diff --git a/parsers/survex.py b/parsers/survex.py
index 57ae52c..1782994 100644
--- a/parsers/survex.py
+++ b/parsers/survex.py
@@ -234,34 +234,36 @@ class LoadingSurvex():
             # we will have to attach them to the survexblock anyway, and then do a 
             # later check on whether they are valid when we get the date.
             
-            personrole, created = SurvexPersonRole.objects.update_or_create(survexblock=survexblock, personexpedition=personexpedition, personname=tm)
              
             expo = survexblock.expedition # may be None if no *date yet
             # this syntax was bizarre.. made more obvious
             if expo:
-                if survexblock.expeditionday: # *date has been set
-                    personrole.expeditionday = survexblock.expeditionday 
-                else:
+                if  not survexblock.expeditionday: # *date has been set
                     # should not happen
-                    message = "! *team {} expo ok, expedition day not in  *team {} ({}) created? '{}'".format(expo.year, survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock, created )
+                    message = "! *team {} expo ok, expedition day not in  *team {} ({}) ".format(expo.year, survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock )
                     print(self.insp+message)
                     DataIssue.objects.create(parser='survex', message=message, url=get_offending_filename(survexblock.survexfile.path))
-
-
+                    
                 personexpedition =  GetPersonExpeditionNameLookup(expo).get(tm.lower())
-                personrole.person=personexpedition.person
-                self.currentpersonexped.append(personexpedition)
-                
-                if not personexpedition: 
+                if personexpedition: 
+                    personrole, created = SurvexPersonRole.objects.update_or_create(survexblock=survexblock, personexpedition=personexpedition, personname=tm)
+                    personrole.person=personexpedition.person
+                    personrole.expeditionday = survexblock.expeditionday 
+                    self.currentpersonexped.append(personexpedition) # used in push/pop block code
+                    personrole.save()
+                else:
                     # we know the date and expo, but can't find the person
-                    message = "! *team {} '{}' FAIL personexpedition lookup on *team {} ({})  in '{}' {} ".format(expo.year, tm, survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock, created, line)
+                    message = "! *team {} '{}' FAIL personexpedition lookup on *team {} ({})  in '{}'".format(expo.year, tm, survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock, line)
                     print(self.insp+message)
                     DataIssue.objects.create(parser='survex', message=message, url=get_offending_filename(survexblock.survexfile.path))
             else:
                 personexpedition = None
-                # don't know the date yet, assume the person is valid. It wull get picked up with the *date appears
+                personrole, created = SurvexPersonRole.objects.update_or_create(survexblock=survexblock, personexpedition=personexpedition, personname=tm)
+                # don't know the date yet, so cannot query the table about validity. 
+                # assume the person is valid. It will get picked up with the *date appears
+                personrole.save()
 
-            personrole.save()       
+                   
     
         mteammember = self.rx_teammem.match(line) # matches the role  at the beginning 
         if not mteammember:
@@ -352,34 +354,34 @@ class LoadingSurvex():
         # we should make this a date RANGE for everything?
             
         def setdate_on_survexblock(year):
+            # We are assuming that deferred *team people are in the same block. Otherwise, ouch.
             expo = self.get_expo_from_year(year)
             survexblock.expedition = expo
             survexblock.expeditionday = expo.get_expedition_day(survexblock.date)
             survexblock.save()
             
             team = SurvexPersonRole.objects.filter(survexblock=survexblock)
-            for p in team:
-                if not p.expeditionday: # *date and *team in 'wrong' order. All working now.
+            for pr in team:
+                if not pr.expeditionday: # *date and *team in 'wrong' order. All working now.
                     
-                    p.expeditionday = survexblock.expeditionday 
-                    p.save()
+                    pr.expeditionday = survexblock.expeditionday 
+                    pr.save()
                     
-                    if not p.personexpedition: # again, we didn't know the date until now
-                        pe = GetPersonExpeditionNameLookup(expo).get(p.personname.lower())
+                    if not pr.personexpedition: # again, we didn't know the date until now
+                        pe = GetPersonExpeditionNameLookup(expo).get(pr.personname.lower())
                         if pe:
                             # message = "!  {} ({}) Fixing undated personexpedition '{}'".format(survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock, p.personname)
                             # print(self.insp+message)
                             # DataIssue.objects.create(parser='survex', message=message)
-                            p.personexpedition = pe
-                            p.person = p.personexpedition.person
-                            p.save()
+                            pr.personexpedition = pe
+                            pr.person = p.personexpedition.person
+                            pr.save()
+                            self.currentpersonexped.append(pe) # used in push/pop block code
                         else:
                             message = "! *team {} '{}' FAIL personexpedition lookup on *date {} ({})  '{}'".format(year, p, survexblock.survexfile.path, survexblock, p.personname)
                             print(self.insp+message)
                             DataIssue.objects.create(parser='survex', message=message, url=get_offending_filename(survexblock.survexfile.path))
                        
-
-
         oline = line
         if len(line) > 10: 
             # message = "! DATE Warning LONG DATE '{}' ({}) {}".format(oline, survexblock, survexblock.survexfile.path)