diff --git a/lib/parfait/indexed.rb b/lib/parfait/indexed.rb
index 1ecf586d..abd41fa1 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/indexed.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/indexed.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ module Parfait
     # push means add to the end
     # this automatically grows the List
     def push value
-      set( self.get_length + 1 , value)
+      to = self.get_length + 1
+      set( to , value)
+      to
     end
 
     def delete value
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_all.rb b/test/parfait/test_all.rb
index 81e8286f..ab3514fa 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_all.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_all.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require_relative "test_class"
 require_relative "test_dictionary"
 require_relative "test_layout"
 require_relative "test_list"
+require_relative "test_message"
 require_relative "test_meta"
 require_relative "test_method"
 require_relative "test_object"
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_message.rb b/test/parfait/test_message.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56cca1b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parfait/test_message.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+require_relative "../helper"
+
+class TestMessage < MiniTest::Test
+
+  def setup
+    @mess = Register.machine.boot.space.first_message
+  end
+
+  def test_length
+    assert_equal 9 , @mess.get_layout.instance_length , @mess.get_layout.inspect
+    assert_equal 9 , Parfait::Message.get_length_index
+  end
+
+  def test_attribute_set
+    @mess.receiver = 55
+    assert_equal 55 , @mess.receiver
+  end
+
+  def test_indexed
+    assert_equal 9 , @mess.get_layout.variable_index(:indexed_length)
+  end
+  def test_push1
+    @mess.push :name
+    assert_equal 1 , @mess.get_length
+  end
+  def test_push2
+    @mess.push :name
+    assert_equal 1 , @mess.indexed_length
+  end
+  def test_push3
+    @mess.push :name
+    assert_equal 1 , @mess.internal_object_get(9)
+  end
+
+  def test_get
+    index = @mess.push :name
+    assert_equal 1 , index
+    assert_equal :name , @mess.get(1)
+  end
+
+  def test_each
+    three = [:one,:two,:three]
+    three.each {|i| @mess.push(i)}
+    assert_equal 3 , @mess.get_length
+    @mess.each do |u|
+      assert_equal u , three.delete(u)
+    end
+    assert_equal 0 , three.length
+  end
+
+end