diff --git a/vere/http.c b/vere/http.c
index 1adabb6b0a..e176f2f31e 100644
--- a/vere/http.c
+++ b/vere/http.c
@@ -917,15 +917,15 @@ typedef struct _u3_proxy_writ {
   c3_y*            buf_y;
 } u3_proxy_writ;
 
-// add server and data fields
 typedef struct _u3_proxy_conn {
-  uv_tcp_t         client;
-  uv_tcp_t         upt_u;
-  uv_connect_t     upc_u;  // XX pointer so nullable for reverse case?
+  uv_tcp_t         don_u;             //  downstream handle
+  uv_tcp_t*        upt_u;             //  upstream handle XX union of local connect and reverse listener?
+  u3_hbod*         bod_u;             //  pending buffers
   struct _u3_proxy_listener* lis_u;
   struct _u3_proxy_conn*   nex_u;
 } u3_proxy_conn;
 
+// XX probably not right
 typedef struct _u3_proxy_reverse {
   uv_tcp_t         tcp_u;
   u3_atom          sip;               //  reverse proxy for ship
@@ -950,9 +950,8 @@ typedef struct _u3_proxy_listener {
 
 static void
 _proxy_alloc(uv_handle_t* had_u,
-            size_t len_i,
-            uv_buf_t* buf
-            )
+             size_t len_i,
+             uv_buf_t* buf)
 {
   void* ptr_v = c3_malloc(len_i);
   *buf = uv_buf_init(ptr_v, len_i);
@@ -976,19 +975,34 @@ _proxy_writ_new(u3_proxy_conn* con_u, c3_y* buf_y)
   return ruq_u;
 }
 
+// XX deduplicate with _cttp_bods_free()
+static void
+_proxy_bods_free(u3_hbod* bod_u)
+{
+  while ( bod_u ) {
+    u3_hbod* nex_u = bod_u->nex_u;
+
+    free(bod_u);
+    bod_u = nex_u;
+  }
+}
+
 static void
 _proxy_conn_free(u3_proxy_conn* con_u)
 {
+  _proxy_bods_free(con_u->bod_u);
   free(con_u);
   // XX detach from listener
 }
 
-// XX this gets called for both sides, wat do
 static void
-_proxy_conn_free_uv(uv_handle_t* han_u)
+_proxy_conn_close(u3_proxy_conn* con_u)
 {
-  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = han_u->data;
-  // _proxy_conn_free(con_u);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&con_u->don_u, (uv_close_cb)_proxy_conn_free);
+
+  if ( 0 != con_u->upt_u ) {
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)con_u->upt_u, (uv_close_cb)free);
+  }
 }
 
 static u3_proxy_conn*
@@ -996,10 +1010,11 @@ _proxy_conn_new(u3_proxy_listener* lis_u)
 {
   u3_proxy_conn* con_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*con_u));
   con_u->lis_u = lis_u;
+  con_u->upt_u = 0;
+  con_u->bod_u = 0;
+  con_u->nex_u = 0;
 
-  con_u->client.data = con_u;
-  con_u->upt_u.data = con_u;
-  con_u->upc_u.data = con_u;
+  con_u->don_u.data = con_u;
 
   // XX link to listener
 
@@ -1058,77 +1073,132 @@ static void
 _proxy_write_cb(uv_write_t* wri_u, c3_i sas_i)
 {
   u3_proxy_writ* ruq_u = (u3_proxy_writ*)wri_u;
+  // u3_proxy_conn* con_u = ruq_u->wri_u.data;
 
   if ( 0 != sas_i ) {
     uL(fprintf(uH, "proxy: write: %s\n", uv_strerror(sas_i)));
-    // close and free con_u (ruq_u->wri_u.data)?
+    // periodically cores, already closing, broken pipe
+    // _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
   }
 
   _proxy_writ_free(ruq_u);
 }
 
 static void
-_proxy_sock_read_client_cb(uv_stream_t* tcp_u,
-                           ssize_t      siz_w,
-                           const uv_buf_t *     buf_u)
+_proxy_sock_read_downstream_cb(uv_stream_t* don_u,
+                               ssize_t      siz_w,
+                               const uv_buf_t *     buf_u)
 {
-  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = tcp_u->data;
+  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = don_u->data;
 
-  if ( UV_EOF == siz_w ) {
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
-  } else if ( 0 > siz_w ) {
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
+  if ( (UV_EOF == siz_w) || (0 > siz_w) ) {
+    _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
   }
   else {
-     u3_proxy_writ* ruq_u = _proxy_writ_new(con_u, (c3_y*)buf_u->base);
+    u3_proxy_writ* ruq_u = _proxy_writ_new(con_u, (c3_y*)buf_u->base);
 
-    if ( 0 != uv_write(&ruq_u->wri_u,
-                       (uv_stream_t*)&(con_u->upt_u),
-                       buf_u, 1,
-                       _proxy_write_cb) ) {
-      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
+    c3_i sas_i;
+    if ( 0 != (sas_i = uv_write(&ruq_u->wri_u,
+                                (uv_stream_t*)con_u->upt_u,
+                                buf_u, 1,
+                                _proxy_write_cb)) ) {
+      uL(fprintf(uH, "proxy: read downstream: %s\n", uv_strerror(sas_i)));
+      _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
       _proxy_writ_free(ruq_u);
     }
   }
 }
 
 static void
-_proxy_sock_read_upstream_cb(uv_stream_t* tcp_u,
+_proxy_sock_read_upstream_cb(uv_stream_t* upt_u,
                              ssize_t      siz_w,
                              const uv_buf_t *     buf_u)
 {
-  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = tcp_u->data;
+  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = upt_u->data;
 
-  if ( UV_EOF == siz_w ) {
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
-  } else if ( 0 > siz_w ) {
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
+  if ( (UV_EOF == siz_w) || (0 > siz_w) ) {
+    _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
   }
   else {
     u3_proxy_writ* ruq_u = _proxy_writ_new(con_u, (c3_y*)buf_u->base);
 
-    if ( 0 != uv_write(&ruq_u->wri_u,
-                       (uv_stream_t*)&(con_u->client),
-                       buf_u, 1,
-                       _proxy_write_cb) ) {
-      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp_u, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
+    c3_i sas_i;
+    if ( 0 != (sas_i = uv_write(&ruq_u->wri_u,
+                                (uv_stream_t*)&(con_u->don_u),
+                                buf_u, 1,
+                                _proxy_write_cb)) ) {
+      uL(fprintf(uH, "proxy: read upstream: %s\n", uv_strerror(sas_i)));
+      _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
       _proxy_writ_free(ruq_u);
     }
   }
 }
 
+static void
+_proxy_fire(u3_proxy_conn* con_u)
+{
+  // XX uv_write all in bod_u to upt_u
+
+  // XX set cooldown timers to close these?
+
+  uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)&con_u->don_u, _proxy_alloc, _proxy_sock_read_downstream_cb);
+  uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)con_u->upt_u, _proxy_alloc, _proxy_sock_read_upstream_cb);
+}
+
 static void
 _proxy_lopc_connect_cb(uv_connect_t * upc_u, c3_i sas_i)
 {
-  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = upc_u->data;
+  uv_tcp_t* upt_u = upc_u->data;
+
+  u3_proxy_conn* con_u = upt_u->data;
+  con_u->upt_u = upt_u;
+
+  free(upc_u);
 
   if ( 0 != sas_i ) {
     uL(fprintf(uH, "proxy: connect: %s\n", uv_strerror(sas_i)));
-    // close and free con_u
+    _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
   }
 
-  uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)&con_u->client, _proxy_alloc, _proxy_sock_read_client_cb);
-  uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)&con_u->upt_u, _proxy_alloc, _proxy_sock_read_upstream_cb);
+  _proxy_fire(con_u);
+}
+
+static void
+_proxy_lopc(u3_proxy_conn* con_u)
+{
+  uv_tcp_t* upt_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*upt_u));
+
+  // not yet linked in reverse
+  upt_u->data = con_u;
+
+  uv_tcp_init(u3L, upt_u);
+
+  struct sockaddr_in lop_u;
+
+  memset(&lop_u, 0, sizeof(lop_u));
+  lop_u.sin_family = AF_INET;
+  lop_u.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_LOOPBACK);
+
+  // get the appropriate loopback port
+  {
+    c3_s por_s = 0;
+    u3_http* htp_u;
+
+    for ( htp_u = u3_Host.htp_u; (0 != htp_u); htp_u = htp_u->nex_u ) {
+      if ( c3n == htp_u->lop && con_u->lis_u->sec == htp_u->sec ) {
+        por_s = htp_u->por_w;
+      }
+    }
+
+    c3_assert( 0 != por_s );
+
+    lop_u.sin_port = htons(por_s);
+  }
+
+  uv_connect_t* upc_u = c3_malloc(sizeof(*upc_u));
+  upc_u->data = upt_u;
+
+  uv_tcp_connect(upc_u, upt_u, (const struct sockaddr*)&lop_u, _proxy_lopc_connect_cb);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1136,44 +1206,21 @@ _proxy_sock_new(u3_proxy_listener* lis_u)
 {
   u3_proxy_conn* con_u = _proxy_conn_new(lis_u);
 
-  uv_tcp_init(u3L, &con_u->client);
+  // init and accept downstream
+
+  uv_tcp_init(u3L, &con_u->don_u);
 
   c3_i sas_i;
-  if ( 0 != (sas_i = uv_accept((uv_stream_t*)&lis_u->sev_u, (uv_stream_t*)&con_u->client)) ) {
+  if ( 0 != (sas_i = uv_accept((uv_stream_t*)&lis_u->sev_u, (uv_stream_t*)&con_u->don_u)) ) {
     uL(fprintf(uH, "proxy: accept: %s\n", uv_strerror(sas_i)));
-
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&con_u->client, _proxy_conn_free_uv);
+    _proxy_conn_close(con_u);
   }
   else {
-    struct sockaddr_in lop_u; 
- 
-    memset(&lop_u, 0, sizeof(lop_u));
-    lop_u.sin_family = AF_INET;
-    lop_u.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_LOOPBACK);
-
-    // get the appropriate loopback port
-    {
-      c3_s por_s = 0;
-      u3_http* htp_u;
-
-      for ( htp_u = u3_Host.htp_u; (0 != htp_u); htp_u = htp_u->nex_u ) {
-        if ( c3n == htp_u->lop && lis_u->sec == htp_u->sec ) {
-          por_s = htp_u->por_w;
-        }
-      }
-
-      c3_assert( 0 != por_s );
-
-      lop_u.sin_port = htons(por_s);
-    }
-
-    uv_tcp_init(u3L, &con_u->upt_u);
-    uv_tcp_connect(&con_u->upc_u, &con_u->upt_u, (const struct sockaddr*)&lop_u, _proxy_lopc_connect_cb);
-
     // uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)client, _proxy_alloc, _proxy_sock_read_cb);
-    //XX parse for HOST or SNI
 
-    // IF US
+    //XX parse for HOST or SNI (based on lis_u->sec)
+
+    // IF US (or unrecognized?)
       // open loopback and write
       // set it up to keep writing
     // IF CHILD
@@ -1182,6 +1229,8 @@ _proxy_sock_new(u3_proxy_listener* lis_u)
       // save buffer
       // on accept, write_start
     // OTHERWISE, CLOSE
+
+    _proxy_lopc(con_u);
   }
 }