diff --git a/src/ecs.odin b/src/ecs.odin
index 821e8d3..9639bca 100644
--- a/src/ecs.odin
+++ b/src/ecs.odin
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ App :: struct {
 
 // add a new system to the app that will run based on the provided schedule
 add_system :: proc(app: ^App, schedule: int, system: proc()) {
+	if _, ok := app.systems[schedule]; !ok {
+		app.systems[schedule] = [dynamic]proc(){}
+	}
 	append(&app.systems[schedule], system)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/entities.odin b/src/entities.odin
index a94e8cf..8e16b60 100644
--- a/src/entities.odin
+++ b/src/entities.odin
@@ -49,8 +49,13 @@ single :: proc(storage: ^Storage($T)) -> (Entity, ^T) {
 
 // get component of type from entity
 get_component :: proc(entity: Entity, storage: ^Storage($T)) -> ^T {
-	if c, exists := &storage.data[entity]; exists {
-		return c
+	if _, exists := storage.data[entity]; exists {
+		return &storage.data[entity]
 	}
 	return new(T)
 }
+
+// alias for direct mutation access
+get_component_with_ref :: proc(entity: Entity, storage: ^Storage($T)) -> ^T {
+	return get_component(entity, storage)
+}