diff --git a/collects/racket/place.rkt b/collects/racket/place.rkt
index 6a4e539933..6714e55ef1 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place.rkt
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
          racket/vector
          racket/place/private/th-place
          mzlib/private/streams
+         unstable/lazy-require
+
 
          (for-syntax racket/base
                      racket/syntax))
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@
          place-dead-evt
          )
 
+(lazy-require [racket/place/distributed (supervise-dynamic-place-at)])
 
 (define (place-channel-put/get ch msg)
   (place-channel-put ch msg)
@@ -59,9 +62,13 @@
       (pl-place-pumper-threads p (vector t-in t-out t-err))]
     [else (void)]))
 
-(define (dynamic-place module-path function)
-  (start-place 'dynamic-place module-path function
-               #f (current-output-port) (current-error-port)))
+(define (dynamic-place module-path function #:at [node #f])
+  (cond
+    [node
+      (supervise-dynamic-place-at node module-path function)]
+    [else
+      (start-place 'dynamic-place module-path function
+                   #f (current-output-port) (current-error-port))]))
 
 (define (dynamic-place* module-path
                         function
diff --git a/collects/racket/place/distributed.rkt b/collects/racket/place/distributed.rkt
index a2d9c7360b..1559754601 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place/distributed.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place/distributed.rkt
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@
          node-send-exit
          node-get-first-place
 
+         ;; without message router api
+         create-place-node
+         distributed-place-wait
+
          ;; low-level API
          write-flush
          printf/f
@@ -121,6 +125,11 @@
          port-no?
          )
 
+(define in-message-router-mark (cons #f #f))
+(define (call-in-message-router thunk)
+  (with-continuation-mark in-message-router-mark #f
+                           (call-with-continuation-prompt thunk)))
+
 (define-runtime-path distributed-launch-path "distributed/launch.rkt")
 (define (build-distributed-launch-path [collects-path
                                          (simplify-path (find-executable-path (find-system-path 'exec-file) 
@@ -340,13 +349,13 @@
       object% (event-container<%>)
       (init-field cmdline-list)
       (init-field [parent #f])
-      (field [s #f]
-             [i #f]
-             [o #f]
-             [e #f]
-             [pid #f])
+      (init-field [s #f]
+                  [i #f]
+                  [o #f]
+                  [e #f])
+      (field [pid #f])
 
-      (let-values ([(_s _o _i _e) (apply subprocess #f #f #f cmdline-list)])
+      (let-values ([(_s _o _i _e) (apply subprocess o i e cmdline-list)])
         (set! pid (subprocess-pid _s))
         (set! s _s)
         (set! o (box _o))
@@ -395,6 +404,11 @@
                   sch
                   id
                   node)
+      (field [msg-queue null])
+
+      (define (queue-had-died-message?)
+        (for/or ([msg msg-queue])
+          (= (dcgm-type msg) DCGM-DPLACE-DIED)))
 
       (define/public (register nes)
         (cons
@@ -414,9 +428,20 @@
       (define/public (get-raw-msg)
         (let loop ()
           (define msg (send sch read-message))
-          (if (= (dcgm-type msg) DCGM-DPLACE-DIED)
-            (loop)
-          (dcgm-msg msg))))
+          (cond
+            [(= (dcgm-type msg) DCGM-DPLACE-DIED)
+              (set! msg-queue (append msg-queue (list msg)))
+              (loop)]
+            [else
+              (dcgm-msg msg)])))
+      (define/public (wait-to-die)
+        (or
+          (queue-had-died-message?)
+          (let loop ()
+            (define msg (send sch read-message))
+            (unless (= (dcgm-type msg) DCGM-DPLACE-DIED)
+              (loop))))
+        (void))
       (define/public (put-msg msg)
         ;(printf/f "PSB3 ~a ~a ~a\n" sch id msg)
         (sconn-write-flush sch (dcgm DCGM-TYPE-INTER-DCHANNEL id id msg)))
@@ -786,7 +811,9 @@
 
       (define/public (read-message)
         (when (equal? out #f) (ensure-connected))
-        (read in))
+        (define m (read in))
+        ;(printf/f "MESSAGE ~a\n" m)
+        m)
       (define/public (register nes)
         (raise "Not-implemented/needed")
         (cons (wrap-evt in void) nes))
@@ -817,6 +844,7 @@
       (init-field [cmdline-list #f])
       (init-field [sc #f]) ;socket-connection
       (init-field [restart-on-exit #f])
+      (init-field [use-current-ports #f])
       (field [sp #f]) ;spawned-process
       (field [id 0])
       (field [remote-places null])
@@ -831,7 +859,12 @@
         (set! remote-places (append remote-places(list rp))))
       (define (spawn-node)
         (and cmdline-list
-          (set! sp (new spawned-process% [cmdline-list cmdline-list] [parent this]))))
+          (set! sp 
+            (if use-current-ports
+              (new spawned-process% [cmdline-list cmdline-list] [parent this]
+                   [o (current-output-port)]
+                   [e (current-error-port)])
+              (new spawned-process% [cmdline-list cmdline-list] [parent this])))))
       (define (setup-socket-connection)
         (set! sc (new socket-connection% [host host-name] [port listen-port] [remote-node this]))
         (sconn-write-flush sc (dcgm DCGM-TYPE-SET-OWNER -1 -1 "")))
@@ -976,6 +1009,7 @@
 
 (define (node-send-exit node) (send node send-exit))
 (define (node-get-first-place node) (send node get-first-place))
+(define (distributed-place-wait p) (send p place-wait))
 
 (define remote-connection%
   (backlink
@@ -1045,7 +1079,7 @@
                                             (cond
                                               [k
                                                (lambda (e)
-                                                 (call-with-continuation-prompt (lambda ()
+                                                 (call-in-message-router(lambda ()
                                                    (begin0
                                                      (k e)
                                                      (set! k #f)))))]
@@ -1071,6 +1105,8 @@
             (set! k _k)
             (abort-current-continuation (default-continuation-prompt-tag) void))))
       (define/public (put-msg msg) (send psb put-msg msg))
+      (define/public (place-wait)
+        (send psb wait-to-die))
 
       (super-new)
       )))
@@ -1088,7 +1124,7 @@
       (field [running #f])
       (define (default-on-place-dead e)
         (set! pd #f)
-        (set! psb #f)
+        ;(set! psb #f)
         (sconn-write-flush sc (dcgm DCGM-DPLACE-DIED -1 -1 ch-id))
         (sconn-remove-subchannel sc ch-id))
 
@@ -1195,7 +1231,7 @@
             (wrap-evt (alarm-evt fire-time)
                         (lambda (x)
                           (set! fire-time (+ (current-inexact-milliseconds) (* seconds 1000)))
-                          (thunk)))
+                          (call-in-message-router  thunk)))
             es)
           es))
 
@@ -1216,7 +1252,7 @@
             (wrap-evt (alarm-evt fire-time)
                         (lambda (x)
                           (set! fire-time #f)
-                          (call-with-continuation-prompt thunk)))
+                          (call-in-message-router thunk)))
             es)
           es))
 
@@ -1455,11 +1491,25 @@
 (define (spawn-remote-racket-node host #:listen-port [listen-port DEFAULT-ROUTER-PORT]
                                        #:racket-path [racketpath (racket-path)]
                                        #:ssh-bin-path [sshpath (ssh-bin-path)]
-                                       #:distributed-launch-path [distributedlaunchpath (->module-path-bytes distributed-launch-path)])
+                                       #:distributed-launch-path [distributedlaunchpath (->module-path-bytes distributed-launch-path)]
+                                       #:use-current-ports [use-current-ports #f])
   (new remote-node%
        [host-name host]
        [listen-port listen-port]
-       [cmdline-list (list sshpath host racketpath "-tm" distributedlaunchpath "spawn" (->string listen-port))]))
+       [cmdline-list (list sshpath host racketpath "-tm" distributedlaunchpath "spawn" (->string listen-port))]
+       [use-current-ports use-current-ports]))
+
+(define (create-place-node host #:listen-port [listen-port DEFAULT-ROUTER-PORT]
+                                       #:racket-path [racketpath (racket-path)]
+                                       #:ssh-bin-path [sshpath (ssh-bin-path)]
+                                       #:distributed-launch-path [distributedlaunchpath (->module-path-bytes distributed-launch-path)]
+                                       #:use-current-ports [use-current-ports #t])
+  (spawn-remote-racket-node host
+                            #:listen-port listen-port
+                            #:racket-path racketpath
+                            #:ssh-bin-path sshpath
+                            #:distributed-launch-path distributedlaunchpath
+                            #:use-current-ports use-current-ports))
 
 (define (supervise-dynamic-place-at remote-node place-path place-func)
   (send remote-node launch-place (list 'dynamic-place (->module-path-bytes  place-path) place-func)))
@@ -1592,7 +1642,12 @@
     [(place-channel? ch) (place-channel-get ch)]
     [(async-bi-channel? ch) (async-bi-channel-get ch)]
     [(channel? ch) (channel-get ch)]
-    [(is-a? ch remote-connection%) (send ch get-msg)]
+    [(is-a? ch remote-connection%) 
+     (cond
+       [(continuation-mark-set-first #f in-message-router-mark)
+         (send ch get-msg)]
+       [else
+         (send ch get-raw-msg)])]
     [else (raise (format "unknown channel type ~a" ch))]))
 
 (define/provide (mr-spawn-remote-node mrch host #:listen-port [listen-port DEFAULT-ROUTER-PORT]
@@ -1688,6 +1743,28 @@
     object% ()
     (init-field ch)
     (field [msgs null])
+    (define/public (get-evt type)
+      (cond
+        [(has-type type) => (lambda (x)
+                              (wrap-evt always-evt (lambda (e) x)))]
+        [else
+          (wrap-evt ch (lambda (v)
+                         (set! msgs (append msgs (list v)))
+                         (cond 
+                           [(has-type type) => (lambda (x) x)]
+                           [else #f])))]))
+                     
+    (define (has-type type)
+      (let loop ([l msgs]
+                 [nl null])
+        (cond
+          [(null? l) #f]
+          [(equal? type (caaar l))
+           (set! msgs (append (reverse nl) (cdr l)))
+           (car l)]
+          [else
+           (loop (cdr l) (cons (car l) nl))])))
+
     (define/public (get type)
       (let loop ([l msgs]
                  [nl null])
diff --git a/collects/racket/place/distributed/launch.rkt b/collects/racket/place/distributed/launch.rkt
index b29672ccda..5a4ef41acd 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place/distributed/launch.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place/distributed/launch.rkt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   (match args
     [(list "spawn" node-port)
        (define listener (tcp-listen (->number node-port) 4 #t))
-       (write-flush (list (->number node-port)))
+       (printf/f "~a\n" (list (->number node-port)))
        (start-spawned-node-router listener)]
 
     ;; Used to launch Design Pattern 1, MPI style distributed system.
diff --git a/collects/racket/place/distributed/map-reduce.rkt b/collects/racket/place/distributed/map-reduce.rkt
index 51dbdd348f..163bbac759 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place/distributed/map-reduce.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place/distributed/map-reduce.rkt
@@ -6,18 +6,10 @@
          racket/place/distributed)
 
 
-(provide make-mr-workers
+(provide make-map-reduce-workers
          map-reduce
-         map-reduce-worker)
-
-(define-syntax define/provide
-  (syntax-rules ()
-    [(_ (name x ...) body ...)
-     (begin (provide name)
-            (define (name x ...) body ...))]
-    [(_ name val)
-     (begin (provide name)
-            (define name val))]))
+         map-reduce-worker
+         default-sorter)
 
 (define (map-coalesce-values kvl)
   (let loop ([sl kvl]
@@ -32,7 +24,7 @@
                (loop slt curk (cons slhv curv) nl)
                (loop sl null null (cons (cons curk (reverse curv)) nl))))]
       [(list)
-       (reverse 
+       (reverse
          (if (null? curk)
              nl
              (cons (cons curk (reverse curv)) nl)))])))
@@ -68,11 +60,11 @@
   (dynamic-require (->module-path mp) sym))
 
 (define (map-reduce-worker ch)
-  (let loop ([map-val null])
+  (let loop ([map-vals null])
     (define msg (place-channel-get ch))
     (match msg
-      [(list (list 'map mapper key-less-than t) rch)
-        (define nmv1 ((apply-dynamic-require mapper) t))
+      [(list (list 'map mapper key-less-than task) rch)
+        (define nmv1 ((apply-dynamic-require mapper) task))
         (define less-than (apply-dynamic-require key-less-than))
         (define nmv2 (sort nmv1 less-than))
         (define nmv (map-coalesce-values nmv2))
@@ -80,17 +72,17 @@
         (loop (cons rch nmv))]
       [(list (list 'reduce-to reducer sorter addr) rch)
         (define reduce-ch (mr-connect-to ch (take addr 2) (third addr)))
-        (place-channel-put reduce-ch (list 'reduce reducer sorter (cdr map-val)))
+        (place-channel-put reduce-ch (list 'reduce reducer sorter (cdr map-vals)))
         (place-channel-put rch (list 'reduce-done))
         (loop null)]
       [(list (list 'reduce reducer sorter kvs) rch)
         (define less-than (apply-dynamic-require sorter))
-        (define nmvc (coalesce-values (cdr map-val) kvs less-than))
+        (define nmvc (coalesce-values (cdr map-vals) kvs less-than))
         (define nmv ((apply-dynamic-require reducer) nmvc))
-        (place-channel-put (car map-val) (list 'reduce-ready))
-        (loop (cons (car map-val) nmv))]
+        (place-channel-put (car map-vals) (list 'reduce-ready))
+        (loop (cons (car map-vals) nmv))]
       [(list (list 'get-results) rch)
-        (place-channel-put rch (list 'results (cdr map-val)))
+        (place-channel-put rch (list 'results (cdr map-vals)))
         (loop null)]
     )))
 
@@ -98,7 +90,7 @@
   (string->symbol (string-append "mpw" (number->string i))))
 
 
-(define (make-mr-workers config)
+(define (make-map-reduce-workers config)
   (define nodes (spawn-nodes/join/local config))
   (for ([n nodes]
         [i (in-naturals)])
@@ -109,7 +101,7 @@
 
   nodes)
 
-(define/provide (default-sorter a b)
+(define (default-sorter a b)
   (cond
     [(number? a) (< a b)]
     [(string? a) (string<? a b)]
@@ -135,7 +127,7 @@
       (define npch (mr-connect-to ch (list host port) name))
       (list c npch)))
 
-  (define result 
+  (define result
     (let loop ([ts tasks]
              [idle-mappers connections]
              [mapping null]
@@ -150,8 +142,6 @@
         (loop tst imt (cons imh mapping) rtr r)]
       [(list ts im m (cons rtr1 (cons rtr2 rtrt)) r)
         (*channel-put (second rtr1) (list 'reduce-to reducer sorter (first rtr2)))
-        ;
-        ;(*channel-put rtr2 (list 'reduce-from rtr1))
         (loop ts im m rtrt (cons rtr1 (cons rtr2 r)))]
       [(list (list) im (list) (list rtr) (list))
         (*channel-put (second rtr) (list 'get-results))
diff --git a/collects/racket/place/distributed/rmpi.rkt b/collects/racket/place/distributed/rmpi.rkt
index a7bf1557fc..0dd8e68e9b 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place/distributed/rmpi.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place/distributed/rmpi.rkt
@@ -32,26 +32,24 @@
   (define tc (new named-place-typed-channel% [ch ch]))
   (match-define (list (list 'rmpi-id id config) return-ch) (tc-get 'rmpi-id tc))
   (match-define (list (list 'args args) src-ch) (tc-get 'args tc))
+
   (define mpi-comm-vector
     (for/vector #:length (length config) ([c config])
       (match-define (list dest dest-port dest-name dest-id) c)
       (cond
         [(< id dest-id)
-         ;(printf/f "sending connect to dest-id ~a from id ~a over ~a" dest-id id ch)
          (send-new-place-channel-to-named-dest ch id (list dest dest-port dest-name))]
         [else null])))
+
   (for ([i (length config)])
-    (cond
-      [(> id i)
-        (match-define (list (list 'new-place-channel src-id) src-ch) (tc-get 'new-place-channel tc))
-        ;(printf/f "received connect from id ~a ~a" src-id src-ch)
-        (vector-set! mpi-comm-vector src-id src-ch)]
-      [else null]))
+    (when (> id i)
+      (match-define (list (list 'new-place-channel src-id) src-ch) (tc-get 'new-place-channel tc))
+      (vector-set! mpi-comm-vector src-id src-ch)))
+
   (values
     (rmpi-comm id (length config) mpi-comm-vector)
     args
-    tc
-    ))
+    tc))
 
 
 (define rmpi-broadcast 
@@ -161,7 +159,7 @@
 ;      (displayln (keyword? kw))
       (values kw kwa)))))
 
-(define (rmpi-launch default config)
+(define (rmpi-launch default config #:no-wait [no-wait #f])
   (define (lookup-config-value rest key-str)
     (define key
       (string->keyword key-str))
@@ -227,12 +225,19 @@
     (*channel-put npch (list 'rmpi-id id simple-config))
     (*channel-put npch (list 'args (or (lookup-config-value rest "mpi-args") null))))
 
-  (for/first ([c config])
-    (match-define (list-rest host port name id rest) c)
-    (define npch (mr-connect-to ch (list host port) name))
-    (*channel-put npch (list 'done?))
-    ;Wait for 'done message from mpi node id 0
-    (*channel-get npch)))
+  (cond
+    [no-wait
+      (for/first ([c config])
+        (match-define (list-rest host port name id rest) c)
+        (define npch (mr-connect-to ch (list host port) name))
+        (list npch))]
+    [else
+      (for/first ([c config])
+        (match-define (list-rest host port name id rest) c)
+        (define npch (mr-connect-to ch (list host port) name))
+        (*channel-put npch (list 'done?))
+        ;Wait for 'done message from mpi node id 0
+        (*channel-get npch))]))
 
 
 (define (rmpi-finish comm tc)
diff --git a/collects/racket/place/private/coercion.rkt b/collects/racket/place/private/coercion.rkt
index 93b66b1367..eb759b1c59 100644
--- a/collects/racket/place/private/coercion.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/place/private/coercion.rkt
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
     [(bytes? x) (bytes->path x)]
     [else x]))
 
+(define (path-bytes->string x)
+  (cond
+    [(bytes? x) (bytes->string/locale x)]
+    [else x]))
+
 (define (->path x)
   (cond [(path? x) x]
         [(string? x) (string->path x)]
@@ -31,7 +36,10 @@
 
 (define (->module-path x)
   (cond [(path? x) x]
-        [(list? x) (map path-bytes->path x)]
+        [(and (list? x) (pair? x))
+         (cond
+           [(equal? (car x) 'file) (map path-bytes->string x)]
+           [else (map path-bytes->path x)])]
         [(bytes? x) (bytes->path x)]
         [(string? x) (string->path x)]))
 
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/distributed.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/distributed.scrbl
index e3e9157137..77005725e5 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/distributed.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/distributed.scrbl
@@ -201,10 +201,22 @@ values (like @racket[spawn-node-supervise-dynamic-place-at]): the new
            [#:listen-port port port-no? DEFAULT-ROUTER-PORT]
            [#:racket-path racket-path string-path? (racket-path)]
            [#:ssh-bin-path ssh-path string-path? (ssh-bin-path)]
-           [#:distributed-launch-path launcher-path string-path? (path->string distributed-launch-path)])  (is-a?/c remote-node%)]{
+           [#:distributed-launch-path launcher-path string-path? (path->string distributed-launch-path)]
+           [#:use-current-ports use-current-ports #f])  (is-a?/c remote-node%)]{
 
 Spawns a new remote node at @racket[hostname] and returns a @racket[remote-node%] handle.}
 
+@defproc[(create-place-node
+           [hostname string?]
+           [#:listen-port port port-no? DEFAULT-ROUTER-PORT]
+           [#:racket-path racket-path string-path? (racket-path)]
+           [#:ssh-bin-path ssh-path string-path? (ssh-bin-path)]
+           [#:distributed-launch-path launcher-path string-path? (path->string distributed-launch-path)]
+           [#:use-current-ports use-current-ports #t])  (is-a?/c remote-node%)]{
+
+Like @racket[spawn-remote-racket-node], but the @racket[current-output-port] and @racket[current-error-port]
+are used as the standard ports for the spawned process instead of new pipe ports.}
+
 @defproc[(supervise-dynamic-place-at
            [remote-node (is-a?/c remote-node%)]
            [instance-module-path module-path?]
@@ -493,6 +505,8 @@ Sends @racket[node] a message telling it to exit immediately.
 Returns the @racket[remote-connection%] instance of the first place spawned at this node
 }
 
+@defproc[(distributed-place-wait [remote-connection% place]) void?]{
+Waits for @racket[place] to terminate.}
 
 @defclass[remote-connection% object% (event-container<%>)]{