                {
+                    if (active.count(n) == 0)
+                    {
+                        ptr->setProperty("active", false);
+                        ELEM_DBG("[Success] Deactivated root: " << nodeIdToHex(n));
+                    }
+                    // And if it's still running, we hang onto it
+                    if (ptr->stillRunning())
+                    {
+                        active.insert(n);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
-
         // Merge
-        currentRoots = active;
+        currentRoots.swap(active);
         return ReturnCode::Ok();
     }
 
+
     //==============================================================================
     template <typename FloatType>
     void Runtime<FloatType>::processQueuedEvents(std::function<void(std::string const&, js::Value)>&& evtCallback)
diff --git a/runtime/elem/builtins/Core.h b/runtime/elem/builtins/Core.h
index 89ce2f5..f0845c6 100644
--- a/runtime/elem/builtins/Core.h
+++ b/runtime/elem/builtins/Core.h
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ namespace elem
             return (t >= 0.5 || (std::abs(c - t) >= std::numeric_limits<FloatType>::epsilon()));
         }
 
+        void activate(FloatType initialGain = FloatType(0)) 
+        {
+            setProperty("active", true);
+            currentGain.store(initialGain);
+        }
+
         int setProperty(std::string const& key, js::Value const& val) override
         {
             if (key == "active") {