diff --git a/core/actor.lisp b/core/actor.lisp
index 092635a..626b6f2 100644
--- a/core/actor.lisp
+++ b/core/actor.lisp
@@ -45,9 +45,7 @@
 (defun start (mb bhv &key foreground)
   (if foreground
     (ac-loop mb bhv)
-    (let ((ch (async:make-ch)))
-      (async:submit-task ch (lambda () (ac-loop mb bhv)))
-      ch)))
+    (async:submit-task mb (lambda () (ac-loop mb bhv)))))
 
 (defun stop (mb)
   (send mb +quit-message+))
diff --git a/csys/csys.lisp b/csys/csys.lisp
index fdab40b..97dbadc 100644
--- a/csys/csys.lisp
+++ b/csys/csys.lisp
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@
                     (:shape :scopes/shape)
                     (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:alx :alexandria))
-  (:export #:*dispatcher* #:setup #:send
-           #:printer
+  (:export #:*dispatcher* #:printer #:setup #:send
            ))
 
 (in-package :scopes/csys)
@@ -33,8 +32,8 @@
       (util:lgw "no action selected" msg))))
 
 (defun run-action (job msg)
-  (let ((ch (async:make-ch)))
-    (async:submit-task ch (lambda () (funcall job msg)))))
+  (let ((mb (async:make-mb)))
+    (async:submit-task mb (lambda () (funcall job msg)))))
 
 ;;;; example behaviors / actions
 
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 9771dcc..9f414fd 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -88,15 +88,9 @@
     (== pl '(:b 1 :a 0))))
 
 (deftest test-util-async ()
-  ;(async:init)
-  (let ((tsk (async:make-task (lambda (&rest args) (sleep 0.01)))))
-    (== (async:status tsk) :new)
-    (async:start tsk) 
-    (== (async:status tsk) :running)
-    (async:wait-receive tsk)
-    (== (async:status tsk) :done))
-  ;(async:finish)
-  )
+  (let ((mb (async:make-mb)))
+    (async:submit-task mb (lambda () (sleep 0.1) :done))
+))
 
 (deftest test-util-crypt ()
   (let ((s1 (crypt:create-secret))
diff --git a/util/async.lisp b/util/async.lisp
index 0dcc590..5994153 100644
--- a/util/async.lisp
+++ b/util/async.lisp
@@ -2,12 +2,10 @@
 
 (defpackage :scopes/util/async
   (:use :common-lisp)
-  (:local-nicknames (:util :scopes/util)
-                    (:lp :lparallel)
+  (:local-nicknames (:lp :lparallel)
                     (:lpq :lparallel.queue))
-  (:export #:init #:finish #:make-ch #:make-mb #:rcv #:snd 
-           #:submit-task #:receive-result
-           #:task #:make-task #:start #:status #:wait-receive))
+  (:export #:init #:finish #:make-ch #:make-mb #:rcv #:try-rcv #:snd 
+           #:submit-task #:receive-result #:try-receive-result))
 
 (in-package :scopes/util/async)
 
@@ -22,43 +20,30 @@
   (when lp:*kernel*
     (lp:end-kernel)))
 
-(defun make-ch ()
-  (lp:make-channel))
+;;;; higher-level mailbox / task / channel combination
+
+(defclass mailbox ()
+  ((queue :reader queue :initform (lpq:make-queue))
+   (channel :reader channel :initform (lp:make-channel))))
 
 (defun make-mb ()
-  (lpq:make-queue))
+  (make-instance 'mailbox))
 
 (defun rcv (mb)
-  (lpq:pop-queue mb))
+  (lpq:pop-queue (queue mb)))
+
+(defun try-rcv (mb)
+  (lpq:peek-queue (queue mb)))
 
 (defun snd (mb msg)
-  (lpq:push-queue msg mb))
+  (lpq:push-queue msg (queue mb)))
 
-(defun submit-task (ch job)
-  (lp:submit-task ch job))
+(defun submit-task (mb job)
+  (lp:submit-task (channel mb) job))
 
-(defun receive-result (ch)
-  (lp:receive-result ch))
+(defun receive-result (mb)
+  (lp:receive-result (channel mb)))
 
-;;;; task class and related functions
-
-(defclass task ()
-  ((job :reader job :initarg :job)
-   (taskid :reader taskid :initform (gensym "TSK"))
-   (status :accessor status :initform :new)
-   (channel :reader channel :initform (make-ch))))
-
-(defun make-task (job &key (cls 'task))
-  (make-instance cls :job job))
-
-(defun start (tsk)
-  (when (eq (status tsk) :running)
-    (util:lgw "task already running" (taskid tsk))
-    (return-from start))
-  (setf (status tsk) :running)
-  (submit-task (channel tsk) (job tsk)))
-
-(defun wait-receive (tsk)
-  (let ((data (receive-result (channel tsk))))
-    (setf (status tsk) :done)
-    data))
+(defun try-receive-result (mb)
+  (lp:try-receive-result (channel mb))) 
+