diff --git a/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.md b/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9734961
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.md
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+---
+model: gpt-5.6-sol
+service: opencode
+session: tractor-addr-unpacking
+timestamp: 2026-08-20T03:31:08Z
+git_ref: ba07e09d
+scope: code
+substantive: true
+raw_file: 20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.raw.md
+---
+
+## Prompt
+
+The human asked the agent to continue after adding tagged readers,
+complete canonical address emission without dropping legacy input
+compatibility, verify the migration, and prepare a complete multi-commit
+package when the turn was done.
+
+## Response summary
+
+Changed `.unwrap()` to emit tagged TCP and Unix addresses, updated direct
+tuple consumers and spawn payload declarations, and aligned multiaddr,
+runtime, IPC, and discovery tests with canonical serialized equality.
+Kept untagged tuples and the `uds` spelling readable at input boundaries.
+
+## Files changed
+
+- `tractor/discovery/_addr.py` - canonical output alias.
+- `tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py` - tagged address composition.
+- `tractor/ipc/_tcp.py` - tagged emission and direct socket dialing.
+- `tractor/ipc/_uds.py` - tagged full-path emission.
+- `tractor/msg/types.py` - protocol-neutral spawn tuple containers.
+- `tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py` - writer assertions.
+- `tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py` - canonical round-trip assertions.
+- `tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py` - tagged bind assertions.
+- `tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py` - canonical runtime address assertions.
+- `tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py` - tagged TCP destructuring.
+- `tests/test_local.py` - canonical registry comparison.
+
+## Human edits
+
+The human established the reader-before-writer sequencing, canonical tag
+spellings, retained compatibility expectations, and requested final
+multi-commit packaging. The agent implemented and tested those choices;
+no direct manual source edits were observed.
diff --git a/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.raw.md b/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.raw.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98b139d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T033108Z_ba07e09d_prompt_io.raw.md
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+---
+model: gpt-5.6-sol
+service: opencode
+timestamp: 2026-08-20T03:31:08Z
+git_ref: ba07e09d
+diff_cmd: git diff HEAD~1..HEAD
+---
+
+# Raw output - canonical tagged address writers
+
+After the reader compatibility boundary, the human asked the agent to
+continue the migration and package the completed work as dependency-
+ordered commits.
+
+> `git diff HEAD~1..HEAD -- tractor/discovery/_addr.py tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py tractor/ipc/_tcp.py tractor/ipc/_uds.py tractor/msg/types.py tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py tests/test_local.py`
+
+Switched TCP and Unix `.unwrap()` output to canonical tagged tuples,
+updated direct transport and multiaddr consumers, widened spawn message
+tuple containers for protocol-specific shapes, and migrated runtime and
+test comparisons to serialized address equality. Legacy inputs remain
+accepted at `wrap_address()` and backend reader boundaries.
+
+Ruff and focused tests passed. The complete non-debugger TCP suite passed
+with 412 tests; the UDS suite reached 80% without failure before the
+harness timeout, then all 97 remaining tests passed on resume. Debugger
+PTY coverage was excluded after an unrelated timeout.
diff --git a/tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py b/tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py
index 98b4b7d2..ee0450c9 100644
--- a/tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py
+++ b/tests/discovery/test_address_serialization.py
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ def test_decode_tagged_tcp_address(value):
     Shape-only decoding cannot distinguish future transport address
     forms. Feed canonical tuple and msgpack-style list values through
     the compatibility boundary and prove the explicit `tcp` tag
-    selects the TCP backend without changing legacy emission yet.
+    selects the TCP backend and emits the canonical tagged form.
 
     '''
     addr = wrap_address(value)
 
     assert type(addr) is TCPAddress
-    assert addr.unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 1616)
+    assert addr.unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 1616)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ def test_decode_tagged_unix_address(
     '''
     Multiaddr calls the protocol `unix` while tractor's transport key
     remains `uds`. Decode both spellings from tuple/list containers,
-    normalize them to one `UDSAddress`, and retain legacy pair
-    emission until the writer migration lands.
+    normalize them to one `UDSAddress`, and emit the canonical `unix`
+    spelling.
 
     '''
     value = container((tag, '/tmp/tractor/registry.sock'))
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ def test_decode_tagged_unix_address(
     assert type(addr) is UDSAddress
     assert addr.sockpath == Path('/tmp/tractor/registry.sock')
     assert addr.unwrap() == (
-        '/tmp/tractor',
-        'registry.sock',
+        'unix',
+        '/tmp/tractor/registry.sock',
     )
 
 
@@ -75,11 +75,14 @@ def test_decode_legacy_address_forms(
     '''
     Existing callers, config, and older msgpack payloads still
     provide untagged pairs. Keep tuple/list forms readable while
-    canonical tagged decoding is introduced, proving this
-    reader-first commit does not break shipped input behavior.
+    canonical tagged emission is introduced, proving the writer
+    migration does not break shipped input behavior.
 
     '''
-    assert type(wrap_address(value)) is expected_type
+    addr = wrap_address(value)
+
+    assert type(addr) is expected_type
+    assert addr.unwrap()[0] in {'tcp', 'unix'}
 
 
 def test_tcp_from_native_ipv6_sockname():
@@ -94,4 +97,4 @@ def test_tcp_from_native_ipv6_sockname():
         ('::1', 1616, 0, 0)
     )
 
-    assert addr.unwrap() == ('::1', 1616)
+    assert addr.unwrap() == ('tcp', '::1', 1616)
diff --git a/tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py b/tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py
index 67d73934..45727213 100644
--- a/tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py
+++ b/tests/discovery/test_multiaddr.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def test_parse_maddr_tcp_ipv4():
     result = parse_maddr('/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/1234')
 
     assert isinstance(result, TCPAddress)
-    assert result.unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 1234)
+    assert result.unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 1234)
 
 
 def test_parse_maddr_tcp_ipv6():
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ def test_parse_maddr_tcp_ipv6():
     result = parse_maddr('/ip6/::1/tcp/5678')
 
     assert isinstance(result, TCPAddress)
-    assert result.unwrap() == ('::1', 5678)
+    assert result.unwrap() == ('tcp', '::1', 5678)
 
 
 def test_parse_maddr_uds():
@@ -213,9 +213,10 @@ def test_parse_maddr_uds():
     result = parse_maddr('/unix/tmp/tractor_test/test.sock')
 
     assert isinstance(result, UDSAddress)
-    filedir, filename = result.unwrap()
-    assert filename == 'test.sock'
-    assert str(filedir) == '/tmp/tractor_test'
+    assert result.unwrap() == (
+        'unix',
+        '/tmp/tractor_test/test.sock',
+    )
 
 
 def test_parse_maddr_unsupported():
@@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ def test_parse_wg_maddr():
         bearer=('192.168.1.50', 51820),
     )
     assert isinstance(parsed.overlay, TCPAddress)
-    assert parsed.overlay.unwrap() == ('10.0.11.1', 1616)
+    assert parsed.overlay.unwrap() == ('tcp', '10.0.11.1', 1616)
 
 
 def test_mk_wg_maddr_roundtrip():
@@ -445,7 +446,7 @@ def test_wrap_address_maddr_str():
     result = wrap_address('/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/9999')
 
     assert isinstance(result, TCPAddress)
-    assert result.unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 9999)
+    assert result.unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 9999)
 
 
 def test_wrap_address_wg_maddr_str():
@@ -460,7 +461,7 @@ def test_wrap_address_wg_maddr_str():
 
     assert isinstance(result, TunnelledAddress)
     assert result.tunnel.peer_pubkey == _WG_PUBKEY
-    assert result.overlay.unwrap() == ('10.0.11.1', 1616)
+    assert result.overlay.unwrap() == ('tcp', '10.0.11.1', 1616)
 
 
 # ------ parse_endpoints() tests ------
@@ -481,11 +482,11 @@ def test_parse_endpoints_tcp_only():
 
     reg_addr = result['registry'][0]
     assert isinstance(reg_addr, TCPAddress)
-    assert reg_addr.unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 1616)
+    assert reg_addr.unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 1616)
 
     feed_addr = result['data_feed'][0]
     assert isinstance(feed_addr, TCPAddress)
-    assert feed_addr.unwrap() == ('0.0.0.0', 5555)
+    assert feed_addr.unwrap() == ('tcp', '0.0.0.0', 5555)
 
 
 def test_parse_endpoints_mixed_tpts():
@@ -505,12 +506,13 @@ def test_parse_endpoints_mixed_tpts():
 
     assert len(addrs) == 2
     assert isinstance(addrs[0], TCPAddress)
-    assert addrs[0].unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 4040)
+    assert addrs[0].unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 4040)
 
     assert isinstance(addrs[1], UDSAddress)
-    filedir, filename = addrs[1].unwrap()
-    assert filename == 'broker.sock'
-    assert str(filedir) == '/tmp/tractor'
+    assert addrs[1].unwrap() == (
+        'unix',
+        '/tmp/tractor/broker.sock',
+    )
 
 
 def test_parse_endpoints_wg_maddr():
@@ -550,7 +552,7 @@ def test_parse_endpoints_unwrapped_tuples():
 
     addr = result['ems'][0]
     assert isinstance(addr, TCPAddress)
-    assert addr.unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 6666)
+    assert addr.unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 6666)
 
 
 def test_parse_endpoints_mixed_str_and_tuple():
@@ -570,10 +572,10 @@ def test_parse_endpoints_mixed_str_and_tuple():
 
     assert len(addrs) == 2
     assert isinstance(addrs[0], TCPAddress)
-    assert addrs[0].unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 7777)
+    assert addrs[0].unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 7777)
 
     assert isinstance(addrs[1], TCPAddress)
-    assert addrs[1].unwrap() == ('127.0.0.1', 8888)
+    assert addrs[1].unwrap() == ('tcp', '127.0.0.1', 8888)
 
 
 def test_parse_endpoints_unsupported_proto():
diff --git a/tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py b/tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py
index ae3b3437..482f2b4b 100644
--- a/tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py
+++ b/tests/discovery/test_tpt_bind_addrs.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def test_non_registrar_root_tpt_bind_addrs(
             for uw_addr in bound:
                 w = wrap_address(uw_addr)
                 if w.proto_key == 'tcp':
-                    _host, port = uw_addr
+                    _, _host, port = uw_addr
                     assert port > 0
 
     trio.run(_main)
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ def test_tpt_bind_addrs_as_maddr_str(
             for uw_addr in actor.accept_addrs:
                 w = wrap_address(uw_addr)
                 if w.proto_key == 'tcp':
-                    _host, port = uw_addr
+                    _, _host, port = uw_addr
                     assert port > 0
 
     trio.run(_main)
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def test_registrar_merge_binds_union(
     # actually differ (always true for TCP, may
     # collide for UDS).
     expect_disjoint: bool = (
-        tuple(reg_addr) != rando.unwrap()
+        reg_wrapped.unwrap() != rando.unwrap()
     )
 
     async def _main():
diff --git a/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py b/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
index 5d1fdea3..ebedee26 100644
--- a/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
+++ b/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
@@ -57,17 +57,20 @@ def test_uds_bindspace_created_implicitly(
 
             root: Actor = tractor.current_actor()
             assert root.is_registrar
+            canonical_addr = _addr.wrap_address(
+                registry_addr,
+            ).unwrap()
 
-            assert registry_addr in root.reg_addrs
+            assert canonical_addr in root.reg_addrs
             assert (
-                registry_addr
+                canonical_addr
                 in
                 _state._runtime_vars['_registry_addrs']
             )
             assert (
-                _addr.wrap_address(registry_addr)
+                canonical_addr
                 in
-                root.registry_addrs
+                [addr.unwrap() for addr in root.registry_addrs]
             )
 
     trio.run(main)
diff --git a/tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py b/tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py
index 827af420..6c1f6dbb 100644
--- a/tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py
+++ b/tests/ipc/test_server_tunnel_boundary.py
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ def test_server_peels_before_endpoint_construction():
             endpoint = eps[0]
 
             assert type(endpoint.addr) is TCPAddress
-            host, port = endpoint.addr.unwrap()
-            assert host == overlay.unwrap()[0]
+            _, host, port = endpoint.addr.unwrap()
+            assert host == overlay.unwrap()[1]
             assert port > 0
             assert endpoint.addr is not tunnelled
             assert tunnels_of(tunnelled) == (
diff --git a/tests/test_local.py b/tests/test_local.py
index b585651c..6b12b31a 100644
--- a/tests/test_local.py
+++ b/tests/test_local.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import trio
 import tractor
 
 from tractor._testing import tractor_test
+from tractor.discovery._addr import wrap_address
 
 
 def test_no_runtime():
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ async def test_self_is_registered_localportal(reg_addr):
         with trio.fail_after(0.2):
             sockaddr = await portal.run_from_ns(
                     'self', 'wait_for_actor', name='root')
-            assert sockaddr[0] == reg_addr
+            assert sockaddr[0] == wrap_address(reg_addr).unwrap()
 
 
 def test_local_actor_async_func(reg_addr):
diff --git a/tractor/discovery/_addr.py b/tractor/discovery/_addr.py
index 57afa02b..56bda3ca 100644
--- a/tractor/discovery/_addr.py
+++ b/tractor/discovery/_addr.py
@@ -84,16 +84,15 @@ TaggedAddress: TypeAlias = (
     |TaggedUnixAddress
 )
 
-# Input-only compatibility forms. `UnwrappedAddress` remains the
-# emitted form until the tagged writer migration switches it in the
-# next atomic change.
+# Input-only compatibility forms retained for older callers and
+# serialized payloads.
 LegacyTCPAddress: TypeAlias = tuple[str, int]
 LegacyUDSAddress: TypeAlias = tuple[str, str]
 LegacyUnwrappedAddress: TypeAlias = (
     LegacyTCPAddress
     |LegacyUDSAddress
 )
-UnwrappedAddress = LegacyUnwrappedAddress
+UnwrappedAddress = TaggedAddress
 # ?TODO? should we also include another 2 fields from our `Aid` msg
 # such that we include the runtime `Actor.uid` of `.name` and `.uuid`?
 # - would ensure uniqueness across entire net?
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ UnwrappedAddress = LegacyUnwrappedAddress
 # TODO, maybe rename to `SocketAddress`?
 class Address(Protocol):
     proto_key: ClassVar[str]
-    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[UnwrappedAddress]
+    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[type]
 
     # TODO, i feel like an `.is_bound()` is a better thing to
     # support?
diff --git a/tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py b/tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py
index 8f626700..18f168c0 100644
--- a/tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py
+++ b/tractor/discovery/_multiaddr.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def mk_maddr(
 
     match proto_key:
         case 'tcp':
-            host, port = addr.unwrap()
+            _, host, port = addr.unwrap()
             ip = ipaddress.ip_address(host)
             net_proto: str = (
                 'ip4' if ip.version == 4
@@ -84,13 +84,12 @@ def mk_maddr(
             )
 
         case 'uds':
-            filedir, filename = addr.unwrap()
-            filepath = Path(filedir) / filename
+            _, sockpath = addr.unwrap()
             # NOTE, strip any leading `/` to avoid
             # double-slash `/unix//run/..` which the
             # multiaddr parser rejects as "empty
             # protocol path".
-            fpath_str: str = str(filepath).lstrip('/')
+            fpath_str: str = sockpath.lstrip('/')
             return Multiaddr(
                 f'/{maddr_proto}/{fpath_str}'
             )
diff --git a/tractor/ipc/_tcp.py b/tractor/ipc/_tcp.py
index 3fefdf08..819e1c81 100644
--- a/tractor/ipc/_tcp.py
+++ b/tractor/ipc/_tcp.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import ipaddress
 from typing import (
     ClassVar,
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
 )
 # from contextlib import (
 #     asynccontextmanager as acm,
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ from tractor.ipc._transport import (
     MsgpackTransport,
 )
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from tractor.discovery._addr import TaggedTCPAddress
+
 
 log = get_logger()
 
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ class TCPAddress(
             ) from valerr
 
     proto_key: ClassVar[str] = 'tcp'
-    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[type] = tuple[str, int]
+    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[type] = tuple
     def_bindspace: ClassVar[str] = '127.0.0.1'
 
     # ?TODO, actually validate ipv4/6 with stdlib's `ipaddress`
@@ -130,8 +134,9 @@ class TCPAddress(
                     f'{addr}\n'
                 )
 
-    def unwrap(self) -> tuple[str, int]:
+    def unwrap(self) -> TaggedTCPAddress:
         return (
+            self.proto_key,
             self._host,
             self._port,
         )
@@ -230,7 +235,8 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream(MsgpackTransport):
         **kwargs
     ) -> MsgpackTCPStream:
         stream = await trio.open_tcp_stream(
-            *destaddr.unwrap(),
+            destaddr._host,
+            destaddr._port,
             **kwargs
         )
         return MsgpackTCPStream(
diff --git a/tractor/ipc/_uds.py b/tractor/ipc/_uds.py
index b1a5235b..dab0d6bb 100644
--- a/tractor/ipc/_uds.py
+++ b/tractor/ipc/_uds.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ from tractor.runtime._state import (
 )
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from tractor.discovery._addr import TaggedUnixAddress
     from tractor.runtime._runtime import Actor
 
 
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ class UDSAddress(
     # -[ ] need to check what other mult-transport frameworks do
     #     like zmq, nng, uri-spec et al!
     proto_key: ClassVar[str] = 'uds'
-    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[type] = tuple[str, int]
+    unwrapped_type: ClassVar[type] = tuple
     def_bindspace: ClassVar[Path] = get_rt_dir()
 
     @property
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ class UDSAddress(
 
     @property
     def sockpath(self) -> Path:
-        return self.bindspace / self.filename
+        return Path(self.bindspace) / self.filename
 
     @property
     def is_valid(self) -> bool:
@@ -180,12 +181,10 @@ class UDSAddress(
                     f'{addr!r}\n'
                 )
 
-    def unwrap(self) -> tuple[str, int]:
-        # XXX NOTE, since this gets passed DIRECTLY to
-        # `.ipc._uds.open_unix_socket_w_passcred()`
+    def unwrap(self) -> TaggedUnixAddress:
         return (
-            str(self.filedir),
-            str(self.filename),
+            'unix',
+            str(self.sockpath),
         )
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tractor/msg/types.py b/tractor/msg/types.py
index 4f3e33cc..1cc2125c 100644
--- a/tractor/msg/types.py
+++ b/tractor/msg/types.py
@@ -211,10 +211,11 @@ class SpawnSpec(
     # module import capability
     enable_modules: dict[str, str]
 
-    # TODO: not just sockaddr pairs?
-    # -[ ] abstract into a `TransportAddr` type?
-    reg_addrs: list[tuple[str, str|int]]
-    bind_addrs: list[tuple[str, str|int]]|None
+    # Tagged addresses have protocol-specific tuple shapes which
+    # msgspec cannot express as one decodable union. `wrap_address()`
+    # validates each tuple at the transport boundary.
+    reg_addrs: list[tuple]
+    bind_addrs: list[tuple]|None
 
 
 # TODO: caps based RPC support in the payload?