diff --git a/include/r3.h b/include/r3.h
index a761503..dc64d61 100644
--- a/include/r3.h
+++ b/include/r3.h
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ bool r3_node_has_slug_edges(node *n);
 
 edge * r3_edge_create(char * pattern, int pattern_len, node * child);
 
-void r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl);
+node * r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl);
 
 void r3_edge_free(edge * edge);
 
diff --git a/src/edge.c b/src/edge.c
index c9b621a..b034d78 100644
--- a/src/edge.c
+++ b/src/edge.c
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ edge * r3_edge_create(char * pattern, int pattern_len, node * child) {
  * branch the edge pattern at "dl" offset,
  * insert a dummy child between the edges.
  *
- *    parent -> [edge1] -> childA
- *    parent -> [edge1] -> childB -> edge2 ->child A
+ *
+ * A -> [prefix..suffix] -> B
+ * A -> [prefix] -> C -> [suffix] -> B
  *
  */
-void r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl) {
-    node *c1; // child 1, child 2
-    edge *e1; // edge 1, edge 2
+node * r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl) {
+    node *new_child;
+    edge *e1;
     char * s1 = e->pattern + dl;
     int s1_len = 0;
 
@@ -52,14 +53,14 @@ void r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl) {
     int   tmp_edge_len = e->child->edge_len;
 
     // the suffix edge of the leaf
-    c1 = r3_tree_create(3);
+    new_child = r3_tree_create(3);
     s1_len = e->pattern_len - dl;
-    e1 = r3_edge_create(strndup(s1, s1_len), s1_len, c1);
+    e1 = r3_edge_create(strndup(s1, s1_len), s1_len, new_child);
     // printf("edge left: %s\n", e1->pattern);
 
     // Migrate the child edges to the new edge we just created.
     for ( int i = 0 ; i < tmp_edge_len ; i++ ) {
-        r3_node_append_edge(c1, tmp_edges[i]);
+        r3_node_append_edge(new_child, tmp_edges[i]);
         e->child->edges[i] = NULL;
     }
     e->child->edge_len = 0;
@@ -68,8 +69,8 @@ void r3_edge_branch(edge *e, int dl) {
     // info("branched pattern: %s\n", e1->pattern);
 
     r3_node_append_edge(e->child, e1);
-    c1->endpoint++;
-    c1->data = e->child->data; // copy data pointer
+    new_child->endpoint++;
+    new_child->data = e->child->data; // copy data pointer
     e->child->data = NULL;
 
     // truncate the original edge pattern 
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index 7a36a1a..77978cf 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ node * r3_tree_insert_pathl(node *tree, char *path, int path_len, route * route,
             r3_node_add_child(n, strndup(path, (int)(p - path)), child);
 
             // and insert the rest part to the child
-            return r3_tree_insert_pathl(tree, p, path_len - (int)(p - path),  route, data);
+            return r3_tree_insert_pathl(child, p, path_len - (int)(p - path),  route, data);
         } else {
             node * child = r3_tree_create(3);
             r3_node_add_child(n, strndup(path, path_len) , child);
@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ node * r3_tree_insert_pathl(node *tree, char *path, int path_len, route * route,
         int s2_len = 0;
 
         r3_edge_branch(e, prefix_len);
+        // return r3_tree_insert_pathl(e->child, s2 , s2_len, route , data);
 
         // here is the new edge from.
         c2 = r3_tree_create(3);
@@ -489,12 +490,13 @@ node * r3_tree_insert_pathl(node *tree, char *path, int path_len, route * route,
         // move n->edges to c1
         c2->endpoint++;
         c2->data = data;
-
         if (route) {
             route->data = data;
             r3_node_append_route(c2, route);
         }
         return c2;
+        /*
+        */
     } else {
         printf("unexpected route.");
         return NULL;
diff --git a/tests/bench_str.csv b/tests/bench_str.csv
index d86820a..98c5182 100644
--- a/tests/bench_str.csv
+++ b/tests/bench_str.csv
@@ -246,3 +246,9 @@
 1400410399,11007341.02
 1400410441,10929677.98
 1400410704,10685427.91
+1400411026,11125022.32
+1400411267,10710017.05
+1400411298,10809190.81
+1400411322,10574819.37
+1400411340,10536563.80
+1400411381,10703727.13