diff --git a/pregelix-api/pom.xml b/pregelix-api/pom.xml
index f580752..10efa59 100644
--- a/pregelix-api/pom.xml
+++ b/pregelix-api/pom.xml
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@
 				<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
 				<version>2.0.2</version>
 				<configuration>
-					<source>1.6</source>
-					<target>1.6</target>
+					<source>1.7</source>
+					<target>1.7</target>
+					<fork>true</fork>
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
 			<plugin>
diff --git a/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/Vertex.java b/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/Vertex.java
index a8cd3db..3a98fd9 100644
--- a/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/Vertex.java
+++ b/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/Vertex.java
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@
     private boolean updated = false;
     /** has outgoing messages */
     private boolean hasMessage = false;
+    /** created new vertex */
+    private boolean createdNewLiveVertex = false;
 
     /**
      * use object pool for re-using objects
@@ -258,6 +260,7 @@
         halt = in.readBoolean();
         updated = false;
         hasMessage = false;
+        createdNewLiveVertex = false;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -369,6 +372,13 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Pregelix internal use only
+     */
+    public boolean createdNewLiveVertex() {
+        return this.createdNewLiveVertex;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * sort the edges
      */
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -449,7 +459,8 @@
      * @param vertex
      *            the vertex
      */
-    public final void addVertex(I vertexId, V vertex) {
+    public final void addVertex(I vertexId, Vertex vertex) {
+        createdNewLiveVertex |= !vertex.isHalted();
         delegate.addVertex(vertexId, vertex);
     }
 
diff --git a/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/VertexDelegate.java b/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/VertexDelegate.java
index d949bc5..4b153c1 100644
--- a/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/VertexDelegate.java
+++ b/pregelix-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/api/graph/VertexDelegate.java
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
         this.vertexId = vertexId;
     }
 
-    public final void addVertex(I vertexId, V vertex) {
+    public final void addVertex(I vertexId, Vertex vertex) {
         try {
             insertTb.reset();
             DataOutput outputInsert = insertTb.getDataOutput();
@@ -114,6 +114,19 @@
             vertex.write(outputInsert);
             insertTb.addFieldEndOffset();
             FrameTupleUtils.flushTuple(appenderInsert, insertTb, insertWriter);
+
+            /**
+             * push alive when necessary
+             */
+            if (pushAlive && !vertex.isHalted()) {
+                alive.reset();
+                DataOutput outputAlive = alive.getDataOutput();
+                vertexId.write(outputAlive);
+                alive.addFieldEndOffset();
+                dummyMessageList.write(outputAlive);
+                alive.addFieldEndOffset();
+                FrameTupleUtils.flushTuple(appenderAlive, alive, aliveWriter);
+            }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new IllegalStateException(e);
         }