diff --git a/config.lisp b/config.lisp
index fca1657..dcbe9af 100644
--- a/config.lisp
+++ b/config.lisp
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 (defclass common ()
   ((children :accessor children
              :initarg children
-             :initform nil)))
+             :initform nil)
+   (actions :accessor actions :initarg :actions :initform nil)))
 
 (defgeneric parent (cfg)
   (:method ((cfg common)) nil))
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@
             (setf (gethash sl data) dotenv-val)))))))
 
 (defun root (&rest params &key (class 'root) &allow-other-keys)
-  (setf *root* (apply #'make-instance class params)))
+  (setf *root* (apply #'make-instance class params))
+  (setf *current* *root*))
 
 ;;;; config base class
 
@@ -57,8 +59,7 @@
   ((name :reader name :initarg :name)
    (parent :accessor parent :initarg :parent)
    (setup :reader setup :initarg :setup :initform #'(lambda (cfg)))
-   (shutdown :reader shutdown :initarg :shutdown :initform #'(lambda (ctx)))
-   (actions :accessor actions :initarg :actions :initform nil)))
+   (shutdown :reader shutdown :initarg :shutdown :initform #'(lambda (ctx)))))
 
 (defmethod initialize-instance :after ((cfg base) &key parent &allow-other-keys)
   (if parent
diff --git a/csys/csys.lisp b/csys/csys.lisp
index fd54a3d..0285f82 100644
--- a/csys/csys.lisp
+++ b/csys/csys.lisp
@@ -10,8 +10,30 @@
                     (:shape :scopes/shape)
                     (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:alx :alexandria))
-  (:export #:*dispatcher*))
+  (:export #:*dispatcher* #:setup #:start
+           #:printer
+           ))
 
 (in-package :scopes/csys)
 
 (defvar *dispatcher* nil)
+
+(defun setup (&optional (cfg config:*root*))
+  (setf *dispatcher* (make-instance 'core:context :config cfg))
+  (setf (core:mailbox *dispatcher*) (async:make-mb))
+  (dolist (a (config:actions cfg))
+          (core:add-action *dispatcher* (car a) (cadr a))))
+
+(defun start ()
+  (async:init)
+  (actor:start (core:mailbox *dispatcher*) 
+               (lambda (msg) (funcall #'handle-message msg)) 
+               :foreground t))
+
+(defun handle-message (msg)
+  (print msg))
+
+;;;; example behaviors / actions
+
+(defun printer (msg)
+  (print msg))
diff --git a/scopes.asd b/scopes.asd
index 749b43e..811a9ac 100644
--- a/scopes.asd
+++ b/scopes.asd
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   :version "0.0.1"
   :homepage "https://www.cyberconcepts.org"
   :description "Generic data processing"
-  :depends-on (:scopes-core :scopes-web
+  :depends-on (:scopes-core :scopes-csys :scopes-web
                :dbi :sxql)
   :components ((:file "storage/folder" :depends-on ("storage/tracking"))
                (:file "storage/msgstore" :depends-on ("storage/tracking"))
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
   ;;#.(uiop:read-file-string
   ;;   (uiop:subpathname *load-pathname* "README.md")))
   :in-order-to ((test-op 
-                  (test-op "scopes-core/test" "scopes-web/test" "scopes/test"))))
+                  (test-op "scopes-core/test" "scopes-csys/test"
+                           "scopes-web/test" "scopes/test"))))
 
 (defsystem :scopes/test
   :depends-on (:scopes)
diff --git a/test/etc/config-csys.lisp b/test/etc/config-csys.lisp
index dad17b9..ff9fa05 100644
--- a/test/etc/config-csys.lisp
+++ b/test/etc/config-csys.lisp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 (config:root)
 
+(config:add-action '(test) #'csys:printer)
+
 (config:add :logger  :class 'logging:config
             :loglevel (config:from-env :loglevel :info)
             :logfile (t:test-path "scopes-test.log" "log")
diff --git a/test/test-csys.lisp b/test/test-csys.lisp
index 482cb56..a695d3d 100644
--- a/test/test-csys.lisp
+++ b/test/test-csys.lisp
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 ;;;; test runner
 
 (defun run ()
-  (async:init)
   (let* ((t:*test-suite* (make-instance 't:test-suite :name "csys")))
     (load (t:test-path "config-csys" "etc"))
     (unwind-protect
@@ -31,4 +30,9 @@
       (t:show-result))))
 
 (deftest test-basic ()
-  (== csys:*dispatcher* nil))
+  (csys:setup)
+  (!= csys:*dispatcher* nil)
+  (actor:send (core:mailbox csys:*dispatcher*) (message:create '(:test)))
+  (actor:stop (core:mailbox csys:*dispatcher*))
+  (csys:start)
+  )