diff --git a/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py b/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
index af60c70..757af61 100644
--- a/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
+++ b/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from typing import (
     AsyncContextManager,
     AsyncGenerator,
     AsyncIterator,
+    Callable,
     Hashable,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
@@ -131,69 +132,76 @@ class _Cache:
     async def run_ctx(
         cls,
         mng,
-        key,
+        ctx_key: tuple,
         task_status: TaskStatus[T] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
 
     ) -> None:
         async with mng as value:
-
-            _, no_more_users = cls.resources[id(mng)]
-            cls.values[key] = value
+            _, no_more_users = cls.resources[ctx_key]
+            cls.values[ctx_key] = value
             task_status.started(value)
             try:
                 await no_more_users.wait()
             finally:
-                value = cls.values.pop(key)
-                # discard nursery ref so it won't be re-used (an error)
-                cls.resources.pop(id(mng))
+                # discard nursery ref so it won't be re-used (an error)?
+                value = cls.values.pop(ctx_key)
+                cls.resources.pop(ctx_key)
 
 
 @acm
 async def maybe_open_context(
 
-    key: Hashable,
-    mngr: AsyncContextManager[T],
+    acm_func: Callable[..., AsyncContextManager[T]],
+
+    # XXX: used as cache key after conversion to tuple
+    # and all embedded values must also be hashable
+    kwargs: Optional[dict] = {},
+    key: Hashable = None,
 
 ) -> AsyncIterator[tuple[bool, T]]:
     '''
     Maybe open a context manager if there is not already a _Cached
-    version for the provided ``key``. Return the _Cached instance on
-    a _Cache hit.
+    version for the provided ``key`` for *this* actor. Return the
+    _Cached instance on a _Cache hit.
 
     '''
     # lock resource acquisition around task racing  / ``trio``'s
     # scheduler protocol
     await _Cache.lock.acquire()
 
-    ctx_key = id(mngr)
+    ctx_key = (id(acm_func), key or tuple(kwargs.items()))
     value = None
 
     try:
-        value = _Cache.values[key]
-
-    except KeyError:
-        log.info(f'Allocating new resource for {key}')
-
         # **critical section** that should prevent other tasks from
         # checking the _Cache until complete otherwise the scheduler
-        # may switch and by accident we create more then one feed.
+        # may switch and by accident we create more then one resource.
+        value = _Cache.values[ctx_key]
 
+    except KeyError:
+        log.info(f'Allocating new resource for {ctx_key}')
+
+        mngr = acm_func(**kwargs)
         # TODO: avoid pulling from ``tractor`` internals and
         # instead offer a "root nursery" in piker actors?
         service_n = current_actor()._service_n
 
         # TODO: does this need to be a tractor "root nursery"?
-        assert not _Cache.resources.get(ctx_key), f'Resource exists? {ctx_key}'
-        ln, _ = _Cache.resources[ctx_key] = (service_n, trio.Event())
+        resources = _Cache.resources
+        assert not resources.get(ctx_key), f'Resource exists? {ctx_key}'
+        ln, _ = resources[ctx_key] = (service_n, trio.Event())
 
-        value = await ln.start(_Cache.run_ctx, mngr, key)
+        value = await ln.start(
+            _Cache.run_ctx,
+            mngr,
+            ctx_key,
+        )
         _Cache.users += 1
         _Cache.lock.release()
-
         yield False, value
 
     else:
-        log.info(f'Reusing _Cached resource for {key}')
+        log.info(f'Reusing _Cached resource for {ctx_key}')
         _Cache.users += 1
         _Cache.lock.release()
         yield True, value
@@ -204,13 +212,8 @@ async def maybe_open_context(
         if value is not None:
             # if no more consumers, teardown the client
             if _Cache.users <= 0:
-                log.info(f'De-allocating resource for {key}')
-
-                if _Cache.lock.locked():
-                    _Cache.lock.release()
+                log.info(f'De-allocating resource for {ctx_key}')
 
                 # terminate mngr nursery
-                entry = _Cache.resources.get(ctx_key)
-                if entry:
-                    _, no_more_users = entry
-                    no_more_users.set()
+                _, no_more_users = _Cache.resources[ctx_key]
+                no_more_users.set()