diff --git a/js/examples/dom/index.js b/js/examples/dom/index.js
index c66babe..0af4a3e 100644
--- a/js/examples/dom/index.js
+++ b/js/examples/dom/index.js
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     });
   });
 
-  G.dataspace.onStateChange = function (mux, patch) {
+  G.dataspace.setOnStateChange(function (mux, patch) {
     $("#spy-holder").text(Syndicate.prettyTrie(mux.routingTable));
-  };
+  });
 
   G.startStepping();
 });
diff --git a/js/examples/iot/index.js b/js/examples/iot/index.js
index d1ddf1c..da01c5e 100644
--- a/js/examples/iot/index.js
+++ b/js/examples/iot/index.js
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     spawnChaosMonkey();
   }
 
-  G.dataspace.onStateChange = function (mux, patch) {
+  G.dataspace.setOnStateChange(function (mux, patch) {
     $("#ds-state").text(Syndicate.prettyTrie(mux.routingTable));
-  };
+  });
 });
diff --git a/js/examples/jquery/index.js b/js/examples/jquery/index.js
index d65ab5a..41d24ea 100644
--- a/js/examples/jquery/index.js
+++ b/js/examples/jquery/index.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
 	}
       });
     });
-    G.dataspace.onStateChange = function (mux, patch) {
+    G.dataspace.setOnStateChange(function (mux, patch) {
       $("#spy-holder").text(Syndicate.prettyTrie(mux.routingTable));
-    };
+    });
     G.startStepping();
 });
diff --git a/js/examples/textfield-dsl/index.js b/js/examples/textfield-dsl/index.js
index 4effb36..3f7ad36 100644
--- a/js/examples/textfield-dsl/index.js
+++ b/js/examples/textfield-dsl/index.js
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     spawnSearch();
   }
 
-  G.dataspace.onStateChange = function (mux, patch) {
+  G.dataspace.setOnStateChange(function (mux, patch) {
     $("#spy-holder").text(Syndicate.prettyTrie(mux.routingTable));
-  };
+  });
 });
diff --git a/js/examples/textfield/index.js b/js/examples/textfield/index.js
index 261b08c..a29361b 100644
--- a/js/examples/textfield/index.js
+++ b/js/examples/textfield/index.js
@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     spawnSearch();
   });
 
-  G.dataspace.onStateChange = function (mux, patch) {
+  G.dataspace.setOnStateChange(function (mux, patch) {
     $("#spy-holder").text(Syndicate.prettyTrie(mux.routingTable));
-  };
+  });
 
   G.startStepping();
 });
diff --git a/js/src/dataspace.js b/js/src/dataspace.js
index bbe620e..3cf5e9e 100644
--- a/js/src/dataspace.js
+++ b/js/src/dataspace.js
@@ -287,6 +287,11 @@ Dataspace.prototype.deliverEvent = function (pid, event) {
   if (childBusy) this.markRunnable(pid);
 };
 
+Dataspace.prototype.setOnStateChange = function (handler) {
+  this.onStateChange = handler;
+  this.onStateChange(this.mux, Patch.emptyPatch);
+};
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 module.exports.stateChange = stateChange;