diff --git a/pkg/arvo/age/aqua.hoon b/pkg/arvo/age/aqua.hoon
index b9e66b931..58feef3c5 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/age/aqua.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/age/aqua.hoon
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   +*  this       .
       aqua-core  +>
       ac         ~(. aqua-core bowl)
-      def        ~(. (default-agent this) bowl)
+      def        ~(. (default-agent this %|) bowl)
   ++  on-init           `this
   ++  on-save  !>(all-state)
   ++  on-load
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/age/chat-store.hoon b/pkg/arvo/age/chat-store.hoon
index 849d51c39..65e2fa139 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/age/chat-store.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/age/chat-store.hoon
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   +*  this       .
       chat-core  +>
       cc         ~(. chat-core bowl)
-      def        ~(. (default-agent this) bowl)
+      def        ~(. (default-agent this %|) bowl)
   ::
   ++  on-init   on-init:def
   ++  on-save   !>(state)
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/age/dns-collector.hoon b/pkg/arvo/age/dns-collector.hoon
index 73f20053a..e81be66aa 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/age/dns-collector.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/age/dns-collector.hoon
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 =|  state=app-state
 |_  =bowl:mall
 +*  this  .
-    def   ~(. (default-agent this) bowl)
+    def   ~(. (default-agent this %|) bowl)
 ::
 ++  on-init   on-init:def
 ++  on-save   !>(state)
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/age/language-server.hoon b/pkg/arvo/age/language-server.hoon
index 250b309f9..d659dbfd2 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/age/language-server.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/age/language-server.hoon
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   +*  this      .
       lsp-core  +>
       lsp       ~(. lsp-core bowl)
-      def       ~(. (default-agent this) bowl)
+      def       ~(. (default-agent this %|) bowl)
   ::
   ++  on-init
     ^+  on-init:*agent:mall
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/age/spider.hoon b/pkg/arvo/age/spider.hoon
index 9b84ec522..ac9d34e6f 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/age/spider.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/age/spider.hoon
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
   +*  this  .
       spider-core  +>
       sc    ~(. spider-core bowl)
-      def   ~(. (default-agent this) bowl)
+      def   ~(. (default-agent this %|) bowl)
   ::
   ++  on-init   on-init:def
   ++  on-save   on-save:def
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/lib/default-agent.hoon b/pkg/arvo/lib/default-agent.hoon
index 2ef53f689..92e92dd20 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/lib/default-agent.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/lib/default-agent.hoon
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-|*  agent=*
+/+  skeleton
+|*  [agent=* help=*]
+?:  ?=(%& help)
+  ~|  %default-agent-helpfully-crashing
+  skeleton
 |_  =bowl:mall
 ++  on-init
   `agent
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/mall.hoon b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/mall.hoon
index dc397c6c1..4b5581d65 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/mall.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/mall.hoon
@@ -1582,7 +1582,6 @@
           %-  (slog >out=outgoing.subscribers.current-agent< leaf/"XXX remove" tang)
           (ap-specific-take way %watch-ack `tang)
         $(moves t.moves)
-      ~&  >>  %peer-new
       =.  outgoing.subscribers.current-agent
         (~(put by outgoing.subscribers.current-agent) [short-wire dock] [| path])
       $(moves t.moves, new-moves [move new-moves])