diff --git a/xos/model_policies/model_policy_Controller.py b/xos/model_policies/model_policy_Controller.py
index be31311..fa84be7 100644
--- a/xos/model_policies/model_policy_Controller.py
+++ b/xos/model_policies/model_policy_Controller.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 def handle(controller):
-    from core.models import Controller, Site, ControllerSite, Slice, ControllerSlice, User, ControllerUser, ControllerImages, ControllerNetwork
+    from core.models import Controller, Site, ControllerSite, Slice, ControllerSlice, User, ControllerUser, ControllerImages, ControllerNetwork, Image, Network
     from collections import defaultdict
 
     # relations for all sites
diff --git a/xos/openstack_observer/ansible.py b/xos/openstack_observer/ansible.py
index ec9f160..4466cb3 100644
--- a/xos/openstack_observer/ansible.py
+++ b/xos/openstack_observer/ansible.py
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
 import string
 import random
 import re
-
-# XXX hardcoded path
-#    is there any reason why we aren't importing xos.config ?
-XOS_DIR="/opt/xos"
+from xos.config import Config, XOS_DIR
 
 try:
     step_dir = Config().observer_steps_dir
@@ -68,7 +65,7 @@
     f.flush()
 
     
-    if (Config().observer_steps):
+    if (not Config().observer_pretend):
         run = os.popen(XOS_DIR + '/observer/run_ansible %s'%shellquote(fqp))
         msg = run.read()
         status = run.close()
diff --git a/xos/xos_config b/xos/xos_config
index 26211d0..eaae50e 100644
--- a/xos/xos_config
+++ b/xos/xos_config
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 ca_ssl_cert=/etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
 
 [observer]
-pretend=True
+pretend=False
 backoff_disabled=False
 images_directory=/opt/xos/images
 dependency_graph=/opt/xos/model-deps