diff --git a/piker/service/_ahab.py b/piker/service/_ahab.py
index 49d72de6..4cccf855 100644
--- a/piker/service/_ahab.py
+++ b/piker/service/_ahab.py
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 '''
-Supervisor for ``docker`` with included async and SC wrapping
-to ensure a cancellable container lifetime system.
+Supervisor for ``docker`` with included async and SC wrapping to
+ensure a cancellable container lifetime system.
 
 '''
 from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/piker/service/_mngr.py b/piker/service/_mngr.py
index 70771593..89e98411 100644
--- a/piker/service/_mngr.py
+++ b/piker/service/_mngr.py
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ from typing import (
 import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
+from tractor import (
+    current_actor,
+    ContextCancelled,
+    Context,
+    Portal,
+)
 
 from ._util import (
     log,  # sub-sys logger
@@ -38,6 +44,8 @@ from ._util import (
 #   library.
 # - wrap a "remote api" wherein you can get a method proxy
 #   to the pikerd actor for starting services remotely!
+# - prolly rename this to ActorServicesNursery since it spawns
+#   new actors and supervises them to completion?
 class Services:
 
     actor_n: tractor._supervise.ActorNursery
@@ -47,7 +55,7 @@ class Services:
         str,
         tuple[
             trio.CancelScope,
-            tractor.Portal,
+            Portal,
             trio.Event,
         ]
     ] = {}
@@ -57,12 +65,12 @@ class Services:
     async def start_service_task(
         self,
         name: str,
-        portal: tractor.Portal,
+        portal: Portal,
         target: Callable,
         allow_overruns: bool = False,
         **ctx_kwargs,
 
-    ) -> (trio.CancelScope, tractor.Context):
+    ) -> (trio.CancelScope, Context):
         '''
         Open a context in a service sub-actor, add to a stack
         that gets unwound at ``pikerd`` teardown.
@@ -101,13 +109,30 @@ class Services:
                         # wait on any context's return value
                         # and any final portal result from the
                         # sub-actor.
-                        ctx_res = await ctx.result()
+                        ctx_res: Any = await ctx.result()
 
                         # NOTE: blocks indefinitely until cancelled
                         # either by error from the target context
                         # function or by being cancelled here by the
                         # surrounding cancel scope.
                         return (await portal.result(), ctx_res)
+                    except ContextCancelled as ctxe:
+                        canceller: tuple[str, str] = ctxe.canceller
+                        our_uid: tuple[str, str] = current_actor().uid
+                        if (
+                            canceller != portal.channel.uid
+                            and
+                            canceller != our_uid
+                        ):
+                            log.cancel(
+                                f'Actor-service {name} was remotely cancelled?\n'
+                                f'remote canceller: {canceller}\n'
+                                f'Keeping {our_uid} alive, ignoring sub-actor cancel..\n'
+                            )
+                        else:
+                            raise
+
+
 
                     finally:
                         await portal.cancel_actor()
diff --git a/piker/service/_registry.py b/piker/service/_registry.py
index 7391dd49..ed4569f7 100644
--- a/piker/service/_registry.py
+++ b/piker/service/_registry.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from typing import (
 )
 
 import tractor
+from tractor import Portal
 
 from ._util import (
     log,  # sub-sys logger
@@ -140,7 +141,11 @@ async def find_service(
 
     first_only: bool = True,
 
-) -> tractor.Portal | None:
+) -> (
+    Portal
+    | list[Portal]
+    | None
+):
 
     reg_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]]
     async with open_registry(
@@ -153,6 +158,9 @@ async def find_service(
         ),
     ) as reg_addrs:
         log.info(f'Scanning for service `{service_name}`')
+
+        maybe_portals: list[Portal] | Portal | None
+
         # attach to existing daemon by name if possible
         async with tractor.find_actor(
             service_name,