diff --git a/src/wormhole/_boss.py b/src/wormhole/_boss.py
index 15a86c5..22f28eb 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/_boss.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/_boss.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 from zope.interface import implementer
+from attr import attrs, attrib
+from attr.validators import provides, instance_of
 from automat import MethodicalMachine
 from . import _interfaces
 from ._mailbox import Mailbox
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@ from .util import bytes_to_dict
 
 @attrs
 @implementer(_interfaces.IBoss)
-class Boss:
+class Boss(object):
     _side = attrib(validator=instance_of(type(u"")))
     _url = attrib(validator=instance_of(type(u"")))
     _appid = attrib(validator=instance_of(type(u"")))
diff --git a/src/wormhole/wormhole.py b/src/wormhole/wormhole.py
index 23a6c6a..5351bb0 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/wormhole.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/wormhole.py
@@ -1,10 +1,54 @@
 from __future__ import print_function, absolute_import, unicode_literals
 import sys
+from attr import attrs, attrib
 from .timing import DebugTiming
 from .journal import ImmediateJournal
 from ._boss import Boss
 
-class _Wormhole(object):
+# We can provide different APIs to different apps:
+# * Deferreds
+#   w.when_got_code().addCallback(print_code)
+#   w.send(data)
+#   w.receive().addCallback(got_data)
+#   w.close().addCallback(closed)
+
+# * delegate callbacks (better for journaled environments)
+#   w = wormhole(delegate=app)
+#   w.send(data)
+#   app.wormhole_got_code(code)
+#   app.wormhole_receive(data)
+#   w.close()
+#   app.wormhole_closed()
+#
+# * potential delegate options
+#   wormhole(delegate=app, delegate_prefix="wormhole_",
+#            delegate_args=(args, kwargs))
+
+@attrs
+class _DelegatedWormhole(object):
+    _delegate = attrib()
+
+    def _set_boss(self, boss):
+        self._boss = boss
+
+    # from above
+    def send(self, phase, plaintext):
+        self._boss.send(phase, plaintext)
+    def close(self):
+        self._boss.close()
+
+    # from below
+    def got_code(self, code):
+        self._delegate.wormhole_got_code(code)
+    def got_verifier(self, verifier):
+        self._delegate.wormhole_got_verifier(verifier)
+    def received(self, phase, plaintext):
+        # TODO: deliver phases in order
+        self._delegate.wormhole_received(phase, plaintext)
+    def closed(self, result):
+        self._delegate.wormhole_closed(result)
+
+class _DeferredWormhole(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self._code = None
         self._code_observers = []
@@ -15,7 +59,6 @@ class _Wormhole(object):
         self._boss = boss
 
     # from above
-
     def when_code(self):
         if self._code:
             return defer.succeed(self._code)
@@ -53,58 +96,39 @@ class _Wormhole(object):
     def closed(self, result):
         print("closed", result)
 
-def wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor,
-             tor_manager=None, timing=None,
-             journal=None,
-             stderr=sys.stderr,
-             ):
+def _wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor, delegate=None,
+              tor_manager=None, timing=None,
+              journal=None,
+              stderr=sys.stderr,
+              ):
     timing = timing or DebugTiming()
     code_length = 2
     side = bytes_to_hexstr(os.urandom(5))
     journal = journal or ImmediateJournal()
-    w = _Wormhole()
+    if delegate:
+        w = _DelegatedWormhole(delegate)
+    else:
+        w = _DeferredWormhole()
     b = Boss(w, side, relay_url, appid, reactor, journal, timing)
     w._set_boss(b)
     # force allocate for now
     b.start()
     b.allocate(code_length)
-    w = _Wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor, tor_manager, timing, stderr)
-    w._start()
     return w
 
-#def wormhole_from_serialized(data, reactor, timing=None):
-#    timing = timing or DebugTiming()
-#    w = _Wormhole.from_serialized(data, reactor, timing)
-#    return w
+def delegated_wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor, delegate,
+                       tor_manager=None, timing=None,
+                       journal=None,
+                       stderr=sys.stderr,
+                       ):
+    assert delegate
+    return _wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor, delegate,
+                     tor_manager, timing, journal, stderr)
 
-
-# considerations for activity management:
-# * websocket to server wants to be a t.a.i.ClientService
-# * if Wormhole is a MultiService:
-#   * makes it easier to chain the ClientService to it
-#   * implies that nothing will happen before w.startService()
-#   * implies everything stops upon d=w.stopService()
-# * if not:
-#   * 
-
-class _JournaledWormhole(object):
-    def __init__(self, reactor, journal_manager, event_dispatcher,
-                 event_dispatcher_args=()):
-        pass
-
-class _Wormhole(_JournaledWormhole):
-    # send events to self, deliver them via Deferreds
-    def __init__(self, reactor):
-        _JournaledWormhole.__init__(self, reactor, ImmediateJournal(), self)
-
-def wormhole2(reactor):
-    w = _Wormhole(reactor)
-    w.startService()
-    return w
-
-def journaled_from_data(state, reactor, journal,
-                        event_handler, event_handler_args=()):
-    pass
-
-def journaled(reactor, journal, event_handler, event_handler_args=()):
-    pass
+def deferred_wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor,
+                       tor_manager=None, timing=None,
+                       journal=None,
+                       stderr=sys.stderr,
+                       ):
+    return _wormhole(appid, relay_url, reactor, delegate=None,
+                     tor_manager, timing, journal, stderr)