diff --git a/src/buffers.lua b/src/buffers.lua
index 8659b34..a961667 100644
--- a/src/buffers.lua
+++ b/src/buffers.lua
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ local buffer_id_map = {}
 local ticks = {}
 
 local function create(name, content)
-	state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):create_buffer(name, content)
+	state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):create_buffer(name, content):await()
 	print(" ++ created buffer '" .. name .. "' on " .. state.workspace)
 end
 
 local function delete(name)
-	state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):delete_buffer(name)
+	state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):delete_buffer(name):await()
 	print(" -- deleted buffer " .. name)
 end
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ 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.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):attach(name)
+	local controller = state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):attach(name):await()
 
 	-- TODO map name to uuid
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ local function attach(name, current, content)
 	ticks[buffer] = 0
 
 	if content ~= nil then
-		controller:send(0, 0, content)
+		controller:send(0, 0, content) -- no need to await
 	end
 
 	-- hook serverbound callbacks
@@ -58,36 +58,34 @@ local function attach(name, current, content)
 				)
 			end
 			print(string.format("sending: %s %s %s %s -- '%s'", start_row, start_col, start_row + new_end_row, start_col + new_end_col, content))
-			controller:send(start_offset, start_offset + old_end_byte_len, content)
+			controller:send(start_offset, start_offset + old_end_byte_len, content) -- no need to await
 		end,
 	})
 
 	local async = vim.loop.new_async(vim.schedule_wrap(function ()
 		while true do
-			local success, event = pcall(controller.try_recv, controller)
-			if not success then
-				print("error in buffer async handler: " .. tostring(event))
-				break
-			end
+			local event = controller:try_recv():await()
 			if event == nil then break end
 			ticks[buffer] = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_changedtick(buffer)
-			-- print(" ~~ applying change ~~ " .. event.first .. ".." .. event.last .. "::[" .. event.content .. "]")
+			print(" ~~ applying change ~~ " .. event.first .. ".." .. event.last .. "::[" .. event.content .. "]")
 			utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, event.content, event.first, event.last)
 			if event.hash ~= nil then
 				if utils.hash(utils.buffer.get_content(buffer)) ~= event.hash then
 					-- OUT OF SYNC!
 					-- TODO this may be destructive! we should probably prompt the user before doing this
 					print(" /!\\ out of sync, resynching...")
-					utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, controller:content())
+					utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, controller:content():await())
 					return
 				end
 			end
 		end
 	end))
 	controller:callback(function (_controller) async:send() end)
-	vim.schedule(function ()
-		async:send() -- run once to try_recv anything we synched in the meantime
-	end)
+	vim.defer_fn(function() async:send() end, 500) -- force a try_recv after 500ms
+
+	local remote_content = controller:content():await()
+	ticks[buffer] = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_changedtick(buffer)
+	utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, remote_content)
 
 	print(" ++ attached to buffer " .. name)
 	return controller
@@ -109,7 +107,7 @@ local function sync()
 	if name ~= nil then
 		local controller = state.client:get_workspace(state.workspace):get_buffer(name)
 		ticks[buffer] = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_changedtick(buffer)
-		utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, controller:content())
+		utils.buffer.set_content(buffer, controller:content():await())
 		print(" :: synched buffer " .. name)
 	else
 		print(" !! buffer not managed")
diff --git a/src/command.lua b/src/command.lua
index 32a885b..86059b9 100644
--- a/src/command.lua
+++ b/src/command.lua
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ local base_actions = {
 		if host == nil then host = 'http://codemp.alemi.dev:50053' end
 		local user = vim.g.codemp_username or vim.fn.input("username > ", "user-" .. vim.fn.rand() % 1024)
 		local password = vim.g.codemp_password or vim.fn.input("password > ", "lmaodefaultpassword")
-		state.client = native.connect(host, user, password)
+		state.client = native.connect(host, user, password):await()
 		print(" ++ connected to " .. host .. " as " .. user)
 	end,
 }
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ local connected_actions = {
 
 	disconnect = function()
 		print(" xx disconnecting client " .. state.client.id)
-		native.close_client(state.client.id)
-		state.client = nil
+		state.client = nil -- should drop and thus close everything
 	end,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/workspace.lua b/src/workspace.lua
index 2cfa531..ab9566e 100644
--- a/src/workspace.lua
+++ b/src/workspace.lua
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ end
 local function register_cursor_handler(controller)
 	local async = vim.loop.new_async(vim.schedule_wrap(function ()
 		while true do
-			local success, event = pcall(controller.try_recv, controller)
-			if not success then
-				print("error in cursor callback: " .. tostring(event))
-				break
-			end
+			local event = controller:try_recv():await()
 			if event == nil then break end
 			if user_hl[event.user] == nil then
 				user_hl[event.user] = {
@@ -64,7 +60,7 @@ local function register_cursor_handler(controller)
 end
 
 local function join(workspace)
-	local ws = state.client:join_workspace(workspace)
+	local ws = state.client:join_workspace(workspace):await()
 	register_cursor_callback(ws.cursor)
 	register_cursor_handler(ws.cursor)