diff --git a/src/buffers.lua b/src/buffers.lua
index 5fa8e48..2104b3a 100644
--- a/src/buffers.lua
+++ b/src/buffers.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 local utils = require('codemp.utils')
-local state = require('codemp.state')
+local session = require('codemp.session')
 
 local id_buffer_map = {}
 local buffer_id_map = {}
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ local function attach(name, current, content)
 		vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(buffer, "codemp::" .. name)
 		vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(buffer)
 	end
-	local controller = state.workspace:attach_buffer(name):await()
+	local controller = session.workspace:attach_buffer(name):await()
 
 	-- TODO map name to uuid
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ local function detach(name)
 	local buffer = buffer_id_map[name]
 	id_buffer_map[buffer] = nil
 	buffer_id_map[name] = nil
-	state.workspace:detach_buffer(name)
+	session.workspace:detach_buffer(name)
 	vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(buffer, {})
 
 	print(" -- detached from buffer " .. name)
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ local function sync()
 	local buffer = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
 	local name = id_buffer_map[buffer]
 	if name ~= nil then
-		local controller = state.workspace:get_buffer(name)
+		local controller = session.workspace:get_buffer(name)
 		if controller ~= nil then
 			ticks[buffer] = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_changedtick(buffer)
 			utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, controller:content():await())
diff --git a/src/command.lua b/src/command.lua
index 4c61a90..8fff8da 100644
--- a/src/command.lua
+++ b/src/command.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local state = require('codemp.state')
+local session = require('codemp.session')
 local buffers = require('codemp.buffers')
 local workspace = require('codemp.workspace')
 local utils = require('codemp.utils')
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ local base_actions = {
 -- only available if state.client is not nil
 local connected_actions = {
 	id = function()
-		print("> codemp::" .. state.client.id)
+		print("> codemp::" .. session.client.id)
 	end,
 
 	toggle = function()
@@ -45,39 +45,38 @@ local connected_actions = {
 
 	join = function(ws)
 		if ws == nil then error("missing workspace name") end
-		state.workspace = workspace.join(ws)
-		print(" >< joined workspace " .. ws)
+		workspace.join(ws)
 	end,
 
 	start = function(ws)
 		if ws == nil then error("missing workspace name") end
-		state.client:create_workspace(ws):await()
+		session.client:create_workspace(ws):await()
 		print(" <> created workspace " .. ws)
 	end,
 
 	available = function()
-		for _, ws in ipairs(state.client:list_workspaces(true, false):await()) do
+		for _, ws in ipairs(session.client:list_workspaces(true, false):await()) do
 			print(" ++ " .. ws)
 		end
-		for _, ws in ipairs(state.client:list_workspaces(false, true):await()) do
+		for _, ws in ipairs(session.client:list_workspaces(false, true):await()) do
 			print(" -- " .. ws)
 		end
 	end,
 
 	invite = function(user)
 		local ws
-		if state.workspace ~= nil then
-			ws = state.workspace
+		if session.workspace ~= nil then
+			ws = session.workspace
 		else
 			ws = vim.fn.input("workspace > ", "")
 		end
-		state.client:invite_to_workspace(ws, user):await()
+		session.client:invite_to_workspace(ws, user):await()
 		print(" ][ invited " .. user .. " to workspace " .. ws)
 	end,
 
 	disconnect = function()
-		print(" xx disconnecting client " .. state.client.id)
-		state.client = nil -- should drop and thus close everything
+		print(" xx disconnecting client " .. session.client.id)
+		session.client = nil -- should drop and thus close everything
 	end,
 }
 
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ local joined_actions = {
 
 	attach = function(path, bang)
 		if path == nil then error("missing buffer name") end
-		buffers.attach(path, bang)
+		buffers.attach(path)
 	end,
 
 	detach = function(path)
@@ -131,7 +130,7 @@ local joined_actions = {
 
 	leave = function(ws)
 		if ws == nil then error("missing workspace to leave") end
-		state.client:leave_workspace(ws)
+		workspace.leave()
 	end,
 }
 
@@ -145,11 +144,11 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
 			fn = base_actions[action]
 		end
 
-		if state.client ~= nil and connected_actions[action] ~= nil then
+		if session.client ~= nil and connected_actions[action] ~= nil then
 			fn = connected_actions[action]
 		end
 
-		if state.workspace ~= nil and joined_actions[action] ~= nil then
+		if session.workspace ~= nil and joined_actions[action] ~= nil then
 			fn = joined_actions[action]
 		end
 
@@ -175,13 +174,13 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
 					n = n + 1
 					suggestions[n] = sugg
 				end
-				if state.client ~= nil then
+				if session.client ~= nil then
 					for sugg, _ in pairs(connected_actions) do
 						n = n + 1
 						suggestions[n] = sugg
 					end
 				end
-				if state.workspace ~= nil then
+				if session.workspace ~= nil then
 					for sugg, _ in pairs(joined_actions) do
 						n = n + 1
 						suggestions[n] = sugg
@@ -190,9 +189,9 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
 				return filter(lead, suggestions)
 			elseif stage == 3 then
 				if args[#args-1] == 'attach' or args[#args-1] == 'detach' then
-					if state.client ~= nil and state.workspace ~= nil then
-						if state.workspace ~= nil then
-							return filter(lead, state.workspace:filetree())
+					if session.client ~= nil and session.workspace ~= nil then
+						if session.workspace ~= nil then
+							return filter(lead, session.workspace:filetree())
 						end
 					end
 				end
diff --git a/src/init.lua b/src/init.lua
index 118c27c..3deb4e7 100644
--- a/src/init.lua
+++ b/src/init.lua
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ end
 -- end
 
 local native = require('codemp.loader').load() -- make sure we can load the native library correctly, otherwise no point going forward
-local state = require('codemp.state')
+local session = require('codemp.session')
 local rt = native.spawn_runtime_driver() -- spawn thread to drive tokio runtime
 --native.logger(function (msg)
 --	vim.schedule(function () print(msg) end)
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd(
 	{"ExitPre"},
 	{
 		callback = function (_ev)
-			if state.client ~= nil then
+			if session.client ~= nil then
 				print(" xx disconnecting codemp client")
-				state.client = nil
+				session.client = nil
 			end
 		end
 	}
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ require('codemp.command')
 
 return {
 	native = native,
-	state = require('codemp.state'),
+	session = session,
 	buffers = require('codemp.buffers'),
 	workspace = require('codemp.workspace'),
 	window = require('codemp.window'),
diff --git a/src/session.lua b/src/session.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..caab786
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/session.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---@type Workspace
+local workspace
+
+---@type Client
+local client
+
+---@class WorkspaceReference
+---@field name string
+---@field owned boolean
+
+---@type WorkspaceReference[]
+local available_workspaces = {}
+
+return {
+	workspace = workspace,
+	client = client,
+	available = available_workspaces,
+}
diff --git a/src/state.lua b/src/state.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index fe374a1..0000000
--- a/src/state.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
----@type Workspace
-local workspace = nil
-
----@type Client
-local client = nil
-
-return {
-	workspace = workspace,
-	client = client,
-}
diff --git a/src/window.lua b/src/window.lua
index 1780332..f305574 100644
--- a/src/window.lua
+++ b/src/window.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local state = require('codemp.state')
+local session = require('codemp.session')
 local utils = require('codemp.utils')
 local buffers = require('codemp.buffers')
 
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ local function update_window()
 	local buffer_to_row = {}
 	local user_to_row = {}
 	local off = {}
-	local tree = state.workspace:filetree()
+	local tree = session.workspace:filetree()
 	vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('modifiable', true, { buf = buffer_id })
 	local tmp =  ">| codemp\n"
-	tmp = tmp .. " |: " .. state.workspace .. "\n"
+	tmp = tmp .. " |: " .. session.workspace.name .. "\n"
 	tmp = tmp .. " |\n"
 	local base_row = 3
 	for n, path in pairs(tree) do
diff --git a/src/workspace.lua b/src/workspace.lua
index da5a554..9f79479 100644
--- a/src/workspace.lua
+++ b/src/workspace.lua
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 local utils = require('codemp.utils')
 local buffers = require('codemp.buffers')
-local state = require('codemp.state')
+local session = require('codemp.session')
 local window = require('codemp.window')
 
 local user_hl = {}
 
----@param controller CursorController
-local function register_cursor_callback(controller)
+---@param ws Workspace
+local function register_cursor_callback(ws)
+	local controller = ws.cursor
 	vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"CursorMoved", "CursorMovedI", "ModeChanged"}, {
-		group = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("codemp-workspace-" .. state.workspace, { clear = true }),
+		group = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("codemp-workspace-" .. ws.name, { clear = true }),
 		callback = function (_)
 			local cur = utils.cursor.position()
 			local buf = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
@@ -19,8 +20,9 @@ local function register_cursor_callback(controller)
 	})
 end
 
----@param controller CursorController
-local function register_cursor_handler(controller)
+---@param ws Workspace
+local function register_cursor_handler(ws)
+	local controller = ws.cursor
 	local async = vim.loop.new_async(vim.schedule_wrap(function ()
 		while true do
 			local event = controller:try_recv():await()
@@ -61,9 +63,10 @@ end
 ---@return Workspace
 ---join a workspace and register event handlers
 local function join(workspace)
-	local ws = state.client:join_workspace(workspace):await()
-	register_cursor_callback(ws.cursor)
-	register_cursor_handler(ws.cursor)
+	local ws = session.client:join_workspace(workspace):await()
+	print(" >< joined workspace " .. ws.name)
+	register_cursor_callback(ws)
+	register_cursor_handler(ws)
 
 	-- TODO this is temporary and ad-hoc
 	ws:callback(function (event)
@@ -78,14 +81,16 @@ local function join(workspace)
 		end
 		vim.schedule(function() window.update() end)
 	end)
-	window.update()
+
+	session.workspace = ws
 
 	return ws
 end
 
 local function leave()
-	state.client:leave_workspace(state.workspace.name)
+	session.client:leave_workspace(session.workspace.name)
 	print(" -- left workspace")
+	session.workspace = nil
 end
 
 return {