diff --git a/grow/definition.go b/grow/definition.go
index 93f8d53..0861415 100644
--- a/grow/definition.go
+++ b/grow/definition.go
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ func (def *Definition) Grow(statusChan chan<- Status) (*vm.Program, error) {
 		}
 
 		if score > status.BestScore {
+			err = def.minifyProgram(prog)
+			if err != nil {
+				if statusChan != nil {
+					close(statusChan)
+				}
+
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
 			status.BestScore = score
 			status.BestProgram = prog.Copy()
 
@@ -65,20 +74,6 @@ func (def *Definition) Grow(statusChan chan<- Status) (*vm.Program, error) {
 			}
 
 			if status.BestScore == status.TargetScore {
-				err = def.minifyProgram(prog)
-				if err != nil {
-					if statusChan != nil {
-						close(statusChan)
-					}
-
-					return nil, err
-				}
-				status.BestProgram = prog.Copy()
-
-				if statusChan != nil {
-					statusChan <- status
-				}
-
 				if statusChan != nil {
 					close(statusChan)
 				}
diff --git a/grow/defs/pythag.yaml b/grow/defs/pythag.yaml
index f23f748..2ba164b 100644
--- a/grow/defs/pythag.yaml
+++ b/grow/defs/pythag.yaml
@@ -19,3 +19,12 @@ samples:
 
 - in:  [12,35]
   out: [37]
+
+- in:  [9, 40]
+  out: [41]
+
+- in:  [88, 105]
+  out: [137]
+
+- in:  [161, 240]
+  out: [289]
diff --git a/grow/mutate.go b/grow/mutate.go
index da713e7..5cde07e 100644
--- a/grow/mutate.go
+++ b/grow/mutate.go
@@ -10,11 +10,7 @@ const instrucitonsPerFunctionStdDev = 10
 
 const minifyPeriodMean = 10000
 
-func Mutate(def *Definition, prog *vm.Program) {
-	if rand.Intn(minifyPeriodMean) == 0 {
-		def.minifyProgram(prog) // ignore error
-	}
-
+func Mutate(_ *Definition, prog *vm.Program) {
 	target := int(rand.NormFloat64()*instrucitonsPerFunctionStdDev + instructionsPerFunctionMean)
 
 	if len(prog.Functions[0].Instructions) < target {