diff --git a/.todo b/.todo
index f3b4ce2..7c87e6c 100644
--- a/.todo
+++ b/.todo
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ FART To-Do List
 - Continue for transparency
 - Scan for cameras before scene items
 - Test subtractions of subtractions
+- Add built-in timing around Scene::render()
diff --git a/main/Scene.cc b/main/Scene.cc
index 4aa3a26..3e13f12 100644
--- a/main/Scene.cc
+++ b/main/Scene.cc
@@ -158,6 +158,13 @@ Color Scene::traceRayRecurse(const Ray & ray, int depth, double factor)
         Vector surfacePoint = ray[hit.dist];
         Vector surfaceNormal = hit.shape->getNormalAt(surfacePoint);
 
+        /* check for backfaces */
+        if (ray.getDirection() % surfaceNormal > 0.0)
+        {
+            /* if dot product is positive, this is a back-face */
+            surfaceNormal = -surfaceNormal;
+        }
+
         color = computePhong(material,
                              ray,
                              surfacePoint,
@@ -215,7 +222,6 @@ Scene::ShapeDistance Scene::getRayClosestHit(const Ray & ray)
         {
             refptr<Shape> shape = intersections[i].shape;
             const Vector & isect_point = intersections[i].vector;
-            Vector normal = shape->getNormalAt(isect_point);
             double intersect_dist = (isect_point - ray.getOrigin()).mag();
             if (foundOne == false || intersect_dist < hit.dist)
             {
@@ -313,7 +319,9 @@ double Scene::calculateLightContribution(const Ray & toLight,
         if ( contrib < SCENE_FACTOR_THRESHOLD )
             break;
 
-        dist_so_far += hit.dist + 0.0001;
+        double offset = hit.dist + 0.0001;
+        dist_so_far += offset;
+        currentRay = currentRay.shift(offset);
     }
 
     return contrib;
diff --git a/scenes/trans-boxes.fart b/scenes/trans-boxes.fart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95195f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenes/trans-boxes.fart
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+
+scene
+{
+    options
+    {
+        width 800
+        height 600
+        multisample 3
+    }
+
+    camera
+    {
+        position <3, -4, 4>
+        look_at <0, 0, 0>
+        up <0, 0, 1>
+    }
+
+    light { position <5, -2, 5> }
+
+    plane
+    {
+        position <0, 0, 1>, 0
+        material { color <0.8, 0.8, 0.8> }
+    }
+
+    box
+    {
+        size <1, 1, 1>
+        translate <0, -1.5, 0.6>
+        material { color <0, 0, 1> transparency 0.8 }
+    }
+
+    box
+    {
+        size <1, 1, 1>
+        translate <0, 0, 0.6>
+        material { color <0, 0, 1> transparency 0.4 }
+    }
+
+    box
+    {
+        size <1, 1, 1>
+        translate <0, 1.5, 0.6>
+        material { color <0, 0, 1> transparency 0.1 }
+    }
+}