diff --git a/tractor/__init__.py b/tractor/__init__.py
index 2f6e7d7..d14717b 100644
--- a/tractor/__init__.py
+++ b/tractor/__init__.py
@@ -12,9 +12,8 @@ from trio import MultiError
 
 from . import log
 from ._ipc import _connect_chan, Channel, Context
-from ._actor import (
-    Actor, _start_actor, Arbiter, get_arbiter, find_actor, wait_for_actor
-)
+from ._discovery import get_arbiter, find_actor, wait_for_actor
+from ._actor import Actor, _start_actor, Arbiter
 from ._trionics import open_nursery
 from ._state import current_actor
 from ._exceptions import RemoteActorError, ModuleNotExposed
diff --git a/tractor/_actor.py b/tractor/_actor.py
index 4fa3808..496c68a 100644
--- a/tractor/_actor.py
+++ b/tractor/_actor.py
@@ -8,25 +8,21 @@ import importlib
 import inspect
 import uuid
 import typing
-from typing import Dict, List, Tuple, Any, Optional, Union
+from typing import Dict, List, Tuple, Any, Optional
 
 import trio  # type: ignore
-from async_generator import asynccontextmanager, aclosing
+from async_generator import aclosing
 
-from ._ipc import Channel, _connect_chan, Context
+from ._ipc import Channel, Context
 from .log import get_console_log, get_logger
 from ._exceptions import (
     pack_error,
     unpack_error,
     ModuleNotExposed
 )
-from ._portal import (
-    Portal,
-    open_portal,
-    LocalPortal,
-)
+from ._discovery import get_arbiter
+from ._portal import Portal
 from . import _state
-from ._state import current_actor
 
 
 log = get_logger('tractor')
@@ -869,66 +865,3 @@ async def _start_actor(
     log.info("Completed async main")
 
     return result
-
-
-@asynccontextmanager
-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.
-    """
-    actor = current_actor()
-    if not actor:
-        raise RuntimeError("No actor instance has been defined yet?")
-
-    if actor.is_arbiter:
-        # we're already the arbiter
-        # (likely a re-entrant call from the arbiter actor)
-        yield LocalPortal(actor)
-    else:
-        async with _connect_chan(host, port) as chan:
-            async with open_portal(chan) as arb_portal:
-                yield arb_portal
-
-
-@asynccontextmanager
-async def find_actor(
-    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
-    known to the arbiter.
-    """
-    actor = current_actor()
-    async with get_arbiter(*arbiter_sockaddr or actor._arb_addr) as arb_portal:
-        sockaddr = await arb_portal.run('self', 'find_actor', name=name)
-        # TODO: return portals to all available actors - for now just
-        # the last one that registered
-        if name == 'arbiter' and actor.is_arbiter:
-            raise RuntimeError("The current actor is the arbiter")
-        elif sockaddr:
-            async with _connect_chan(*sockaddr) as chan:
-                async with open_portal(chan) as portal:
-                    yield portal
-        else:
-            yield None
-
-
-@asynccontextmanager
-async def wait_for_actor(
-    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 registered actor is returned.
-    """
-    actor = current_actor()
-    async with get_arbiter(*arbiter_sockaddr or actor._arb_addr) as arb_portal:
-        sockaddrs = await arb_portal.run('self', 'wait_for_actor', name=name)
-        sockaddr = sockaddrs[-1]
-        async with _connect_chan(*sockaddr) as chan:
-            async with open_portal(chan) as portal:
-                yield portal
diff --git a/tractor/_discovery.py b/tractor/_discovery.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae2e3be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tractor/_discovery.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""
+Actor discovery API.
+"""
+import typing
+from typing import Tuple, Optional, Union
+from async_generator import asynccontextmanager
+
+from ._ipc import _connect_chan
+from ._portal import (
+    Portal,
+    open_portal,
+    LocalPortal,
+)
+from ._state import current_actor
+
+
+@asynccontextmanager
+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.
+    """
+    actor = current_actor()
+    if not actor:
+        raise RuntimeError("No actor instance has been defined yet?")
+
+    if actor.is_arbiter:
+        # we're already the arbiter
+        # (likely a re-entrant call from the arbiter actor)
+        yield LocalPortal(actor)
+    else:
+        async with _connect_chan(host, port) as chan:
+            async with open_portal(chan) as arb_portal:
+                yield arb_portal
+
+
+@asynccontextmanager
+async def find_actor(
+    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
+    known to the arbiter.
+    """
+    actor = current_actor()
+    async with get_arbiter(*arbiter_sockaddr or actor._arb_addr) as arb_portal:
+        sockaddr = await arb_portal.run('self', 'find_actor', name=name)
+        # TODO: return portals to all available actors - for now just
+        # the last one that registered
+        if name == 'arbiter' and actor.is_arbiter:
+            raise RuntimeError("The current actor is the arbiter")
+        elif sockaddr:
+            async with _connect_chan(*sockaddr) as chan:
+                async with open_portal(chan) as portal:
+                    yield portal
+        else:
+            yield None
+
+
+@asynccontextmanager
+async def wait_for_actor(
+    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 registered actor is returned.
+    """
+    actor = current_actor()
+    async with get_arbiter(*arbiter_sockaddr or actor._arb_addr) as arb_portal:
+        sockaddrs = await arb_portal.run('self', 'wait_for_actor', name=name)
+        sockaddr = sockaddrs[-1]
+        async with _connect_chan(*sockaddr) as chan:
+            async with open_portal(chan) as portal:
+                yield portal