diff --git a/core/core.lisp b/core/core.lisp
index 83ad09a..3bc8c1c 100644
--- a/core/core.lisp
+++ b/core/core.lisp
@@ -76,21 +76,17 @@
 (defclass service (context)
   ((task :accessor task :initform nil)))
 
-(defgeneric do-start (ctx &key wait)
-  (:method ((ctx context) &key wait))
-  (:method ((ctx service) &key wait) 
+(defclass root-service (service) ())
+
+(defgeneric do-start (ctx)
+  (:method ((ctx context)))
+  (:method ((ctx service)) 
     (setf (task ctx) (async:make-task :handle-message #'handle-message))
-    (async:start (task ctx :wait wait))))
-
-(defgeneric do-listen (ctx)
-  (:method ((ctx service))
-    (do ((r (do-step ctx) (do-step ctx)))
-      ((eql r '(:quit))))))
-
-(defgeneric do-step (ctx)
-  (:method ((ctx service))
-    (let ((msg (lpq:pop-queue (mailbox ctx)))) 
-      (handle-message ctx msg))))
+    (async:start (task ctx)))
+  (:method ((ctx root-service)) 
+    (setf (task ctx) 
+          (async:make-task :cls 'async:async-task :handle-message #'handle-message))
+    (async:start (task ctx :blocking t))))
 
 (defgeneric send (rcvr msg)
   (:method ((rcvr base-context) msg)
@@ -107,7 +103,7 @@
       (gethash name services))))
 
 (defun setup-services (&optional (cfg config:*root*))
-  (setf *root* (make-instance 'service :config cfg))
+  (setf *root* (make-instance 'root-service :config cfg))
   ;(setf (trivial-signal:signal-handler :int) #'quit-handler)
   (dolist (c (reverse (config:children cfg)))
     (add-service *root* c)))
@@ -122,8 +118,7 @@
    (unwind-protect
      (progn
        (setup-services cfg)
-       ;(do-listen *root*)
-       (do-start *root* :wait t))
+       (do-start *root*))
      (shutdown)))
 
 (defun add-action (ctx pat hdlr)
diff --git a/util/async.lisp b/util/async.lisp
index 8219476..2382694 100644
--- a/util/async.lisp
+++ b/util/async.lisp
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
   (:local-nicknames (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:lp :lparallel)
                     (:lpq :lparallel.queue))
-  (:export #:task #:make-task #:start #:stop #:status #:data #:send))
+  (:export #:task #:async-task
+           #:make-task #:start #:stop #:status #:data #:send))
 
 (in-package :scopes/util/async)
 
@@ -38,13 +39,16 @@
 (defclass task ()
   ((job :accessor job)
    (taskid :reader taskid :initform (gensym "TSK"))
-   (channel :reader channel :initform (lp:make-channel))
    (mailbox :accessor mailbox :initform nil)
    (status :accessor status :initform :new)
    (data :accessor data :initform nil)))
 
-(defun make-task (&key (startup #'noop) (teardown #'noop) handle-message)
-  (let ((tsk (make-instance 'task)))
+(defclass async-task (task)
+  ((channel :reader channel :initform (lp:make-channel))))
+
+(defun make-task (&key (startup #'noop) (teardown #'noop) handle-message
+                       (cls 'async-task))
+  (let ((tsk (make-instance cls)))
     (setf (job tsk) 
           (lambda () (standard-job tsk :startup startup :teardown teardown
                                        :handle-message handle-message)))
@@ -52,19 +56,28 @@
       (setf (mailbox tsk) (lpq:make-queue)))
     tsk))
 
-(defun start (tsk &key (wait nil))
+(defun start (tsk)
   (when (eq (status tsk) :running)
     (util:lgw "task already running" (taskid tsk))
     (return-from start))
   (setf (status tsk) :running)
-  (if wait 
-    (funcall (job tsk))
+  (submit tsk))
+
+(defgeneric submit (tsk)
+  (:method ((tsk task))
+    (funcall (job tsk)))
+  (:method ((tsk async-task))
     (lp:submit-task (channel tsk) (job tsk))))
 
 (defun stop (tsk &key (wait t))
   (when (mailbox tsk)
     (send tsk +quit-message+))
   (when wait
+    (wait-result tsk)))
+
+(defgeneric wait-result (tsk)
+  (:method ((tsk task)))
+  (:method ((tsk async-task))
     (lp:receive-result (channel tsk))))
 
 (defun send (tsk msg)