diff --git a/nooz/295.misc.rst b/nooz/295.misc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1724e06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nooz/295.misc.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Add an experimental `tractor.msg.NamespacePath` type for passing Python
+objects by "reference" through a ``str``-subtype message and using the
+new ``pkgutil.resolve_name()`` for reference loading.
diff --git a/tractor/_portal.py b/tractor/_portal.py
index 1dc6ee4..672c9af 100644
--- a/tractor/_portal.py
+++ b/tractor/_portal.py
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-"""
+'''
 Memory boundary "Portals": an API for structured
 concurrency linked tasks running in disparate memory domains.
 
-"""
+'''
+from __future__ import annotations
 import importlib
 import inspect
 from typing import (
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ from async_generator import asynccontextmanager
 from ._state import current_actor
 from ._ipc import Channel
 from .log import get_logger
+from .msg import NamespacePath
 from ._exceptions import (
     unpack_error,
     NoResult,
@@ -66,13 +68,6 @@ async def maybe_open_nursery(
             yield nursery
 
 
-def func_deats(func: Callable) -> tuple[str, str]:
-    return (
-        func.__module__,
-        func.__name__,
-    )
-
-
 def _unwrap_msg(
 
     msg: dict[str, Any],
@@ -86,6 +81,7 @@ def _unwrap_msg(
         assert msg.get('cid'), "Received internal error at portal?"
         raise unpack_error(msg, channel)
 
+
 class MessagingError(Exception):
     'Some kind of unexpected SC messaging dialog issue'
 
@@ -316,7 +312,7 @@ class Portal:
                 raise TypeError(
                     f'{func} must be a non-streaming async function!')
 
-            fn_mod_path, fn_name = func_deats(func)
+            fn_mod_path, fn_name = NamespacePath.from_ref(func).to_tuple()
 
         ctx = await self.actor.start_remote_task(
             self.channel,
@@ -346,7 +342,8 @@ class Portal:
                 raise TypeError(
                     f'{async_gen_func} must be an async generator function!')
 
-        fn_mod_path, fn_name = func_deats(async_gen_func)
+        fn_mod_path, fn_name = NamespacePath.from_ref(
+            async_gen_func).to_tuple()
         ctx = await self.actor.start_remote_task(
             self.channel,
             fn_mod_path,
@@ -412,7 +409,7 @@ class Portal:
             raise TypeError(
                 f'{func} must be an async generator function!')
 
-        fn_mod_path, fn_name = func_deats(func)
+        fn_mod_path, fn_name = NamespacePath.from_ref(func).to_tuple()
 
         ctx = await self.actor.start_remote_task(
             self.channel,
@@ -430,7 +427,7 @@ class Portal:
             first = msg['started']
             ctx._started_called = True
 
-        except KeyError as kerr:
+        except KeyError:
             assert msg.get('cid'), ("Received internal error at context?")
 
             if msg.get('error'):
diff --git a/tractor/msg.py b/tractor/msg.py
index 16f4e5c..138718b 100644
--- a/tractor/msg.py
+++ b/tractor/msg.py
@@ -15,6 +15,66 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 '''
-Coming soon!
+Built-in messaging patterns, types, APIs and helpers.
 
 '''
+
+# TODO: integration with our ``enable_modules: list[str]`` caps sys.
+
+# ``pkgutil.resolve_name()`` internally uses
+# ``importlib.import_module()`` which can be filtered by inserting
+# a ``MetaPathFinder`` into ``sys.meta_path`` (which we could do before
+# entering the ``Actor._process_messages()`` loop).
+# - https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/main/Lib/pkgutil.py#L645
+# - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1350466/preventing-python-code-from-importing-certain-modules
+#   - https://stackoverflow.com/a/63320902
+#   - https://docs.python.org/3/library/sys.html#sys.meta_path
+
+# the new "Implicit Namespace Packages" might be relevant?
+# - https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0420/
+
+# add implicit serialized message type support so that paths can be
+# handed directly to IPC primitives such as streams and `Portal.run()`
+# calls:
+# - via ``msgspec``:
+#   - https://jcristharif.com/msgspec/api.html#struct
+#   - https://jcristharif.com/msgspec/extending.html
+# via ``msgpack-python``:
+# - https://github.com/msgpack/msgpack-python#packingunpacking-of-custom-data-type
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+from pkgutil import resolve_name
+
+
+class NamespacePath(str):
+    '''
+    A serializeable description of a (function) Python object location
+    described by the target's module path and namespace key meant as
+    a message-native "packet" to allows actors to point-and-load objects
+    by absolute reference.
+
+    '''
+    _ref: object = None
+
+    def load_ref(self) -> object:
+        if self._ref is None:
+            self._ref = resolve_name(self)
+        return self._ref
+
+    def to_tuple(
+        self,
+
+    ) -> tuple[str, str]:
+        ref = self.load_ref()
+        return ref.__module__, getattr(ref, '__name__', '')
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_ref(
+        cls,
+        ref,
+
+    ) -> NamespacePath:
+        return cls(':'.join(
+            (ref.__module__,
+             getattr(ref, '__name__', ''))
+        ))