diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 4d69048..8837171 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -12,4 +12,5 @@ install:
     - pip install -U . -r requirements-test.txt
 
 script:
+    - mypy tractor/  --ignore-missing-imports
     - pytest tests/ --no-print-logs
diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
index 285c77f..447b18c 100644
--- a/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 pytest
 pytest-trio
 pdbpp
+mypy
diff --git a/tractor/__init__.py b/tractor/__init__.py
index f5146ad..eccd5f7 100644
--- a/tractor/__init__.py
+++ b/tractor/__init__.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ tractor: An actor model micro-framework built on
          ``trio`` and ``multiprocessing``.
 """
 from functools import partial
+import typing
 
-import trio
+import trio  # type: ignore
 
 from .log import get_console_log, get_logger, get_loglevel
 from ._ipc import _connect_chan, Channel
@@ -32,7 +33,13 @@ _default_arbiter_host = '127.0.0.1'
 _default_arbiter_port = 1616
 
 
-async def _main(async_fn, args, kwargs, name, arbiter_addr):
+async def _main(
+    async_fn: typing.Callable[..., typing.Awaitable],
+    args: typing.Tuple,
+    kwargs: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any],
+    name: str,
+    arbiter_addr: typing.Tuple[str, int]
+) -> typing.Any:
     """Async entry point for ``tractor``.
     """
     log = get_logger('tractor')
@@ -73,11 +80,11 @@ async def _main(async_fn, args, kwargs, name, arbiter_addr):
 
 
 def run(
-    async_fn,
-    *args,
-    name=None,
-    arbiter_addr=(_default_arbiter_host, _default_arbiter_port),
-    **kwargs
+    async_fn: typing.Callable[..., typing.Awaitable],
+    *args: typing.Tuple,
+    name: str = None,
+    arbiter_addr: typing.Tuple[str, int] = (_default_arbiter_host, _default_arbiter_port),
+    **kwargs: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any],
 ):
     """Run a trio-actor async function in process.
 
diff --git a/tractor/_actor.py b/tractor/_actor.py
index a5e833f..2e00e99 100644
--- a/tractor/_actor.py
+++ b/tractor/_actor.py
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 """
 Actor primitives and helpers
 """
-import inspect
-import importlib
 from collections import defaultdict
 from functools import partial
+from itertools import chain
+import importlib
+import inspect
 import traceback
 import uuid
-from itertools import chain
+import typing
+from typing import Dict, List, Tuple, Any, Optional, Union
 
-import trio
+import trio  # type: ignore
 from async_generator import asynccontextmanager, aclosing
 
 from ._ipc import Channel, _connect_chan
@@ -36,12 +38,28 @@ class InternalActorError(RuntimeError):
 
 
 async def _invoke(
-    actor, cid, chan, func, kwargs,
-    treat_as_gen=False,
+    actor: 'Actor',
+    cid: str,
+    chan: Channel,
+    func: typing.Callable,
+    kwargs: Dict[str, Any],
     task_status=trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED
 ):
     """Invoke local func and return results over provided channel.
     """
+    sig = inspect.signature(func)
+    treat_as_gen = False
+    if 'chan' in sig.parameters:
+        assert 'cid' in sig.parameters, \
+            f"{func} must accept a `cid` (caller id) kwarg"
+        kwargs['chan'] = chan
+        kwargs['cid'] = cid
+        # TODO: eventually we want to be more stringent
+        # about what is considered a far-end async-generator.
+        # Right now both actual async gens and any async
+        # function which declares a `chan` kwarg in its
+        # signature will be treated as one.
+        treat_as_gen = True
     try:
         is_async_partial = False
         is_async_gen_partial = False
@@ -135,41 +153,45 @@ class Actor:
     def __init__(
         self,
         name: str,
-        rpc_module_paths: [str] = [],
-        statespace: dict = {},
+        rpc_module_paths: List[str] = [],
+        statespace: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
         uid: str = None,
         loglevel: str = None,
-        arbiter_addr: (str, int) = None,
-    ):
+        arbiter_addr: Optional[Tuple[str, int]] = None,
+    ) -> None:
         self.name = name
         self.uid = (name, uid or str(uuid.uuid1()))
         self.rpc_module_paths = rpc_module_paths
-        self._mods = {}
+        self._mods: dict = {}
         # TODO: consider making this a dynamically defined
         # @dataclass once we get py3.7
-        self.statespace = statespace
+        self.statespace = statespace or {}
         self.loglevel = loglevel
         self._arb_addr = arbiter_addr
 
         # filled in by `_async_main` after fork
-        self._root_nursery = None
-        self._server_nursery = None
-        self._peers = defaultdict(list)
-        self._peer_connected = {}
+        self._root_nursery: trio._core._run.Nursery = None
+        self._server_nursery: trio._core._run.Nursery = None
+        self._peers: defaultdict = defaultdict(list)
+        self._peer_connected: dict = {}
         self._no_more_peers = trio.Event()
         self._no_more_peers.set()
 
         self._no_more_rpc_tasks = trio.Event()
         self._no_more_rpc_tasks.set()
-        self._rpc_tasks = {}
+        self._rpc_tasks: Dict[
+            Channel,
+            List[Tuple[trio._core._run.CancelScope, typing.Callable]]
+        ] = {}
+        # map {uids -> {callids -> waiter queues}}
+        self._actors2calls: Dict[Tuple[str, str], Dict[str, trio.Queue]] = {}
+        self._listeners: List[trio.abc.Listener] = []
+        self._parent_chan: Optional[Channel] = None
+        self._forkserver_info: Optional[Tuple[Any, Any, Any, Any, Any]] = None
 
-        self._actors2calls = {}  # map {uids -> {callids -> waiter queues}}
-        self._listeners = []
-        self._parent_chan = None
-        self._accept_host = None
-        self._forkserver_info = None
-
-    async def wait_for_peer(self, uid):
+    async def wait_for_peer(
+        self, uid: Tuple[str, str]
+    ) -> Tuple[trio.Event, Channel]:
         """Wait for a connection back from a spawned actor with a given
         ``uid``.
         """
@@ -179,11 +201,13 @@ class Actor:
         log.debug(f"{uid} successfully connected back to us")
         return event, self._peers[uid][-1]
 
-    def load_namespaces(self):
-        # We load namespaces after fork since this actor may
-        # be spawned on a different machine from the original nursery
-        # and we need to try and load the local module code (if it
-        # exists)
+    def load_modules(self) -> None:
+        """Load allowed RPC modules locally (after fork).
+
+        Since this actor may be spawned on a different machine from
+        the original nursery we need to try and load the local module
+        code (if it exists).
+        """
         for path in self.rpc_module_paths:
             self._mods[path] = importlib.import_module(path)
 
@@ -198,7 +222,7 @@ class Actor:
     async def _stream_handler(
         self,
         stream: trio.SocketStream,
-    ):
+    ) -> None:
         """Entry point for new inbound connections to the channel server.
         """
         self._no_more_peers.clear()
@@ -256,33 +280,44 @@ class Actor:
                 await chan.send(None)
                 await chan.aclose()
 
-    async def _push_result(self, actorid, cid, msg):
+    async def _push_result(self, actorid, cid: str, msg: dict) -> None:
+        """Push an RPC result to the local consumer's queue.
+        """
         assert actorid, f"`actorid` can't be {actorid}"
         q = self.get_waitq(actorid, cid)
         log.debug(f"Delivering {msg} from {actorid} to caller {cid}")
         # maintain backpressure
         await q.put(msg)
 
-    def get_waitq(self, actorid, cid):
+    def get_waitq(
+        self,
+        actorid: Tuple[str, str],
+        cid: str
+    ) -> trio.Queue:
         log.debug(f"Getting result queue for {actorid} cid {cid}")
         cids2qs = self._actors2calls.setdefault(actorid, {})
         return cids2qs.setdefault(cid, trio.Queue(1000))
 
-    async def send_cmd(self, chan, ns, func, kwargs):
+    async def send_cmd(
+        self, chan: Channel, ns: str, func: str, kwargs: dict
+    ) -> Tuple[str, trio.Queue]:
         """Send a ``'cmd'`` message to a remote actor and return a
         caller id and a ``trio.Queue`` that can be used to wait for
         responses delivered by the local message processing loop.
         """
         cid = str(uuid.uuid1())
+        assert chan.uid
         q = self.get_waitq(chan.uid, cid)
         log.debug(f"Sending cmd to {chan.uid}: {ns}.{func}({kwargs})")
         await chan.send({'cmd': (ns, func, kwargs, self.uid, cid)})
         return cid, q
 
-    async def _process_messages(self, chan, treat_as_gen=False):
-        """Process messages async-RPC style.
+    async def _process_messages(
+        self, chan: Channel, treat_as_gen: bool = False
+    ) -> None:
+        """Process messages for the channel async-RPC style.
 
-        Process rpc requests and deliver retrieved responses from channels.
+        Receive multiplexed RPC requests and deliver responses over ``chan``.
         """
         # TODO: once https://github.com/python-trio/trio/issues/467 gets
         # worked out we'll likely want to use that!
@@ -315,6 +350,7 @@ class Actor:
                     # push any non-rpc-response error to all local consumers
                     # and mark the channel as errored
                     chan._exc = err = msg['error']
+                    assert chan.uid
                     for cid in self._actors2calls[chan.uid]:
                         await self._push_result(chan.uid, cid, msg)
                     raise InternalActorError(f"{chan.uid}\n" + err)
@@ -328,23 +364,9 @@ class Actor:
                     func = getattr(self._mods[ns], funcname)
 
                 # spin up a task for the requested function
-                sig = inspect.signature(func)
-                treat_as_gen = False
-                if 'chan' in sig.parameters:
-                    assert 'cid' in sig.parameters, \
-                        f"{func} must accept a `cid` (caller id) kwarg"
-                    kwargs['chan'] = chan
-                    kwargs['cid'] = cid
-                    # TODO: eventually we want to be more stringent
-                    # about what is considered a far-end async-generator.
-                    # Right now both actual async gens and any async
-                    # function which declares a `chan` kwarg in its
-                    # signature will be treated as one.
-                    treat_as_gen = True
-
                 log.debug(f"Spawning task for {func}")
                 cs = await self._root_nursery.start(
-                    _invoke, self, cid, chan, func, kwargs, treat_as_gen,
+                    _invoke, self, cid, chan, func, kwargs,
                     name=funcname
                 )
                 # never allow cancelling cancel requests (results in
@@ -371,7 +393,12 @@ class Actor:
         finally:
             log.debug(f"Exiting msg loop for {chan} from {chan.uid}")
 
-    def _fork_main(self, accept_addr, forkserver_info, parent_addr=None):
+    def _fork_main(
+        self,
+        accept_addr: Tuple[str, int],
+        forkserver_info: Tuple[Any, Any, Any, Any, Any],
+        parent_addr: Tuple[str, int] = None
+    ) -> None:
         # after fork routine which invokes a fresh ``trio.run``
         # log.warn("Log level after fork is {self.loglevel}")
         self._forkserver_info = forkserver_info
@@ -391,22 +418,17 @@ class Actor:
 
     async def _async_main(
         self,
-        accept_addr,
-        arbiter_addr=None,
-        parent_addr=None,
-        _main_coro=None,
-        task_status=trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
-    ):
+        accept_addr: Tuple[str, int],
+        arbiter_addr: Optional[Tuple[str, int]] = None,
+        parent_addr: Optional[Tuple[str, int]] = None,
+        task_status: trio._core._run._TaskStatus = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
+    ) -> None:
         """Start the channel server, maybe connect back to the parent, and
         start the main task.
 
         A "root-most" (or "top-level") nursery for this actor is opened here
         and when cancelled effectively cancels the actor.
         """
-        # if this is the `MainProcess` then we get a ref to the main
-        # task's coroutine object for tossing errors into
-        self._main_coro = _main_coro
-
         arbiter_addr = arbiter_addr or self._arb_addr
         registered_with_arbiter = False
         try:
@@ -414,7 +436,7 @@ class Actor:
                 self._root_nursery = nursery
 
                 # load allowed RPC module
-                self.load_namespaces()
+                self.load_modules()
 
                 # Startup up channel server
                 host, port = accept_addr
@@ -422,12 +444,6 @@ class Actor:
                     self._serve_forever, accept_host=host, accept_port=port)
                 )
 
-                # XXX: I wonder if a better name is maybe "requester"
-                # since I don't think the notion of a "parent" actor
-                # necessarily sticks given that eventually we want
-                # ``'MainProcess'`` (the actor who initially starts the
-                # forkserver) to eventually be the only one who is
-                # allowed to spawn new processes per Python program.
                 if parent_addr is not None:
                     try:
                         # Connect back to the parent actor and conduct initial
@@ -502,10 +518,10 @@ class Actor:
         self,
         *,
         # (host, port) to bind for channel server
-        accept_host=None,
-        accept_port=0,
-        task_status=trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED
-    ):
+        accept_host: Tuple[str, int] = None,
+        accept_port: int = 0,
+        task_status: trio._core._run._TaskStatus = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
+    ) -> None:
         """Start the channel server, begin listening for new connections.
 
         This will cause an actor to continue living (blocking) until
@@ -531,7 +547,7 @@ class Actor:
             self._listeners.extend(listeners)
             task_status.started()
 
-    async def _do_unreg(self, arbiter_addr):
+    async def _do_unreg(self, arbiter_addr: Optional[Tuple[str, int]]) -> None:
         # UNregister actor from the arbiter
         try:
             if arbiter_addr is not None:
@@ -541,7 +557,7 @@ class Actor:
         except OSError:
             log.warn(f"Unable to unregister {self.name} from arbiter")
 
-    async def cancel(self):
+    async def cancel(self) -> None:
         """Cancel this actor.
 
         The sequence in order is:
@@ -554,23 +570,23 @@ class Actor:
         self.cancel_server()
         self._root_nursery.cancel_scope.cancel()
 
-    async def cancel_rpc_tasks(self):
+    async def cancel_rpc_tasks(self) -> None:
         """Cancel all existing RPC responder tasks using the cancel scope
         registered for each.
         """
-        scopes = self._rpc_tasks
-        log.info(f"Cancelling all {len(scopes)} rpc tasks:\n{scopes}")
-        for chan, scopes in scopes.items():
+        tasks = self._rpc_tasks
+        log.info(f"Cancelling all {len(tasks)} rpc tasks:\n{tasks}")
+        for chan, scopes in tasks.items():
             log.debug(f"Cancelling all tasks for {chan.uid}")
             for scope, func in scopes:
                 log.debug(f"Cancelling task for {func}")
                 scope.cancel()
-        if scopes:
+        if tasks:
             log.info(
-                f"Waiting for remaining rpc tasks to complete {scopes}")
+                f"Waiting for remaining rpc tasks to complete {tasks}")
             await self._no_more_rpc_tasks.wait()
 
-    def cancel_server(self):
+    def cancel_server(self) -> None:
         """Cancel the internal channel server nursery thereby
         preventing any new inbound connections from being established.
         """
@@ -578,19 +594,22 @@ class Actor:
         self._server_nursery.cancel_scope.cancel()
 
     @property
-    def accept_addr(self):
+    def accept_addr(self) -> Optional[Tuple[str, int]]:
         """Primary address to which the channel server is bound.
         """
         try:
             return self._listeners[0].socket.getsockname()
         except OSError:
-            return
+            return None
 
-    def get_parent(self):
+    def get_parent(self) -> Portal:
+        """Return a portal to our parent actor."""
+        assert self._parent_chan, "No parent channel for this actor?"
         return Portal(self._parent_chan)
 
-    def get_chans(self, actorid):
-        return self._peers[actorid]
+    def get_chans(self, uid: Tuple[str, str]) -> List[Channel]:
+        """Return all channels to the actor with provided uid."""
+        return self._peers[uid]
 
 
 class Arbiter(Actor):
@@ -609,12 +628,16 @@ class Arbiter(Actor):
         self._waiters = {}
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    def find_actor(self, name):
+    def find_actor(self, name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[str, int]]:
         for uid, sockaddr in self._registry.items():
             if name in uid:
                 return sockaddr
 
-    async def wait_for_actor(self, name):
+        return None
+
+    async def wait_for_actor(
+        self, name: str
+    ) -> List[Tuple[str, int]]:
         """Wait for a particular actor to register.
 
         This is a blocking call if no actor by the provided name is currently
@@ -635,7 +658,9 @@ class Arbiter(Actor):
 
         return sockaddrs
 
-    def register_actor(self, uid, sockaddr):
+    def register_actor(
+        self, uid: Tuple[str, str], sockaddr: Tuple[str, int]
+    ) -> None:
         name, uuid = uid
         self._registry[uid] = sockaddr
 
@@ -645,13 +670,20 @@ class Arbiter(Actor):
         for event in events:
             event.set()
 
-    def unregister_actor(self, uid):
+    def unregister_actor(self, uid: Tuple[str, str]) -> None:
         self._registry.pop(uid, None)
 
 
-async def _start_actor(actor, main, host, port, arbiter_addr, nursery=None):
-    """Spawn a local actor by starting a task to execute it's main
-    async function.
+async def _start_actor(
+    actor: Actor,
+    main: typing.Callable[..., typing.Awaitable],
+    host: str,
+    port: int,
+    arbiter_addr: Tuple[str, int],
+    nursery: trio._core._run.Nursery = None
+):
+    """Spawn a local actor by starting a task to execute it's main async
+    function.
 
     Blocks if no nursery is provided, in which case it is expected the nursery
     provider is responsible for waiting on the task to complete.
@@ -664,29 +696,22 @@ async def _start_actor(actor, main, host, port, arbiter_addr, nursery=None):
     log.info(f"Starting local {actor} @ {host}:{port}")
 
     async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
-
-        if main is not None:
-            main_coro = main()
-
         await nursery.start(
             partial(
                 actor._async_main,
                 accept_addr=(host, port),
                 parent_addr=None,
                 arbiter_addr=arbiter_addr,
-                _main_coro=main_coro
             )
         )
         if main is not None:
-            result = await main_coro
+            result = await main()
 
         # XXX: If spawned with a dedicated "main function",
         # the actor is cancelled when this context is complete
         # given that there are no more active peer channels connected
         actor.cancel_server()
 
-    # block on actor to complete
-
     # unset module state
     _state._current_actor = None
     log.info("Completed async main")
@@ -695,7 +720,9 @@ async def _start_actor(actor, main, host, port, arbiter_addr, nursery=None):
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def get_arbiter(host, port):
+async def get_arbiter(
+    host: str, port: int
+) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Union[Portal, LocalPortal], None]:
     """Return a portal instance connected to a local or remote
     arbiter.
     """
@@ -715,9 +742,8 @@ async def get_arbiter(host, port):
 
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def find_actor(
-    name,
-    arbiter_sockaddr=None,
-):
+    name: str, arbiter_sockaddr: Tuple[str, int] = None
+) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Optional[Portal], None]:
     """Ask the arbiter to find actor(s) by name.
 
     Returns a connected portal to the last registered matching actor
@@ -738,9 +764,9 @@ async def find_actor(
 
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def wait_for_actor(
-    name,
-    arbiter_sockaddr=None,
-):
+    name: str,
+    arbiter_sockaddr: Tuple[str, int] = None
+) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Portal, None]:
     """Wait on an actor to register with the arbiter.
 
     A portal to the first actor which registered is be returned.
diff --git a/tractor/_forkserver_hackzorz.py b/tractor/_forkserver_hackzorz.py
index edd282d..411d190 100644
--- a/tractor/_forkserver_hackzorz.py
+++ b/tractor/_forkserver_hackzorz.py
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 This is near-copy of the 3.8 stdlib's ``multiprocessing.forkserver.py``
 with some hackery to prevent any more then a single forkserver and
 semaphore tracker per ``MainProcess``.
+
+.. note:: There is no type hinting in this code base (yet) to remain as
+          a close as possible to upstream.
 """
 import os
 import socket
@@ -12,15 +15,12 @@ import errno
 import selectors
 import warnings
 
-from multiprocessing import (
-    forkserver, semaphore_tracker, spawn, process, util,
-    connection
-)
+from multiprocessing import semaphore_tracker, spawn, process  # type: ignore
+from multiprocessing import forkserver, util, connection  # type: ignore
 from multiprocessing.forkserver import (
         ForkServer, MAXFDS_TO_SEND
-        # _serve_one,
 )
-from multiprocessing.context import reduction
+from multiprocessing.context import reduction  # type: ignore
 
 
 # taken from 3.8
diff --git a/tractor/_ipc.py b/tractor/_ipc.py
index 2d86e56..6162150 100644
--- a/tractor/_ipc.py
+++ b/tractor/_ipc.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 """
 Inter-process comms abstractions
 """
-from typing import Coroutine, Tuple
+import typing
+from typing import Any, Tuple, Optional
 
 import msgpack
 import trio
@@ -14,21 +15,21 @@ log = get_logger('ipc')
 class StreamQueue:
     """Stream wrapped as a queue that delivers ``msgpack`` serialized objects.
     """
-    def __init__(self, stream):
+    def __init__(self, stream: trio.SocketStream) -> None:
         self.stream = stream
         self._agen = self._iter_packets()
         self._laddr = self.stream.socket.getsockname()[:2]
         self._raddr = self.stream.socket.getpeername()[:2]
         self._send_lock = trio.Lock()
 
-    async def _iter_packets(self):
+    async def _iter_packets(self) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[dict, None]:
         """Yield packets from the underlying stream.
         """
         unpacker = msgpack.Unpacker(raw=False, use_list=False)
         while True:
             try:
                 data = await self.stream.receive_some(2**10)
-                log.trace(f"received {data}")
+                log.trace(f"received {data}")  # type: ignore
             except trio.BrokenStreamError:
                 log.error(f"Stream connection {self.raddr} broke")
                 return
@@ -42,25 +43,25 @@ class StreamQueue:
                 yield packet
 
     @property
-    def laddr(self):
+    def laddr(self) -> Tuple[str, int]:
         return self._laddr
 
     @property
-    def raddr(self):
+    def raddr(self) -> Tuple[str, int]:
         return self._raddr
 
-    async def put(self, data):
+    async def put(self, data: Any) -> int:
         async with self._send_lock:
             return await self.stream.send_all(
                 msgpack.dumps(data, use_bin_type=True))
 
-    async def get(self):
+    async def get(self) -> Any:
         return await self._agen.asend(None)
 
     def __aiter__(self):
         return self._agen
 
-    def connected(self):
+    def connected(self) -> bool:
         return self.stream.socket.fileno() != -1
 
 
@@ -72,24 +73,27 @@ class Channel:
     """
     def __init__(
         self,
-        destaddr: tuple = None,
-        on_reconnect: Coroutine = None,
+        destaddr: Optional[Tuple[str, int]] = None,
+        on_reconnect: typing.Callable[..., typing.Awaitable] = None,
         auto_reconnect: bool = False,
         stream: trio.SocketStream = None,  # expected to be active
     ) -> None:
         self._recon_seq = on_reconnect
         self._autorecon = auto_reconnect
-        self.squeue = StreamQueue(stream) if stream else None
+        self.squeue: Optional[StreamQueue] = StreamQueue(
+            stream) if stream else None
         if self.squeue and destaddr:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"A stream was provided with local addr {self.laddr}"
             )
-        self._destaddr = destaddr or self.squeue.raddr
+        self._destaddr = self.squeue.raddr if self.squeue else destaddr
         # set after handshake - always uid of far end
-        self.uid = None
+        self.uid: Optional[Tuple[str, str]] = None
+        # set if far end actor errors internally
+        self._exc: Optional[Exception] = None
         self._agen = self._aiter_recv()
 
-    def __repr__(self):
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
         if self.squeue:
             return repr(
                 self.squeue.stream.socket._sock).replace(
@@ -97,14 +101,16 @@ class Channel:
         return object.__repr__(self)
 
     @property
-    def laddr(self):
-        return self.squeue.laddr if self.squeue else (None, None)
+    def laddr(self) -> Optional[Tuple[str, int]]:
+        return self.squeue.laddr if self.squeue else None
 
     @property
-    def raddr(self):
-        return self.squeue.raddr if self.squeue else (None, None)
+    def raddr(self) -> Optional[Tuple[str, int]]:
+        return self.squeue.raddr if self.squeue else None
 
-    async def connect(self, destaddr: Tuple[str, int] = None, **kwargs):
+    async def connect(
+        self, destaddr: Tuple[str, int] = None, **kwargs
+    ) -> trio.SocketStream:
         if self.connected():
             raise RuntimeError("channel is already connected?")
         destaddr = destaddr or self._destaddr
@@ -112,11 +118,13 @@ class Channel:
         self.squeue = StreamQueue(stream)
         return stream
 
-    async def send(self, item):
-        log.trace(f"send `{item}`")
+    async def send(self, item: Any) -> None:
+        log.trace(f"send `{item}`")  # type: ignore
+        assert self.squeue
         await self.squeue.put(item)
 
-    async def recv(self):
+    async def recv(self) -> Any:
+        assert self.squeue
         try:
             return await self.squeue.get()
         except trio.BrokenStreamError:
@@ -124,8 +132,9 @@ class Channel:
                 await self._reconnect()
                 return await self.recv()
 
-    async def aclose(self, *args):
+    async def aclose(self) -> None:
         log.debug(f"Closing {self}")
+        assert self.squeue
         await self.squeue.stream.aclose()
 
     async def __aenter__(self):
@@ -138,7 +147,7 @@ class Channel:
     def __aiter__(self):
         return self._agen
 
-    async def _reconnect(self):
+    async def _reconnect(self) -> None:
         """Handle connection failures by polling until a reconnect can be
         established.
         """
@@ -167,9 +176,12 @@ class Channel:
                         " for re-establishment")
                 await trio.sleep(1)
 
-    async def _aiter_recv(self):
+    async def _aiter_recv(
+        self
+    ) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Any, None]:
         """Async iterate items from underlying stream.
         """
+        assert self.squeue
         while True:
             try:
                 async for item in self.squeue:
@@ -189,14 +201,16 @@ class Channel:
             else:
                 return
 
-    def connected(self):
+    def connected(self) -> bool:
         return self.squeue.connected() if self.squeue else False
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def _connect_chan(host, port):
-    """Create and connect a channel with disconnect on
-    context manager teardown.
+async def _connect_chan(
+    host: str, port: int
+) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Channel, None]:
+    """Create and connect a channel with disconnect on context manager
+    teardown.
     """
     chan = Channel((host, port))
     await chan.connect()
diff --git a/tractor/_portal.py b/tractor/_portal.py
index 835f918..ddbea76 100644
--- a/tractor/_portal.py
+++ b/tractor/_portal.py
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@
 Portal api
 """
 import importlib
+import typing
+from typing import Tuple, Any, Dict, Optional
 
 import trio
 from async_generator import asynccontextmanager
 
 from ._state import current_actor
+from ._ipc import Channel
 from .log import get_logger
 
 
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ class RemoteActorError(RuntimeError):
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def maybe_open_nursery(nursery=None):
+async def maybe_open_nursery(nursery: trio._core._run.Nursery = None):
     """Create a new nursery if None provided.
 
     Blocks on exit as expected if no input nursery is provided.
@@ -30,9 +33,12 @@ async def maybe_open_nursery(nursery=None):
             yield nursery
 
 
-async def _do_handshake(actor, chan):
+async def _do_handshake(
+    actor: 'Actor',  # type: ignore
+    chan: Channel
+)-> Any:
     await chan.send(actor.uid)
-    uid = await chan.recv()
+    uid: Tuple[str, str] = await chan.recv()
 
     if not isinstance(uid, tuple):
         raise ValueError(f"{uid} is not a valid uid?!")
@@ -51,22 +57,26 @@ class Portal:
 
     Think of this like an native async IPC API.
     """
-    def __init__(self, channel):
+    def __init__(self, channel: Channel) -> None:
         self.channel = channel
         # when this is set to a tuple returned from ``_submit()`` then
         # it is expected that ``result()`` will be awaited at some point
         # during the portal's lifetime
         self._result = None
-        self._exc = None
-        self._expect_result = None
+        self._exc: Optional[RemoteActorError] = None
+        self._expect_result: Optional[
+            Tuple[str, Any, str, Dict[str, Any]]
+        ] = None
 
-    async def aclose(self):
+    async def aclose(self) -> None:
         log.debug(f"Closing {self}")
         # XXX: won't work until https://github.com/python-trio/trio/pull/460
         # gets in!
         await self.channel.aclose()
 
-    async def _submit(self, ns, func, **kwargs):
+    async def _submit(
+        self, ns: str, func: str, **kwargs
+    ) -> Tuple[str, trio.Queue, str, Dict[str, Any]]:
         """Submit a function to be scheduled and run by actor, return the
         associated caller id, response queue, response type str,
         first message packet as a tuple.
@@ -93,12 +103,12 @@ class Portal:
 
         return cid, q, resp_type, first_msg
 
-    async def _submit_for_result(self, ns, func, **kwargs):
+    async def _submit_for_result(self, ns: str, func: str, **kwargs) -> None:
         assert self._expect_result is None, \
                 "A pending main result has already been submitted"
         self._expect_result = await self._submit(ns, func, **kwargs)
 
-    async def run(self, ns, func, **kwargs):
+    async def run(self, ns: str, func: str, **kwargs) -> Any:
         """Submit a function to be scheduled and run by actor, wrap and return
         its (stream of) result(s).
 
@@ -108,7 +118,9 @@ class Portal:
             *(await self._submit(ns, func, **kwargs))
         )
 
-    async def _return_from_resptype(self, cid, q, resptype, first_msg):
+    async def _return_from_resptype(
+        self, cid: str, q: trio.Queue, resptype: str, first_msg: dict
+    ) -> Any:
         # TODO: not this needs some serious work and thinking about how
         # to make async-generators the fundamental IPC API over channels!
         # (think `yield from`, `gen.send()`, and functional reactive stuff)
@@ -145,7 +157,7 @@ class Portal:
         else:
             raise ValueError(f"Unknown msg response type: {first_msg}")
 
-    async def result(self):
+    async def result(self) -> Any:
         """Return the result(s) from the remote actor's "main" task.
         """
         if self._expect_result is None:
@@ -153,7 +165,7 @@ class Portal:
             # teardown can reraise them
             exc = self.channel._exc
             if exc:
-                raise RemoteActorError(f"{self.channel.uid}\n" + exc)
+                raise RemoteActorError(f"{self.channel.uid}\n{exc}")
             else:
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     f"Portal for {self.channel.uid} is not expecting a final"
@@ -165,13 +177,13 @@ class Portal:
             )
         return self._result
 
-    async def close(self):
+    async def close(self) -> None:
         # trigger remote msg loop `break`
         chan = self.channel
         log.debug(f"Closing portal for {chan} to {chan.uid}")
         await self.channel.send(None)
 
-    async def cancel_actor(self):
+    async def cancel_actor(self) -> bool:
         """Cancel the actor on the other end of this portal.
         """
         log.warn(
@@ -198,19 +210,24 @@ class LocalPortal:
     A compatibility shim for normal portals but for invoking functions
     using an in process actor instance.
     """
-    def __init__(self, actor):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        actor: 'Actor'  # type: ignore
+    ) -> None:
         self.actor = actor
 
-    async def run(self, ns, func, **kwargs):
+    async def run(self, ns: str, func: str, **kwargs) -> Any:
         """Run a requested function locally and return it's result.
         """
         obj = self.actor if ns == 'self' else importlib.import_module(ns)
-        func = getattr(obj, func)
-        return func(**kwargs)
+        return getattr(obj, func)(**kwargs)
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def open_portal(channel, nursery=None):
+async def open_portal(
+    channel: Channel,
+    nursery: trio._core._run.Nursery = None
+) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Portal, None]:
     """Open a ``Portal`` through the provided ``channel``.
 
     Spawns a background task to handle message processing.
diff --git a/tractor/_state.py b/tractor/_state.py
index 767bb27..704fae7 100644
--- a/tractor/_state.py
+++ b/tractor/_state.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 """
 Per process state
 """
-_current_actor = None
+from typing import Optional
 
 
-def current_actor() -> 'Actor':
+_current_actor: Optional['Actor'] = None  # type: ignore
+
+
+def current_actor() -> 'Actor':  # type: ignore
     """Get the process-local actor instance.
     """
     if not _current_actor:
diff --git a/tractor/_trionics.py b/tractor/_trionics.py
index d78cbdd..c25137e 100644
--- a/tractor/_trionics.py
+++ b/tractor/_trionics.py
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 """
 import multiprocessing as mp
 import inspect
-from multiprocessing import forkserver, semaphore_tracker
+from multiprocessing import forkserver, semaphore_tracker  # type: ignore
+from typing import Tuple, List, Dict, Optional, Any
+import typing
 
 import trio
 from async_generator import asynccontextmanager, aclosing
@@ -23,14 +25,17 @@ log = get_logger('tractor')
 class ActorNursery:
     """Spawn scoped subprocess actors.
     """
-    def __init__(self, actor, supervisor=None):
-        self.supervisor = supervisor  # TODO
-        self._actor = actor
-        self._children = {}
+    def __init__(self, actor: Actor) -> None:
+        # self.supervisor = supervisor  # TODO
+        self._actor: Actor = actor
+        self._children: Dict[
+            Tuple[str, str],
+            Tuple[Actor, mp.Process, Optional[Portal]]
+        ] = {}
         # portals spawned with ``run_in_actor()``
-        self._cancel_after_result_on_exit = set()
-        self.cancelled = False
-        self._forkserver = None
+        self._cancel_after_result_on_exit: set = set()
+        self.cancelled: bool = False
+        self._forkserver: forkserver.ForkServer = None
 
     async def __aenter__(self):
         return self
@@ -38,11 +43,11 @@ class ActorNursery:
     async def start_actor(
         self,
         name: str,
-        bind_addr=('127.0.0.1', 0),
-        statespace=None,
-        rpc_module_paths=None,
-        loglevel=None,  # set log level per subactor
-    ):
+        bind_addr: Tuple[str, int] = ('127.0.0.1', 0),
+        statespace: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+        rpc_module_paths: List[str] = None,
+        loglevel: str = None,  # set log level per subactor
+    ) -> Portal:
         loglevel = loglevel or self._actor.loglevel or get_loglevel()
         actor = Actor(
             name,
@@ -70,6 +75,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
                 semaphore_tracker._semaphore_tracker._fd,
             )
         else:
+            assert self._actor._forkserver_info
             fs_info = (
                 fs._forkserver_address,
                 fs._forkserver_alive_fd,
@@ -87,7 +93,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
         # register the process before start in case we get a cancel
         # request before the actor has fully spawned - then we can wait
         # for it to fully come up before sending a cancel request
-        self._children[actor.uid] = [actor, proc, None]
+        self._children[actor.uid] = (actor, proc, None)
 
         proc.start()
         if not proc.is_alive():
@@ -99,19 +105,19 @@ class ActorNursery:
         # local actor by the time we get a ref to it
         event, chan = await self._actor.wait_for_peer(actor.uid)
         portal = Portal(chan)
-        self._children[actor.uid][2] = portal
+        self._children[actor.uid] = (actor, proc, portal)
         return portal
 
     async def run_in_actor(
         self,
-        name,
-        fn,
-        bind_addr=('127.0.0.1', 0),
-        rpc_module_paths=None,
-        statespace=None,
-        loglevel=None,  # set log level per subactor
+        name: str,
+        fn: typing.Callable,
+        bind_addr: Tuple[str, int] = ('127.0.0.1', 0),
+        rpc_module_paths: List[str] = None,
+        statespace: dict = None,
+        loglevel: str = None,  # set log level per subactor
         **kwargs,  # explicit args to ``fn``
-    ):
+    ) -> Portal:
         """Spawn a new actor, run a lone task, then terminate the actor and
         return its result.
 
@@ -134,7 +140,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
         )
         return portal
 
-    async def wait(self):
+    async def wait(self) -> None:
         """Wait for all subactors to complete.
         """
         async def maybe_consume_result(portal, actor):
@@ -154,7 +160,12 @@ class ActorNursery:
                             async for item in agen:
                                 log.debug(f"Consuming item {item}")
 
-        async def wait_for_proc(proc, actor, portal, cancel_scope):
+        async def wait_for_proc(
+            proc: mp.Process,
+            actor: Actor,
+            portal: Portal,
+            cancel_scope: trio._core._run.CancelScope,
+        ) -> None:
             # TODO: timeout block here?
             if proc.is_alive():
                 await trio.hazmat.wait_readable(proc.sentinel)
@@ -171,9 +182,10 @@ class ActorNursery:
                 cancel_scope.cancel()
 
         async def wait_for_actor(
-            portal, actor,
+            portal: Portal,
+            actor: Actor,
             task_status=trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
-        ):
+        ) -> None:
             # cancel the actor gracefully
             with trio.open_cancel_scope() as cs:
                 task_status.started(cs)
@@ -193,7 +205,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
                     cs = await nursery.start(wait_for_actor, portal, subactor)
                 nursery.start_soon(wait_for_proc, proc, subactor, portal, cs)
 
-    async def cancel(self, hard_kill=False):
+    async def cancel(self, hard_kill: bool = False) -> None:
         """Cancel this nursery by instructing each subactor to cancel
         iteslf and wait for all subprocesses to terminate.
 
@@ -230,6 +242,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
                                     do_hard_kill(proc)
 
                         # spawn cancel tasks async
+                        assert portal
                         n.start_soon(portal.cancel_actor)
 
         log.debug(f"Waiting on all subactors to complete")
@@ -274,7 +287,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
-async def open_nursery(supervisor=None):
+async def open_nursery() -> typing.AsyncGenerator[None, ActorNursery]:
     """Create and yield a new ``ActorNursery``.
     """
     actor = current_actor()
@@ -282,5 +295,5 @@ async def open_nursery(supervisor=None):
         raise RuntimeError("No actor instance has been defined yet?")
 
     # TODO: figure out supervisors from erlang
-    async with ActorNursery(current_actor(), supervisor) as nursery:
+    async with ActorNursery(current_actor()) as nursery:
         yield nursery
diff --git a/tractor/log.py b/tractor/log.py
index 3b013d1..5a65603 100644
--- a/tractor/log.py
+++ b/tractor/log.py
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 Log like a forester!
 """
 from functools import partial
-import sys
 import logging
-import colorlog
+import colorlog  # type: ignore
+from typing import Optional
+
 
 _proj_name = 'tractor'
 _default_loglevel = None
@@ -69,28 +70,22 @@ def get_console_log(level: str = None, name: str = None) -> logging.Logger:
     log = get_logger(name)  # our root logger
 
     if not level:
-        return
+        return log
 
     log.setLevel(level.upper() if not isinstance(level, int) else level)
-
-    if not any(
-        handler.stream == sys.stderr for handler in log.handlers
-        if getattr(handler, 'stream', None)
-    ):
-        handler = logging.StreamHandler()
-
-        formatter = colorlog.ColoredFormatter(
-            LOG_FORMAT,
-            datefmt=DATE_FORMAT,
-            log_colors=STD_PALETTE,
-            secondary_log_colors=BOLD_PALETTE,
-            style='{',
-        )
-        handler.setFormatter(formatter)
-        log.addHandler(handler)
+    handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+    formatter = colorlog.ColoredFormatter(
+        LOG_FORMAT,
+        datefmt=DATE_FORMAT,
+        log_colors=STD_PALETTE,
+        secondary_log_colors=BOLD_PALETTE,
+        style='{',
+    )
+    handler.setFormatter(formatter)
+    log.addHandler(handler)
 
     return log
 
 
-def get_loglevel():
+def get_loglevel() -> Optional[str]:
     return _default_loglevel