diff --git a/tractor/__init__.py b/tractor/__init__.py
index d14717b..fb9b095 100644
--- a/tractor/__init__.py
+++ b/tractor/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import trio  # type: ignore
 from trio import MultiError
 
 from . import log
-from ._ipc import _connect_chan, Channel, Context
+from ._ipc import _connect_chan, Channel
+from ._streaming import Context, stream
 from ._discovery import get_arbiter, find_actor, wait_for_actor
 from ._actor import Actor, _start_actor, Arbiter
 from ._trionics import open_nursery
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'wait_for_actor',
     'Channel',
     'Context',
+    'stream',
     'MultiError',
     'RemoteActorError',
     'ModuleNotExposed',
diff --git a/tractor/_actor.py b/tractor/_actor.py
index 496c68a..52b301f 100644
--- a/tractor/_actor.py
+++ b/tractor/_actor.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ from typing import Dict, List, Tuple, Any, Optional
 import trio  # type: ignore
 from async_generator import aclosing
 
-from ._ipc import Channel, Context
+from ._ipc import Channel
+from ._streaming import Context, _context
 from .log import get_console_log, get_logger
 from ._exceptions import (
     pack_error,
@@ -47,7 +48,13 @@ async def _invoke(
     cs = None
     cancel_scope = trio.CancelScope()
     ctx = Context(chan, cid, cancel_scope)
-    if 'ctx' in sig.parameters:
+    _context.set(ctx)
+    if getattr(func, '_tractor_stream_function', False):
+        if 'ctx' not in sig.parameters:
+            raise TypeError(
+                "The first argument to the stream function "
+                f"{func.__name__} must be `ctx: tractor.Context`"
+            )
         kwargs['ctx'] = ctx
         # TODO: eventually we want to be more stringent
         # about what is considered a far-end async-generator.
diff --git a/tractor/_ipc.py b/tractor/_ipc.py
index 5acb79a..94f978f 100644
--- a/tractor/_ipc.py
+++ b/tractor/_ipc.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 """
 Inter-process comms abstractions
 """
-from dataclasses import dataclass
 import typing
 from typing import Any, Tuple, Optional
 
@@ -205,25 +204,6 @@ class Channel:
         return self.msgstream.connected() if self.msgstream else False
 
 
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class Context:
-    """An IAC (inter-actor communication) context.
-
-    Allows maintaining task or protocol specific state between communicating
-    actors. A unique context is created on the receiving end for every request
-    to a remote actor.
-    """
-    chan: Channel
-    cid: str
-    cancel_scope: trio.CancelScope
-
-    async def send_yield(self, data: Any) -> None:
-        await self.chan.send({'yield': data, 'cid': self.cid})
-
-    async def send_stop(self) -> None:
-        await self.chan.send({'stop': True, 'cid': self.cid})
-
-
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def _connect_chan(
     host: str, port: int
diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ccf5fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import contextvars
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any
+
+import trio
+
+from ._ipc import Channel
+
+
+_context = contextvars.ContextVar('context')
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Context:
+    """An IAC (inter-actor communication) context.
+
+    Allows maintaining task or protocol specific state between communicating
+    actors. A unique context is created on the receiving end for every request
+    to a remote actor.
+    """
+    chan: Channel
+    cid: str
+    cancel_scope: trio.CancelScope
+
+    async def send_yield(self, data: Any) -> None:
+        await self.chan.send({'yield': data, 'cid': self.cid})
+
+    async def send_stop(self) -> None:
+        await self.chan.send({'stop': True, 'cid': self.cid})
+
+
+def current_context():
+    """Get the current streaming task's context instance.
+
+    """
+    return _context.get()
+
+
+def stream(func):
+    """Mark an async function as a streaming routine.
+    """
+    func._tractor_stream_function = True
+    return func
diff --git a/tractor/msg.py b/tractor/msg.py
index 73e39d5..59842ef 100644
--- a/tractor/msg.py
+++ b/tractor/msg.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import wrapt
 
 from .log import get_logger
 from . import current_actor
-from ._ipc import Context
+from ._streaming import Context, stream
 
 __all__ = ['pub']
 
@@ -261,4 +261,4 @@ def pub(
             "`get_topics` argument"
         )
 
-    return wrapper(wrapped)
+    return wrapper(stream(wrapped))