diff --git a/tests/test_local.py b/tests/test_local.py
index 3f41301..2f9e5ee 100644
--- a/tests/test_local.py
+++ b/tests/test_local.py
@@ -31,6 +31,26 @@ def test_no_main():
         tractor.run(None)
 
 
+@tractor_test
+async def test_self_is_registered():
+    "Verify waiting on the arbiter to register itself using the standard api."
+    actor = tractor.current_actor()
+    assert actor.is_arbiter
+    async with tractor.wait_for_actor('arbiter') as portal:
+        assert portal.channel.uid[0] == 'arbiter'
+
+
+@tractor_test
+async def test_self_is_registered_localportal(arb_addr):
+    "Verify waiting on the arbiter to register itself using a local portal."
+    actor = tractor.current_actor()
+    assert actor.is_arbiter
+    async with tractor.get_arbiter(*arb_addr) as portal:
+        assert isinstance(portal, tractor._portal.LocalPortal)
+        sockaddr = await portal.run('self', 'wait_for_actor', name='arbiter')
+        assert sockaddr[0] == arb_addr
+
+
 def test_local_actor_async_func(arb_addr):
     """Verify a simple async function in-process.
     """
diff --git a/tractor/_actor.py b/tractor/_actor.py
index c9daa81..2e08b12 100644
--- a/tractor/_actor.py
+++ b/tractor/_actor.py
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ async def wait_for_actor(
 ) -> typing.AsyncGenerator[Portal, None]:
     """Wait on an actor to register with the arbiter.
 
-    A portal to the first actor which registered is be returned.
+    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:
diff --git a/tractor/_portal.py b/tractor/_portal.py
index f8a01ac..9dc0cba 100644
--- a/tractor/_portal.py
+++ b/tractor/_portal.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Portal api
 """
 import importlib
+import inspect
 import typing
 from typing import Tuple, Any, Dict, Optional
 
@@ -216,11 +217,15 @@ class LocalPortal:
     ) -> None:
         self.actor = actor
 
-    async def run(self, ns: str, func: str, **kwargs) -> Any:
+    async def run(self, ns: str, func_name: str, **kwargs) -> Any:
         """Run a requested function locally and return it's result.
         """
         obj = self.actor if ns == 'self' else importlib.import_module(ns)
-        return getattr(obj, func)(**kwargs)
+        func = getattr(obj, func_name)
+        if inspect.iscoroutinefunction(func):
+            return await func(**kwargs)
+        else:
+            return func(**kwargs)
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager