diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
index 5c22116..af9ffaf 100644
--- a/tractor/_streaming.py
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -323,6 +323,8 @@ class Context:
     _recv_chan: Optional[trio.MemoryReceiveChannel] = None
     _result: Optional[Any] = False
     _cancel_called: bool = False
+    _started_called: bool = False
+    _started_received: bool = False
 
     # only set on the callee side
     _scope_nursery: Optional[trio.Nursery] = None
@@ -455,6 +457,11 @@ class Context:
                 f'Context around {actor.uid[0]}:{task} was already cancelled!'
             )
 
+        if not self._portal and not self._started_called:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                'Context.started()` must be called before opening a stream'
+            )
+
         # NOTE: in one way streaming this only happens on the
         # caller side inside `Actor.send_cmd()` so if you try
         # to send a stop from the caller to the callee in the
@@ -536,13 +543,29 @@ class Context:
 
         return self._result
 
-    async def started(self, value: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
+    async def started(
+        self,
+        value: Optional[Any] = None
 
+    ) -> None:
+        '''
+        Indicate to calling actor's task that this linked context
+        has started and send ``value`` to the other side.
+
+        On the calling side ``value`` is the second item delivered
+        in the tuple returned by ``Portal.open_context()``.
+
+        '''
         if self._portal:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"Caller side context {self} can not call started!")
 
+        elif self._started_called:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"called 'started' twice on context with {self.chan.uid}")
+
         await self.chan.send({'started': value, 'cid': self.cid})
+        self._started_called = True
 
     # TODO: do we need a restart api?
     # async def restart(self) -> None: