diff --git a/config.lisp b/config.lisp
index a0df701..8cffeca 100644
--- a/config.lisp
+++ b/config.lisp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 (in-package :scopes/config)
 
+;;;; common base class for all config classes
+
 (defclass common ()
   ((children :accessor children
              :initarg children
@@ -19,6 +21,8 @@
 (defgeneric parent (cfg)
   (:method ((cfg common)) nil))
 
+;;;; config root (top-level) class with no parent
+
 (defclass root (common) 
   ((env-keys :reader env-keys 
                   :initform nil 
@@ -45,12 +49,15 @@
           (setf (gethash sl data) env-val)
           (setf (gethash sl data) dotenv-val))))))
 
+;;;; config base class
+
 (defclass base (common)
   ((parent :reader parent
            :initarg :parent)))
 
 (defmethod initialize-instance :after ((cfg base) &key parent &allow-other-keys)
-  (push cfg (children parent)))
+  (if parent
+    (push cfg (children parent))))
 
 (defmethod (setf parent) ((cfg base) (parent common))
   (push cfg (children parent)))
diff --git a/core/core.lisp b/core/core.lisp
index bb87461..fb2f2b1 100644
--- a/core/core.lisp
+++ b/core/core.lisp
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
   (:local-nicknames (:config :scopes/config))
   (:export #:config 
            #:message
-           #:service #:name #:send))
+           #:context #:name #:send))
 
 (in-package :scopes/core)
 
-(defclass config (config:root) 
+(defclass config (config:base) 
   (services))
 
 (defclass message ()
@@ -21,10 +21,12 @@
    (timestamp)
    (data)))
 
-(defclass service () 
+(defclass context () 
   ((name :initarg :name :reader name)))
 
 (defgeneric send (rcvr msg)
-  (:method ((rcvr service) msg)
+  (:method ((rcvr context) msg)
     rcvr
     msg))
+
+(defvar *context* nil)
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 7724d2a..cbeab03 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 (defvar *config* nil)
 
 (defclass test-suite (t:test-suite)
-  ((receiver :initform (make-instance 'core:service :name :test-rcvr)
+  ((receiver :initform (make-instance 'core:context :name :test-rcvr)
              :reader receiver)))
 
 (defun run ()