diff --git a/tractor/_context.py b/tractor/_context.py
index b4e207a4..e0f62ec8 100644
--- a/tractor/_context.py
+++ b/tractor/_context.py
@@ -1210,7 +1210,7 @@ class Context:
                 # XXX: (MEGA IMPORTANT) if this is a root opened process we
                 # wait for any immediate child in debug before popping the
                 # context from the runtime msg loop otherwise inside
-                # ``Actor._push_result()`` the msg will be discarded and in
+                # ``Actor._deliver_ctx_payload()`` the msg will be discarded and in
                 # the case where that msg is global debugger unlock (via
                 # a "stop" msg for a stream), this can result in a deadlock
                 # where the root is waiting on the lock to clear but the
@@ -1701,11 +1701,11 @@ class Context:
 
         # raise any msg type error NO MATTER WHAT!
         except msgspec.ValidationError as verr:
-            from tractor._ipc import _raise_msg_type_err
-            _raise_msg_type_err(
+            from tractor._ipc import _mk_msg_type_err
+            raise _mk_msg_type_err(
                 msg=msg_bytes,
                 codec=codec,
-                validation_err=verr,
+                src_validation_error=verr,
                 verb_header='Trying to send payload'
                 # > 'invalid `Started IPC msgs\n'
             )
@@ -2418,7 +2418,7 @@ async def open_context_from_portal(
         # XXX: (MEGA IMPORTANT) if this is a root opened process we
         # wait for any immediate child in debug before popping the
         # context from the runtime msg loop otherwise inside
-        # ``Actor._push_result()`` the msg will be discarded and in
+        # ``Actor._deliver_ctx_payload()`` the msg will be discarded and in
         # the case where that msg is global debugger unlock (via
         # a "stop" msg for a stream), this can result in a deadlock
         # where the root is waiting on the lock to clear but the
diff --git a/tractor/_rpc.py b/tractor/_rpc.py
index de76e3cf..b494af2b 100644
--- a/tractor/_rpc.py
+++ b/tractor/_rpc.py
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@ async def process_messages(
                     ):
                         # deliver response to local caller/waiter
                         # via its per-remote-context memory channel.
-                        await actor._push_result(
+                        await actor._deliver_ctx_payload(
                             chan,
                             cid,
                             msg,
diff --git a/tractor/_runtime.py b/tractor/_runtime.py
index 0b00f747..435464be 100644
--- a/tractor/_runtime.py
+++ b/tractor/_runtime.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ from tractor.msg import (
     pretty_struct,
     NamespacePath,
     types as msgtypes,
+    Msg,
 )
 from ._ipc import Channel
 from ._context import (
@@ -77,9 +78,10 @@ from ._context import (
 )
 from .log import get_logger
 from ._exceptions import (
-    unpack_error,
-    ModuleNotExposed,
     ContextCancelled,
+    ModuleNotExposed,
+    MsgTypeError,
+    unpack_error,
     TransportClosed,
 )
 from .devx import _debug
@@ -559,7 +561,7 @@ class Actor:
                         cid: str|None = msg.cid
                         if cid:
                             # deliver response to local caller/waiter
-                            await self._push_result(
+                            await self._deliver_ctx_payload(
                                 chan,
                                 cid,
                                 msg,
@@ -718,11 +720,11 @@ class Actor:
 
     # TODO: rename to `._deliver_payload()` since this handles
     # more then just `result` msgs now obvi XD
-    async def _push_result(
+    async def _deliver_ctx_payload(
         self,
         chan: Channel,
         cid: str,
-        msg: dict[str, Any],
+        msg: Msg|MsgTypeError,
 
     ) -> None|bool:
         '''
@@ -751,6 +753,9 @@ class Actor:
             )
             return
 
+        # if isinstance(msg, MsgTypeError):
+        #     return await ctx._deliver_bad_msg()
+
         return await ctx._deliver_msg(msg)
 
     def get_context(
diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
index dc30ac6e..fcf8dafc 100644
--- a/tractor/_streaming.py
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class MsgStream(trio.abc.Channel):
         # - via a received `{'stop': ...}` msg from remote side.
         #   |_ NOTE: previously this was triggered by calling
         #   ``._rx_chan.aclose()`` on the send side of the channel inside
-        #   `Actor._push_result()`, but now the 'stop' message handling
+        #   `Actor._deliver_ctx_payload()`, but now the 'stop' message handling
         #   has been put just above inside `_raise_from_no_key_in_msg()`.
         except (
             trio.EndOfChannel,