diff --git a/collects/web-server/insta/insta.ss b/collects/web-server/insta/insta.ss
index 2ac0755800..10f8ac65f4 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/insta/insta.ss
+++ b/collects/web-server/insta/insta.ss
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #lang scheme
 (require web-server/servlet
-         web-server/servlet-env)
+         web-server/servlet-env
+         (for-syntax syntax/kerncase))
 
 (provide 
  (all-from-out web-server/servlet)
@@ -22,17 +23,68 @@
 (define (no-web-browser)
   (set! launch-browser? false))
 
+
+
+
 (define-syntax (web-module-begin stx)
+  
+  ;; check-for-start: syntax (listof syntax) -> (listof syntax)
+  ;; Checks to see that the user has defined a request handler named "start".
+  ;; Returns a list of the expanded syntax.
+  (define (check-for-start start-stx body-stxs)
+    (define (id-for-start? ids)
+      (ormap (lambda (id)
+               (and (identifier? id)
+                    (free-identifier=? id start-stx)))
+             ids))
+    
+    ;; FIXME: this is not quite ready for prime time yet.
+    (let ([expanded-bodies
+           (let loop ([defns body-stxs])
+             (apply append
+                    (map (lambda (defn)
+                           (let ([d (local-expand
+                                     defn
+                                     'module
+                                     (kernel-form-identifier-list))])
+                             (syntax-case d (define-values define-syntaxes begin)
+                               [(begin defn ...)
+                                (loop (syntax->list (syntax (defn ...))))]
+                               [(define-values (id ...) body)
+                                (list d)]
+                               [(define-values . rest)
+                                (list d)]
+                               [(define-syntaxes (id ...) body)
+                                (list d)]
+                               [(define-syntaxes . rest)
+                                (list d)]
+                               [_else
+                                (list d)])))
+                         defns)))])
+      (let ([ids (apply append (map (lambda (b)
+                                      (let ([result
+                                             (syntax-case b ()
+                                               [(define-values (id ...) . __)
+                                                (syntax->list #'(id ...))]
+                                               [_ '()])])
+                                        result))
+                                    expanded-bodies))])
+        (unless (id-for-start? ids)
+          (raise-syntax-error #f "required \"start\" request handler needs to be defined" stx))
+        (values expanded-bodies))))
+  
   (syntax-case stx ()
     [(_ body ...)
-     (with-syntax ([start (datum->syntax stx 'start)])
-       #`(#%module-begin
-          body ...
-          (provide/contract (start (request? . -> . response?)))
-          (if extra-files-path
-              (serve/servlet start
-                             #:extra-files-path extra-files-path
-                             #:launch-browser? launch-browser?)
-              (serve/servlet start
-                             #:launch-browser? launch-browser?))
-          ))]))
\ No newline at end of file
+     (let ([start-stx (datum->syntax stx 'start)])
+       (with-syntax ([start start-stx]
+                     #;[(expanded-body ...)
+                        (check-for-start start-stx (syntax->list #'(body ...)))])
+         #`(#%module-begin
+            body ...
+            (provide/contract (start (request? . -> . response?)))
+            (if extra-files-path
+                (serve/servlet start
+                               #:extra-files-path extra-files-path
+                               #:launch-browser? launch-browser?)
+                (serve/servlet start
+                               #:launch-browser? launch-browser?)))))]))
\ No newline at end of file