diff --git a/src/propeller/genome.cljc b/src/propeller/genome.cljc
index 5c12462..8d2bbed 100755
--- a/src/propeller/genome.cljc
+++ b/src/propeller/genome.cljc
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 (defn plushy->push
   "Returns the Push program expressed by the given plushy representation."
   [plushy argmap]
-  (let [opener? #(and (vector? %) (= (first %) 'open))]     ;; [open <n>] marks opens
+  (let [plushy (if (:diploid argmap) (map first (partition 2 plushy)) plushy)
+        opener? #(and (vector? %) (= (first %) 'open))]     ;; [open <n>] marks opens
     (loop [push ()                                          ;; iteratively build the Push program from the plushy
            plushy (mapcat #(if-let [n (get push/opens %)] [% ['open n]] [%]) plushy)]
       (if (empty? plushy)                                   ;; maybe we're done?