diff --git a/csys/environ.lisp b/csys/environ.lisp
index 3c7c94a..0c03726 100644
--- a/csys/environ.lisp
+++ b/csys/environ.lisp
@@ -11,10 +11,23 @@
 
 (in-package :scopes/csys/environ)
 
+(defclass scope (csys:scope)
+  (cells :reader cells :initarg :cells :initform (make-hash-table :test #'equal)))
+
+;;;; action handlers, public callables
+
+(defun cell-created (msg scope))
+
 (defun forward-message (head scope &key data customer)
   (forward (message:create head :data data :customer customer) scope))
 
 (defun forward (msg scope)
-  (dolist (cell (find-cells (message:addr msg) scope)) 
+  (dolist (cell (find-cells (cells scope) (message:addr msg))) 
     (actor:send cell msg)))
  
+;;;; helpers
+
+(defun register-cell (reg addr cell))
+
+(defun find-cells (reg addr))
+ 
diff --git a/scopes-core.asd b/scopes-core.asd
index 8927d42..8584b1d 100644
--- a/scopes-core.asd
+++ b/scopes-core.asd
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
                (:file "util/util")
                (:file "util/async" :depends-on ("util/util"))
                (:file "util/crypt" :depends-on ("util/util"))
+               (:file "util/index")
                (:file "util/iter")
                (:file "testing" :depends-on ("util/util")))
   :long-description "scopes/core: The core packages of the scopes project."
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index 18e9854..5f5432b 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
                     (:config :scopes/config)
                     (:core :scopes/core)
                     (:crypt :scopes/util/crypt)
+                    (:index :scopes/util/index)
                     (:iter :scopes/util/iter)
                     (:logging :scopes/logging)
                     (:message :scopes/core/message)
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@
       (progn
         (test-util)
         (test-util-crypt)
+        (test-util-index)
         (test-util-iter)
         (test-shape)
         (core:setup-services)
@@ -116,6 +118,15 @@
     (== (iter:next it) nil)
     (== (string (iter:value it)) "A")))
 
+(deftest test-util-index ()
+  (let ((idx (index:create)))
+    (index:put idx "1-1" 42)
+    (index:put idx "1-2" 46)
+    (index:put idx "1-1" 43)
+    (== (index:query idx "1-1") '(43 42))
+    (== (index:query idx "1-2") '(46))
+    ))
+
 (deftest test-shape ()
   (let ((rec (make-instance 'shape:record :head '(:t1))))
     (== (shape:head rec) '(:t1 nil))
diff --git a/util/index.lisp b/util/index.lisp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2467b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/index.lisp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+;;;; cl-scopes/util/index
+
+;;;; smart string-based indexes e.g. for queryable registries
+
+(defpackage :scopes/util/index
+  (:use :common-lisp)
+  (:export #:create #:put #:query))
+
+(in-package :scopes/util/index)
+
+(defclass index ()
+  ((data :reader data :initform (make-hash-table :test #'equal))))
+
+(defun create ()
+  (make-instance 'index))
+
+(defgeneric put (idx key value)
+  (:method ((idx index) key value)
+    (let* ((data (data idx))
+           (cur (gethash key data)))
+      (setf (gethash key data) (cons value cur)))))
+
+(defgeneric query (idx key)
+  (:method ((idx index) key)
+    (gethash key (data idx))))