diff --git a/lib/action/action.go b/lib/action/action.go
index 3ae4170..fe959e8 100644
--- a/lib/action/action.go
+++ b/lib/action/action.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (spec *baseSpec) Receivers() []string {
 	return spec.receivers
 }
 
-func Base(hdlr lib.ActionHandler, rcvrs []string) *baseSpec {
+func Base(hdlr lib.ActionHandler, rcvrs ...string) *baseSpec {
 	return &baseSpec{hdlr, rcvrs}
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func match(ac lib.ActionConfig, msg lib.Message) bool {
 	//return false
 }
 
-// action
+// action handling
 
 type action struct {
 	ctx  lib.Context
diff --git a/tests/etc/etc.go b/tests/etc/etc.go
index ae3adf2..75a08d1 100644
--- a/tests/etc/etc.go
+++ b/tests/etc/etc.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func Config() lib.Config {
 	ovr := Overrides().Use
 	b := config.Base
 
-	app_c := app.Cfg{
+	app_c := &app.Cfg{
 		BaseCfg: b("testing", testing.Start),
 		Home:    ovr(".", HOME),
 		AppType: "standard",
@@ -22,21 +22,19 @@ func Config() lib.Config {
 			Logfile: ovr("log/scopes.log", LOGFILE),
 		},
 	}
-	app_c.AddAction("demo",
-		action.Base(action.Forward,
-			[]string{"test-receiver"}))
+	app_c.AddAction("demo", action.Base(action.Forward, "test-receiver"))
 
-	config_c := config.Cfg{
+	config_c := &config.Cfg{
 		BaseCfg:      b("config", config.Start),
 		ConfigFormat: "etc",
 	}
-	app_c.Add(config_c)
 
-	test_rcvr := b("test-receiver", core.Start)
-	test_rcvr.AddAction("demo", action.Base(AH_Receiver, nil))
-	app_c.Add(test_rcvr)
+	test_rcvr := b("test-receiver", core.Start).
+		AddAction("demo", action.Base(AH_Receiver))
 
-	return &app_c
+	app_c.Add(config_c, test_rcvr)
+
+	return app_c
 }
 
 // register action handlers from ..._test.go here.