diff --git a/lib/message/message.go b/lib/message/message.go
index 7b80f94..8859b9a 100644
--- a/lib/message/message.go
+++ b/lib/message/message.go
@@ -70,9 +70,13 @@ func (msg *message) WithPayload(p lib.Payload) lib.Message {
 
 func New(args ...string) lib.Message {
 	args = append(args, "", "")[:4]
+	domain := args[0]
+	if domain == "" {
+		domain = "scopes"
+	}
 	return &message{
 		head: &head{
-			domain: args[0],
+			domain: domain,
 			action: args[1],
 			class:  args[2],
 			item:   args[3],
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.go b/tests/unit_test.go
index 3629d16..ed09c1a 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.go
+++ b/tests/unit_test.go
@@ -69,9 +69,10 @@ func ActionTest(t *testing.T) {
 		return true
 	}
 	cfg := config.Base("testing", nil).
-		AddAction("doit", action.Base(hdlr))
+		AddAction("scopes|doit|task", action.Base(hdlr))
 	ctx := context.AppContext(cfg)
-	msg := message.SimpleMessage("doit")
+	//msg := message.SimpleMessage("doit")
+	msg := message.New("", "doit", "task", "4711")
 	lib.HandleMsg(ctx, msg)
 	t.AssertEqual(result.data, "done")
 }