diff --git a/packages/core/src/transport/relay.ts b/packages/core/src/transport/relay.ts
index 4a3f97b..d2dee2a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/transport/relay.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/transport/relay.ts
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ export interface RelayOptions {
     setup(r: Relay): void;
     debug?: boolean;
     trustPeer?: boolean;
+    initialOid?: IO.Oid;
+    initialRef?: Ref;
+    nextLocalOid?: IO.Oid;
 }
 
 export class Relay {
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ export class Relay {
     readonly outboundAssertions = new IdentityMap<Handle, Array<WireSymbol>>();
     readonly exported = new Membrane();
     readonly imported = new Membrane();
+    readonly peer: Ref | null;
     nextLocalOid: IO.Oid = 0;
     pendingTurn: IO.Turn<WireRef> = [];
     debug: boolean;
@@ -148,6 +152,18 @@ export class Relay {
 
         this.facet.preventInertCheck();
         options.setup(this);
+
+        if (options.initialRef !== void 0) {
+            this.rewriteRefOut(options.initialRef, false, []);
+        }
+
+        this.peer = (options.initialOid !== void 0)
+            ? this.rewriteRefIn(WireRef.mine(options.initialOid), [])
+            : null;
+
+        if (options.nextLocalOid !== void 0) {
+            this.nextLocalOid = (options.nextLocalOid === 0) ? 1 : options.nextLocalOid;
+        }
     }
 
     rewriteOut(assertion: Assertion, transient: boolean): [Value<WireRef>, Array<WireSymbol>]
@@ -301,31 +317,3 @@ export class Relay {
         }
     }
 }
-
-export interface RelayActorOptions extends RelayOptions {
-    initialOid?: IO.Oid;
-    initialRef?: Ref;
-    nextLocalOid?: IO.Oid;
-}
-
-export function spawnRelay(options: RelayActorOptions & {initialOid: IO.Oid}): Promise<Ref>;
-export function spawnRelay(options: Omit<RelayActorOptions, 'initialOid'>): Promise<null>;
-export function spawnRelay(options: RelayActorOptions): Promise<Ref | null>
-{
-    return new Promise(resolve => {
-        Turn.active.spawn(() => {
-            const relay = new Relay(options);
-            if (options.initialRef !== void 0) {
-                relay.rewriteRefOut(options.initialRef, false, []);
-            }
-            if (options.initialOid !== void 0) {
-                resolve(relay.rewriteRefIn(WireRef.mine(options.initialOid), []));
-            } else {
-                resolve(null);
-            }
-            if (options.nextLocalOid !== void 0) {
-                relay.nextLocalOid = (options.nextLocalOid === 0) ? 1 : options.nextLocalOid;
-            }
-        });
-    });
-}