diff --git a/libensemble/comms/comms.py b/libensemble/comms/comms.py
index 51042c463..d8d892319 100644
--- a/libensemble/comms/comms.py
+++ b/libensemble/comms/comms.py
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ def _qcomm_main(comm, main, *args, **kwargs):
         if not kwargs.get("user_function"):
             _result = main(comm, *args, **kwargs)
         else:
+            # SH - could we insert comm into libE_info["comm"] here if it exists
             _result = main(*args)
         comm.send(CommResult(_result))
     except Exception as e:
@@ -264,8 +265,8 @@ def __init__(self, main, nworkers, *args, **kwargs):
         self.inbox = Queue()
         self.outbox = Queue()
         super().__init__(self, main, *args, **kwargs)
-        comm = QComm(self.inbox, self.outbox, nworkers)
-        self.handle = Process(target=_qcomm_main, args=(comm, main) + args, kwargs=kwargs)
+        self.comm = QComm(self.inbox, self.outbox, nworkers)
+        self.handle = Process(target=_qcomm_main, args=(self.comm, main) + args, kwargs=kwargs)
 
     def terminate(self, timeout=None):
         """Terminate the process."""
diff --git a/libensemble/generators.py b/libensemble/generators.py
index eb9dfe462..cae1f109e 100644
--- a/libensemble/generators.py
+++ b/libensemble/generators.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # import queue as thread_queue
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from multiprocessing import Manager
 
 # from multiprocessing import Queue as process_queue
 from typing import List, Optional
@@ -8,7 +7,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 from numpy import typing as npt
 
-from libensemble.comms.comms import QComm, QCommProcess  # , QCommThread
+from libensemble.comms.comms import QCommProcess  # , QCommThread
 from libensemble.executors import Executor
 from libensemble.message_numbers import EVAL_GEN_TAG, PERSIS_STOP
 from libensemble.tools.tools import add_unique_random_streams
@@ -150,14 +149,13 @@ def setup(self) -> None:
         """Must be called once before calling ask/tell. Initializes the background thread."""
         # self.inbox = thread_queue.Queue()  # sending betweween HERE and gen
         # self.outbox = thread_queue.Queue()
-        self.m = Manager()
-        self.inbox = self.m.Queue()
-        self.outbox = self.m.Queue()
 
-        comm = QComm(self.inbox, self.outbox)
-        self.libE_info["comm"] = comm  # replacing comm so gen sends HERE instead of manager
+        # SH this contains the thread lock -  removing.... wrong comm to pass on anyway.
+        if hasattr(Executor.executor, "comm"):
+            del Executor.executor.comm
         self.libE_info["executor"] = Executor.executor
 
+        # SH - fix comment (thread and process & name object appropriately - task? qcomm?)
         # self.thread = QCommThread(  # TRY A PROCESS
         #     self.gen_f,
         #     None,
@@ -176,7 +174,10 @@ def setup(self) -> None:
             self.gen_specs,
             self.libE_info,
             user_function=True,
-        )  # note that self.thread's inbox/outbox are unused by the underlying gen
+        )
+
+        # SH this is a bit hacky - maybe it can be done inside comms (in _qcomm_main)?
+        self.libE_info["comm"] = self.thread.comm
 
     def _set_sim_ended(self, results: npt.NDArray) -> npt.NDArray:
         new_results = np.zeros(len(results), dtype=self.gen_specs["out"] + [("sim_ended", bool), ("f", float)])
@@ -197,19 +198,18 @@ def ask_numpy(self, num_points: int = 0) -> npt.NDArray:
         if self.thread is None:
             self.setup()
             self.thread.run()
-        _, ask_full = self.outbox.get()
+        _, ask_full = self.thread.recv()
         return ask_full["calc_out"]
 
     def tell_numpy(self, results: npt.NDArray, tag: int = EVAL_GEN_TAG) -> None:
         """Send the results of evaluations to the generator, as a NumPy array."""
         if results is not None:
             results = self._set_sim_ended(results)
-            self.inbox.put(
-                (tag, {"libE_info": {"H_rows": np.copy(results["sim_id"]), "persistent": True, "executor": None}})
-            )
-            self.inbox.put((0, np.copy(results)))
+            Work = {"libE_info": {"H_rows": np.copy(results["sim_id"]), "persistent": True, "executor": None}}
+            self.thread.send(tag, Work)
+            self.thread.send(tag, np.copy(results))  # SH for threads check - might need deepcopy due to dtype=object
         else:
-            self.inbox.put((tag, None))
+            self.thread.send(tag, None)
 
     def final_tell(self, results: npt.NDArray = None) -> (npt.NDArray, dict, int):
         """Send any last results to the generator, and it to close down."""
diff --git a/libensemble/utils/runners.py b/libensemble/utils/runners.py
index 08d52a27e..3adab746a 100644
--- a/libensemble/utils/runners.py
+++ b/libensemble/utils/runners.py
@@ -136,11 +136,6 @@ def _start_generator_loop(self, tag, Work, H_in):
     def _persistent_result(self, calc_in, persis_info, libE_info):
         """Setup comms with manager, setup gen, loop gen to completion, return gen's results"""
         self.ps = PersistentSupport(libE_info, EVAL_GEN_TAG)
-        if hasattr(self.gen, "setup"):
-            self.gen.persis_info = persis_info  # passthrough, setup() uses the gen attributes
-            self.gen.libE_info = libE_info
-            if self.gen.thread is None:
-                self.gen.setup()  # maybe we're reusing a live gen from a previous run
         # libE gens will hit the following line, but list_dicts_to_np will passthrough if the output is a numpy array
         H_out = list_dicts_to_np(self._get_initial_ask(libE_info), dtype=self.specs.get("out"))
         tag, Work, H_in = self.ps.send_recv(H_out)  # evaluate the initial sample
@@ -178,7 +173,7 @@ def _get_initial_ask(self, libE_info) -> npt.NDArray:
 
     def _ask_and_send(self):
         """Loop over generator's outbox contents, send to manager"""
-        while self.gen.outbox.qsize():  # recv/send any outstanding messages
+        while self.gen.thread.outbox.qsize():  # recv/send any outstanding messages
             points, updates = self.gen.ask_numpy(), self.gen.ask_updates()
             if updates is not None and len(updates):
                 self.ps.send(points)