diff --git a/scopes/core/core.py b/scopes/core/core.py
index d27ad44..f518de4 100644
--- a/scopes/core/core.py
+++ b/scopes/core/core.py
@@ -43,12 +43,19 @@ class Scope:
         return self
 
 def create_scope(env: Mailbox, cat=(k.csys, k.c00), **kw) -> Scope:
-    scope = Scope(environ=env, categ=cat, **kw)
-    return scope.set_proc()
+    return Scope(environ=env, categ=cat, **kw)
 
 def neuron(scope: Scope) -> Mailbox:
     async def process(msg: Message) -> actor.Behavior | None:
         nonlocal scope
-        scope = await scope.proc(scope, msg)
-        return None if scope is None else process
+        new_scope = await scope.proc(scope, msg)
+        if new_scope is not None:
+            scope = new_scope
+        return process
     return actor.create(process)
+
+def create_zero(env: Mailbox) -> Mailbox:
+    scope = create_scope(env)
+    zero = neuron(scope)
+    return zero
+
diff --git a/scopes/core/environ.py b/scopes/core/environ.py
index 9164896..804efca 100644
--- a/scopes/core/environ.py
+++ b/scopes/core/environ.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from scopes.util import keywords as k
 
 async def proc_env(scope, msg):
     await scope.environ.put(msg)
+    #return scope
 
 def create(meta_env):
     scope = core.create_scope(meta_env, (k.env, k.c00), program=lambda x: proc_env)
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index 48920bd..fd6626b 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -10,29 +10,35 @@ from scopes.core import actor, environ
 from scopes.core.message import Message
 from scopes.util import keywords as k
 
-collector = []
-
-def show(msg):
-    collector.append(msg)
+@pytest.fixture
+def collector():
+    return []
 
 
-async def handle_basic(msg):
-    match msg:
-        case k.show: show(msg)
-        case k.switch: return handle_alt
-        case _: show(msg)
+def show(msg, coll):
+    coll.append(msg)
 
-async def handle_alt(msg):
-    match msg:
-        case k.show: show('switched')
-        case _: await asyncio.sleep(0.01); show(msg)
+def handle_basic(coll):
+    async def handle(msg):
+        match msg:
+          case k.show: show(msg, coll)
+          case k.switch: return handle_alt(coll)
+          case _: show(msg, coll)
+    return handle
+
+def handle_alt(coll):
+    async def handle(msg):
+        match msg:
+          case k.show: show('switched', coll)
+          case _: await asyncio.sleep(0.01); show(msg, coll)
+    return handle
 
 
 @pytest.mark.anyio
-async def test_actor():
+async def test_actor(collector):
     async with asyncio.TaskGroup() as group:
-        q1 = actor.create(handle_basic, group)
-        q2 = actor.create(handle_basic, group)
+        q1 = actor.create(handle_basic(collector), group)
+        q2 = actor.create(handle_basic(collector), group)
         msgs = [Message(k.test, k.hello), k.show, k.switch, k.show, "actor 1: Goodbye"]
         await asyncio.gather(*[q1.put(m) for m in msgs])
         await q2.put("actor 2")
@@ -53,19 +59,22 @@ def test_message():
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def coll():
-    return []
-
-@pytest.fixture
-async def meta_env(coll):
+async def meta_env(collector):
     async def collect(msg):
-        coll.append(msg)
+        collector.append(msg)
     return actor.create(collect)
 
 @pytest.mark.anyio
-async def test_core(meta_env, coll):
+async def test_core(meta_env, collector):
     env = environ.create(meta_env)
     await env.put(Message(k.env, k.hello))
     await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
-    print(coll)
+    assert len(collector) == 1
+    assert collector[0].domain is k.env
+    zero = core.create_zero(env)
+    await zero.put(Message(k.csys, k.hello))
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
+    assert len(collector) == 2
+    assert collector[1].domain is k.csys
+    #print(collector)