diff --git a/src/syndicate/actors/Tupfile b/src/syndicate/actors/Tupfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73621ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/syndicate/actors/Tupfile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+include_rules
+NIM_FLAGS += --path:$(TUP_CWD)/../..
+: foreach *.nim |> !nim_check |>
diff --git a/src/syndicate/actors/timers.nim b/src/syndicate/actors/timers.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..480fac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/syndicate/actors/timers.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: ☭ Emery Hemingway
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
+
+import std/[asyncdispatch, monotimes, times]
+import preserves
+import syndicate, syndicate/actors
+
+import ../protocols/timer
+from syndicate/protocols/dataspace import Observe
+
+export timer
+
+type Observe = dataspace.Observe[Ref]
+
+proc now: float64 = getTime().toUnixFloat()
+
+proc spawnTimers*(turn: var Turn; ds: Ref) =
+  ## Spawn a timer actor.
+  spawn("timer", turn) do (turn: var Turn):
+
+    during(turn, ds, ?Observe(pattern: !LaterThan) ?? {0: grabLit()}) do (seconds: float64):
+      let period = seconds - now()
+      if period < 0.001:
+        discard publish(turn, ds, LaterThan(seconds: seconds))
+      else:
+        let facet = turn.facet
+        addTimer(int(period * 1_000), oneshot = true) do (fd: AsyncFD) -> bool:
+          run(facet) do (turn: var Turn):
+            discard publish(turn, ds, LaterThan(seconds: seconds))
+
+template after*(turn: var Turn; ds: Ref; dur: Duration; act: untyped) =
+  ## Execute `act` after some duration of time.
+  let later = now() + dur.inMilliseconds.float64 * 1_000.0
+  onPublish(turn, ds, ?LaterThan(seconds: later), act)
diff --git a/src/syndicate/drivers/timers.nim b/src/syndicate/drivers/timers.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index 4b9aac3..0000000
--- a/src/syndicate/drivers/timers.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 ☭ Emery Hemingway
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
-
-import std/[asyncdispatch, monotimes, times]
-import preserves, preserves/records
-import syndicate, syndicate/assertions
-import ../../syndicate/protocols/schemas/timer
-
-syndicate timerDriver:
-
-  spawn "timer":
-    during(observe(laterThan(?msecs))) do (msecs: float64):
-      let
-        now = getTime().toUnixFloat() * 1_000.0
-        period = msecs - now
-      if period > 0:
-        getCurrentFacet().beginExternalTask()
-        addTimer(period.int, oneshot = true) do (fd: AsyncFD) -> bool:
-          react: publish: laterThan(deadline)
-          getCurrentFacet().endExternalTask()
-          true
-      else:
-        react: publish: prsTimeLaterThan(deadline)
diff --git a/tests/test_timers.nim b/tests/test_timers.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd039b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_timers.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: ☭ Emery Hemingway
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
+
+import std/[asyncdispatch, os, times]
+import preserves, syndicate, syndicate/actors/timers
+
+proc now: float64 = getTime().toUnixFloat()
+
+proc testTimers(turn: var Turn; ds: Ref) =
+  onPublish(turn, ds, ?LaterThan(seconds: now()+1.0)) do:
+    stderr.writeLine "slept one second once"
+    onPublish(turn, ds, ?LaterThan(seconds: now()+1.0)) do:
+      stderr.writeLine "slept one second twice"
+      onPublish(turn, ds, ?LaterThan(seconds: now()+1.0)) do:
+        stderr.writeLine "slept one second thrice"
+        quit()
+  spawnTimers(turn, ds)
+
+type Args {.preservesDictionary.} = object
+  dataspace: Ref
+
+proc asInferior: bool =
+  commandLineParams() == @["--inferior"]
+
+if asInferior():
+  stderr.writeLine "connect stdio"
+  runActor("test_timers") do (root: Ref; turn: var Turn):
+    connectStdio(root, turn)
+    during(turn, root, ?Args) do (ds: Ref):
+      testTimers(turn, ds)
+else:
+  stderr.writeLine "use local dataspace"
+  discard bootDataspace("test_timers") do (ds: Ref; turn: var Turn):
+    testTimers(turn, ds)
+
+  for i in 0..10: poll()