diff --git a/syndicate/actor.rkt b/syndicate/actor.rkt
index a2d2db9..a9e73c6 100644
--- a/syndicate/actor.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/actor.rkt
@@ -171,11 +171,11 @@
                     '()))
   (when (not daemon?)
     (adjust-inhabitant-count! engine +1))
-  (set-actor-root! ac (make-facet ac #f initial-assertions))
+  (set-actor-root! ac (make-facet ac #f))
   (log-syndicate/actor-info "~a booting" ac)
-  (turn! (make-facet ac (actor-root ac))
-         (stop-if-inert-after boot-proc))
-  ac)
+  (define user-root-facet (make-facet ac (actor-root ac) initial-assertions))
+  (turn! user-root-facet (stop-if-inert-after boot-proc))
+  user-root-facet)
 
 (define (actor-add-exit-hook! ac hook)
   (set-actor-exit-hooks! ac (cons hook (actor-exit-hooks ac))))
@@ -331,7 +331,9 @@
 
 (define (turn-spawn! turn boot-proc [initial-assertions (make-hash)]
                      #:name [name '?]
-                     #:daemon? [daemon? #f])
+                     #:daemon? [daemon? #f]
+                     #:link [link-entity #f]
+                     #:link-message [link-message 'alive])
   (define f (turn-active-facet turn))
   (define o (facet-outbound f))
   (log-syndicate/actor-debug "  ENQ spawn ~a" name)
@@ -344,9 +346,19 @@
                      (hash-set! new-outbound handle (hash-ref o handle))
                      (hash-remove! o handle))
                    (define engine (actor-engine (facet-actor f)))
-                   (queue-task! engine
-                                (lambda ()
-                                  (make-actor name engine daemon? boot-proc new-outbound))))))
+                   (define new-actor-facet (make-actor name engine daemon? boot-proc new-outbound))
+                   (when link-entity
+                     (define handle (generate-handle))
+                     (define linked-peer (entity-ref new-actor-facet link-entity '()))
+                     (define a (outbound-assertion handle linked-peer #t))
+                     (hash-set! o handle a)
+                     (log-syndicate/actor-debug "  ENQ link at ~v assert ~v handle ~v"
+                                                linked-peer link-message handle)
+                     (turn! new-actor-facet
+                            (lambda (turn)
+                              (log-syndicate/actor-debug "  DELIVER link to ~v assert ~v handle ~v"
+                                                         linked-peer link-message handle)
+                              (deliver (entity-assert link-entity) turn link-message handle)))))))
 
 (define (turn-stop-actor! turn)
   (define ac (facet-actor (turn-active-facet turn)))
diff --git a/syndicate/syntax.rkt b/syndicate/syntax.rkt
index 1554de0..24ab6be 100644
--- a/syndicate/syntax.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/syntax.rkt
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
          stop-when
          (rename-out [event:when when])
          during
+         during/spawn
          during*)
 
 (require racket/match)
@@ -204,6 +205,29 @@
                                           (match-define (list #,@(analyse-pattern-bindings #'pat)) bindings)
                                           expr ...)))))])))
 
+(define-event-expander during/spawn
+  (lambda (stx)
+    (syntax-parse stx
+      [(_ pat name-stx:<name> daemon:<daemon?> expr ...)
+       #`(assert
+          (Observe (:pattern pat)
+                   (ref (during*
+                         (action (bindings)
+                           (match-define (list #,@(analyse-pattern-bindings #'pat)) bindings)
+                           (define name name-stx.N)
+                           (define monitor
+                             (ref (entity #:name (list name 'monitor-in-parent)
+                                          #:retract (action (_handle) (stop-current-facet)))))
+                           (define monitor-handle (turn-assert! this-turn monitor 'alive))
+                           (turn-spawn! this-turn
+                                        #:name name
+                                        #:daemon? daemon.D
+                                        #:link
+                                        (entity #:name (list name 'monitor-in-child)
+                                                #:retract (action (_handle) (stop-current-facet)))
+                                        (action () expr ...)
+                                        (hasheq monitor-handle #t)))))))])))
+
 (define (during* f #:name [name '?])
   (define assertion-map (make-hash))
   (entity #:name name