diff --git a/src/tests/testEngine.py b/src/tests/testEngine.py
--- a/src/tests/testEngine.py
+++ b/src/tests/testEngine.py
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 		])
 		g=SpecGo(3)
 		eng=Engine(g)
-		eng.load(s1,s2-s1)
-		self.assertEqual(eng.dfs(s2,1),[(1,1,1)])
+		eng.load(s1)
+		eng._moveList=eng._g.listRelevantMoves(s2-s1)
+		self.assertEqual(eng._dfs(s2,1),[(1,1,1)])
 
 	def testCapture(self):
 		s1=BoardState([
@@ -49,8 +50,9 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 		g=SpecGo(3)
 		g.toMove=W
 		eng=Engine(g)
-		eng.load(s1,s2-s1)
-		self.assertEqual(eng.dfs(s2,1),[(W,1,2)])
+		eng.load(s1)
+		eng._moveList=eng._g.listRelevantMoves(s2-s1)
+		self.assertEqual(eng._dfs(s2,1),[(W,1,2)])
 
 	def testMulti(self):
 		s1=BoardState([
@@ -65,8 +67,9 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 		])
 		g=SpecGo(3)
 		eng=Engine(g)
-		eng.load(s1,s2-s1)
-		self.assertEqual(eng.dfs(s2,2),[(W,1,2),(B,1,1)])
+		eng.load(s1)
+		eng._moveList=eng._g.listRelevantMoves(s2-s1)
+		self.assertEqual(eng._dfs(s2,2),[(W,1,2),(B,1,1)])
 
 	def testSnapback(self):
 		s1=BoardState([
@@ -81,8 +84,9 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 		])
 		g=SpecGo(3)
 		eng=Engine(g)
-		eng.load(s1,s2-s1)
-		self.assertEqual(eng.dfs(s2,2),[(W,2,1),(B,1,1)])
+		eng.load(s1)
+		eng._moveList=eng._g.listRelevantMoves(s2-s1)
+		self.assertEqual(eng._dfs(s2,2),[(W,2,1),(B,1,1)])
 
 		s1=BoardState([
 			[_,_,_],
@@ -94,8 +98,9 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 			[W,B,B],
 			[_,W,_]
 		])
-		eng.load(s1,s2-s1)
-		self.assertEqual(eng.dfs(s2,2),[(W,2,1),(B,2,0)])
+		eng.load(s1)
+		eng._moveList=eng._g.listRelevantMoves(s2-s1)
+		self.assertEqual(eng._dfs(s2,2),[(W,2,1),(B,2,0)])
 
 	def testReal(self):
 		files=["O-Takao-20110106.sgf","Sakai-Iyama-20110110.sgf"]
@@ -109,11 +114,11 @@ class TestTransitions(TestCase):
 				toMove=B
 				for (i,(s1,s2)) in enumerate(zip(states,states[k:])):
 					diff=s2-s1
-					eng.load(s1,diff)
+					eng.load(s1)
 					colorIn=W if i&1 else B
-					colorOut=colorIn if k&1 else 1-colorIn
-					seq=eng.iterativelyDeepen(s2,colorIn,colorOut)
-					msg="\n"+s1.exportDiff(s2)
+					colorOut=colorIn if k&1 else -colorIn
+					seq=eng.iterativelyDeepen(s2,diff,colorIn,colorOut)
+					msg="\n>>> {0} ({1}, {2})\n>>> {3}\n".format(f,k,i,str(seq))+s1.exportDiff(s2)
 					self.assertIsNotNone(seq,msg)
 					self.assertLessEqual(len(seq),k,msg)
 					if len(seq)!=k: _log.warning("shorter than expected transition sequence:" + msg + "\n" + str(seq))