diff --git a/include/v/vere.h b/include/v/vere.h
index e3a5dda72..cd0602e24 100644
--- a/include/v/vere.h
+++ b/include/v/vere.h
@@ -829,6 +829,11 @@
         void 
         u2_ames_io_init(void);
 
+      /* u2_ames_io_talk(): bring up listener.
+      */
+        void
+        u2_ames_io_talk(void);
+
       /* u2_ames_io_exit(): terminate ames I/O.
       */
         void 
@@ -895,6 +900,11 @@
         void 
         u2_unix_io_init(void);
 
+      /* u2_unix_io_talk(): start listening for fs events.
+      */
+        void
+        u2_unix_io_talk(void);
+
       /* u2_unix_io_exit(): terminate storage.
       */
         void 
@@ -949,6 +959,11 @@
         void 
         u2_http_io_init(void);
 
+      /* u2_http_io_talk(): start http listener.
+      */
+        void
+        u2_http_io_talk(void);
+
       /* u2_http_io_exit(): terminate http I/O.
       */
         void 
diff --git a/v/ames.c b/v/ames.c
index 507aaebd3..9fd20cda3 100644
--- a/v/ames.c
+++ b/v/ames.c
@@ -322,12 +322,7 @@ u2_ames_io_init()
     uv_udp_getsockname(&sam_u->wax_u, (struct sockaddr *)&add_u, &add_i);
     c3_assert(add_u.sin_port);
 
-    por_s = ntohs(add_u.sin_port);
-    sam_u->por_s = por_s;
-
-    uL(fprintf(uH, "ames: on localhost, UDP %d.\n", por_s));
-
-    uv_udp_recv_start(&sam_u->wax_u, _ames_alloc, _ames_recv_cb);
+    sam_u->por_s = ntohs(add_u.sin_port);
   }
 
   //  Timer too.
@@ -336,6 +331,17 @@ u2_ames_io_init()
   }
 }
 
+/* u2_ames_io_talk(): start receiving ames traffic.
+*/
+void
+u2_ames_io_talk()
+{
+  u2_ames* sam_u = &u2_Host.sam_u;
+
+  uL(fprintf(uH, "ames: on localhost, UDP %d.\n", sam_u->por_s));
+  uv_udp_recv_start(&sam_u->wax_u, _ames_alloc, _ames_recv_cb);
+}
+
 /* u2_ames_io_exit(): terminate ames I/O.
 */
 void
diff --git a/v/http.c b/v/http.c
index 2f06f5a44..04651733d 100644
--- a/v/http.c
+++ b/v/http.c
@@ -1090,14 +1090,20 @@ u2_http_io_init()
   htp_u->hon_u = 0;
   htp_u->nex_u = 0;
 
-#if 1
-  _http_start(htp_u);
-#endif
-
   htp_u->nex_u = u2_Host.htp_u;
   u2_Host.htp_u = htp_u;
 }
 
+/* u2_http_io_talk(): bring up listener.
+*/
+void
+u2_http_io_talk()
+{
+  u2_http* htp_u = u2_Host.htp_u;
+
+  _http_start(htp_u);
+}
+
 /* u2_http_io_poll(): poll kernel for http I/O.
 */
 void
diff --git a/v/loop.c b/v/loop.c
index b431fa8ef..482445c6a 100644
--- a/v/loop.c
+++ b/v/loop.c
@@ -168,6 +168,16 @@ _lo_init()
   u2_batz_io_init();
 }
 
+/* _lo_talk(): bring up listeners across the process.
+*/
+static void
+_lo_talk()
+{
+  u2_unix_io_talk();
+  u2_ames_io_talk();
+  u2_http_io_talk();
+}
+
 /* _lo_exit(): terminate I/O across the process.
 */
 static void
@@ -1853,6 +1863,7 @@ u2_lo_boot()
 void
 u2_lo_loop(u2_reck* rec_u)
 {
+  _lo_talk();
   {
     u2_unix_ef_look();
     u2_reck_plan(rec_u, u2nt(c3__gold, c3__ames, u2_nul),
diff --git a/v/unix.c b/v/unix.c
index 838797af1..4eedcec79 100644
--- a/v/unix.c
+++ b/v/unix.c
@@ -1295,6 +1295,13 @@ u2_unix_io_init(void)
     unx_u->sig_u = sig_u;
   }
 #endif
+}
+
+/* u2_unix_io_talk(): start listening for fs events.
+*/
+void
+u2_unix_io_talk()
+{
   u2_unix_ef_move();
 }