diff --git a/constants.js b/constants.js
index b4a381084..4b2ec9ede 100644
--- a/constants.js
+++ b/constants.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ exports.WAKEUP = toPath(new URL(BIN + WAKEUP_EXEC, swapURL))
 exports.RUNTIME = toPath(new URL(BIN + RUNTIME_EXEC, swapURL))
 exports.DESKTOP_RUNTIME = toPath(new URL(BIN + DESKTOP_EXEC, swapURL))
 
-exports.BARE_RESTART_EXIT_CODE = 75
+exports.RESTART_EXIT_CODE = 75
 
 function electronModuleURL () {
   const u = pathToFileURL(process.execPath)
diff --git a/decal.html b/decal.html
index 998c392ba..28c91324a 100644
--- a/decal.html
+++ b/decal.html
@@ -546,8 +546,7 @@ <h1 id="header">Unknown app</h1>
           }
           if (name === 'action') {
             const cta = this.shadowRoot.querySelector('#cta')
-            const code = (value === 'reload') ? 64 : 0
-            const handler = (value === 'quit' || value === 'reload') ?
+            const handler = (value === 'quit') ?
               () => Pear.exit(code) :
               () => {}
             cta.addEventListener('click', handler)
diff --git a/electron-main.js b/electron-main.js
index 4455715ad..bbd7200b9 100644
--- a/electron-main.js
+++ b/electron-main.js
@@ -49,10 +49,8 @@ async function electronMain (cmd) {
 
   electron.ipcMain.on('send-to', (e, id, channel, message) => { electron.webContents.fromId(id)?.send(channel, message) })
 
-  const app = await gui.app()
-  app.unloading().then(async () => {
-    await app.close()
-  }) // note: would be unhandled rejection on failure, but should never fail
+ await gui.app()
+
 }
 
 function configureElectron () {
diff --git a/gui/gui.js b/gui/gui.js
index a0ffd5d00..261d1d782 100644
--- a/gui/gui.js
+++ b/gui/gui.js
@@ -374,16 +374,35 @@ class App {
   state = null
   ipc = null
   id = null
+  session = null
   handle = null
   closing = null
   closed = false
   appReady = false
   static root = unixPathResolve(resolve(__dirname, '..'))
 
-  constructor (state, ipc) {
+  constructor (state, ipc, gui) {
     this.state = state
     this.ipc = ipc
+    this.gui = gui
     this.contextMenu = null
+
+    this.ipc.messages({ type: 'pear/reload' }).once('data', async () => {
+      const lockWait = ipc.waitForLock()
+      await this.ipc.close()
+      console.log('ipc closed')
+      console.log('waiting for lock')
+      await lockWait
+      console.log('sidecar closed')
+      const id = 'todo'
+      this.state.id = id
+      this.session.setUserAgent(`Pear ${id}`)
+      console.log('now trigger app start and update electron + useragent with new startid')
+      console.log('then tell views to location.reload')
+      //location.reload()
+    })
+
+
     electron.app.on('browser-window-focus', () => { this.menu.devtoolsReloaderUnlisten() })
 
     electron.app.on('child-process-gone', (e, details) => {
@@ -436,6 +455,7 @@ class App {
       })
     })
     this.menu = new Menu(this)
+    
   }
 
   async report ({ err }) {
@@ -577,7 +597,7 @@ class App {
             }
           }
         },
-        afterNativeWindowClose: () => this.close(),
+        afterClose: () => this.close(),
         afterNativeViewCreated: devtools && ((app) => {
           if (trace) return
           app.view.webContents.openDevTools({ mode: 'detach' })
@@ -612,7 +632,9 @@ class App {
         }
       })
       this.id = ctrl.id
+      this.session = ctrl.session
       await this.starting
+      this.unloading() // note: would be unhandled rejection on failure, but should never fail
     } catch (err) {
       await this.report({ err })
       this.close()
@@ -626,7 +648,12 @@ class App {
     return { fork, length, key: key ? key.toString('hex') : null }
   }
 
-  unloading () { return this.ipc.unloading() }
+  async unloading () { 
+    const action = await this.ipc.unloading()
+    for (const ctrl of PearGUI.ctrls()) ctrl.unload(action)
+    if (action.type === 'teardown') await this.ipc.close()
+    return action
+  }
 
   close (maxWait = 5500) {
     if (this.closing) return this.closing
@@ -862,16 +889,17 @@ class GuiCtrl {
 
   async close () {
     if (this.closed) return true
+    console.log('this.unload', this.unload)
     if (this.unload) {
       this.unload({ type: 'close' })
       await this.unloader
     }
-    let closer = null
-    if (this.win) {
-      closer = once(this.win, 'closed')
-      this.win.close()
-    }
-    await closer
+    // let closer = null
+    // if (this.win) {
+    //   closer = once(this.win, 'closed')
+    //   this.win.close()
+    // }
+    // await closer
     this.constructor[kMap].delete(this.id)
     this.id = null
     this.win = null
@@ -917,8 +945,11 @@ class GuiCtrl {
   async unloading () {
     if (!this.#unloading) this.#unloading = this._unloading()
     try {
-      return await this.#unloading
+      const xxx = await this.#unloading
+      console.log('???', xxx)
+      return xxx
     } finally {
+      console.log('UNLDD')
       this.#unloading = null
     }
   }
@@ -926,12 +957,13 @@ class GuiCtrl {
   async _unloading () {
     const { webContents } = (this.view || this.win)
     const until = new Promise((resolve) => { this.unload = resolve })
-    webContents.once('will-navigate', (e, url) => {
+    const willNavListener = (e, url) => {
       if (!url.startsWith(this.sidecar)) return // handled by the other will-navigate handler
       e.preventDefault()
       const type = (!e.frame || e.frame.url === url) ? 'reload' : 'nav'
       this.unload({ type, url })
-    })
+    }
+    webContents.once('will-navigate', willNavListener)
 
     const closeListener = (e) => {
       e.preventDefault()
@@ -940,16 +972,20 @@ class GuiCtrl {
       }
     }
     if (this.win) this.win.once('close', closeListener)
+    webContents.removeListener('will-navigate', willNavListener)
     this.unloader = new Promise((resolve) => { this.unloaded = resolve })
     const action = await until
+    console.log('ACTION', action)
     if (this.win) this.win.removeListener('close', closeListener)
     this.unload = null
     return action
   }
 
-  completeUnload (action) {
+  async completeUnload (action) {
     this.unloaded()
-    if (action.type === 'close') this.close()
+    console.log('complete unload', action)
+    // await this.close() 
+    // if (action.type === 'close') this.close()
   }
 
   setWindowButtonPosition (point) {
@@ -1025,11 +1061,8 @@ class Window extends GuiCtrl {
     this.win.on('close', () => {
       this.closing = true
     })
-
     this.win.on('closed', () => {
-      if (typeof options.afterNativeWindowClose === 'function') {
-        options.afterNativeWindowClose(this)
-      }
+      if (typeof options.afterClose === 'function') options.afterClose(this)
       if (this.win) {
         if (this.opening) this.opening = false
         this.win.closed = true
@@ -1408,7 +1441,10 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
     })
     this.worker = new Worker()
     this.pipes = new Freelist()
-    this.ipc.once('close', () => this.close())
+    this.ipc.once('close', () => {
+      console.log('IPC CLOSED')
+      // this.close()
+    })
 
     electron.ipcMain.on('exit', (e, code) => { process.exit(code) })
 
@@ -1439,6 +1475,9 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
       messages.on('end', () => event.reply('messages', null))
     })
 
+    electron.ipcMain.handle('waitForLock', () => this.ipc.waitForLock())
+    electron.ipcMain.handle('close', () => this._close())
+
     electron.ipcMain.handle('getMediaAccessStatus', (evt, ...args) => this.getMediaAccessStatus(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('askForMediaAccess', (evt, ...args) => this.askForMediaAccess(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('desktopSources', (evt, ...args) => this.desktopSources(...args))
@@ -1446,7 +1485,7 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
     electron.ipcMain.handle('ctrl', (evt, ...args) => this.ctrl(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('parent', (evt, ...args) => this.parent(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('open', (evt, ...args) => this.open(...args))
-    electron.ipcMain.handle('close', (evt, ...args) => this.guiClose(...args))
+    electron.ipcMain.handle('guiClose', (evt, ...args) => this.guiClose(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('show', (evt, ...args) => this.show(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('hide ', (evt, ...args) => this.hide(...args))
     electron.ipcMain.handle('minimize', (evt, ...args) => this.minimize(...args))
@@ -1529,8 +1568,8 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
   }
 
   async app () {
-    const app = new App(this.state, this.ipc)
-    this.once('close', async () => { app.quit() })
+    const app = new App(this.state, this.ipc, this)
+    // this.once('close', async () => { app.quit() })
     await app.start()
     return app
   }
@@ -1540,7 +1579,9 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
   }
 
   async _close () {
+    console.log('calling ipc close')
     await this.ipc.close()
+    console.log('ipc close done')
   }
 
   static async ctrl (type, entry, { state, parentId = 0, ua, sessname = null, appkin }, options = {}, openOptions = {}) {
@@ -1617,7 +1658,7 @@ class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
     }
   }
 
-  async askForMediaAccess ({ id, media }) {
+  async askForMediaAccess ({ media }) {
     if (isLinux || isWindows) return false
     if (media === 'screen') {
       return electron.systemPreferences.getMediaAccessStatus(media)
diff --git a/gui/preload.js b/gui/preload.js
index c717ebcd9..df77c14b7 100644
--- a/gui/preload.js
+++ b/gui/preload.js
@@ -18,14 +18,19 @@ module.exports = class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
     })
 
     const onteardown = async (fn) => {
-      if (state.isDecal) return
       await this.ready()
       const action = await this.ipc.unloading({ id }) // only resolves when unloading occurs
       await fn()
       await this.ipc.completeUnload({ id, action })
+      if (action.type === 'teardown') {
+        console.log('onteardown ipc close')
+        await this.ipc.closeIPC()
+        console.log('onteardown ipc closed')
+      }
       if (action.type === 'reload') location.reload()
       else if (action.type === 'nav') location.href = action.url
     }
+    const gui = this
     API = class extends API {
       constructor (ipc, state, onteardown) {
         super(ipc, state, onteardown)
@@ -45,6 +50,18 @@ module.exports = class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
           desktopSources: (options = {}) => ipc.desktopSources(options)
         }
 
+        // if (state.isDecal === false) ipc.messages({ type: 'pear/reload' }).once('data', async () => {
+        //   const lockWait = ipc.waitForLock()
+        //   await gui.close()
+        //   console.log('ipc closed')
+        //   console.log('waiting for lock')
+        //   await lockWait
+        //   console.log('sidecar closed')
+        //   console.log('now wait trigger app start and update electron with new startid')
+        //   console.log('ok so call location.reload')
+        //   //location.reload()
+        // })
+
         const kGuiCtrl = Symbol('gui:ctrl')
 
         class Parent extends EventEmitter {
@@ -213,6 +230,11 @@ module.exports = class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
         this.View = View
       }
 
+      reload = async function (opts) {
+        if (opts?.platform) return this._reload(opts)
+        location.reload()
+      }
+
       exit = (code) => {
         process.exitCode = code
         electron.ipcRenderer.sendSync('exit', code)
@@ -220,6 +242,14 @@ module.exports = class PearGUI extends ReadyResource {
     }
     this.api = new API(this.ipc, state, onteardown)
   }
+
+  _close () { 
+
+    // NEED TO TELL PARENT PROCESS TO CLOSE ITS IPC AS WELL SOMEHOW
+
+    console.trace('PRELOAD _close') 
+    return this.ipc.closeIPC() 
+  }
 }
 
 class IPC {
@@ -230,7 +260,7 @@ class IPC {
   ctrl (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('ctrl', ...args) }
   parent (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('parent', ...args) }
   open (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('open', ...args) }
-  close (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('close', ...args) }
+  close (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('guiClose', ...args) }
   show (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('show', ...args) }
   hide (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('hide', ...args) }
   minimize (...args) { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('minimize', ...args) }
@@ -307,14 +337,14 @@ class IPC {
       stream.emit('error', new Error('Worker PipeError (from electron-main): ' + stack))
     })
     electron.ipcRenderer.on('workerClose', () => { stream.destroy() })
-    stream.once('close', () => {
-      electron.ipcRenderer.send('workerPipeClose', id)
-    })
+    stream.once('close', () => { electron.ipcRenderer.send('workerPipeClose', id) })
 
     electron.ipcRenderer.on('workerPipeData', (e, data) => { stream.push(data) })
     return stream
   }
 
+  waitForLock () { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('waitForLock') }
+  closeIPC () { return electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('close') }
   ref () {}
   unref () {}
 
@@ -340,4 +370,5 @@ class IPC {
     electron.ipcRenderer.on('iteratePreferences', (e, data) => { stream.push(data) })
     return stream
   }
+
 }
diff --git a/lib/api.js b/lib/api.js
index 772b5c55b..7b7654210 100644
--- a/lib/api.js
+++ b/lib/api.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 const Worker = require('./worker')
-const { BARE_RESTART_EXIT_CODE } = require('../constants')
+const { RESTART_EXIT_CODE } = require('../constants')
 const noop = () => {}
 const teardown = global.Bare ? require('./teardown') : noop
 const program = global.Bare || global.process
@@ -97,22 +97,17 @@ class API {
   versions = () => this.#reftrack(this.#ipc.versions())
 
   restart = async (opts = {}) => {
-    const restart = this.#reftrack(this.#ipc.restart({ ...opts, hard: true }))
+    const restart = this.#reftrack(this.#ipc.restart({ ...opts }))
     return restart
   }
 
-  reload = async (opts = {}) => {
-    if (!opts.platform) {
-      // TODO: use Pear.shutdown when it lands instead
-      if (this.#state.type === 'terminal') Bare.exit(BARE_RESTART_EXIT_CODE)
-      else global.location.reload()
-
-      return
-    }
-
-    return this.#reftrack(this.#ipc.restart({ ...opts, hard: false }))
+  async _reload (opts = {}) {
+    if (opts.platform) return this.#reftrack(this.#ipc.restart({ ...opts, reload: true }))
+    this.exit(RESTART_EXIT_CODE)
   }
 
+  reload = (opts = {}) => this._reload(opts)
+
   updates = (listener) => this.messages({ type: 'pear/updates' }, listener)
 
   wakeups = (listener) => this.messages({ type: 'pear/wakeup' }, listener)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 033e55774..910610d75 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
     "paparam": "^1.4.0",
     "pear-changelog": "^1.0.1",
     "pear-interface": "^1.0.0",
-    "pear-ipc": "^1.0.17",
+    "pear-ipc": "^1.1.0",
     "pear-link": "^2.0.1",
     "pear-updater": "^3.1.0",
     "protomux": "^3.6.0",
diff --git a/run/index.js b/run/index.js
index 55807ce3e..3e6f566cc 100644
--- a/run/index.js
+++ b/run/index.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ const {
 } = require('../errors')
 const parseLink = require('../lib/parse-link')
 const teardown = require('../lib/teardown')
-const { PLATFORM_LOCK } = require('../constants')
-const fsext = require('fs-native-extensions')
+const { isWindows } = require('which-runtime')
 
 module.exports = async function run ({ ipc, args, cmdArgs, link, storage, detached, flags, appArgs, indices }) {
   const { drive, pathname } = parseLink(link)
@@ -116,15 +115,10 @@ module.exports = async function run ({ ipc, args, cmdArgs, link, storage, detach
 
     global.Pear = pear
 
-    const reloadSubscriber = ipc.messages({ type: 'pear/reload' })
-    reloadSubscriber.on('data', async () => {
-      ipc.stream.destroy()
-
-      const fd = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => fs.open(PLATFORM_LOCK, 'r+', (err, fd) => err ? reject(err) : resolve(fd)))
-      await fsext.waitForLock(fd)
-      await new Promise((resolve, reject) => fs.close(fd, (err) => err ? reject(err) : resolve(fd)))
-
-      await global.Pear.restart()
+    ipc.messages({ type: 'pear/reload' }).once('data', async () => {
+      await ipc.close()
+      await ipc.waitForLock()
+      await global.Pear.reload()
     })
 
     const protocol = new Module.Protocol({
@@ -143,6 +137,14 @@ module.exports = async function run ({ ipc, args, cmdArgs, link, storage, detach
 
     return stream
   }
+  
+
+  ipc.messages({ type: 'pear/reload' }).once('data', async () => {
+    await ipc.close()
+    await ipc.waitForLock()
+    console.log('create a new ipc client? what for we do not need it')
+  })
+  
 
   args.unshift('--start-id=' + startId)
   const detach = args.includes('--detach')
diff --git a/subsystems/sidecar/index.js b/subsystems/sidecar/index.js
index d0c0e39df..8a4b25b40 100644
--- a/subsystems/sidecar/index.js
+++ b/subsystems/sidecar/index.js
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
     super()
     this.bus = new Iambus()
     this.version = CHECKOUT
-
     this.updater = updater
     if (this.updater) this.updater.on('update', (checkout) => this.updateNotify(checkout))
 
@@ -234,7 +233,8 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
 
       teardown () {
         if (this.unload) {
-          this.unload()
+          console.log('UNLOAD TYPE teardown')
+          this.unload({ type: 'teardown' })
           return true
         }
         return false
@@ -286,7 +286,9 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
     if (this.decomissioned) return
     if (this.hasClients) return
     this.spindownt = setTimeout(async () => {
+      console.log('timeout complete', this.hasClients)
       if (this.hasClients) return
+      console.log('spindownt calling close')
       this.close().catch(console.error)
     }, this.spindownms)
   }
@@ -513,9 +515,9 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
     return metadata
   }
 
-  async restart ({ platform = false, hard = true } = {}, client) {
-    if (this.verbose) console.log(`${hard ? 'Hard' : 'Soft'} restarting ${platform ? 'platform' : 'client'}`)
-    if (platform === false) {
+  async restart ({ platform = false, reload = false } = {}, client) {
+    if (this.verbose) console.log(`${reload ? 'Reloading' : 'Restarting'} ${platform ? 'platform' : 'client'}`)
+    if (reload === false && platform === false) {
       const { dir, cwd, cmdArgs, env } = client.userData.state
       const appling = client.userData.state.appling
       const opts = { cwd, env, detached: true, stdio: 'ignore' }
@@ -553,24 +555,19 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
       return
     }
 
-    if (!hard && this.hasClients) {
-      const seen = new Set()
-      for (const { userData: app } of this.clients) {
-        if (!app.state || seen.has(app.state.id)) continue
-        seen.add(app.state.id)
-        app.message({ type: 'pear/reload' })
-      }
-    }
+    if (reload) for (const { userData: app } of this.clients) app.message({ type: 'pear/reload' })
 
     const sidecarClosed = new Promise((resolve) => this.corestore.once('close', resolve))
     let restarts = await this.#shutdown(client)
+
     // ample time for any OS cleanup operations:
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1500))
+
+    if (reload) return
+
     // shutdown successful, reset death clock
     this.deathClock()
 
-    if (!hard) return
-
     restarts = restarts.filter(({ run }) => run)
     if (restarts.length === 0) return
     if (this.verbose) console.log('Restarting', restarts.length, 'apps')
@@ -871,7 +868,6 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
 
     this.spindownms = 0
     const restarts = this.closeClients()
-
     this.spindownms = 0
     this.#spindownCountdown()
     await this.closing
@@ -879,26 +875,44 @@ class Sidecar extends ReadyResource {
   }
 
   async #close () {
+    console.log('#close')
+    console.log('pre appling close')
     await this.applings.close()
+    console.log('post appling close')
     clearTimeout(this.lazySwarmTimeout)
+    console.log('pre replicator leave')
     if (this.replicator) await this.replicator.leave(this.swarm)
+    console.log('post replicator leave')
+    console.log('pre http close')
     if (this.http) await this.http.close()
+    console.log('post http close')
+    console.log('pre http destroy')
     if (this.swarm) await this.swarm.destroy()
+    console.log('posthttp destroy')
+    console.log('pre corestore close')
     if (this.corestore) await this.corestore.close()
+    console.log('post corestore close')
     if (this.verbose) console.log((isWindows ? '^' : '✔') + ' Sidecar closed')
   }
 
   async _close () {
+    console.log('_close')
     if (this.decomissioned) return
     this.decomissioned = true
     // point of no return, death-march ensues
+
     this.deathClock()
     const closing = this.#close()
     this.closeClients()
+    console.log('awaiting closing')
     await closing
+    console.log('closing resolved')
+    console.log('awaiting ipc close')
     await this.ipc.close()
+    console.log('resolved ipc close')
 
     if (this.updater) {
+      console.log('awaiting update')
       if (await this.updater.applyUpdate() !== null) {
         if (this.verbose) console.log((isWindows ? '^' : '✔') + ' Applied update')
       }