diff --git a/lightningd/channel.c b/lightningd/channel.c
index 709221a5d..ccf6430e6 100644
--- a/lightningd/channel.c
+++ b/lightningd/channel.c
@@ -635,7 +635,8 @@ static void check_lockedin(const struct htlc *h,
 }
 
 /* FIXME: Commit to storage when this happens. */
-static bool change_htlcs(struct channel *channel,
+/* Returns flags which were changed. */
+static int change_htlcs(struct channel *channel,
 			 enum side sidechanged,
 			 const enum htlc_state *htlc_states,
 			 size_t n_hstates,
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ static bool change_htlcs(struct channel *channel,
 {
 	struct htlc_map_iter it;
 	struct htlc *h;
-	bool changed = false;
+	int cflags = 0;
 	size_t i;
 
 	for (h = htlc_map_first(&channel->htlcs, &it);
@@ -660,23 +661,26 @@ static bool change_htlcs(struct channel *channel,
 					       theirslocked,
 					       theirsfulfilled,
 					       cbarg);
-				changed = true;
+				cflags |= (htlc_state_flags(htlc_states[i])
+					   ^ htlc_state_flags(h->state));
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return changed;
+	return cflags;
 }
 
 /* FIXME: Handle fee changes too. */
-bool channel_sent_commit(struct channel *channel)
+bool channel_sending_commit(struct channel *channel)
 {
+	int change;
 	const enum htlc_state states[] = { SENT_ADD_HTLC,
 					   SENT_REMOVE_REVOCATION,
 					   SENT_ADD_REVOCATION,
 					   SENT_REMOVE_HTLC };
-	status_trace("sent commit");
-	return change_htlcs(channel, REMOTE, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
-			    NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	status_trace("Trying commit");
+	change = change_htlcs(channel, REMOTE, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
+			      NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	return change & HTLC_REMOTE_F_COMMITTED;
 }
 
 bool channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack_(struct channel *channel,
@@ -686,14 +690,16 @@ bool channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack_(struct channel *channel,
 						       void *cbarg),
 				  void *cbarg)
 {
+	int change;
 	const enum htlc_state states[] = { SENT_ADD_COMMIT,
 					   SENT_REMOVE_ACK_COMMIT,
 					   SENT_ADD_ACK_COMMIT,
 					   SENT_REMOVE_COMMIT };
 
-	status_trace("received revoke_and_ack");
-	return change_htlcs(channel, LOCAL, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
-			    oursfail, theirslocked, NULL, cbarg);
+	status_trace("Received revoke_and_ack");
+	change = change_htlcs(channel, LOCAL, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
+			      oursfail, theirslocked, NULL, cbarg);
+	return change & HTLC_LOCAL_F_COMMITTED;
 }
 
 /* FIXME: We can actually merge these two... */
@@ -702,25 +708,29 @@ bool channel_rcvd_commit_(struct channel *channel,
 						  void *cbarg),
 			  void *cbarg)
 {
+	int change;
 	const enum htlc_state states[] = { RCVD_ADD_REVOCATION,
 					   RCVD_REMOVE_HTLC,
 					   RCVD_ADD_HTLC,
 					   RCVD_REMOVE_REVOCATION };
 
-	status_trace("received commit");
-	return change_htlcs(channel, LOCAL, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
-			    NULL, NULL, theirsfulfilled, cbarg);
+	status_trace("Received commit");
+	change = change_htlcs(channel, LOCAL, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
+			      NULL, NULL, theirsfulfilled, cbarg);
+	return change & HTLC_LOCAL_F_COMMITTED;
 }
 
-bool channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(struct channel *channel)
+bool channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(struct channel *channel)
 {
+	int change;
 	const enum htlc_state states[] = { RCVD_ADD_ACK_COMMIT,
 					   RCVD_REMOVE_COMMIT,
 					   RCVD_ADD_COMMIT,
 					   RCVD_REMOVE_ACK_COMMIT };
-	status_trace("sent revoke_and_ack");
-	return change_htlcs(channel, REMOTE, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
-			    NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	status_trace("Sending revoke_and_ack");
+	change = change_htlcs(channel, REMOTE, states, ARRAY_SIZE(states),
+			      NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	return change & HTLC_REMOTE_F_PENDING;
 }
 
 static char *fmt_channel_view(const tal_t *ctx, const struct channel_view *view)
diff --git a/lightningd/channel.h b/lightningd/channel.h
index 31bdc7fda..16a49accc 100644
--- a/lightningd/channel.h
+++ b/lightningd/channel.h
@@ -321,12 +321,12 @@ void adjust_fee(struct channel *channel, u64 feerate_per_kw, enum side side);
 bool force_fee(struct channel *channel, u64 fee);
 
 /**
- * channel_sent_commit: commit all remote outstanding changes.
+ * channel_sending_commit: commit all remote outstanding changes.
  * @channel: the channel
  *
  * This is where we commit to pending changes we've added; returns true if
- * anything changed. */
-bool channel_sent_commit(struct channel *channel);
+ * anything changed for the remote side (if not, don't send!) */
+bool channel_sending_commit(struct channel *channel);
 
 /**
  * channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack: accept ack on remote committed changes.
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ bool channel_sent_commit(struct channel *channel);
  * @cbarg: argument to pass through to @ourhtlcfail  & @theirhtlclocked
  *
  * This is where we commit to pending changes we've added; returns true if
- * anything changed.
+ * anything changed for our local commitment (ie. we have pending changes).
  */
 #define channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, oursfail, theirslocked, cbarg) \
 	channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack_((channel),				\
@@ -364,8 +364,9 @@ bool channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack_(struct channel *channel,
  * @cbarg: argument to pass through to @theirsfulfilled
  *
  * This is where we commit to pending changes we've added; returns true if
- * anything changed.  @theirsfulfilled is called for any HTLC we fulfilled
- * which they are irrevocably committed to, and is in our current commitment.
+ * anything changed for our local commitment (ie. we had pending changes).
+ * @theirsfulfilled is called for any HTLC we fulfilled which they are
+ * irrevocably committed to, and is in our current commitment.
  */
 #define channel_rcvd_commit(channel, theirsfulfilled, cbarg)		\
 	channel_rcvd_commit_((channel),					\
@@ -381,11 +382,11 @@ bool channel_rcvd_commit_(struct channel *channel,
 			  void *cbarg);
 
 /**
- * channel_sent_revoke_and_ack: sent ack on local committed changes.
+ * channel_sending_revoke_and_ack: sending ack on local committed changes.
  * @channel: the channel
  *
- * This is where we commit to pending changes we've added; returns true if
- * anything changed. */
-bool channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(struct channel *channel);
+ * This is where we commit to pending changes we've added. Returns true if
+ * anything changed for the remote commitment (ie. send a new commit).*/
+bool channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(struct channel *channel);
 
 #endif /* LIGHTNING_DAEMON_CHANNEL_H */
diff --git a/lightningd/channel/channel.c b/lightningd/channel/channel.c
index 6d0b147a5..e7d927730 100644
--- a/lightningd/channel/channel.c
+++ b/lightningd/channel/channel.c
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ static void send_commit(struct peer *peer)
 	 * A node MUST NOT send a `commitment_signed` message which does not
 	 * include any updates.
 	 */
-	if (!channel_sent_commit(peer->channel)) {
+	if (!channel_sending_commit(peer->channel)) {
 		tal_free(tmpctx);
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/lightningd/test/run-channel.c b/lightningd/test/run-channel.c
index eeb3e4cac..048a30c58 100644
--- a/lightningd/test/run-channel.c
+++ b/lightningd/test/run-channel.c
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ static const struct htlc **include_htlcs(struct channel *channel, enum side side
 	int i;
 	const struct htlc **htlcs = tal_arr(channel, const struct htlc *, 5);
 	u8 *dummy_routing = tal_arr(htlcs, u8, 1254);
+	bool ret;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
 		struct preimage preimage;
@@ -153,12 +154,18 @@ static const struct htlc **include_htlcs(struct channel *channel, enum side side
 	tal_free(dummy_routing);
 
 	/* Now make HTLCs fully committed. */
-	channel_sent_commit(channel);
-	channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
-	channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
-	channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(channel);
-	channel_sent_commit(channel);
-	channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, do_nothing, NULL);
+	ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+	assert(ret);
+	ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	assert(!ret);
+	ret = channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
+	assert(ret);
+	ret = channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+	assert(ret);
+	ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+	assert(ret);
+	ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, do_nothing, NULL);
+	assert(!ret);
 	return htlcs;
 }
 
@@ -230,6 +237,7 @@ static void send_and_fulfill_htlc(struct channel *channel,
 	struct preimage r;
 	struct sha256 rhash;
 	u8 *dummy_routing = tal_arr(channel, u8, 1254);
+	bool ret;
 
 	memset(&r, 0, sizeof(r));
 	sha256(&rhash, &r, sizeof(r));
@@ -239,29 +247,46 @@ static void send_and_fulfill_htlc(struct channel *channel,
 
 	if (sender == LOCAL) {
 		/* Step through a complete cycle. */
-		channel_sent_commit(channel);
-		channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
-		channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
-		channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(!ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		assert(!ret);
 		assert(channel_fulfill_htlc(channel, REMOTE, 1337, &r)
 		       == CHANNEL_ERR_REMOVE_OK);
-		channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
-		channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(channel);
-		channel_sent_commit(channel);
-		channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(!ret);
 		assert(channel_get_htlc(channel, sender, 1337)->state
 		       == RCVD_REMOVE_ACK_REVOCATION);
 	} else {
-		channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
-		channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(channel);
-		channel_sent_commit(channel);
-		channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, do_nothing, NULL);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_commit(channel, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, do_nothing,
+						  NULL);
+		assert(!ret);
 		assert(channel_fulfill_htlc(channel, LOCAL, 1337, &r)
 		       == CHANNEL_ERR_REMOVE_OK);
-		channel_sent_commit(channel);
-		channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
-		channel_rcvd_commit(channel, do_nothing, NULL);
-		channel_sent_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		ret = channel_sending_commit(channel);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_revoke_and_ack(channel, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		assert(!ret);
+		ret = channel_rcvd_commit(channel, do_nothing, NULL);
+		assert(ret);
+		ret = channel_sending_revoke_and_ack(channel);
+		assert(!ret);
 		assert(channel_get_htlc(channel, sender, 1337)->state
 		       == SENT_REMOVE_ACK_REVOCATION);
 	}