diff --git a/include/ircd/client.h b/include/ircd/client.h
index aa0e548ec..ac27ce5a0 100644
--- a/include/ircd/client.h
+++ b/include/ircd/client.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct ircd::client
 	bool resource_request(const http::request::head &);
 	bool handle_request(parse::capstan &pc);
 	bool main() noexcept;
-	void async();
+	bool async();
 
   public:
 	client(std::shared_ptr<socket>);
diff --git a/include/ircd/ctx/pool.h b/include/ircd/ctx/pool.h
index 09dd0587f..816f98e39 100644
--- a/include/ircd/ctx/pool.h
+++ b/include/ircd/ctx/pool.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct ircd::ctx::pool
 	std::vector<context> ctxs;
 
 	void next();
-	void main();
+	void main() noexcept;
 
   public:
 	// indicators
diff --git a/ircd/client.cc b/ircd/client.cc
index 0885f6976..0f327dc6b 100644
--- a/ircd/client.cc
+++ b/ircd/client.cc
@@ -267,9 +267,10 @@ namespace ircd
 ///
 /// This call returns immediately so we no longer block the current context and
 /// its stack while waiting for activity on idle connections between requests.
-void
+bool
 ircd::client::async()
 {
+	const unwind::nominal::assertion na;
 	assert(bool(this->sock));
 	assert(bool(this->conf));
 	auto &sock(*this->sock);
@@ -289,6 +290,7 @@ ircd::client::async()
 	};
 
 	sock(opts, std::move(handler));
+	return true;
 }
 
 /// The client's socket is ready for reading. This intermediate handler
diff --git a/ircd/ctx.cc b/ircd/ctx.cc
index e15f5f2df..ad400f385 100644
--- a/ircd/ctx.cc
+++ b/ircd/ctx.cc
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ ircd::ctx::pool::interrupt()
 
 void
 ircd::ctx::pool::main()
-try
+noexcept try
 {
 	++running;
 	const unwind avail([this]
@@ -741,10 +741,13 @@ try
 catch(const interrupted &e)
 {
 /*
-	log::debug("pool(%p) ctx(%p): %s",
-	           this,
-	           &cur(),
-	           e.what());
+	log::debug
+	{
+		"pool(%p) ctx(%p): %s",
+		this,
+		&cur(),
+		e.what()
+	};
 */
 }
 
@@ -773,10 +776,13 @@ catch(const interrupted &e)
 }
 catch(const std::exception &e)
 {
-	log::critical("pool(%p) ctx(%p): unhandled: %s",
-	              this,
-	              &cur(),
-	              e.what());
+	log::critical
+	{
+		"pool(%p) ctx(%p): unhandled: %s",
+		this,
+		&cur(),
+		e.what()
+	};
 }
 
 void