diff --git a/collects/web-server/private/launch.ss b/collects/web-server/private/launch.ss
index 077064dd91..3f911f7226 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/private/launch.ss
+++ b/collects/web-server/private/launch.ss
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 #lang scheme/base
-(require scheme/tcp
-         mzlib/cmdline
-         mzlib/pregexp
-         mzlib/unit
-         net/tcp-sig)
+(require mzlib/cmdline
+         mzlib/pregexp)
 (require "../configuration/configuration-table.ss"
-         "../web-config-unit.ss"
-         "../web-config-sig.ss"
-         "../web-server-unit.ss"
-         "../web-server-sig.ss")
+         (except-in "../web-server.ss" serve)
+         "../web-config-unit.ss")
 
 ; this is used by launchers
 ; extract-flag : sym (listof (cons sym alpha)) alpha -> alpha
@@ -55,16 +50,7 @@
       #:listen-ip (extract-flag 'ip-address flags #f)))
    '()))
 
-(define-compound-unit launch@
-  (import (T : tcp^))
-  (export S)
-  (link 
-   [((C : web-config^)) configuration@]
-   [((S : web-server^)) web-server@ T C]))
-
-(define-values/invoke-unit
-  launch@
-  (import tcp^)
-  (export web-server^))
+(define (serve)
+  (serve/web-config@ configuration@))
 
 (provide serve)
diff --git a/collects/web-server/scribblings/running.scrbl b/collects/web-server/scribblings/running.scrbl
index 1e60d3acf5..04f60e8846 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/scribblings/running.scrbl
+++ b/collects/web-server/scribblings/running.scrbl
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ Here's an example of a simple web server that serves files
 from a given path:
 
 @(require (for-label web-server/dispatchers/filesystem-map)
+          (for-label web-server/web-config-unit)
+          (for-label web-server/web-config-sig)
           (prefix-in files: (for-label web-server/dispatchers/dispatch-files)))
 
 @schemeblock[
@@ -137,8 +139,14 @@ from a given path:
  a function that shuts down all of the server instances.
 }
                   
+@defproc[(serve/web-config@ [config@ web-config^])
+         (-> void)]{
+ Starts the @web-server with the settings defined by the given @scheme[web-config^] unit.
+        
+ It is very useful to combine this with @scheme[configuration-table->web-config@] and @scheme[configuration-table-sexpr->web-config@].
+}
 
 @defproc[(do-not-return) void]{
  This function does not return. If you are writing a script to load the @web-server
  you are likely to want to call this functions at the end of your script.
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file