diff --git a/core/actor.lisp b/core/actor.lisp
index cf6c9a8..ab98691 100644
--- a/core/actor.lisp
+++ b/core/actor.lisp
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@
 (defgeneric start (ac)
   (:method ((ac actor)))
   (:method ((ac bg-actor))
-    ;(setf (task ac) (make-task ac))
-    (async:start (task ac)))
-  (:method ((ac fg-actor))
-    ;(setf (task ac) (make-task ac 'async:fg-task))
     (async:start (task ac))))
 
 (defgeneric stop (ac)
diff --git a/core/core.lisp b/core/core.lisp
index 96955e7..730d5ac 100644
--- a/core/core.lisp
+++ b/core/core.lisp
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
                     (:lp :lparallel) 
                     (:lpq :lparallel.queue))
   (:export #:action-spec #:define-actions
-           #:*root* #:default-setup #:actions 
+           #:*root* #:default-setup #:make-setup #:actions 
            #:find-service #:run-services #:setup-services #:shutdown
-           #:base-context #:context #:add-action #:config #:name
+           #:base-context #:context #:service #:add-action #:config #:name
            #:handle-message
            #:do-print #:echo))
 
@@ -73,8 +73,13 @@
 
 (defclass root-service (service actor:fg-actor) ())
 
- (defun default-setup (cfg &optional (cls 'context) &rest args &key &allow-other-keys)
-   (apply #'actor:create #'handle-message cls :config cfg :name (config:name cfg) args))
+(defun default-setup (cfg &optional (cls 'context) &rest args &key &allow-other-keys)
+  (apply #'actor:create #'handle-message cls :config cfg :name (config:name cfg) args))
+
+(defun make-setup (&rest args &key (class 'context) (behavior #'handle-message)
+                   &allow-other-keys)
+  #'(lambda (cfg)
+      (apply #'actor:create behavior class :config cfg :name (config:name cfg) args)))
 
 (defun find-service (name &optional (parent *root*))
   (with-slots (services) parent
diff --git a/web/client.lisp b/web/client.lisp
index 674f4a7..574b56e 100644
--- a/web/client.lisp
+++ b/web/client.lisp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 (defvar *cookie-jar* (cl-cookie:make-cookie-jar))
 
 (defclass config (config:base)
-  ((config:setup :initform #'core:default-setup)
+  ((config:setup :initform (core:make-setup :class 'core:service))
    (base-url :reader base-url :initarg :base-url :initform "http://localhost:8135")
    (doc-path :reader doc-path :initarg :doc-path :initform "/")
    (api-path :reader api-path :initarg :api-path :initform "/api/")
diff --git a/web/response.lisp b/web/response.lisp
index ce21d33..eb4c7e3 100644
--- a/web/response.lisp
+++ b/web/response.lisp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   (let ((cookie (apply #'cookie:create-from-keys cdata)))
     (cookie:make-header cookie)))
 
-;;;; response definitions
+;;;; response definitions - classes and methods
 
 (defvar *html-response-class* nil)
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
    (headers :accessor headers :initform nil)
    (ctype :reader ctype :allocation :class)
    (responder :accessor responder)
-   (writer :accessor writer)))
+   (writer :accessor writer :initform nil)))
 
 (defmethod print-object ((resp response) s)
   (shape:print-fields resp s))