diff --git a/core/actor.lisp b/core/actor.lisp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c7786d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/actor.lisp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+;;;; cl-scopes/core/actor - basic actor definitions
+
+(defpackage :scopes/core/actor
+  (:use :common-lisp)
+  (:export #:actor #:behave #:create #:send
+           #:handle-message))
+
+(in-package :scopes/core/actor)
+
+(defclass actor ()
+  ((behavior :accessor behavior :initarg :behavior)))
+
+(defun behave (ac new-bhv)
+  (setf (behavior ac) new-bhv))
+
+(defun create (ac-cls bhv &rest params)
+  (make-instance ac-cls :behavior bhv))
+
+(defun send (addr msg &key customer))
+
+;;;; behaviors
+
+(defun handle-message (ac msg))
diff --git a/scopes-core.asd b/scopes-core.asd
index 58c4abe..ac7f40e 100644
--- a/scopes-core.asd
+++ b/scopes-core.asd
@@ -10,11 +10,14 @@
                :flexi-streams :ironclad :local-time :log4cl 
                :lparallel :qbase64 :serapeum :str)
   :components ((:file "config" :depends-on ("util/util"))
+               (:file "core/actor" 
+                      :depends-on  ("shape/shape" "util/async" "util/util"))
                (:file "core/core" 
-                      :depends-on ("core/message" "config" 
+                      :depends-on ("config" 
+                                   "core/actor" "core/message" 
                                    "forge/forge" "logging" 
                                    "util/async" "util/util"))
-               (:file "core/message" :depends-on ("shape/shape"))
+               (:file "core/message" :depends-on ("core/actor" "shape/shape"))
                (:file "forge/forge" :depends-on ("util/iter" "util/util"))
                (:file "logging" :depends-on ("config" "util/util"))
                (:file "shape/shape")
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 877be6b..bc85184 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 (defpackage :scopes/test-core
   (:use :common-lisp)
   (:local-nicknames (:alx :alexandria)
+                    (:actor :scopes/core/actor)
                     (:async :scopes/util/async)
                     (:config :scopes/config)
                     (:core :scopes/core)
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@
         (test-util-crypt)
         (test-util-iter)
         (test-shape)
+        (test-actor)
         (core:setup-services)
         (setf (receiver t:*test-suite*) (core:find-service :test-receiver))
         (test-send))
@@ -117,13 +119,17 @@
     (== (iter:next it) nil)
     (== (string (iter:value it)) "A")))
 
-(deftest test-shape()
+(deftest test-shape ()
   (let ((rec (make-instance 'shape:record :head '(:t1))))
     (== (shape:head rec) '(:t1 nil))
     (== (shape:head-value rec :taskid) :t1)
     (setf (shape:head-value rec :username) :u1)
     (== (shape:head-value rec :username) :u1)))
 
+(deftest test-actor ()
+  (let (a1 a2 a3)
+    (setf a1 (actor:create 'actor:actor 'actor:handle-message))))
+
 (deftest test-send ()
   (let ((rcvr (receiver t:*test-suite*))
         (msg (message:create '(:test :dummy) :data "dummy payload"))
diff --git a/util/async.lisp b/util/async.lisp
index 21c0550..8d7dd67 100644
--- a/util/async.lisp
+++ b/util/async.lisp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   (:local-nicknames (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:lp :lparallel)
                     (:lpq :lparallel.queue))
-  (:export #:init #:finish #:task #:async-task
+  (:export #:init #:finish #:task #:bg-task
            #:make-task #:start #:stop #:status #:data #:send))
 
 (in-package :scopes/util/async)
@@ -31,22 +31,12 @@
     (progn
       (funcall startup tsk)
       (when (mailbox tsk)
-        (do-listen-hc tsk handle-message))
+        (do-listen tsk handle-message))
       (data tsk))
     (setf (status tsk) :done)
     (funcall teardown tsk)))
 
 (defun do-listen (tsk handle-message)
-  (handler-bind 
-    ((sb-sys:interactive-interrupt
-      (lambda (condition) 
-        (util:lgi condition)
-        (return-from do-listen))))
-    (loop for msg = (lpq:pop-queue (mailbox tsk))
-          until (eq msg +quit-message+)
-          do (funcall handle-message tsk msg))))
-
-(defun do-listen-hc (tsk handle-message)
   (handler-case
     (loop for msg = (lpq:pop-queue (mailbox tsk))
           until (eq msg +quit-message+)
@@ -63,11 +53,11 @@
    (status :accessor status :initform :new)
    (data :accessor data :initform nil)))
 
-(defclass async-task (task)
+(defclass bg-task (task)
   ((channel :reader channel :initform (lp:make-channel))))
 
 (defun make-task (&key (startup #'noop) (teardown #'noop) handle-message
-                       (cls 'async-task))
+                       (cls 'bg-task))
   (let ((tsk (make-instance cls)))
     (setf (job tsk) 
           (lambda () (standard-job tsk :startup startup :teardown teardown
@@ -86,7 +76,7 @@
 (defgeneric submit (tsk)
   (:method ((tsk task))
     (funcall (job tsk)))
-  (:method ((tsk async-task))
+  (:method ((tsk bg-task))
     (lp:submit-task (channel tsk) (job tsk))))
 
 (defun stop (tsk &key (wait t))
@@ -97,10 +87,22 @@
 
 (defgeneric wait-result (tsk)
   (:method ((tsk task)))
-  (:method ((tsk async-task))
+  (:method ((tsk bg-task))
     (lp:receive-result (channel tsk))))
 
 (defun send (tsk msg)
   (if (mailbox tsk)
     (lpq:push-queue msg (mailbox tsk))
     (util:lgw "task has no mailbox" (taskid tsk))))
+
+;;; alternate implementation - may be removed
+(defun do-listen-hb (tsk handle-message)
+  (handler-bind 
+    ((sb-sys:interactive-interrupt
+      (lambda (condition) 
+        (util:lgi condition)
+        (return-from do-listen-hb))))
+    (loop for msg = (lpq:pop-queue (mailbox tsk))
+          until (eq msg +quit-message+)
+          do (funcall handle-message tsk msg))))
+