diff --git a/tractor/_ipc.py b/tractor/_ipc.py
index 28bef97..97b63f1 100644
--- a/tractor/_ipc.py
+++ b/tractor/_ipc.py
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream:
         self._agen = self._iter_packets()
         self._send_lock = trio.StrictFIFOLock()
 
+        # public i guess?
+        self.drained = []
+
     async def _iter_packets(self) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[dict, None]:
         """Yield packets from the underlying stream.
         """
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream:
 
             if data == b'':
                 raise TransportClosed(
-                    f'transport {self} was already closed prior ro read'
+                    f'transport {self} was already closed prior to read'
                 )
 
             unpacker.feed(data)
@@ -156,6 +159,14 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream:
     async def recv(self) -> Any:
         return await self._agen.asend(None)
 
+    async def drain(self):
+        try:
+            async for msg in self._iter_packets():
+                self.drained.append(msg)
+        except TransportClosed:
+            for msg in self.drained:
+                yield msg
+
     def __aiter__(self):
         return self._agen
 
@@ -164,7 +175,8 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream:
 
 
 class MsgspecTCPStream(MsgpackTCPStream):
-    '''A ``trio.SocketStream`` delivering ``msgpack`` formatted data
+    '''
+    A ``trio.SocketStream`` delivering ``msgpack`` formatted data
     using ``msgspec``.
 
     '''
@@ -259,9 +271,12 @@ def get_msg_transport(
 
 
 class Channel:
-    '''An inter-process channel for communication between (remote) actors.
+    '''
+    An inter-process channel for communication between (remote) actors.
 
-    Currently the only supported transport is a ``trio.SocketStream``.
+    Wraps a ``MsgStream``: transport + encoding IPC connection.
+    Currently we only support ``trio.SocketStream`` for transport
+    (aka TCP).
 
     '''
     def __init__(
@@ -299,10 +314,12 @@ class Channel:
         # set after handshake - always uid of far end
         self.uid: Optional[Tuple[str, str]] = None
 
-        # set if far end actor errors internally
-        self._exc: Optional[Exception] = None
         self._agen = self._aiter_recv()
+        self._exc: Optional[Exception] = None  # set if far end actor errors
         self._closed: bool = False
+        # flag set on ``Portal.cancel_actor()`` indicating
+        # remote (peer) cancellation of the far end actor runtime.
+        self._cancel_called: bool = False  # set on ``Portal.cancel_actor()``
 
     @classmethod
     def from_stream(