diff --git a/src/Hash2Pub/DHTProtocol.hs b/src/Hash2Pub/DHTProtocol.hs
index 9f9d86d..7ed5ec7 100644
--- a/src/Hash2Pub/DHTProtocol.hs
+++ b/src/Hash2Pub/DHTProtocol.hs
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ handleIncomingRequest nsSTM sendQ msgSet sourceAddr = do
                      -> (LocalNodeStateSTM s -> Set.Set FediChordMessage -> IO (Map.Map Integer BS.ByteString))     -- reponder function to be invoked for valid requests
                      -> IO (Maybe (Map.Map Integer BS.ByteString))
       dropSpoofedIDs addr nsSTM' msgSet' responder =
-          let 
+          let
             aRequestPart = Set.elemAt 0 msgSet
             senderNs = sender aRequestPart
             givenSenderID = getNid senderNs
diff --git a/src/Hash2Pub/FediChord.hs b/src/Hash2Pub/FediChord.hs
index 7911f3c..dbca8a5 100644
--- a/src/Hash2Pub/FediChord.hs
+++ b/src/Hash2Pub/FediChord.hs
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds            #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE DerivingStrategies   #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts     #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances    #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings    #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE TypeSynonymInstances #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds          #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE DerivingStrategies #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts   #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances  #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings  #-}
 {- |
 Module      : FediChord
 Description : An opinionated implementation of the EpiChord DHT by Leong et al.
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ module Hash2Pub.FediChord (
   , bsAsIpAddr
   , FediChordConf(..)
   , fediChordInit
-  , fediChordJoin
+  , fediChordVserverJoin
   , fediChordBootstrapJoin
   , tryBootstrapJoining
   , fediMainThreads
@@ -250,10 +249,10 @@ bootstrapQueryId nsSTM (bootstrapHost, bootstrapPort) targetID = do
 
 -- | join a node to the DHT using the global node cache
 -- node's position.
-fediChordJoin :: LocalNodeStateSTM s                    -- ^ the local 'NodeState'
+fediChordVserverJoin :: LocalNodeStateSTM s                    -- ^ the local 'NodeState'
               -> IO (Either String (LocalNodeStateSTM s))  -- ^ the joined 'NodeState' after a
                                                     -- successful join, otherwise an error message
-fediChordJoin nsSTM = do
+fediChordVserverJoin nsSTM = do
     ns <- readTVarIO nsSTM
     -- 1. get routed to the currently responsible node
     currentlyResponsible <- requestQueryID ns $ getNid ns
@@ -284,14 +283,13 @@ joinOnNewEntriesThread nsSTM = loop
               pure ()
           -- otherwise try joining
           FORWARD _ -> do
-              joinResult <- fediChordJoin nsSTM
+              joinResult <- fediChordVserverJoin nsSTM
               either
                 -- on join failure, sleep and retry
                 -- TODO: make delay configurable
                 (const $ threadDelay (30 * 10^6) >> loop)
                 (const $ pure ())
                 joinResult
-    emptyset = Set.empty    -- because pattern matches don't accept qualified names
 
 
 -- | cache updater thread that waits for incoming NodeCache update instructions on
@@ -485,7 +483,7 @@ stabiliseThread nsSTM = forever $ do
     threadDelay (60 * 10^6)
   where
     -- | send a stabilise request to the n-th neighbour
-    -- (specified by the provided getter function) and on failure retr
+    -- (specified by the provided getter function) and on failure retry
     -- with the n+1-th neighbour.
     -- On success, return 2 lists: The failed nodes and the potential neighbours
     -- returned by the queried node.