diff --git a/syndicate/dataspace.rkt b/syndicate/dataspace.rkt
index 778122c..61449c0 100644
--- a/syndicate/dataspace.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/dataspace.rkt
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@
 (define (add-actor! ds name boot-proc initial-assertions)
   (define the-actor-id (generate-id! ds))
   (define filtered-initial-assertions (set-remove initial-assertions (void)))
+  (define initial-delta (set->bag filtered-initial-assertions +1))
   (define the-actor (actor the-actor-id
                            ds
                            name
@@ -239,13 +240,9 @@
                            #f
                            (make-vector priority-count (make-queue))
                            (make-queue)
-                           (set->bag filtered-initial-assertions +1)
-                           (set->bag filtered-initial-assertions -1)))
-  (for [(a filtered-initial-assertions)]
-    (match (bag-change! (dataspace-assertions ds) a +1)
-      ['absent->present (add-assertion! (dataspace-routing-table ds) a)]
-      ;; 'absent->absent and 'present->absent absurd
-      ['present->present (void)])) ;; i.e. no visible change
+                           initial-delta
+                           (bag)))
+  (apply-patch! ds the-actor initial-delta)
   ;; Root facet is a dummy "system" facet that exists to hold one-or-more "user" "root" facets.
   (add-facet! #f
               the-actor