diff --git a/docs/README.rst b/docs/README.rst
index 1d8bbb9f..f68ebd9a 100644
--- a/docs/README.rst
+++ b/docs/README.rst
@@ -420,20 +420,17 @@ Check out our experimental system for `guest`_-mode controlled
 
 
     async def aio_echo_server(
-        to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel,
-        from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
+        chan: tractor.to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
     ) -> None:
 
         # a first message must be sent **from** this ``asyncio``
         # task or the ``trio`` side will never unblock from
         # ``tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from():``
-        to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+        chan.started_nowait('start')
 
-        # XXX: this uses an ``from_trio: asyncio.Queue`` currently but we
-        # should probably offer something better.
         while True:
             # echo the msg back
-            to_trio.send_nowait(await from_trio.get())
+            chan.send_nowait(await chan.get())
             await asyncio.sleep(0)
 
 
@@ -445,7 +442,7 @@ Check out our experimental system for `guest`_-mode controlled
         # message.
         async with tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
             aio_echo_server,
-        ) as (first, chan):
+        ) as (chan, first):
 
             assert first == 'start'
             await ctx.started(first)
@@ -504,8 +501,10 @@ Yes, we spawn a python process, run ``asyncio``, start ``trio`` on the
 ``asyncio`` loop, then send commands to the ``trio`` scheduled tasks to
 tell ``asyncio`` tasks what to do XD
 
-We need help refining the `asyncio`-side channel API to be more
-`trio`-like. Feel free to sling your opinion in `#273`_!
+The ``asyncio``-side task receives a single
+``chan: LinkedTaskChannel`` handle providing a ``trio``-like
+API: ``.started_nowait()``, ``.send_nowait()``, ``.get()``
+and more. Feel free to sling your opinion in `#273`_!
 
 
 .. _#273: https://github.com/goodboy/tractor/issues/273
diff --git a/examples/debugging/asyncio_bp.py b/examples/debugging/asyncio_bp.py
index fc3b222a..3e3247bb 100644
--- a/examples/debugging/asyncio_bp.py
+++ b/examples/debugging/asyncio_bp.py
@@ -18,15 +18,14 @@ async def aio_sleep_forever():
 
 
 async def bp_then_error(
-    to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel,
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
+    chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
 
     raise_after_bp: bool = True,
 
 ) -> None:
 
     # sync with `trio`-side (caller) task
-    to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+    chan.started_nowait('start')
 
     # NOTE: what happens here inside the hook needs some refinement..
     # => seems like it's still `.debug._set_trace()` but
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ async def trio_ctx(
         to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
             bp_then_error,
             # raise_after_bp=not bp_before_started,
-        ) as (first, chan),
+        ) as (chan, first),
 
         trio.open_nursery() as tn,
     ):
diff --git a/examples/infected_asyncio_echo_server.py b/examples/infected_asyncio_echo_server.py
index 02508351..e8d29dc3 100644
--- a/examples/infected_asyncio_echo_server.py
+++ b/examples/infected_asyncio_echo_server.py
@@ -11,21 +11,17 @@ import tractor
 
 
 async def aio_echo_server(
-    to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel,
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
-
+    chan: tractor.to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
 ) -> None:
 
     # a first message must be sent **from** this ``asyncio``
     # task or the ``trio`` side will never unblock from
     # ``tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from():``
-    to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+    chan.started_nowait('start')
 
-    # XXX: this uses an ``from_trio: asyncio.Queue`` currently but we
-    # should probably offer something better.
     while True:
         # echo the msg back
-        to_trio.send_nowait(await from_trio.get())
+        chan.send_nowait(await chan.get())
         await asyncio.sleep(0)
 
 
@@ -37,7 +33,7 @@ async def trio_to_aio_echo_server(
     # message.
     async with tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
         aio_echo_server,
-    ) as (first, chan):
+    ) as (chan, first):
 
         assert first == 'start'
         await ctx.started(first)
diff --git a/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py b/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
index 6379afc6..820d9ca0 100644
--- a/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
+++ b/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
@@ -18,16 +18,15 @@ from tractor import RemoteActorError
 
 
 async def aio_streamer(
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
-    to_trio: trio.abc.SendChannel,
+    chan: tractor.to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
 ) -> trio.abc.ReceiveChannel:
 
     # required first msg to sync caller
-    to_trio.send_nowait(None)
+    chan.started_nowait(None)
 
     from itertools import cycle
     for i in cycle(range(10)):
-        to_trio.send_nowait(i)
+        chan.send_nowait(i)
         await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
 
 
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ async def wrapper_mngr(
         else:
             async with tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
                 aio_streamer,
-            ) as (first, from_aio):
+            ) as (from_aio, first):
                 assert not first
 
                 # cache it so next task uses broadcast receiver
diff --git a/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py b/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
index f11a4eed..7b1e952c 100644
--- a/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
+++ b/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
@@ -47,12 +47,11 @@ async def sleep_and_err(
 
     # just signature placeholders for compat with
     # ``to_asyncio.open_channel_from()``
-    to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel|None = None,
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue|None = None,
+    chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel|None = None,
 
 ):
-    if to_trio:
-        to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+    if chan:
+        chan.started_nowait('start')
 
     await asyncio.sleep(sleep_for)
     assert 0
@@ -238,7 +237,7 @@ async def trio_ctx(
                 trio.open_nursery() as tn,
                 tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
                     sleep_and_err,
-                ) as (first, chan),
+                ) as (chan, first),
             ):
 
                 assert first == 'start'
@@ -399,7 +398,7 @@ async def no_to_trio_in_args():
 
 async def push_from_aio_task(
     sequence: Iterable,
-    to_trio: trio.abc.SendChannel,
+    chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
     expect_cancel: False,
     fail_early: bool,
     exit_early: bool,
@@ -407,15 +406,12 @@ async def push_from_aio_task(
 ) -> None:
 
     try:
-        # print('trying breakpoint')
-        # breakpoint()
-
         # sync caller ctx manager
-        to_trio.send_nowait(True)
+        chan.started_nowait(True)
 
         for i in sequence:
             print(f'asyncio sending {i}')
-            to_trio.send_nowait(i)
+            chan.send_nowait(i)
             await asyncio.sleep(0.001)
 
             if (
@@ -478,7 +474,7 @@ async def stream_from_aio(
                 trio_exit_early
             ))
 
-        ) as (first, chan):
+        ) as (chan, first):
 
             assert first is True
 
@@ -732,15 +728,21 @@ def test_aio_errors_and_channel_propagates_and_closes(
 
 
 async def aio_echo_server(
-    to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel,
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
+    chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
 ) -> None:
+    '''
+    An IPC-msg "echo server" with msgs received and relayed by
+    a parent `trio.Task` into a child `asyncio.Task`
+    and then repeated back to that local parent (`trio.Task`)
+    and sent again back to the original calling remote actor.
 
-    to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+    '''
+    # same semantics as `trio.TaskStatus.started()`
+    chan.started_nowait('start')
 
     while True:
         try:
-            msg = await from_trio.get()
+            msg = await chan.get()
         except to_asyncio.TrioTaskExited:
             print(
                 'breaking aio echo loop due to `trio` exit!'
@@ -748,7 +750,7 @@ async def aio_echo_server(
             break
 
         # echo the msg back
-        to_trio.send_nowait(msg)
+        chan.send_nowait(msg)
 
         # if we get the terminate sentinel
         # break the echo loop
@@ -765,7 +767,10 @@ async def trio_to_aio_echo_server(
 ):
     async with to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
         aio_echo_server,
-    ) as (first, chan):
+    ) as (
+        chan,
+        first,  # value from `chan.started_nowait()` above
+    ):
         assert first == 'start'
 
         await ctx.started(first)
@@ -776,7 +781,8 @@ async def trio_to_aio_echo_server(
                 await chan.send(msg)
 
                 out = await chan.receive()
-                # echo back to parent actor-task
+
+                # echo back to parent-actor's remote parent-ctx-task!
                 await stream.send(out)
 
                 if out is None:
@@ -1090,24 +1096,21 @@ def test_sigint_closes_lifetime_stack(
 
 
 # ?TODO asyncio.Task fn-deco?
-# -[ ] do sig checkingat import time like @context?
-# -[ ] maybe name it @aio_task ??
 # -[ ] chan: to_asyncio.InterloopChannel ??
+# -[ ] do fn-sig checking at import time like @context?
+#  |_[ ] maybe name it @a(sync)io_task ??
+# @asyncio_task  <- not bad ??
 async def raise_before_started(
-    # from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
-    # to_trio: trio.abc.SendChannel,
     chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
-
 ) -> None:
     '''
     `asyncio.Task` entry point which RTEs before calling
-    `to_trio.send_nowait()`.
+    `chan.started_nowait()`.
 
     '''
     await asyncio.sleep(0.2)
     raise RuntimeError('Some shite went wrong before `.send_nowait()`!!')
 
-    # to_trio.send_nowait('Uhh we shouldve RTE-d ^^ ??')
     chan.started_nowait('Uhh we shouldve RTE-d ^^ ??')
     await asyncio.sleep(float('inf'))
 
diff --git a/tests/test_root_infect_asyncio.py b/tests/test_root_infect_asyncio.py
index 78f9b2b4..e7a307bc 100644
--- a/tests/test_root_infect_asyncio.py
+++ b/tests/test_root_infect_asyncio.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def test_infected_root_actor(
                 ),
                 to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
                     aio_echo_server,
-                ) as (first, chan),
+                ) as (chan, first),
             ):
                 assert first == 'start'
 
@@ -91,13 +91,12 @@ def test_infected_root_actor(
 async def sync_and_err(
     # just signature placeholders for compat with
     # ``to_asyncio.open_channel_from()``
-    to_trio: trio.MemorySendChannel,
-    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
+    chan: tractor.to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
     ev: asyncio.Event,
 
 ):
-    if to_trio:
-        to_trio.send_nowait('start')
+    if chan:
+        chan.started_nowait('start')
 
     await ev.wait()
     raise RuntimeError('asyncio-side')
@@ -174,7 +173,7 @@ def test_trio_prestarted_task_bubbles(
                             sync_and_err,
                             ev=aio_ev,
                         )
-                    ) as (first, chan),
+                    ) as (chan, first),
                 ):
 
                     for i in range(5):
diff --git a/tractor/to_asyncio.py b/tractor/to_asyncio.py
index 21566beb..0da47475 100644
--- a/tractor/to_asyncio.py
+++ b/tractor/to_asyncio.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ from tractor._state import (
     _runtime_vars,
 )
 from tractor._context import Unresolved
-from tractor.devx import debug
+from tractor import devx
 from tractor.log import (
     get_logger,
     StackLevelAdapter,
@@ -94,10 +94,14 @@ else:
     QueueShutDown = False
 
 
-# TODO, generally speaking we can generalize this abstraction, a "SC linked
-# parent->child task pair", as the same "supervision scope primitive"
-# **that is** our `._context.Context` with the only difference being
-# in how the tasks conduct msg-passing comms.
+# TODO, generally speaking we can generalize this abstraction as,
+#
+# > A "SC linked, inter-event-loop" channel for comms between
+# > a `parent: trio.Task` -> `child: asyncio.Task` pair.
+#
+# It is **very similar** in terms of its operation as a "supervision
+# scope primitive" to that of our `._context.Context` with the only
+# difference being in how the tasks conduct msg-passing comms.
 #
 # For `LinkedTaskChannel` we are passing the equivalent of (once you
 # include all the recently added  `._trio/aio_to_raise`
@@ -122,6 +126,7 @@ class LinkedTaskChannel(
     task scheduled in the host loop.
 
     '''
+    # ?TODO, rename as `._aio_q` since it's 2-way?
     _to_aio: asyncio.Queue
     _from_aio: trio.MemoryReceiveChannel
 
@@ -235,9 +240,11 @@ class LinkedTaskChannel(
     #
     async def receive(self) -> Any:
         '''
-        Receive a value from the paired `asyncio.Task` with
+        Receive a value `trio.Task` <- `asyncio.Task`.
+
+        Note the tasks in each loop are "SC linked" as a pair with
         exception/cancel handling to teardown both sides on any
-        unexpected error.
+        unexpected error or cancellation.
 
         '''
         try:
@@ -261,15 +268,40 @@ class LinkedTaskChannel(
             ):
                 raise err
 
+    async def get(self) -> Any:
+        '''
+        Receive a value `asyncio.Task` <- `trio.Task`.
+
+        This is equiv to `await self._to_aio.get()`.
+
+        '''
+        return await self._to_aio.get()
+
     async def send(self, item: Any) -> None:
         '''
-        Send a value through to the asyncio task presuming
-        it defines a ``from_trio`` argument, if it does not
-        this method will raise an error.
+        Send a value `trio.Task` -> `asyncio.Task`
+        by enqueuing `item` onto the internal
+        `asyncio.Queue` via `put_nowait()`.
 
         '''
         self._to_aio.put_nowait(item)
 
+    # TODO? could we only compile-in this method on an instance
+    # handed to the `asyncio`-side, i.e. the fn invoked with
+    # `.open_channel_from()`.
+    def send_nowait(
+        self,
+        item: Any,
+    ) -> None:
+        '''
+        Send a value through FROM the `asyncio.Task` to
+        the `trio.Task` NON-BLOCKING.
+
+        This is equiv to `self._to_trio.send_nowait()`.
+
+        '''
+        self._to_trio.send_nowait(item)
+
     # TODO? needed?
     # async def wait_aio_complete(self) -> None:
     #     await self._aio_task_complete.wait()
@@ -337,9 +369,12 @@ def _run_asyncio_task(
 
     '''
     __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
-    if not tractor.current_actor().is_infected_aio():
+    if not (actor := tractor.current_actor()).is_infected_aio():
         raise RuntimeError(
-            "`infect_asyncio` mode is not enabled!?"
+            f'`infect_asyncio: bool` mode is not enabled ??\n'
+            f'Ensure you pass `ActorNursery.start_actor(infect_asyncio=True)`\n'
+            f'\n'
+            f'{actor}\n'
         )
 
     # ITC (inter task comms), these channel/queue names are mostly from
@@ -402,7 +437,23 @@ def _run_asyncio_task(
 
         orig = result = id(coro)
         try:
+            # XXX TODO UGH!
+            # this seems to break a `test_sync_pause_from_aio_task`
+            # in a REALLY weird way where a `dict` value for
+            # `_runtime_vars['_root_addrs']` is delivered from the
+            # parent actor??
+            #
+            # XXX => see masked `.set_trace()` block in
+            # `Actor.from_parent()`..
+            #
+            # with devx.maybe_open_crash_handler(
+            #     # XXX, if trio-side exits (intentionally) we
+            #     # shouldn't care bc it should have its own crash
+            #     # handling logic.
+            #     ignore={TrioTaskExited,},
+            # ) as _bxerr:
             result: Any = await coro
+
             chan._aio_result = result
         except BaseException as aio_err:
             chan._aio_err = aio_err
@@ -509,7 +560,7 @@ def _run_asyncio_task(
     if (
         debug_mode()
         and
-        (greenback := debug.maybe_import_greenback(
+        (greenback := devx.debug.maybe_import_greenback(
             force_reload=True,
             raise_not_found=False,
         ))
@@ -909,7 +960,11 @@ async def translate_aio_errors(
     except BaseException as _trio_err:
         trio_err = chan._trio_err = _trio_err
         # await tractor.pause(shield=True)  # workx!
-        entered: bool = await debug._maybe_enter_pm(
+
+        # !TODO! we need an inter-loop lock here to avoid aio-tasks
+        # clobbering trio ones when both crash in debug-mode!
+        #
+        entered: bool = await devx.debug._maybe_enter_pm(
             trio_err,
             api_frame=inspect.currentframe(),
         )
@@ -1243,10 +1298,18 @@ async def open_channel_from(
     suppress_graceful_exits: bool = True,
     **target_kwargs,
 
-) -> AsyncIterator[Any]:
+) -> AsyncIterator[
+    tuple[LinkedTaskChannel, Any]
+]:
     '''
-    Open an inter-loop linked task channel for streaming between a target
-    spawned ``asyncio`` task and ``trio``.
+    Start an `asyncio.Task` as `target()` and open an
+    inter-loop (linked) channel for streaming between
+    it and the current `trio.Task`.
+
+    A pair `(chan: LinkedTaskChannel, Any)` is delivered
+    to the caller where the 2nd element is the value
+    provided by the `asyncio.Task`'s unblocking call
+    to `chan.started_nowait()`.
 
     '''
     chan: LinkedTaskChannel = _run_asyncio_task(
@@ -1270,7 +1333,7 @@ async def open_channel_from(
                     first = await chan.receive()
 
                     # deliver stream handle upward
-                    yield first, chan
+                    yield chan, first
             except trio.Cancelled as taskc:
                 if cs.cancel_called:
                     if isinstance(chan._trio_to_raise, AsyncioCancelled):
@@ -1301,7 +1364,8 @@ async def open_channel_from(
                         )
                     else:
                         # XXX SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!
-                        await tractor.pause()
+                        log.error("SHOULD NEVER GET HERE !?!?")
+                        await tractor.pause(shield=True)
                 else:
                     chan._to_trio.close()