diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 15a2763..9d91f17 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pip install -U . --upgrade-strategy eager -r requirements-test.txt
 
       - name: Run MyPy check
-        run: mypy tractor/ --ignore-missing-imports
+        run: mypy tractor/ --ignore-missing-imports --show-traceback
 
   # test that we can generate a software distribution and install it
   # thus avoid missing file issues after packaging.
@@ -60,7 +60,11 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
         python: ['3.10']
-        spawn_backend: ['trio', 'mp']
+        spawn_backend: [
+          'trio',
+          'mp_spawn',
+          'mp_forkserver',
+        ]
 
     steps:
 
diff --git a/nooz/335.trivial.rst b/nooz/335.trivial.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1030f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nooz/335.trivial.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Establish an explicit "backend spawning" method table; use it from CI
+
+More clearly lays out the current set of (3) backends: ``['trio',
+'mp_spawn', 'mp_forkserver']`` and adjusts the ``._spawn.py`` internals
+as well as the test suite to accommodate.
diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
index c2b43c1..579b6f0 100644
--- a/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ pytest
 pytest-trio
 pytest-timeout
 pdbpp
-mypy<0.920
-trio_typing<0.7.0
+mypy
+trio_typing
 pexpect
 towncrier
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 7a46d98..7e966ec 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ setup(
         'tractor',
         'tractor.experimental',
         'tractor.trionics',
-        'tractor.testing',
     ],
     install_requires=[
 
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 3739eae..9b26de6 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -8,15 +8,89 @@ import random
 import signal
 import platform
 import time
+import inspect
+from functools import partial, wraps
 
 import pytest
+import trio
 import tractor
 
-# export for tests
-from tractor.testing import tractor_test  # noqa
-
-
 pytest_plugins = ['pytester']
+
+
+def tractor_test(fn):
+    """
+    Use:
+
+    @tractor_test
+    async def test_whatever():
+        await ...
+
+    If fixtures:
+
+        - ``arb_addr`` (a socket addr tuple where arbiter is listening)
+        - ``loglevel`` (logging level passed to tractor internals)
+        - ``start_method`` (subprocess spawning backend)
+
+    are defined in the `pytest` fixture space they will be automatically
+    injected to tests declaring these funcargs.
+    """
+    @wraps(fn)
+    def wrapper(
+        *args,
+        loglevel=None,
+        arb_addr=None,
+        start_method=None,
+        **kwargs
+    ):
+        # __tracebackhide__ = True
+
+        if 'arb_addr' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
+            # injects test suite fixture value to test as well
+            # as `run()`
+            kwargs['arb_addr'] = arb_addr
+
+        if 'loglevel' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
+            # allows test suites to define a 'loglevel' fixture
+            # that activates the internal logging
+            kwargs['loglevel'] = loglevel
+
+        if start_method is None:
+            if platform.system() == "Windows":
+                start_method = 'trio'
+
+        if 'start_method' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
+            # set of subprocess spawning backends
+            kwargs['start_method'] = start_method
+
+        if kwargs:
+
+            # use explicit root actor start
+
+            async def _main():
+                async with tractor.open_root_actor(
+                    # **kwargs,
+                    arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
+                    loglevel=loglevel,
+                    start_method=start_method,
+
+                    # TODO: only enable when pytest is passed --pdb
+                    # debug_mode=True,
+
+                ):
+                    await fn(*args, **kwargs)
+
+            main = _main
+
+        else:
+            # use implicit root actor start
+            main = partial(fn, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        return trio.run(main)
+
+    return wrapper
+
+
 _arb_addr = '127.0.0.1', random.randint(1000, 9999)
 
 
@@ -64,11 +138,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
     backend = config.option.spawn_backend
-
-    if backend == 'mp':
-        tractor._spawn.try_set_start_method('spawn')
-    elif backend == 'trio':
-        tractor._spawn.try_set_start_method(backend)
+    tractor._spawn.try_set_start_method(backend)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session', autouse=True)
@@ -102,24 +172,24 @@ def arb_addr():
 
 def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
     spawn_backend = metafunc.config.option.spawn_backend
+
     if not spawn_backend:
         # XXX some weird windows bug with `pytest`?
-        spawn_backend = 'mp'
-    assert spawn_backend in ('mp', 'trio')
+        spawn_backend = 'trio'
 
+    # TODO: maybe just use the literal `._spawn.SpawnMethodKey`?
+    assert spawn_backend in (
+        'mp_spawn',
+        'mp_forkserver',
+        'trio',
+    )
+
+    # NOTE: used to be used to dyanmically parametrize tests for when
+    # you just passed --spawn-backend=`mp` on the cli, but now we expect
+    # that cli input to be manually specified, BUT, maybe we'll do
+    # something like this again in the future?
     if 'start_method' in metafunc.fixturenames:
-        if spawn_backend == 'mp':
-            from multiprocessing import get_all_start_methods
-            methods = get_all_start_methods()
-            if 'fork' in methods:
-                # fork not available on windows, so check before
-                # removing XXX: the fork method is in general
-                # incompatible with trio's global scheduler state
-                methods.remove('fork')
-        elif spawn_backend == 'trio':
-            methods = ['trio']
-
-        metafunc.parametrize("start_method", methods, scope='module')
+        metafunc.parametrize("start_method", [spawn_backend], scope='module')
 
 
 def sig_prog(proc, sig):
diff --git a/tests/test_cancellation.py b/tests/test_cancellation.py
index e709531..21681f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_cancellation.py
+++ b/tests/test_cancellation.py
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ def test_cancel_via_SIGINT(
         with trio.fail_after(2):
             async with tractor.open_nursery() as tn:
                 await tn.start_actor('sucka')
-                if spawn_backend == 'mp':
+                if 'mp' in spawn_backend:
                     time.sleep(0.1)
                 os.kill(pid, signal.SIGINT)
                 await trio.sleep_forever()
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ def test_cancel_via_SIGINT_other_task(
         with trio.fail_after(timeout):
             async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
                 await n.start(spawn_and_sleep_forever)
-                if spawn_backend == 'mp':
+                if 'mp' in spawn_backend:
                     time.sleep(0.1)
                 os.kill(pid, signal.SIGINT)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pubsub.py b/tests/test_pubsub.py
index 390ca29..ababcb5 100644
--- a/tests/test_pubsub.py
+++ b/tests/test_pubsub.py
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ from itertools import cycle
 import pytest
 import trio
 import tractor
-from tractor.testing import tractor_test
 from tractor.experimental import msgpub
 
+from conftest import tractor_test
+
 
 def test_type_checks():
 
diff --git a/tests/test_spawning.py b/tests/test_spawning.py
index 3e5ab1b..17798c0 100644
--- a/tests/test_spawning.py
+++ b/tests/test_spawning.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def test_loglevel_propagated_to_subactor(
     capfd,
     arb_addr,
 ):
-    if start_method == 'forkserver':
+    if start_method == 'mp_forkserver':
         pytest.skip(
             "a bug with `capfd` seems to make forkserver capture not work?")
 
diff --git a/tests/test_streaming.py b/tests/test_streaming.py
index 0d3ee1f..4e54e02 100644
--- a/tests/test_streaming.py
+++ b/tests/test_streaming.py
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ import platform
 
 import trio
 import tractor
-from tractor.testing import tractor_test
 import pytest
 
+from conftest import tractor_test
+
 
 def test_must_define_ctx():
 
diff --git a/tractor/_entry.py b/tractor/_entry.py
index 931b2e2..9e95fee 100644
--- a/tractor/_entry.py
+++ b/tractor/_entry.py
@@ -18,15 +18,28 @@
 Sub-process entry points.
 
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
 from functools import partial
-from typing import Any
+from typing import (
+    Any,
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
+)
 
 import trio  # type: ignore
 
-from .log import get_console_log, get_logger
+from .log import (
+    get_console_log,
+    get_logger,
+)
 from . import _state
 from .to_asyncio import run_as_asyncio_guest
-from ._runtime import async_main, Actor
+from ._runtime import (
+    async_main,
+    Actor,
+)
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from ._spawn import SpawnMethodKey
 
 
 log = get_logger(__name__)
@@ -34,10 +47,10 @@ log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 def _mp_main(
 
-    actor: 'Actor',  # type: ignore
+    actor: Actor,  # type: ignore
     accept_addr: tuple[str, int],
     forkserver_info: tuple[Any, Any, Any, Any, Any],
-    start_method: str,
+    start_method: SpawnMethodKey,
     parent_addr: tuple[str, int] = None,
     infect_asyncio: bool = False,
 
diff --git a/tractor/_root.py b/tractor/_root.py
index 1def614..0e5b2aa 100644
--- a/tractor/_root.py
+++ b/tractor/_root.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
     # either the `multiprocessing` start method:
     # https://docs.python.org/3/library/multiprocessing.html#contexts-and-start-methods
     # OR `trio` (the new default).
-    start_method: Optional[str] = None,
+    start_method: Optional[_spawn.SpawnMethodKey] = None,
 
     # enables the multi-process debugger support
     debug_mode: bool = False,
diff --git a/tractor/_spawn.py b/tractor/_spawn.py
index 78b3ba8..4a9f118 100644
--- a/tractor/_spawn.py
+++ b/tractor/_spawn.py
@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import sys
 import platform
 from typing import (
-    Any, Optional, Callable, TypeVar, TYPE_CHECKING
+    Any,
+    Literal,
+    Optional,
+    Callable,
+    TypeVar,
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
 )
 from collections.abc import Awaitable
 
@@ -39,7 +44,6 @@ from ._state import (
     is_root_process,
     debug_mode,
 )
-
 from .log import get_logger
 from ._portal import Portal
 from ._runtime import Actor
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ from ._exceptions import ActorFailure
 
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from ._supervise import ActorNursery
     import multiprocessing as mp
     ProcessType = TypeVar('ProcessType', mp.Process, trio.Process)
 
@@ -55,7 +60,12 @@ log = get_logger('tractor')
 
 # placeholder for an mp start context if so using that backend
 _ctx: Optional[mp.context.BaseContext] = None
-_spawn_method: str = "trio"
+SpawnMethodKey = Literal[
+    'trio',  # supported on all platforms
+    'mp_spawn',
+    'mp_forkserver',  # posix only
+]
+_spawn_method: SpawnMethodKey = 'trio'
 
 
 if platform.system() == 'Windows':
@@ -72,7 +82,10 @@ else:
         await trio.lowlevel.wait_readable(proc.sentinel)
 
 
-def try_set_start_method(name: str) -> Optional[mp.context.BaseContext]:
+def try_set_start_method(
+    key: SpawnMethodKey
+
+) -> Optional[mp.context.BaseContext]:
     '''
     Attempt to set the method for process starting, aka the "actor
     spawning backend".
@@ -87,28 +100,30 @@ def try_set_start_method(name: str) -> Optional[mp.context.BaseContext]:
     global _ctx
     global _spawn_method
 
-    methods = mp.get_all_start_methods()
-    if 'fork' in methods:
+    mp_methods = mp.get_all_start_methods()
+    if 'fork' in mp_methods:
         # forking is incompatible with ``trio``s global task tree
-        methods.remove('fork')
+        mp_methods.remove('fork')
 
-    # supported on all platforms
-    methods += ['trio']
+    match key:
+        case 'mp_forkserver':
+            from . import _forkserver_override
+            _forkserver_override.override_stdlib()
+            _ctx = mp.get_context('forkserver')
 
-    if name not in methods:
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Spawn method `{name}` is invalid please choose one of {methods}"
-        )
-    elif name == 'forkserver':
-        from . import _forkserver_override
-        _forkserver_override.override_stdlib()
-        _ctx = mp.get_context(name)
-    elif name == 'trio':
-        _ctx = None
-    else:
-        _ctx = mp.get_context(name)
+        case 'mp_spawn':
+            _ctx = mp.get_context('spawn')
 
-    _spawn_method = name
+        case 'trio':
+            _ctx = None
+
+        case _:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f'Spawn method `{key}` is invalid!\n'
+                f'Please choose one of {SpawnMethodKey}'
+            )
+
+    _spawn_method = key
     return _ctx
 
 
@@ -247,9 +262,8 @@ async def soft_wait(
 
 
 async def new_proc(
-
     name: str,
-    actor_nursery: 'ActorNursery',  # type: ignore  # noqa
+    actor_nursery: ActorNursery,
     subactor: Actor,
     errors: dict[tuple[str, str], Exception],
 
@@ -263,6 +277,41 @@ async def new_proc(
     infect_asyncio: bool = False,
     task_status: TaskStatus[Portal] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED
 
+) -> None:
+
+    # lookup backend spawning target
+    target = _methods[_spawn_method]
+
+    # mark the new actor with the global spawn method
+    subactor._spawn_method = _spawn_method
+
+    await target(
+        name,
+        actor_nursery,
+        subactor,
+        errors,
+        bind_addr,
+        parent_addr,
+        _runtime_vars,  # run time vars
+        infect_asyncio=infect_asyncio,
+        task_status=task_status,
+    )
+
+
+async def trio_proc(
+    name: str,
+    actor_nursery: ActorNursery,
+    subactor: Actor,
+    errors: dict[tuple[str, str], Exception],
+
+    # passed through to actor main
+    bind_addr: tuple[str, int],
+    parent_addr: tuple[str, int],
+    _runtime_vars: dict[str, Any],  # serialized and sent to _child
+    *,
+    infect_asyncio: bool = False,
+    task_status: TaskStatus[Portal] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED
+
 ) -> None:
     '''
     Create a new ``Process`` using a "spawn method" as (configured using
@@ -272,178 +321,159 @@ async def new_proc(
     here is to be considered the core supervision strategy.
 
     '''
-    # mark the new actor with the global spawn method
-    subactor._spawn_method = _spawn_method
-    uid = subactor.uid
+    spawn_cmd = [
+        sys.executable,
+        "-m",
+        # Hardcode this (instead of using ``_child.__name__`` to avoid a
+        # double import warning: https://stackoverflow.com/a/45070583
+        "tractor._child",
+        # We provide the child's unique identifier on this exec/spawn
+        # line for debugging purposes when viewing the process tree from
+        # the OS; it otherwise can be passed via the parent channel if
+        # we prefer in the future (for privacy).
+        "--uid",
+        str(subactor.uid),
+        # Address the child must connect to on startup
+        "--parent_addr",
+        str(parent_addr)
+    ]
 
-    if _spawn_method == 'trio':
-        spawn_cmd = [
-            sys.executable,
-            "-m",
-            # Hardcode this (instead of using ``_child.__name__`` to avoid a
-            # double import warning: https://stackoverflow.com/a/45070583
-            "tractor._child",
-            # We provide the child's unique identifier on this exec/spawn
-            # line for debugging purposes when viewing the process tree from
-            # the OS; it otherwise can be passed via the parent channel if
-            # we prefer in the future (for privacy).
-            "--uid",
-            str(subactor.uid),
-            # Address the child must connect to on startup
-            "--parent_addr",
-            str(parent_addr)
+    if subactor.loglevel:
+        spawn_cmd += [
+            "--loglevel",
+            subactor.loglevel
         ]
+    # Tell child to run in guest mode on top of ``asyncio`` loop
+    if infect_asyncio:
+        spawn_cmd.append("--asyncio")
 
-        if subactor.loglevel:
-            spawn_cmd += [
-                "--loglevel",
-                subactor.loglevel
-            ]
-        # Tell child to run in guest mode on top of ``asyncio`` loop
-        if infect_asyncio:
-            spawn_cmd.append("--asyncio")
-
-        cancelled_during_spawn: bool = False
-        proc: Optional[trio.Process] = None
+    cancelled_during_spawn: bool = False
+    proc: Optional[trio.Process] = None
+    try:
         try:
-            try:
-                # TODO: needs ``trio_typing`` patch?
-                proc = await trio.lowlevel.open_process(spawn_cmd)  # type: ignore
+            # TODO: needs ``trio_typing`` patch?
+            proc = await trio.lowlevel.open_process(    # type: ignore
+                spawn_cmd)
 
-                log.runtime(f"Started {proc}")
+            log.runtime(f"Started {proc}")
 
-                # wait for actor to spawn and connect back to us
-                # channel should have handshake completed by the
-                # local actor by the time we get a ref to it
-                event, chan = await actor_nursery._actor.wait_for_peer(
-                    subactor.uid)
+            # wait for actor to spawn and connect back to us
+            # channel should have handshake completed by the
+            # local actor by the time we get a ref to it
+            event, chan = await actor_nursery._actor.wait_for_peer(
+                subactor.uid)
 
-            except trio.Cancelled:
-                cancelled_during_spawn = True
-                # we may cancel before the child connects back in which
-                # case avoid clobbering the pdb tty.
-                if debug_mode():
-                    with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
-                        # don't clobber an ongoing pdb
-                        if is_root_process():
-                            await maybe_wait_for_debugger()
-
-                        elif proc is not None:
-                            async with acquire_debug_lock(uid):
-                                # soft wait on the proc to terminate
-                                with trio.move_on_after(0.5):
-                                    await proc.wait()
-                raise
-
-            # a sub-proc ref **must** exist now
-            assert proc
-
-            portal = Portal(chan)
-            actor_nursery._children[subactor.uid] = (
-                subactor, proc, portal)
-
-            # send additional init params
-            await chan.send({
-                "_parent_main_data": subactor._parent_main_data,
-                "enable_modules": subactor.enable_modules,
-                "_arb_addr": subactor._arb_addr,
-                "bind_host": bind_addr[0],
-                "bind_port": bind_addr[1],
-                "_runtime_vars": _runtime_vars,
-            })
-
-            # track subactor in current nursery
-            curr_actor = current_actor()
-            curr_actor._actoruid2nursery[subactor.uid] = actor_nursery
-
-            # resume caller at next checkpoint now that child is up
-            task_status.started(portal)
-
-            # wait for ActorNursery.wait() to be called
-            with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
-                await actor_nursery._join_procs.wait()
-
-            async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
-                if portal in actor_nursery._cancel_after_result_on_exit:
-                    nursery.start_soon(
-                        cancel_on_completion,
-                        portal,
-                        subactor,
-                        errors
-                    )
-
-                # This is a "soft" (cancellable) join/reap which
-                # will remote cancel the actor on a ``trio.Cancelled``
-                # condition.
-                await soft_wait(
-                    proc,
-                    trio.Process.wait,
-                    portal
-                )
-
-                # cancel result waiter that may have been spawned in
-                # tandem if not done already
-                log.warning(
-                    "Cancelling existing result waiter task for "
-                    f"{subactor.uid}")
-                nursery.cancel_scope.cancel()
-
-        finally:
-            # The "hard" reap since no actor zombies are allowed!
-            # XXX: do this **after** cancellation/tearfown to avoid
-            # killing the process too early.
-            if proc:
-                log.cancel(f'Hard reap sequence starting for {uid}')
+        except trio.Cancelled:
+            cancelled_during_spawn = True
+            # we may cancel before the child connects back in which
+            # case avoid clobbering the pdb tty.
+            if debug_mode():
                 with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
-
                     # don't clobber an ongoing pdb
-                    if cancelled_during_spawn:
-                        # Try again to avoid TTY clobbering.
-                        async with acquire_debug_lock(uid):
+                    if is_root_process():
+                        await maybe_wait_for_debugger()
+
+                    elif proc is not None:
+                        async with acquire_debug_lock(subactor.uid):
+                            # soft wait on the proc to terminate
                             with trio.move_on_after(0.5):
                                 await proc.wait()
+            raise
 
-                    if is_root_process():
-                        await maybe_wait_for_debugger(
-                            child_in_debug=_runtime_vars.get(
-                                '_debug_mode', False),
-                        )
+        # a sub-proc ref **must** exist now
+        assert proc
 
-                    if proc.poll() is None:
-                        log.cancel(f"Attempting to hard kill {proc}")
-                        await do_hard_kill(proc)
-
-                    log.debug(f"Joined {proc}")
-            else:
-                log.warning('Nursery cancelled before sub-proc started')
-
-            if not cancelled_during_spawn:
-                # pop child entry to indicate we no longer managing this
-                # subactor
-                actor_nursery._children.pop(subactor.uid)
-
-    else:
-        # `multiprocessing`
-        # async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
-        await mp_new_proc(
-            name=name,
-            actor_nursery=actor_nursery,
-            subactor=subactor,
-            errors=errors,
-
-            # passed through to actor main
-            bind_addr=bind_addr,
-            parent_addr=parent_addr,
-            _runtime_vars=_runtime_vars,
-            infect_asyncio=infect_asyncio,
-            task_status=task_status,
+        portal = Portal(chan)
+        actor_nursery._children[subactor.uid] = (
+            subactor,
+            proc,
+            portal,
         )
 
+        # send additional init params
+        await chan.send({
+            "_parent_main_data": subactor._parent_main_data,
+            "enable_modules": subactor.enable_modules,
+            "_arb_addr": subactor._arb_addr,
+            "bind_host": bind_addr[0],
+            "bind_port": bind_addr[1],
+            "_runtime_vars": _runtime_vars,
+        })
 
-async def mp_new_proc(
+        # track subactor in current nursery
+        curr_actor = current_actor()
+        curr_actor._actoruid2nursery[subactor.uid] = actor_nursery
 
+        # resume caller at next checkpoint now that child is up
+        task_status.started(portal)
+
+        # wait for ActorNursery.wait() to be called
+        with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+            await actor_nursery._join_procs.wait()
+
+        async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
+            if portal in actor_nursery._cancel_after_result_on_exit:
+                nursery.start_soon(
+                    cancel_on_completion,
+                    portal,
+                    subactor,
+                    errors
+                )
+
+            # This is a "soft" (cancellable) join/reap which
+            # will remote cancel the actor on a ``trio.Cancelled``
+            # condition.
+            await soft_wait(
+                proc,
+                trio.Process.wait,
+                portal
+            )
+
+            # cancel result waiter that may have been spawned in
+            # tandem if not done already
+            log.warning(
+                "Cancelling existing result waiter task for "
+                f"{subactor.uid}")
+            nursery.cancel_scope.cancel()
+
+    finally:
+        # The "hard" reap since no actor zombies are allowed!
+        # XXX: do this **after** cancellation/tearfown to avoid
+        # killing the process too early.
+        if proc:
+            log.cancel(f'Hard reap sequence starting for {subactor.uid}')
+            with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+
+                # don't clobber an ongoing pdb
+                if cancelled_during_spawn:
+                    # Try again to avoid TTY clobbering.
+                    async with acquire_debug_lock(subactor.uid):
+                        with trio.move_on_after(0.5):
+                            await proc.wait()
+
+                if is_root_process():
+                    await maybe_wait_for_debugger(
+                        child_in_debug=_runtime_vars.get(
+                            '_debug_mode', False),
+                    )
+
+                if proc.poll() is None:
+                    log.cancel(f"Attempting to hard kill {proc}")
+                    await do_hard_kill(proc)
+
+                log.debug(f"Joined {proc}")
+        else:
+            log.warning('Nursery cancelled before sub-proc started')
+
+        if not cancelled_during_spawn:
+            # pop child entry to indicate we no longer managing this
+            # subactor
+            actor_nursery._children.pop(subactor.uid)
+
+
+async def mp_proc(
     name: str,
-    actor_nursery: 'ActorNursery',  # type: ignore  # noqa
+    actor_nursery: ActorNursery,  # type: ignore  # noqa
     subactor: Actor,
     errors: dict[tuple[str, str], Exception],
     # passed through to actor main
@@ -468,6 +498,7 @@ async def mp_new_proc(
     assert _ctx
     start_method = _ctx.get_start_method()
     if start_method == 'forkserver':
+
         from multiprocessing import forkserver  # type: ignore
         # XXX do our hackery on the stdlib to avoid multiple
         # forkservers (one at each subproc layer).
@@ -480,23 +511,24 @@ async def mp_new_proc(
             # forkserver.set_forkserver_preload(enable_modules)
             forkserver.ensure_running()
             fs_info = (
-                fs._forkserver_address,
-                fs._forkserver_alive_fd,
+                fs._forkserver_address,  # type: ignore  # noqa
+                fs._forkserver_alive_fd,  # type: ignore  # noqa
                 getattr(fs, '_forkserver_pid', None),
                 getattr(
                     resource_tracker._resource_tracker, '_pid', None),
                 resource_tracker._resource_tracker._fd,
             )
-        else:
+        else:  # request to forkerserver to fork a new child
             assert curr_actor._forkserver_info
             fs_info = (
-                fs._forkserver_address,
-                fs._forkserver_alive_fd,
-                fs._forkserver_pid,
+                fs._forkserver_address,  # type: ignore  # noqa
+                fs._forkserver_alive_fd,  # type: ignore  # noqa
+                fs._forkserver_pid,  # type: ignore  # noqa
                 resource_tracker._resource_tracker._pid,
                 resource_tracker._resource_tracker._fd,
              ) = curr_actor._forkserver_info
     else:
+        # spawn method
         fs_info = (None, None, None, None, None)
 
     proc: mp.Process = _ctx.Process(  # type: ignore
@@ -505,7 +537,7 @@ async def mp_new_proc(
             subactor,
             bind_addr,
             fs_info,
-            start_method,
+            _spawn_method,
             parent_addr,
             infect_asyncio,
         ),
@@ -599,4 +631,16 @@ async def mp_new_proc(
         log.debug(f"Joined {proc}")
 
         # pop child entry to indicate we are no longer managing subactor
-        subactor, proc, portal = actor_nursery._children.pop(subactor.uid)
+        actor_nursery._children.pop(subactor.uid)
+
+        # TODO: prolly report to ``mypy`` how this causes all sorts of
+        # false errors..
+        # subactor, proc, portal = actor_nursery._children.pop(subactor.uid)
+
+
+# proc spawning backend target map
+_methods: dict[SpawnMethodKey, Callable] = {
+    'trio': trio_proc,
+    'mp_spawn': mp_proc,
+    'mp_forkserver': mp_proc,
+}
diff --git a/tractor/_supervise.py b/tractor/_supervise.py
index 06ee38d..4708e1e 100644
--- a/tractor/_supervise.py
+++ b/tractor/_supervise.py
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ class ActorNursery:
         self._da_nursery = da_nursery
         self._children: dict[
             tuple[str, str],
-            tuple[Actor, mp.Process, Optional[Portal]]
+            tuple[
+                Actor,
+                trio.Process | mp.Process,
+                Optional[Portal],
+            ]
         ] = {}
         # portals spawned with ``run_in_actor()`` are
         # cancelled when their "main" result arrives
diff --git a/tractor/testing/__init__.py b/tractor/testing/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 2361f99..0000000
--- a/tractor/testing/__init__.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# tractor: structured concurrent "actors".
-# Copyright 2018-eternity Tyler Goodlet.
-
-# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
-# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-# (at your option) any later version.
-
-# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
-
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
-# along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-
-from ._tractor_test import tractor_test
diff --git a/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py b/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ccfe349..0000000
--- a/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,104 +0,0 @@
-# tractor: structured concurrent "actors".
-# Copyright 2018-eternity Tyler Goodlet.
-
-# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
-# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-# (at your option) any later version.
-
-# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
-
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
-# along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-
-import inspect
-import platform
-from functools import partial, wraps
-
-import trio
-import tractor
-
-
-__all__ = ['tractor_test']
-
-
-def tractor_test(fn):
-    """
-    Use:
-
-    @tractor_test
-    async def test_whatever():
-        await ...
-
-    If fixtures:
-
-        - ``arb_addr`` (a socket addr tuple where arbiter is listening)
-        - ``loglevel`` (logging level passed to tractor internals)
-        - ``start_method`` (subprocess spawning backend)
-
-    are defined in the `pytest` fixture space they will be automatically
-    injected to tests declaring these funcargs.
-    """
-    @wraps(fn)
-    def wrapper(
-        *args,
-        loglevel=None,
-        arb_addr=None,
-        start_method=None,
-        **kwargs
-    ):
-        # __tracebackhide__ = True
-
-        if 'arb_addr' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
-            # injects test suite fixture value to test as well
-            # as `run()`
-            kwargs['arb_addr'] = arb_addr
-
-        if 'loglevel' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
-            # allows test suites to define a 'loglevel' fixture
-            # that activates the internal logging
-            kwargs['loglevel'] = loglevel
-
-        if start_method is None:
-            if platform.system() == "Windows":
-                start_method = 'spawn'
-            else:
-                start_method = 'trio'
-
-        if 'start_method' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
-            # set of subprocess spawning backends
-            kwargs['start_method'] = start_method
-
-        if kwargs:
-
-            # use explicit root actor start
-
-            async def _main():
-                async with tractor.open_root_actor(
-                    # **kwargs,
-                    arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
-                    loglevel=loglevel,
-                    start_method=start_method,
-
-                    # TODO: only enable when pytest is passed --pdb
-                    # debug_mode=True,
-
-                ) as actor:
-                    await fn(*args, **kwargs)
-
-            main = _main
-
-        else:
-            # use implicit root actor start
-            main = partial(fn, *args, **kwargs)
-
-        return trio.run(main)
-            # arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
-            # loglevel=loglevel,
-            # start_method=start_method,
-        # )
-
-    return wrapper