diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/AccumuloGraph.java b/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/AccumuloGraph.java
index e48da4f..1ce4e9d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/AccumuloGraph.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/AccumuloGraph.java
@@ -136,6 +136,23 @@ public class AccumuloGraph implements Graph, KeyIndexableGraph, IndexableGraph {
 
     return vert;
   }
+  
+  /**
+   * 
+   * @return an immutable copy of the configuration running this graph
+   */
+  public Configuration getConfiguration(){
+    return globals.getConfig().getConfiguration();
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Flushes the backing writers so the data is persisted.
+   * @throws MutationsRejectedException
+   */
+  public void flush() throws MutationsRejectedException{
+    globals.getMtbw().flush();
+  }
+  
 
   @Override
   public Vertex getVertex(Object id) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/mapreduce/MapReduceVertex.java b/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/mapreduce/MapReduceVertex.java
index 9a84625..f33cf3c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/mapreduce/MapReduceVertex.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/jhuapl/tinkerpop/mapreduce/MapReduceVertex.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class MapReduceVertex extends MapReduceElement implements Vertex, Seriali
     outEdges = new LinkedList<Edge>();
   }
 
-  void prepareEdge(String id, String src, String label, String dest) {
+  MapReduceEdge prepareEdge(String id, String src, String label, String dest) {
     MapReduceEdge mre = new MapReduceEdge(parent, id, src, label, dest);
     if (src.equals(getId())) {
       outEdges.add(mre);
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public class MapReduceVertex extends MapReduceElement implements Vertex, Seriali
     if (dest.equals(getId())) {
       inEdges.add(mre);
     }
+    return mre;
   }
 
   @Override