diff --git a/examples/debugging/root_self_cancelled_w_error.py b/examples/debugging/root_self_cancelled_w_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3c15288
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/debugging/root_self_cancelled_w_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import trio
+import tractor
+
+
+async def main():
+    async with tractor.open_root_actor(
+        debug_mode=True,
+        loglevel='cancel',
+    ) as _root:
+
+        # manually trigger self-cancellation and wait
+        # for it to fully trigger.
+        _root.cancel_soon()
+        await _root._cancel_complete.wait()
+        print('root cancelled')
+
+        # now ensure we can still use the REPL
+        try:
+            await tractor.pause()
+        except trio.Cancelled as _taskc:
+            assert (root_cs := _root._root_tn.cancel_scope).cancel_called
+            # NOTE^^ above logic but inside `open_root_actor()` and
+            # passed to the `shield=` expression is effectively what
+            # we're testing here!
+            await tractor.pause(shield=root_cs.cancel_called)
+
+        # XXX, if shield logic *is wrong* inside `open_root_actor()`'s
+        # crash-handler block this should never be interacted,
+        # instead `trio.Cancelled` would be bubbled up: the original
+        # BUG.
+        assert 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    trio.run(main)
diff --git a/tests/devx/test_debugger.py b/tests/devx/test_debugger.py
index 6179ef01..cacab803 100644
--- a/tests/devx/test_debugger.py
+++ b/tests/devx/test_debugger.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 """
 That "native" debug mode better work!
 
-All these tests can be understood (somewhat) by running the equivalent
-`examples/debugging/` scripts manually.
+All these tests can be understood (somewhat) by running the
+equivalent `examples/debugging/` scripts manually.
 
 TODO:
-    - none of these tests have been run successfully on windows yet but
-      there's been manual testing that verified it works.
-    - wonder if any of it'll work on OS X?
+  - none of these tests have been run successfully on windows yet but
+    there's been manual testing that verified it works.
+  - wonder if any of it'll work on OS X?
 
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -925,6 +925,7 @@ def test_post_mortem_api(
             "<Task 'name_error'",
             "NameError",
             "('child'",
+            'getattr(doggypants)',  # exc-LoC
         ]
     )
     if ctlc:
@@ -941,8 +942,8 @@ def test_post_mortem_api(
             "<Task '__main__.main'",
             "('root'",
             "NameError",
-            "tractor.post_mortem()",
             "src_uid=('child'",
+            "tractor.post_mortem()",  # in `main()`-LoC
         ]
     )
     if ctlc:
@@ -960,6 +961,10 @@ def test_post_mortem_api(
             "('root'",
             "NameError",
             "src_uid=('child'",
+
+            # raising line in `main()` but from crash-handling
+            # in `tractor.open_nursery()`.
+            'async with p.open_context(name_error) as (ctx, first):',
         ]
     )
     if ctlc:
@@ -1151,6 +1156,54 @@ def test_ctxep_pauses_n_maybe_ipc_breaks(
             )
 
 
+def test_crash_handling_within_cancelled_root_actor(
+    spawn: PexpectSpawner,
+):
+    '''
+    Ensure that when only a root-actor is started via `open_root_actor()`
+    we can crash-handle in debug-mode despite self-cancellation.
+
+    More-or-less ensures we conditionally shield the pause in
+    `._root.open_root_actor()`'s `await debug._maybe_enter_pm()`
+    call.
+
+    '''
+    child = spawn('root_self_cancelled_w_error')
+    child.expect(PROMPT)
+
+    assert_before(
+        child,
+        [
+            "Actor.cancel_soon()` was called!",
+            "root cancelled",
+            _pause_msg,
+            "('root'",  # actor name
+        ]
+    )
+
+    child.sendline('c')
+    child.expect(PROMPT)
+    assert_before(
+        child,
+        [
+            _crash_msg,
+            "('root'",  # actor name
+            "AssertionError",
+            "assert 0",
+        ]
+    )
+
+    child.sendline('c')
+    child.expect(EOF)
+    assert_before(
+        child,
+        [
+            "AssertionError",
+            "assert 0",
+        ]
+    )
+
+
 # TODO: better error for "non-ideal" usage from the root actor.
 # -[ ] if called from an async scope emit a message that suggests
 #    using `await tractor.pause()` instead since it's less overhead
diff --git a/tractor/_root.py b/tractor/_root.py
index 370798dd..d7b3359b 100644
--- a/tractor/_root.py
+++ b/tractor/_root.py
@@ -481,10 +481,11 @@ async def open_root_actor(
                 collapse_eg(),
                 trio.open_nursery() as root_tn,
 
-                # XXX, finally-footgun below?
+                # ?TODO? finally-footgun below?
                 # -> see note on why shielding.
                 # maybe_raise_from_masking_exc(),
             ):
+                actor._root_tn = root_tn
                 # `_runtime.async_main()` creates an internal nursery
                 # and blocks here until any underlying actor(-process)
                 # tree has terminated thereby conducting so called
@@ -523,6 +524,11 @@ async def open_root_actor(
                         err,
                         api_frame=inspect.currentframe(),
                         debug_filter=debug_filter,
+
+                        # XXX NOTE, required to debug root-actor
+                        # crashes under cancellation conditions; so
+                        # most of them!
+                        shield=root_tn.cancel_scope.cancel_called,
                     )
 
                     if (
@@ -562,6 +568,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
                         f'{op_nested_actor_repr}'
                     )
                     # XXX, THIS IS A *finally-footgun*!
+                    # (also mentioned in with-block above)
                     # -> though already shields iternally it can
                     # taskc here and mask underlying errors raised in
                     # the try-block above?
diff --git a/tractor/_rpc.py b/tractor/_rpc.py
index 5aee986d..573aa77b 100644
--- a/tractor/_rpc.py
+++ b/tractor/_rpc.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ async def _errors_relayed_via_ipc(
 
     # RPC task bookeeping.
     # since RPC tasks are scheduled inside a flat
-    # `Actor._service_n`, we add "handles" to each such that
+    # `Actor._service_tn`, we add "handles" to each such that
     # they can be individually ccancelled.
     finally:
 
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ async def _invoke(
     connected IPC channel.
 
     This is the core "RPC" `trio.Task` scheduling machinery used to start every
-    remotely invoked function, normally in `Actor._service_n: Nursery`.
+    remotely invoked function, normally in `Actor._service_tn: Nursery`.
 
     '''
     __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ async def process_messages(
 
     Receive (multiplexed) per-`Channel` RPC requests as msgs from
     remote processes; schedule target async funcs as local
-    `trio.Task`s inside the `Actor._service_n: Nursery`.
+    `trio.Task`s inside the `Actor._service_tn: Nursery`.
 
     Depending on msg type, non-`cmd` (task spawning/starting)
     request payloads (eg. `started`, `yield`, `return`, `error`)
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ async def process_messages(
 
     '''
     actor: Actor = _state.current_actor()
-    assert actor._service_n  # runtime state sanity
+    assert actor._service_tn  # runtime state sanity
 
     # TODO: once `trio` get's an "obvious way" for req/resp we
     # should use it?
@@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ async def process_messages(
                         start_status += '->( scheduling new task..\n'
                         log.runtime(start_status)
                         try:
-                            ctx: Context = await actor._service_n.start(
+                            ctx: Context = await actor._service_tn.start(
                                 partial(
                                     _invoke,
                                     actor,
@@ -1312,7 +1312,7 @@ async def process_messages(
     ) as err:
 
         if nursery_cancelled_before_task:
-            sn: Nursery = actor._service_n
+            sn: Nursery = actor._service_tn
             assert sn and sn.cancel_scope.cancel_called  # sanity
             log.cancel(
                 f'Service nursery cancelled before it handled {funcname}'
diff --git a/tractor/_runtime.py b/tractor/_runtime.py
index c9bd34bb..f18e0d61 100644
--- a/tractor/_runtime.py
+++ b/tractor/_runtime.py
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ for running all lower level spawning, supervision and msging layers:
   SC-transitive RPC via scheduling of `trio` tasks.
 - registration of newly spawned actors with the discovery sys.
 
+Glossary:
+--------
+ - tn: a `trio.Nursery` or "task nursery".
+ - an: an `ActorNursery` or "actor nursery".
+ - root: top/parent-most scope/task/process/actor (or other runtime
+         primitive) in a hierarchical tree.
+ - parent-ish: "higher-up" in the runtime-primitive hierarchy.
+ - child-ish: "lower-down" in the runtime-primitive hierarchy.
+
 '''
 from __future__ import annotations
 from contextlib import (
@@ -76,6 +85,7 @@ from tractor.msg import (
 )
 from .trionics import (
     collapse_eg,
+    maybe_open_nursery,
 )
 from .ipc import (
     Channel,
@@ -173,9 +183,11 @@ class Actor:
 
     msg_buffer_size: int = 2**6
 
-    # nursery placeholders filled in by `async_main()` after fork
-    _service_n: Nursery|None = None
-
+    # nursery placeholders filled in by `async_main()`,
+    # - after fork for subactors.
+    # - during boot for the root actor.
+    _root_tn: Nursery|None = None
+    _service_tn: Nursery|None = None
     _ipc_server: _server.IPCServer|None = None
 
     @property
@@ -1009,12 +1021,48 @@ class Actor:
         the RPC service nursery.
 
         '''
-        assert self._service_n
-        self._service_n.start_soon(
+        actor_repr: str = _pformat.nest_from_op(
+            input_op='>c(',
+            text=self.pformat(),
+            nest_indent=1,
+        )
+        log.cancel(
+            'Actor.cancel_soon()` was called!\n'
+            f'>> scheduling `Actor.cancel()`\n'
+            f'{actor_repr}'
+        )
+        assert self._service_tn
+        self._service_tn.start_soon(
             self.cancel,
             None,  # self cancel all rpc tasks
         )
 
+        # schedule a "canceller task" in the `._root_tn` once the
+        # `._service_tn` is fully shutdown; task waits for child-ish
+        # scopes to fully exit then finally cancels its parent,
+        # root-most, scope.
+        async def cancel_root_tn_after_services():
+            log.runtime(
+                'Waiting on service-tn to cancel..\n'
+                f'c>)\n'
+                f'|_{self._service_tn.cancel_scope!r}\n'
+            )
+            await self._cancel_complete.wait()
+            log.cancel(
+                f'`._service_tn` cancelled\n'
+                f'>c)\n'
+                f'|_{self._service_tn.cancel_scope!r}\n'
+                f'\n'
+                f'>> cancelling `._root_tn`\n'
+                f'c>(\n'
+                f' |_{self._root_tn.cancel_scope!r}\n'
+            )
+            self._root_tn.cancel_scope.cancel()
+
+        self._root_tn.start_soon(
+            cancel_root_tn_after_services
+        )
+
     @property
     def cancel_complete(self) -> bool:
         return self._cancel_complete.is_set()
@@ -1119,8 +1167,8 @@ class Actor:
                 await ipc_server.wait_for_shutdown()
 
             # cancel all rpc tasks permanently
-            if self._service_n:
-                self._service_n.cancel_scope.cancel()
+            if self._service_tn:
+                self._service_tn.cancel_scope.cancel()
 
         log_meth(msg)
         self._cancel_complete.set()
@@ -1257,7 +1305,7 @@ class Actor:
         '''
         Cancel all ongoing RPC tasks owned/spawned for a given
         `parent_chan: Channel` or simply all tasks (inside
-        `._service_n`) when `parent_chan=None`.
+        `._service_tn`) when `parent_chan=None`.
 
         '''
         tasks: dict = self._rpc_tasks
@@ -1469,46 +1517,55 @@ async def async_main(
                     accept_addrs.append(addr.unwrap())
 
         assert accept_addrs
-        # The "root" nursery ensures the channel with the immediate
-        # parent is kept alive as a resilient service until
-        # cancellation steps have (mostly) occurred in
-        # a deterministic way.
+
+        ya_root_tn: bool = bool(actor._root_tn)
+        ya_service_tn: bool = bool(actor._service_tn)
+
+        # NOTE, a top-most "root" nursery in each actor-process
+        # enables a lifetime priority for the IPC-channel connection
+        # with a sub-actor's immediate parent. I.e. this connection
+        # is kept alive as a resilient service connection until all
+        # other machinery has exited, cancellation of all
+        # embedded/child scopes have completed. This helps ensure
+        # a deterministic (and thus "graceful")
+        # first-class-supervision style teardown where a parent actor
+        # (vs. say peers) is always the last to be contacted before
+        # disconnect.
         root_tn: trio.Nursery
         async with (
             collapse_eg(),
-            trio.open_nursery() as root_tn,
+            maybe_open_nursery(
+                nursery=actor._root_tn,
+            ) as root_tn,
         ):
-            # actor._root_n = root_tn
-            # assert actor._root_n
+            if ya_root_tn:
+                assert root_tn is actor._root_tn
+            else:
+                actor._root_tn = root_tn
 
             ipc_server: _server.IPCServer
             async with (
                 collapse_eg(),
-                trio.open_nursery() as service_nursery,
+                maybe_open_nursery(
+                    nursery=actor._service_tn,
+                ) as service_tn,
                 _server.open_ipc_server(
-                    parent_tn=service_nursery,
-                    stream_handler_tn=service_nursery,
+                    parent_tn=service_tn,  # ?TODO, why can't this be the root-tn
+                    stream_handler_tn=service_tn,
                 ) as ipc_server,
-                # ) as actor._ipc_server,
-                # ^TODO? prettier?
 
             ):
-                # This nursery is used to handle all inbound
-                # connections to us such that if the TCP server
-                # is killed, connections can continue to process
-                # in the background until this nursery is cancelled.
-                actor._service_n = service_nursery
+                if ya_service_tn:
+                    assert service_tn is actor._service_tn
+                else:
+                    # This nursery is used to handle all inbound
+                    # connections to us such that if the TCP server
+                    # is killed, connections can continue to process
+                    # in the background until this nursery is cancelled.
+                    actor._service_tn = service_tn
+
+                # set after allocate
                 actor._ipc_server = ipc_server
-                assert (
-                    actor._service_n
-                    and (
-                        actor._service_n
-                        is
-                        actor._ipc_server._parent_tn
-                        is
-                        ipc_server._stream_handler_tn
-                    )
-                )
 
                 # load exposed/allowed RPC modules
                 # XXX: do this **after** establishing a channel to the parent
@@ -1534,10 +1591,11 @@ async def async_main(
                 # - root actor: the ``accept_addr`` passed to this method
 
                 # TODO: why is this not with the root nursery?
+                # - see above that the `._service_tn` is what's used?
                 try:
                     eps: list = await ipc_server.listen_on(
                         accept_addrs=accept_addrs,
-                        stream_handler_nursery=service_nursery,
+                        stream_handler_nursery=service_tn,
                     )
                     log.runtime(
                         f'Booted IPC server\n'
@@ -1545,7 +1603,7 @@ async def async_main(
                     )
                     assert (
                         (eps[0].listen_tn)
-                        is not service_nursery
+                        is not service_tn
                     )
 
                 except OSError as oserr:
@@ -1707,7 +1765,7 @@ async def async_main(
 
         # XXX TODO but hard XXX
         # we can't actually do this bc the debugger uses the
-        # _service_n to spawn the lock task, BUT, in theory if we had
+        # _service_tn to spawn the lock task, BUT, in theory if we had
         # the root nursery surround this finally block it might be
         # actually possible to debug THIS machinery in the same way
         # as user task code?
diff --git a/tractor/_spawn.py b/tractor/_spawn.py
index 408e793c..8d3c2cf6 100644
--- a/tractor/_spawn.py
+++ b/tractor/_spawn.py
@@ -297,6 +297,23 @@ async def hard_kill(
     # zombies (as a feature) we ask the OS to do send in the
     # removal swad as the last resort.
     if cs.cancelled_caught:
+
+        # TODO? attempt at intermediary-rent-sub
+        # with child in debug lock?
+        # |_https://github.com/goodboy/tractor/issues/320
+        #
+        # if not is_root_process():
+        #     log.warning(
+        #         'Attempting to acquire debug-REPL-lock before zombie reap!'
+        #     )
+        #     with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+        #         async with debug.acquire_debug_lock(
+        #             subactor_uid=current_actor().uid,
+        #         ) as _ctx:
+        #             log.warning(
+        #                 'Acquired debug lock, child ready to be killed ??\n'
+        #             )
+
         # TODO: toss in the skynet-logo face as ascii art?
         log.critical(
             # 'Well, the #ZOMBIE_LORD_IS_HERE# to collect\n'
diff --git a/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py b/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
index eca0cd98..32d10074 100644
--- a/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
+++ b/tractor/devx/debug/_post_mortem.py
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ async def _maybe_enter_pm(
     *,
     tb: TracebackType|None = None,
     api_frame: FrameType|None = None,
-    hide_tb: bool = False,
+    hide_tb: bool = True,
 
     # only enter debugger REPL when returns `True`
     debug_filter: Callable[
diff --git a/tractor/devx/debug/_trace.py b/tractor/devx/debug/_trace.py
index 70d39325..a23d2e23 100644
--- a/tractor/devx/debug/_trace.py
+++ b/tractor/devx/debug/_trace.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ from tractor._context import Context
 from tractor import _state
 from tractor._exceptions import (
     NoRuntime,
+    InternalError,
 )
 from tractor._state import (
     current_actor,
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ from ._sigint import (
     sigint_shield as sigint_shield,
     _ctlc_ignore_header as _ctlc_ignore_header
 )
+from ..pformat import (
+    ppfmt,
+)
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from trio.lowlevel import Task
@@ -477,12 +481,12 @@ async def _pause(
             # we have to figure out how to avoid having the service nursery
             # cancel on this task start? I *think* this works below:
             # ```python
-            #   actor._service_n.cancel_scope.shield = shield
+            #   actor._service_tn.cancel_scope.shield = shield
             # ```
             # but not entirely sure if that's a sane way to implement it?
 
             # NOTE currently we spawn the lock request task inside this
-            # subactor's global `Actor._service_n` so that the
+            # subactor's global `Actor._service_tn` so that the
             # lifetime of the lock-request can outlive the current
             # `._pause()` scope while the user steps through their
             # application code and when they finally exit the
@@ -506,7 +510,7 @@ async def _pause(
                 f'|_{task}\n'
             )
             with trio.CancelScope(shield=shield):
-                req_ctx: Context = await actor._service_n.start(
+                req_ctx: Context = await actor._service_tn.start(
                     partial(
                         request_root_stdio_lock,
                         actor_uid=actor.uid,
@@ -540,7 +544,7 @@ async def _pause(
             _repl_fail_report = None
 
         # when the actor is mid-runtime cancellation the
-        # `Actor._service_n` might get closed before we can spawn
+        # `Actor._service_tn` might get closed before we can spawn
         # the request task, so just ignore expected RTE.
         elif (
             isinstance(pause_err, RuntimeError)
@@ -985,7 +989,7 @@ def pause_from_sync(
                 # that output and assign the `repl` created above!
                 bg_task, _ = trio.from_thread.run(
                     afn=partial(
-                        actor._service_n.start,
+                        actor._service_tn.start,
                         partial(
                             _pause_from_bg_root_thread,
                             behalf_of_thread=thread,
@@ -1153,9 +1157,10 @@ def pause_from_sync(
                         'use_greenback',
                         False,
                 ):
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        '`greenback` was never initialized in this actor!?\n\n'
-                        f'{_state._runtime_vars}\n'
+                    raise InternalError(
+                        f'`greenback` was never initialized in this actor?\n'
+                        f'\n'
+                        f'{ppfmt(_state._runtime_vars)}\n'
                     ) from rte
 
                 raise
diff --git a/tractor/ipc/_server.py b/tractor/ipc/_server.py
index 46fde2fc..55374b0a 100644
--- a/tractor/ipc/_server.py
+++ b/tractor/ipc/_server.py
@@ -1001,7 +1001,11 @@ class Server(Struct):
             partial(
                 _serve_ipc_eps,
                 server=self,
-                stream_handler_tn=stream_handler_nursery,
+                stream_handler_tn=(
+                    stream_handler_nursery
+                    or
+                    self._stream_handler_tn
+                ),
                 listen_addrs=accept_addrs,
             )
         )
@@ -1145,13 +1149,17 @@ async def open_ipc_server(
 
     async with maybe_open_nursery(
         nursery=parent_tn,
-    ) as rent_tn:
+    ) as parent_tn:
         no_more_peers = trio.Event()
         no_more_peers.set()
 
         ipc_server = IPCServer(
-            _parent_tn=rent_tn,
-            _stream_handler_tn=stream_handler_tn or rent_tn,
+            _parent_tn=parent_tn,
+            _stream_handler_tn=(
+                stream_handler_tn
+                or
+                parent_tn
+            ),
             _no_more_peers=no_more_peers,
         )
         try:
diff --git a/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py b/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
index 99f05852..3acfbeda 100644
--- a/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
+++ b/tractor/trionics/_mngrs.py
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class _Cache:
     a kept-alive-while-in-use async resource.
 
     '''
-    service_n: Optional[trio.Nursery] = None
+    service_tn: Optional[trio.Nursery] = None
     locks: dict[Hashable, trio.Lock] = {}
     users: int = 0
     values: dict[Any,  Any] = {}
@@ -294,15 +294,15 @@ async def maybe_open_context(
                 f'task: {task}\n'
                 f'task_tn: {task_tn}\n'
             )
-        service_n = tn
+        service_tn = tn
     else:
-        service_n: trio.Nursery = current_actor()._service_n
+        service_tn: trio.Nursery = current_actor()._service_tn
 
     # TODO: is there any way to allocate
     # a 'stays-open-till-last-task-finshed nursery?
-    # service_n: trio.Nursery
-    # async with maybe_open_nursery(_Cache.service_n) as service_n:
-    #     _Cache.service_n = service_n
+    # service_tn: trio.Nursery
+    # async with maybe_open_nursery(_Cache.service_tn) as service_tn:
+    #     _Cache.service_tn = service_tn
 
     cache_miss_ke: KeyError|None = None
     maybe_taskc: trio.Cancelled|None = None
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ async def maybe_open_context(
             mngr = acm_func(**kwargs)
             resources = _Cache.resources
             assert not resources.get(ctx_key), f'Resource exists? {ctx_key}'
-            resources[ctx_key] = (service_n, trio.Event())
-            yielded: Any = await service_n.start(
+            resources[ctx_key] = (service_tn, trio.Event())
+            yielded: Any = await service_tn.start(
                 _Cache.run_ctx,
                 mngr,
                 ctx_key,