diff --git a/tractor/_discovery.py b/tractor/_discovery.py
index 070321b..b5f4716 100644
--- a/tractor/_discovery.py
+++ b/tractor/_discovery.py
@@ -133,14 +133,12 @@ async def query_actor(
         )
         regaddr: list[tuple[str, int]] = arbiter_sockaddr
 
-    regstr: Portal
-    async with get_registry(
-        *(regaddr or actor._reg_addrs[0])
-    ) as regstr:
-
+    reg_portal: Portal
+    regaddr: tuple[str, int] = regaddr or actor.reg_addrs[0]
+    async with get_registry(*regaddr) as reg_portal:
         # TODO: return portals to all available actors - for now
         # just the last one that registered
-        sockaddr: tuple[str, int] = await regstr.run_from_ns(
+        sockaddr: tuple[str, int] = await reg_portal.run_from_ns(
             'self',
             'find_actor',
             name=name,
@@ -155,6 +153,7 @@ async def find_actor(
     registry_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]] | None = None,
 
     only_first: bool = True,
+    raise_on_none: bool = False,
 
 ) -> AsyncGenerator[
     Portal | list[Portal] | None,
@@ -207,13 +206,20 @@ async def find_actor(
 
     async with gather_contexts(
         mngrs=maybe_portals,
-    ) as maybe_portals:
-        print(f'Portalz: {maybe_portals}')
-        if not maybe_portals:
+    ) as portals:
+        # log.runtime(
+        #     'Gathered portals:\n'
+        #     f'{portals}'
+        # )
+        if not portals:
+            if raise_on_none:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f'No {name} found registered @ {registry_addrs}'
+                )
             yield None
             return
 
-        portals: list[Portal] = list(maybe_portals)
+        portals: list[Portal] = list(portals)
         if only_first:
             yield portals[0]
 
@@ -250,9 +256,9 @@ async def wait_for_actor(
 
     # TODO: use `.trionics.gather_contexts()` like
     # above in `find_actor()` as well?
-    async with get_registry(
-        *(registry_addr or actor._reg_addrs[0]),  # first if not passed
-    ) as reg_portal:
+    reg_portal: Portal
+    regaddr: tuple[str, int] = registry_addr or actor.reg_addrs[0]
+    async with get_registry(*regaddr) as reg_portal:
         sockaddrs = await reg_portal.run_from_ns(
             'self',
             'wait_for_actor',
diff --git a/tractor/_root.py b/tractor/_root.py
index a36a7e7..5615bb6 100644
--- a/tractor/_root.py
+++ b/tractor/_root.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
     enable_modules: list | None = None,
     rpc_module_paths: list | None = None,
 
-) -> typing.Any:
+) -> Actor:
     '''
     Runtime init entry point for ``tractor``.
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
 
     registry_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]] = (
         registry_addrs
-        or     
+        or
         _default_lo_addrs
     )
     assert registry_addrs
@@ -195,7 +195,10 @@ async def open_root_actor(
 
     async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
         for addr in registry_addrs:
-            tn.start_soon(ping_tpt_socket, addr)
+            tn.start_soon(
+                ping_tpt_socket,
+                tuple(addr),  # TODO: just drop this requirement?
+            )
 
     trans_bind_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]] = []
 
diff --git a/tractor/_spawn.py b/tractor/_spawn.py
index aede3b7..e55e59f 100644
--- a/tractor/_spawn.py
+++ b/tractor/_spawn.py
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ async def trio_proc(
         await chan.send({
             '_parent_main_data': subactor._parent_main_data,
             'enable_modules': subactor.enable_modules,
-            '_reg_addrs': subactor._reg_addrs,
+            'reg_addrs': subactor.reg_addrs,
             'bind_addrs': bind_addrs,
             '_runtime_vars': _runtime_vars,
         })
diff --git a/tractor/_supervise.py b/tractor/_supervise.py
index 7851d9f..364d79c 100644
--- a/tractor/_supervise.py
+++ b/tractor/_supervise.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class ActorNursery:
             loglevel=loglevel,
 
             # verbatim relay this actor's registrar addresses
-            registry_addrs=current_actor()._reg_addrs,
+            registry_addrs=current_actor().reg_addrs,
         )
         parent_addr = self._actor.accept_addr
         assert parent_addr