diff --git a/csys/csys.lisp b/csys/csys.lisp
index 22c4b5c..0a3b89e 100644
--- a/csys/csys.lisp
+++ b/csys/csys.lisp
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
       nil)))
 
 (defun connect ()
-  ;; TODO: target may be a list => check if already connected
+  ;; TODO: checks: already connected? category OK? other conditions?
   (lambda (msg scope)
     (let* ((data (shape:data msg))
            (syn (synapse (getf data :target) (getf data :op))))
diff --git a/csys/environ.lisp b/csys/environ.lisp
index d432a7e..a45e8a7 100644
--- a/csys/environ.lisp
+++ b/csys/environ.lisp
@@ -98,13 +98,18 @@
   nil)
 
 (defun forward-connect (msg scope)
-  (let* ((data (shape:data msg))
+  (let* ((head (shape:head msg))
+         (data (shape:data msg))
          (tgt (getf data :target))
          (cust (actor:customer msg)))
-    (cond 
-      ((null tgt) (setf (getf data :target) (find-cells-near scope cust)))
-      ((listp tgt) (setf (getf data :target) (find-cell scope tgt))))
-    (forward (message:create (shape:head msg) :data data :customer cust) scope)))
+    (when (listp tgt) 
+      (setf tgt (find-cell scope tgt))
+      (setf (getf data :target) tgt))
+    (if (or cust (message:addr msg)) 
+      (forward (message:create head :data data :customer cust) scope)
+      (let ((rcvrs (find-cells-near scope tgt)))
+        (dolist (rcvr rcvrs)
+          (actor:send rcvr (message:create head :data data)))))))
 
 ;;;; public shortcuts
 
@@ -126,12 +131,18 @@
     (when op (util:plist-add data :op op))
     (send-message head data :customer cust :env env)))
 
+(defun send-connect-pred (target &key (domain csys:*domain*) (env *env*) op cat)
+  (let ((head (cons domain :connect))
+        (data (list :target target))) 
+    (when op (util:plist-add data :op op))
+    (when cat (util:plist-add data :cat cat))
+    (send-message head data :env env)))
+
 ;;;; internal helpers
 
 (defun register-cell (scope addr cell)
   (destructuring-bind (dom cat loc) addr
-    (let* ((reg (spaces scope))
-           (spc (getf reg dom)))
+    (let ((spc (getf (spaces scope) dom)))
       (space:put spc loc cell)
       (setf (gethash cell (cells scope)) addr))))
 
@@ -145,9 +156,10 @@
       cell)))
 
 (defun find-cells-near (scope cell &key (dist 2))
-  (destructuring-bind (&optional dom cat loc) (getf cell (cells scope))
-    (when (null loc)
-      (error "cell not found or loc missing! scope: ~s, cell: ~s" scope cell))
-    (let ((space (getf dom (spaces scope))))
-      (space:neighbors space loc :dist dist))))
+  (let ((addr (gethash cell (cells scope)))) 
+    (destructuring-bind (&optional dom cat loc) addr
+      (when (null loc)
+        (error "cell not found or loc missing! cells: ~s, cell: ~s, addr: ~s" 
+               (cells scope) cell addr))
+      (space:neighbors (getf (spaces scope) dom) loc :dist dist))))