diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vat-loader/manager-subprocess-xsnap.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vat-loader/manager-subprocess-xsnap.js
index f08d25ac3318..5855db32d01a 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vat-loader/manager-subprocess-xsnap.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vat-loader/manager-subprocess-xsnap.js
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ export function makeXsSubprocessFactory({
       // @ts-ignore I don't know how to appease tsc
       const deliverResult = harden([
         result.reply[0], // 'ok' or 'error'
-        result.reply[1] || null, // problem or null
+        result.reply[1] || null, // results or problem or null
         result.meterUsage || null, // meter usage statistics or null
       ]);
       insistVatDeliveryResult(deliverResult);
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/lib/message.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/lib/message.js
index 2b74506bc552..75de6c502a3b 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/lib/message.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/lib/message.js
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ export function insistVatDeliveryResult(vdr) {
   const [type, problem, _usage] = vdr;
   switch (type) {
     case 'ok': {
-      assert.equal(problem, null);
       break;
     }
     case 'error': {
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/supervisors/supervisor-helper.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/supervisors/supervisor-helper.js
index 32274d001efc..4057bfed3c8e 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/supervisors/supervisor-helper.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/supervisors/supervisor-helper.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function makeSupervisorDispatch(dispatch) {
     return Promise.resolve(delivery)
       .then(dispatch)
       .then(
-        () => harden(['ok', null, null]),
+        res => harden(['ok', res, null]),
         err => {
           // TODO react more thoughtfully, maybe terminate the vat
           console.warn(`error during vat dispatch() of ${delivery}`, err);
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/collectionManager.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/collectionManager.js
index 493ed519fb1a..8950b0cc5275 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/collectionManager.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/collectionManager.js
@@ -942,7 +942,11 @@ export function makeCollectionManager(
     return collectionToWeakSetStore(reanimateCollection(vobjID));
   }
 
-  const testHooks = { obtainStoreKindID, storeSizeInternal, makeCollection };
+  const testHooks = {
+    obtainStoreKindID,
+    storeSizeInternal,
+    makeCollection,
+  };
 
   /**
    * @param {Pattern} baseKeyShape
@@ -1010,6 +1014,10 @@ export function makeCollectionManager(
   const makeScalarBigWeakSetStore = (label = 'weakSet', options = {}) =>
     makeBigWeakSetStore(label, narrowKeyShapeOption(M.scalar(), options));
 
+  function getRetentionStats() {
+    return {};
+  }
+
   return harden({
     initializeStoreKindInfo,
     deleteAllVirtualCollections,
@@ -1018,6 +1026,7 @@ export function makeCollectionManager(
     makeScalarBigSetStore,
     makeScalarBigWeakSetStore,
     provideBaggage,
+    getRetentionStats,
     testHooks,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/liveslots.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/liveslots.js
index fbc21f637f47..ce910f287013 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/liveslots.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/liveslots.js
@@ -1342,12 +1342,39 @@ function build(
     WeakSet: vom.VirtualObjectAwareWeakSet,
   });
 
+  function getRetentionStats() {
+    return {
+      ...collectionManager.getRetentionStats(),
+      ...vrm.getRetentionStats(),
+      ...vom.getRetentionStats(),
+      exportedRemotables: exportedRemotables.size,
+      importedDevices: importedDevices.size,
+      kernelRecognizableRemotables: kernelRecognizableRemotables.size,
+      exportedVPIDs: exportedVPIDs.size,
+      importedVPIDs: importedVPIDs.size,
+      possiblyDeadSet: possiblyDeadSet.size,
+      possiblyRetiredSet: possiblyRetiredSet.size,
+      slotToVal: slotToVal.size,
+    };
+  }
+
   const testHooks = harden({
     ...vom.testHooks,
     ...vrm.testHooks,
     ...collectionManager.testHooks,
     setSyscallCapdataLimits,
     vatGlobals,
+
+    getRetentionStats,
+    exportedRemotables,
+    importedDevices,
+    kernelRecognizableRemotables,
+    exportedVPIDs,
+    importedVPIDs,
+    possiblyDeadSet,
+    possiblyRetiredSet,
+    slotToVal,
+    valToSlot,
   });
 
   function setVatOption(option, _value) {
@@ -1500,6 +1527,8 @@ function build(
     await scanForDeadObjects();
     // now flush all the vatstore changes (deletions) we made
     vom.flushStateCache();
+    // XXX TODO: make this conditional on a config setting
+    return getRetentionStats();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -1594,7 +1623,6 @@ function build(
   return harden({
     dispatch,
     m,
-    possiblyDeadSet,
     testHooks,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/types.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/types.js
index 06ca26db2e3f..e74e380c8f2f 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/types.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/types.js
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
  *          } VatDeliveryObject
  *
  * @typedef { { compute: number } } MeterConsumption
- * @typedef { [tag: 'ok', message: null, usage: MeterConsumption | null] |
+ * @typedef { [tag: 'ok', results: any, usage: MeterConsumption | null] |
  *            [tag: 'error', message: string, usage: MeterConsumption | null] } VatDeliveryResult
  *
  *
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
index a267b942b254..29b5360140e9 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
@@ -1082,6 +1082,9 @@ export function makeVirtualObjectManager(
 
   const testHooks = {
     countWeakKeysForCollection,
+
+    definedDurableKinds,
+    nextInstanceIDs,
   };
 
   const flushStateCache = () => {
@@ -1090,6 +1093,13 @@ export function makeVirtualObjectManager(
     }
   };
 
+  function getRetentionStats() {
+    return {
+      definedDurableKinds: definedDurableKinds.size,
+      nextInstanceIDs: nextInstanceIDs.size,
+    };
+  }
+
   return harden({
     initializeKindHandleKind,
     defineKind,
@@ -1101,6 +1111,7 @@ export function makeVirtualObjectManager(
     VirtualObjectAwareWeakMap,
     VirtualObjectAwareWeakSet,
     flushStateCache,
+    getRetentionStats,
     testHooks,
     canBeDurable,
   });
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
index 33b921cbb305..a1fdb030e74a 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
@@ -654,8 +654,20 @@ export function makeVirtualReferenceManager(
   const testHooks = {
     getReachableRefCount,
     countCollectionsForWeakKey,
+
+    remotableRefCounts,
+    vrefRecognizers,
+    kindInfoTable,
   };
 
+  function getRetentionStats() {
+    return {
+      remotableRefCounts: remotableRefCounts.size,
+      vrefRecognizers: vrefRecognizers.size,
+      kindInfoTable: kindInfoTable.size,
+    };
+  }
+
   return harden({
     droppedCollectionRegistry,
     isDurable,
@@ -679,6 +691,7 @@ export function makeVirtualReferenceManager(
     possibleVirtualObjectDeath,
     ceaseRecognition,
     setDeleteCollectionEntry,
+    getRetentionStats,
     testHooks,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots-mock-gc.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots-mock-gc.js
index 9df0d4fc9a01..84d8546dbe3a 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots-mock-gc.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots-mock-gc.js
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ import { Far } from '@endo/marshal';
 import { makeLiveSlots } from '../src/liveslots.js';
 import { kslot, kser } from './kmarshal.js';
 import { buildSyscall } from './liveslots-helpers.js';
-import { makeMessage, makeStartVat, makeBringOutYourDead } from './util.js';
+import {
+  makeMessage,
+  makeStartVat,
+  makeBringOutYourDead,
+  makeResolve,
+} from './util.js';
 import { makeMockGC } from './mock-gc.js';
 
 test('dropImports', async t => {
@@ -31,7 +36,8 @@ test('dropImports', async t => {
   const ls = makeLiveSlots(syscall, 'vatA', {}, {}, gcTools, undefined, () => ({
     buildRootObject: build,
   }));
-  const { dispatch, possiblyDeadSet } = ls;
+  const { dispatch, testHooks } = ls;
+  const { possiblyDeadSet } = testHooks;
   await dispatch(makeStartVat(kser()));
   const allFRs = gcTools.getAllFRs();
   t.is(allFRs.length, 2);
@@ -45,6 +51,7 @@ test('dropImports', async t => {
   // "COLLECTED" state
   t.deepEqual(possiblyDeadSet, new Set());
   t.is(FR.countCallbacks(), 1);
+
   FR.runOneCallback(); // moves to FINALIZED
   t.deepEqual(possiblyDeadSet, new Set(['o-1']));
   possiblyDeadSet.delete('o-1'); // pretend liveslots did syscall.dropImport
@@ -54,6 +61,7 @@ test('dropImports', async t => {
   t.deepEqual(possiblyDeadSet, new Set());
   t.is(FR.countCallbacks(), 0);
   await dispatch(makeMessage(rootA, 'free', []));
+
   t.deepEqual(possiblyDeadSet, new Set());
   t.is(FR.countCallbacks(), 1);
   FR.runOneCallback(); // moves to FINALIZED
@@ -147,3 +155,65 @@ test('dropImports', async t => {
   t.deepEqual(possiblyDeadSet, new Set());
   t.is(FR.countCallbacks(), 0);
 });
+
+test('retention counters', async t => {
+  const { syscall } = buildSyscall();
+  let held;
+  const gcTools = makeMockGC();
+
+  function buildRootObject(_vatPowers) {
+    const root = Far('root', {
+      hold(imp) {
+        held = imp;
+      },
+      exportRemotable() {
+        return Far('exported', {});
+      },
+    });
+    return root;
+  }
+
+  const makeNS = () => ({ buildRootObject });
+  const ls = makeLiveSlots(syscall, 'vatA', {}, {}, gcTools, undefined, makeNS);
+  const { dispatch, testHooks } = ls;
+  const { getRetentionStats } = testHooks;
+
+  const rootA = 'o+0';
+  const presenceVref = 'o-1';
+  const promiseVref = 'p-1';
+  const resultVref = 'p-2';
+
+  await dispatch(makeStartVat(kser()));
+  const count1 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.deepEqual(count1, getRetentionStats());
+  t.is(count1.importedVPIDs, 0);
+  t.is(count1.exportedRemotables, 1);
+  t.is(count1.kernelRecognizableRemotables, 1);
+
+  await dispatch(makeMessage(rootA, 'hold', [kslot(presenceVref)]));
+  t.truthy(held);
+
+  const count2 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.is(count2.slotToVal, count1.slotToVal + 1);
+
+  gcTools.kill(held);
+  gcTools.flushAllFRs();
+  const count3 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.is(count3.slotToVal, count2.slotToVal - 1);
+
+  await dispatch(makeMessage(rootA, 'hold', [kslot(promiseVref)]));
+  const count4 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.is(count4.slotToVal, count3.slotToVal + 1);
+  t.is(count4.importedVPIDs, 1);
+
+  await dispatch(makeResolve(promiseVref, kser(undefined)));
+  const count5 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.is(count5.slotToVal, count4.slotToVal - 1);
+  t.is(count5.importedVPIDs, 0);
+
+  await dispatch(makeMessage(rootA, 'exportRemotable', [], resultVref));
+  const count6 = await dispatch(makeBringOutYourDead());
+  t.is(count6.exportedRemotables, 2);
+  t.is(count6.kernelRecognizableRemotables, 2);
+  t.is(count6.slotToVal, count5.slotToVal + 1);
+});
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots.js
index 40313fee8b29..6e9fc2710c51 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/test-liveslots.js
@@ -428,6 +428,7 @@ test('liveslots vs symbols', async t => {
     });
   }
   const { dispatch } = await makeDispatch(syscall, build);
+
   log.length = 0; // assume pre-build vatstore operations are correct
   const rootA = 'o+0';
   const target = 'o-1';
diff --git a/packages/swingset-runner/demo/virtualObjectGC/swingset.json b/packages/swingset-runner/demo/virtualObjectGC/swingset.json
index 613882ef641d..22a3feae5aee 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-runner/demo/virtualObjectGC/swingset.json
+++ b/packages/swingset-runner/demo/virtualObjectGC/swingset.json
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@
       "sourceSpec": "bootstrap.js"
     },
     "bob": {
-      "sourceSpec": "vat-bob.js",
-      "creationOptions": {
-        "virtualObjectCacheSize": 0
-      }
+      "sourceSpec": "vat-bob.js"
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/swingset-xsnap-supervisor/lib/supervisor-helper.js b/packages/swingset-xsnap-supervisor/lib/supervisor-helper.js
index 831f48c87b6a..79926bbc0cac 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-xsnap-supervisor/lib/supervisor-helper.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-xsnap-supervisor/lib/supervisor-helper.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function makeSupervisorDispatch(dispatch) {
     return Promise.resolve(delivery)
       .then(dispatch)
       .then(
-        () => harden(['ok', null, null]),
+        res => harden(['ok', res, null]),
         err => {
           // TODO react more thoughtfully, maybe terminate the vat
           console.warn(`error during vat dispatch() of ${delivery}`, err);