diff --git a/beam/examples/beamsh/beamsh.go b/beam/examples/beamsh/beamsh.go
index fa6a8d1..b7eccc3 100644
--- a/beam/examples/beamsh/beamsh.go
+++ b/beam/examples/beamsh/beamsh.go
@@ -106,7 +106,15 @@ func executeRootScript(script []*dockerscript.Command) error {
 		lastCmd.Children = script
 		script = []*dockerscript.Command{rootCmd}
 	}
-	return executeScript(nil, script)
+	handlers, err := Handlers()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer handlers.Close()
+	if err := executeScript(handlers, script); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func executeScript(out beam.Sender, script []*dockerscript.Command) error {
@@ -147,61 +155,92 @@ func executeCommand(out beam.Sender, cmd *dockerscript.Command) error {
 	if len(cmd.Args) == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("empty command")
 	}
-	handler := GetHandler(cmd.Args[0])
-	if handler == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("no such command: %s", cmd.Args[0])
-	}
-	inPub, inPriv, err := beam.USocketPair()
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] sending job '%s'\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	job, err := beam.SendConn(out, data.Empty().Set("cmd", cmd.Args...).Bytes())
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("%v\n", err)
 	}
-	// Don't close inPub here. We close it to signify the end of input once
-	// all children are completed (guaranteeing that no more input will be sent
-	// by children).
-	// Otherwise we get a deadlock.
-	defer inPriv.Close()
-	outPub, outPriv, err := beam.USocketPair()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer outPub.Close()
-	// don't close outPriv here. It must be closed after the handler is called,
-	// but before the copy tasks associated with it completes.
-	// Otherwise we get a deadlock.
 	var tasks sync.WaitGroup
-	tasks.Add(2)
-	go func() {
-		handler(cmd.Args, inPriv, outPriv)
-		// FIXME: do we need to outPriv.sync before closing it?
-		Debugf("[%s] handler returned, closing output\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
-		outPriv.Close()
-		tasks.Done()
-	}()
+	tasks.Add(1)
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] spawning background copy of the output of '%s'\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
 	go func() {
 		if out != nil {
-			Debugf("[%s] copy start...\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
-			n, err := beam.Copy(out, outPub)
+			Debugf("[executeCommand] background copy of the output of '%s'\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+			n, err := beam.Copy(out, job)
 			if err != nil {
-				Fatal(err)
+				Fatalf("[executeCommand] [%s] error during background copy: %v\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "), err)
 			}
-			Debugf("[%s] copied %d messages\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "), n)
-			Debugf("[%s] copy done\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+			Debugf("[executeCommand] background copy done of the output of '%s': copied %d messages\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "), n)
 		}
 		tasks.Done()
 	}()
 	// depth-first execution of children commands
 	// executeScript() blocks until all commands are completed
-	executeScript(inPub, cmd.Children)
-	inPub.Close()
-	Debugf("[%s] waiting for handler and output copy to complete...\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] recursively running children of '%s'\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	executeScript(job, cmd.Children)
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] DONE recursively running children of '%s'\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	job.CloseWrite()
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] closing the input of '%s' (all children are completed)\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] waiting for background copy of '%s' to complete...\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
 	tasks.Wait()
-	Debugf("[%s] handler and output copy complete!\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
+	Debugf("[executeCommand] background copy of '%s' complete! This means the job completed.\n", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "))
 	return nil
 }
 
 
 type Handler func([]string, beam.Receiver, beam.Sender)
 
+
+func Handlers() (*beam.UnixConn, error) {
+	var tasks sync.WaitGroup
+	pub, priv, err := beam.USocketPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	go func() {
+		defer func() {
+			Debugf("[handlers] closewrite() on endpoint\n")
+			// FIXME: this is not yet necessary but will be once
+			// there is synchronization over standard beam messages
+			priv.CloseWrite()
+			Debugf("[handlers] done closewrite() on endpoint\n")
+		}()
+		for {
+			Debugf("[handlers] waiting for next job...\n")
+			payload, conn, err := beam.ReceiveConn(priv)
+			Debugf("[handlers] ReceiveConn() returned %v\n", err)
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			tasks.Add(1)
+			go func(payload []byte, conn *beam.UnixConn) {
+				defer tasks.Done()
+				defer func() {
+					Debugf("[handlers] '%s' closewrite\n", payload)
+					conn.CloseWrite()
+					Debugf("[handlers] '%s' done closewrite\n", payload)
+				}()
+				cmd := data.Message(payload).Get("cmd")
+				Debugf("[handlers] received %s\n", strings.Join(cmd, " "))
+				if len(cmd) == 0 {
+					return
+				}
+				handler := GetHandler(cmd[0])
+				if handler == nil {
+					return
+				}
+				Debugf("[handlers] calling %s\n", strings.Join(cmd, " "))
+				handler(cmd, beam.Receiver(conn), beam.Sender(conn))
+				Debugf("[handlers] returned: %s\n", strings.Join(cmd, " "))
+			}(payload, conn)
+		}
+		Debugf("[handlers] waiting for all tasks\n")
+		tasks.Wait()
+		Debugf("[handlers] all tasks returned\n")
+	}()
+	return pub, nil
+}
+
 func GetHandler(name string) Handler {
 	if name == "log" {
 		return func(args []string, in beam.Receiver, out beam.Sender) {
@@ -324,6 +363,16 @@ func GetHandler(name string) Handler {
 		}
 	} else if name == "stdio" {
 		return func(args []string, in beam.Receiver, out beam.Sender) {
+			stdout, err := beam.SendPipe(out, data.Empty().Set("cmd", "log", "stdout").Set("fromcmd", args...).Bytes())
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			defer stdout.Close()
+			stderr, err := beam.SendPipe(out, data.Empty().Set("cmd", "log", "stderr").Set("fromcmd", args...).Bytes())
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			defer stderr.Close()
 			var tasks sync.WaitGroup
 			defer tasks.Wait()
 			for {
@@ -331,26 +380,39 @@ func GetHandler(name string) Handler {
 				if err != nil {
 					return
 				}
-				tasks.Add(1)
-				go func(payload []byte, attachment *os.File) {
-					defer tasks.Done()
-					if attachment == nil {
+				cmd := data.Message(payload).Get("cmd")
+				if attachment != nil && len(cmd) > 0 && cmd[0] == "log" {
+					w, err := beam.SendPipe(out, payload)
+					if err != nil {
+						attachment.Close()
+						fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "sendpipe: %v\n", err)
 						return
 					}
-					defer attachment.Close()
-					cmd := data.Message(payload).Get("cmd")
-					if cmd == nil || len(cmd) == 0 {
+					tasks.Add(1)
+					go func(payload []byte, attachment *os.File, sink *os.File) {
+						defer tasks.Done()
+						defer attachment.Close()
+						defer sink.Close()
+						cmd := data.Message(payload).Get("cmd")
+						if cmd == nil || len(cmd) == 0 {
+							return
+						}
+						if cmd[0] != "log" {
+							return
+						}
+						var output io.Writer
+						if len(cmd) == 1 || cmd[1] == "stdout" {
+							output = os.Stdout
+						} else if cmd[1] == "stderr" {
+							output = os.Stderr
+						}
+						io.Copy(io.MultiWriter(output, sink), attachment)
+					}(payload, attachment, w)
+				} else {
+					if err := out.Send(payload, attachment); err != nil {
 						return
 					}
-					if cmd[0] != "log" {
-						return
-					}
-					if len(cmd) == 1 || cmd[1] == "stdout" {
-						io.Copy(os.Stdout, attachment)
-					} else if cmd[1] == "stderr" {
-						io.Copy(os.Stderr, attachment)
-					}
-				}(payload, attachment)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	} else if name == "echo" {