diff --git a/core/actor-ng.lisp b/core/actor-ng.lisp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..504d277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/actor-ng.lisp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+;;;; cl-scopes/core/actor - basic actor definitions
+
+(defpackage :scopes/core/actor-ng
+  (:use :common-lisp)
+  (:local-nicknames (:async :scopes/util/async)
+                    (:util :scopes/util))
+  (:export #:ac-loop #:become #:create #:send
+           #:message #:content #:customer
+           #:*logger* #:*root*
+           #:echo #:inc #:lgi
+           #:calculator #:plus #:minus #:show #:send-value))
+
+(in-package :scopes/core/actor-ng)
+
+;;;; virtual actor - async:task + behavior
+
+(eval-when (:compile-toplevel :load-toplevel :execute)
+  (when (not (boundp '+quit-message+)) 
+    (defconstant +quit-message+ (gensym "QUIT"))))
+
+(defun ac-loop (tsk bhv)
+  (let ((next (ac-step tsk bhv)))
+    (unless (eq next +quit-message+)
+      (ac-loop tsk (or next bhv)))))
+
+(defun ac-step (tsk bhv)
+  (let ((msg (async:receive tsk)))
+    (funcall bhv tsk msg)))
+
+
diff --git a/core/actor.lisp b/core/actor.lisp
index ab98691..c01ae00 100644
--- a/core/actor.lisp
+++ b/core/actor.lisp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   (:use :common-lisp)
   (:local-nicknames (:async :scopes/util/async)
                     (:util :scopes/util))
-  (:export #:actor #:bg-actor #:fg-actor #:make-actor #:start #:stop
+  (:export #:bg-actor #:fg-actor #:make-actor #:start #:stop
            #:become #:create #:send
            #:message #:content #:customer
            #:*logger* #:*root*
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
   (:method ((ac bg-actor)) 
     (async:stop (task ac))))
 
-(defun make-actor (bhv &optional (cls 'actor) &rest args &key &allow-other-keys)
+(defun make-actor (bhv &optional (cls 'bg-actor) &rest args &key &allow-other-keys)
   (apply #'make-instance cls :behavior bhv args))
 
 (defun make-task (ac &optional (cls 'async:bg-task))
diff --git a/core/core.lisp b/core/core.lisp
index 730d5ac..db5a6b5 100644
--- a/core/core.lisp
+++ b/core/core.lisp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 
 (defvar *root* nil)
 
-(defclass base-context (actor:actor)
+(defclass base-context (actor:bg-actor)
   ((actions :accessor actions :initform nil)))
 
 (defclass context (base-context) 
diff --git a/scopes-core.asd b/scopes-core.asd
index ac7f40e..e3524fc 100644
--- a/scopes-core.asd
+++ b/scopes-core.asd
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
   :components ((:file "config" :depends-on ("util/util"))
                (:file "core/actor" 
                       :depends-on  ("shape/shape" "util/async" "util/util"))
+               (:file "core/actor-ng" 
+                      :depends-on  ("shape/shape" "util/async" "util/util"))
                (:file "core/core" 
                       :depends-on ("config" 
                                    "core/actor" "core/message" 
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 7b16edc..227ce34 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 (defpackage :scopes/test-core
   (:use :common-lisp)
   (:local-nicknames (:alx :alexandria)
-                    (:actor :scopes/core/actor)
+                    (:actor :scopes/core/actor-ng)
+                    (:actorx :scopes/core/actor)
                     (:async :scopes/util/async)
                     (:config :scopes/config)
                     (:core :scopes/core)
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@
         (test-util-iter)
         (test-shape)
         (core:setup-services)
+        (test-actor-x)
         (test-actor)
         (setf (receiver t:*test-suite*) (core:find-service :test-receiver))
         (test-send))
@@ -126,24 +128,26 @@
     (setf (shape:head-value rec :username) :u1)
     (== (shape:head-value rec :username) :u1)))
 
-(deftest test-actor ()
-  (let* ((calc (actor:create (actor:calculator) 'actor:bg-actor)) 
+(deftest test-actor-x ()
+  (let* ((calc (actorx:create (actorx:calculator) 'actorx:bg-actor)) 
          val
          (collector 
-           (actor:create 
-             #'(lambda (ac msg) (setf val (actor:content msg))))))
-    (actor:send calc '(actor:plus 2))
-    (actor:send calc '(actor:minus 3))
-    (actor:send calc '(actor:show))
-    (actor:send calc '(actor:send-value) :customer collector)
+           (actorx:create 
+             #'(lambda (ac msg) (setf val (actorx:content msg))))))
+    (actorx:send calc '(actorx:plus 2))
+    (actorx:send calc '(actorx:minus 3))
+    (actorx:send calc '(actorx:show))
+    (actorx:send calc '(actorx:send-value) :customer collector)
     (sleep 0.1)
     (== val -1)
     ))
 
+(deftest test-actor ())
+
 (deftest test-send ()
   (let ((rcvr (receiver t:*test-suite*))
         (msg (message:create '(:test :dummy) :data "dummy payload"))
         (msg-exp (message:create '(:test :dummy) :data "dummy payload")))
     (expect rcvr msg-exp)
     (== (core:name rcvr) :test-receiver)
-    (actor:send rcvr msg)))
+    (actorx:send rcvr msg)))
diff --git a/util/async.lisp b/util/async.lisp
index 3caa44c..32f8e50 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 #:bg-task #:fg-task
+  (:export #:init #:finish #:bg-task #:fg-task #:receive
            #:make-task #:start #:stop #:status #:data #:send))
 
 (in-package :scopes/util/async)
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@
    (status :accessor status :initform :new)
    (data :accessor data :initform nil)))
 
+(defun receive (tsk)
+  (lpq:pop-queue (mailbox tsk)))
+
 (defclass bg-task (fg-task)
   ((channel :reader channel :initform (lp:make-channel))))