diff --git a/hosts/by-name/servo/services/cryptocurrencies/clightning-sane/clightning-sane b/hosts/by-name/servo/services/cryptocurrencies/clightning-sane/clightning-sane
index 085de4b64..9ba3f5aad 100755
--- a/hosts/by-name/servo/services/cryptocurrencies/clightning-sane/clightning-sane
+++ b/hosts/by-name/servo/services/cryptocurrencies/clightning-sane/clightning-sane
@@ -37,43 +37,51 @@ class TxBounds:
     min_msat: int
     max_msat: int
 
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        return f"TxBounds({self.min_msat} <= msat <= {self.max_msat})"
+
     def is_satisfiable(self) -> bool:
         return self.min_msat <= self.max_msat
 
-    def restrict_to_htlc(self, ch: "LocalChannel") -> "Self":
+    def restrict_to_htlc(self, ch: "LocalChannel", why: str = "") -> "Self":
         """
         apply min/max HTLC size restrictions of the given channel.
         """
+        if ch:
+            why = why or ch.scid
+        if why: why = f"{why}: "
+
         new_min, new_max = self.min_msat, self.max_msat
-        if ch.htlc_minimum_msat > self.min_msat:
-            new_min = ch.htlc_minimum_msat
-            logger.debug(f"raising min_msat due to HTLC requirements: {self.min_msat} -> {new_min}")
-        if ch.htlc_maximum_msat < self.max_msat:
-            new_max = ch.htlc_maximum_msat
-            logger.debug(f"lowering max_msat due to HTLC requirements: {self.max_msat} -> {new_max}")
+        if ch.htlc_minimum > self.min_msat:
+            new_min = ch.htlc_minimum
+            logger.debug(f"{why}raising min_msat due to HTLC requirements: {self.min_msat} -> {new_min}")
+        if ch.htlc_maximum < self.max_msat:
+            new_max = ch.htlc_maximum
+            logger.debug(f"{why}lowering max_msat due to HTLC requirements: {self.max_msat} -> {new_max}")
         return TxBounds(min_msat=new_min, max_msat=new_max)
 
-    def restrict_to_zero_fees(self, ch: "LocalChannel"=None, base: int=0, ppm: int=0) -> "Self":
+    def restrict_to_zero_fees(self, ch: "LocalChannel"=None, base: int=0, ppm: int=0, why:str = "") -> "Self":
         """
         restrict tx size such that PPM fees are zero.
         if the channel has a base fee, then `max_msat` is forced to 0.
         """
         if ch:
-            self = self.restrict_to_zero_fees(base=ch.to_me["base_fee_millisatoshi"], ppm=ch.to_me["fee_per_millionth"])
+            why = why or ch.directed_scid_to_me
+            self = self.restrict_to_zero_fees(base=ch.to_me["base_fee_millisatoshi"], ppm=ch.to_me["fee_per_millionth"], why=why)
+
+        if why: why = f"{why}: "
 
         new_max = self.max_msat
-        if ppm != 0:
-            new_max = math.ceil(1000000 / ppm) - 1
-            if new_max < self.max_msat:
-                logger.debug(f"decreasing max_msat due to fee ppm: {self.max_msat} -> {new_max}")
+        ppm_max = math.ceil(1000000 / ppm) - 1 if ppm != 0 else new_max
+        if ppm_max < new_max:
+            logger.debug(f"{why}decreasing max_msat due to fee ppm: {new_max} -> {ppm_max}")
+            new_max = ppm_max
+
         if base != 0:
-            logger.debug("free route impossible: channel has base fees")
+            logger.debug(f"{why}free route impossible: channel has base fees")
             new_max = 0
 
-        return TxBounds(
-            min_msat = self.min_msat,
-            max_msat = new_max,
-        )
+        return TxBounds(min_msat=self.min_msat, max_msat=new_max)
 
 
 class LocalChannel:
@@ -102,15 +110,17 @@ class LocalChannel:
         self.peer_ch = rpc.peerchannel(self.scid, self.remote_peer)
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
-        return self.to_str(with_scid=True, with_bal_ratio=True, with_cost=True)
+        return self.to_str(with_scid=True, with_bal_ratio=True, with_cost=True, with_ppm=True)
 
-    def to_str(self, with_scid: bool=False, with_bal_msat: bool=False, with_bal_ratio: bool=False, with_cost:bool = False) -> str:
+    def to_str(self, with_scid: bool=False, with_bal_msat: bool=False, with_bal_ratio: bool=False, with_cost:bool = False, with_ppm:bool = False) -> str:
         alias = f"({self.remote_alias})"
         scid = f"  scid:{self.scid:>13}" if with_scid else ""
         bal = f"  S:{int(self.sendable):11}/R:{int(self.receivable):11}" if with_bal_msat else ""
         ratio = f"  MINE:{(100*self.send_ratio):>7.3f}%" if with_bal_ratio else ""
         cost = f"  COST:{self.opportunity_cost_lent:>11}" if with_cost else ""
-        return f"channel{alias:30}{scid}{bal}{ratio}{cost}"
+        ppm_to_me = self.to_me["fee_per_millionth"] if self.to_me else "N/A"
+        ppm = f"  THEIR_PPM:{ppm_to_me:>6}" if with_ppm else ""
+        return f"channel{alias:30}{scid}{bal}{ratio}{cost}{ppm}"
 
 
     @property
@@ -136,12 +146,28 @@ class LocalChannel:
             return self.to_me["short_channel_id"]
 
     @property
-    def htlc_minimum_msat(self) -> Millisatoshi:
-        return max(self.from_me["htlc_minimum_msat"], self.to_me["htlc_minimum_msat"])
+    def htlc_minimum_to_me(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return self.to_me["htlc_minimum_msat"]
 
     @property
-    def htlc_maximum_msat(self) -> Millisatoshi:
-        return min(self.from_me["htlc_maximum_msat"], self.to_me["htlc_maximum_msat"])
+    def htlc_minimum_from_me(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return self.from_me["htlc_minimum_msat"]
+
+    @property
+    def htlc_minimum(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return max(self.htlc_minimum_to_me, self.htlc_minimum_from_me)
+
+    @property
+    def htlc_maximum_to_me(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return self.to_me["htlc_maximum_msat"]
+
+    @property
+    def htlc_maximum_from_me(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return self.from_me["htlc_maximum_msat"]
+
+    @property
+    def htlc_maximum(self) -> Millisatoshi:
+        return min(self.htlc_maximum_to_me, self.htlc_maximum_from_me)
 
     @property
     def direction_to_me(self) -> int:
@@ -242,12 +268,13 @@ class Balancer:
             logger.info(f"rebalance {out_scid} -> {in_scid} failed in our own channel")
             return RebalanceResult.FAIL_PERMANENT
 
-        bounds = bounds.restrict_to_htlc(out_ch)
+        # bounds = bounds.restrict_to_htlc(out_ch)  # htlc bounds seem to be enforced only in the outward direction
         bounds = bounds.restrict_to_htlc(in_ch)
         bounds = bounds.restrict_to_zero_fees(in_ch)
         if not bounds.is_satisfiable():
             return RebalanceResult.FAIL_PERMANENT  # no valid bounds
 
+        logger.debug(f"route with bounds {bounds}")
         route = self.route(out_ch, in_ch, bounds)
         logger.debug(f"route: {route}")
         if route == RouteError.NO_ROUTE:
@@ -316,18 +343,17 @@ class Balancer:
         if send_msat != Millisatoshi(bounds.max_msat):
             logger.debug(f"found route with non-zero fee: {send_msat} -> {bounds.max_msat}. {route}")
 
+            error = None
             for hop in route:
                 hop_scid = hop["channel"]
                 hop_dir = hop["direction"]
                 ch = self._get_directed_scid(hop_scid, hop_dir)
                 if ch["base_fee_millisatoshi"] != 0:
                     self.nonzero_base_channels.append(f"{hop_scid}/{hop_dir}")
+                    error = RouteError.HAS_BASE_FEE
                 bounds = bounds.restrict_to_zero_fees(ppm=ch["fee_per_millionth"])
 
-            if any(hop["base_fee_millisatoshi"] != 0 for hop in route):
-                return RouteError.HAS_BASE_FEE
-
-            return bounds
+            return bounds if error is None else error
 
         return route