diff --git a/modules/mdevd.nix b/modules/mdevd.nix
index 73e81d3..e674763 100644
--- a/modules/mdevd.nix
+++ b/modules/mdevd.nix
@@ -13,10 +13,14 @@ in {
         notification-fd = 10;
         run = "${pkgs.devout}/bin/devout /run/devout.sock 4";
       };
-      mdevd-coldplug = oneshot {
-        name ="mdev-coldplug";
-        up = "${pkgs.mdevd}/bin/mdevd-coldplug -O 4";
-        dependencies = [devout];
+      coldplug = oneshot {
+        name ="coldplug";
+        # would love to know what mdevd-coldplug/udevadm trigger does
+        # that this doesn't
+        up = ''
+          for i in $(find /sys -name uevent); do ( echo change > $i ) ; done
+        '';
+        dependencies = [devout mdevd];
       };
     };
   };
diff --git a/modules/mount/default.nix b/modules/mount/default.nix
index 76e1cf5..50e9ef2 100644
--- a/modules/mount/default.nix
+++ b/modules/mount/default.nix
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ in {
     in svc // {
       build = args:
         let args' = args // {
-              dependencies = (args.dependencies or []) ++ [config.services.mdevd];
+              dependencies = (args.dependencies or []) ++ [
+                config.services.mdevd
+                config.services.devout
+              ];
             };
         in svc.build args' ;
     };
diff --git a/pkgs/uevent-watch/events.txt b/pkgs/uevent-watch/events.txt
index 3da77b6..2df5c51 100644
--- a/pkgs/uevent-watch/events.txt
+++ b/pkgs/uevent-watch/events.txt
@@ -1,154 +1,25 @@
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1
+add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-3/1-3:1.0/host1/target1:0:0/1:0:0:0/block/sdb/sdb1
 ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1
-SUBSYSTEM=usb
-MAJOR=189
-MINOR=1
-DEVNAME=bus/usb/001/002
-DEVTYPE=usb_device
-PRODUCT=46f4/1/0
-TYPE=0/0/0
-BUSNUM=001
-DEVNUM=002
-SEQNUM=1513
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0
-SUBSYSTEM=usb
-DEVTYPE=usb_interface
-PRODUCT=46f4/1/0
-TYPE=0/0/0
-INTERFACE=8/6/80
-MODALIAS=usb:v46F4p0001d0000dc00dsc00dp00ic08isc06ip50in00
-SEQNUM=1514
-
-add@/devices/virtual/workqueue/scsi_tmf_0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/virtual/workqueue/scsi_tmf_0
-SUBSYSTEM=workqueue
-SEQNUM=1515
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi
-DEVTYPE=scsi_host
-SEQNUM=1516
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/scsi_host/host0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/scsi_host/host0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi_host
-SEQNUM=1517
-
-bind@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0
-ACTION=bind
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0
-SUBSYSTEM=usb
-DEVTYPE=usb_interface
-DRIVER=usb-storage
-PRODUCT=46f4/1/0
-TYPE=0/0/0
-INTERFACE=8/6/80
-MODALIAS=usb:v46F4p0001d0000dc00dsc00dp00ic08isc06ip50in00
-SEQNUM=1518
-
-bind@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1
-ACTION=bind
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1
-SUBSYSTEM=usb
-MAJOR=189
-MINOR=1
-DEVNAME=bus/usb/001/002
-DEVTYPE=usb_device
-DRIVER=usb
-PRODUCT=46f4/1/0
-TYPE=0/0/0
-BUSNUM=001
-DEVNUM=002
-SEQNUM=1519
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi
-DEVTYPE=scsi_target
-SEQNUM=1520
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi
-DEVTYPE=scsi_device
-MODALIAS=scsi:t-0x00
-SEQNUM=1521
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/scsi_device/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/scsi_device/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi_device
-SEQNUM=1522
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/scsi_disk/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/scsi_disk/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi_disk
-SEQNUM=1523
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/bsg/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/bsg/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=bsg
-MAJOR=252
-MINOR=0
-DEVNAME=bsg/0:0:0:0
-SEQNUM=1524
-
-change@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=change
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi
-SDEV_UA=POWER_ON_RESET_OCCURRED
-DEVTYPE=scsi_device
-DRIVER=sd
-MODALIAS=scsi:t-0x00
-SEQNUM=1525
-
-add@/devices/virtual/bdi/8:0
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/virtual/bdi/8:0
-SUBSYSTEM=bdi
-SEQNUM=1526
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/block/sda
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/block/sda
+DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-3/1-3:1.0/host1/target1:0:0/1:0:0:0/block/sdb/sdb1
 SUBSYSTEM=block
-MAJOR=8
-MINOR=0
-DEVNAME=sda
-DEVTYPE=disk
-DISKSEQ=2
-SEQNUM=1527
-
-add@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/block/sda/sda1
-ACTION=add
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/block/sda/sda1
-SUBSYSTEM=block
-MAJOR=8
-MINOR=1
-DEVNAME=sda1
+DEVNAME=/dev/sdb1
 DEVTYPE=partition
-DISKSEQ=2
+DISKSEQ=33
 PARTN=1
-SEQNUM=1528
+SEQNUM=82381
+MAJOR=8
+PARTNAME=backup-disk
+MINOR=17
 
-bind@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-ACTION=bind
-DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0
-SUBSYSTEM=scsi
-DEVTYPE=scsi_device
-DRIVER=sd
-MODALIAS=scsi:t-0x00
-SEQNUM=1529
+remove@/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-3/1-3:1.0/host1/target1:0:0/1:0:0:0/block/sdb/sdb1
+ACTION=remove
+DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-3/1-3:1.0/host1/target1:0:0/1:0:0:0/block/sdb/sdb1
+SUBSYSTEM=block
+DEVNAME=/dev/sdb1
+DEVTYPE=partition
+DISKSEQ=33
+PARTN=1
+SEQNUM=82386
+PARTNAME=backup-disk
+MAJOR=8
+MINOR=17
diff --git a/pkgs/uevent-watch/test.fnl b/pkgs/uevent-watch/test.fnl
index eaebc33..a39f35c 100644
--- a/pkgs/uevent-watch/test.fnl
+++ b/pkgs/uevent-watch/test.fnl
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-(local { : view} (require :fennel))
-(import-macros { : expect= } :anoia.assert)
+(local watch (require :watch))
 
-(local subject (require :watch))
-
-
-
-;; Events come from the netlink socket as an initial summary line
+;; Events come from the devout socket as an initial summary line
 ;; followed by a NUL character followed by newline-separated key=value
 ;; pairs. For ease of editing we don't have NULs in events.txt,
 ;; so we need to massage it into shape here
@@ -27,8 +22,11 @@
 
 ;; this tests event parsing but not whether anything
 ;; happens as a result of processing them
-(subject.run-with-fh
- { :read (next-event) }
+(watch.run-with-fh
+ {
+  :read (next-event)
+  :write (fn [payload] )
+  }
  ["-s" "foo" "-n" (os.getenv "TMPDIR") "partname=backup-disk" ]
  )
 
diff --git a/pkgs/uevent-watch/watch.fnl b/pkgs/uevent-watch/watch.fnl
index 1988596..a222185 100644
--- a/pkgs/uevent-watch/watch.fnl
+++ b/pkgs/uevent-watch/watch.fnl
@@ -1,25 +1,19 @@
 (local { : assoc : system : dirname } (require :anoia))
 (local { : mktree : rmtree : symlink } (require :anoia.fs))
+(local { : AF_LOCAL : SOCK_STREAM } (require :anoia.net.constants))
+(local ll (require :lualinux))
 
-(fn parse-match [s]  (string.match s "(.-)=(.+)"))
+(local { : view } (require :fennel))
 
 (fn parse-args [args]
   (match args
     ["-s" service & rest] (assoc (parse-args rest) :service service)
     ["-n" path & rest] (assoc (parse-args rest) :linkname path)
-    matches { :matches (collect [_ m (ipairs matches)] (parse-match m)) }
+    matches { :matches (table.concat matches " ") }
     _  nil))
 
 (fn %% [fmt ...] (string.format fmt ...))
 
-(fn event-matches? [params e]
-  (and
-   e
-   (accumulate [match? true
-                name value (pairs params.matches)]
-     (and match? (= value (. e name))))))
-
-
 (var up :unknown)
 
 (fn start-service [devname linkname service]
@@ -54,17 +48,30 @@
     (mktree (dirname parameters.linkname))
     (var finished? false)
 
+    (print "registering for events" (fh:write parameters.matches))
+
     (while (not finished?)
-      (let [e (parse-uevent (fh:read 5000))]
-        (when (event-matches? parameters e)
+      (let [e (parse-uevent (fh:read))]
+        (when e
           (let [wanted? (. {:add true :change true} e.action)]
             (toggle-service e.devname parameters.linkname parameters.service wanted?)))
         (set finished? (= e nil))
         ))))
 
-(fn run [args]
-  (let [nellie (require :nellie)
-        netlink (nellie.open 4)]
-    (run-with-fh netlink arg)))
+(fn unix-connect [pathname]
+  (let [addr (string.pack "=Hz" AF_LOCAL pathname)]
+    (match (ll.socket AF_LOCAL SOCK_STREAM 0)
+      sock (doto sock (ll.connect addr))
+      (nil err) (error err))))
 
-{ : run : run-with-fh : event-matches? }
+
+(fn run [args]
+  (let [fd (assert (unix-connect "/run/devout.sock"))
+        devout {
+                :read #(ll.read fd)
+                :write #(ll.write fd $2)
+                :close #(ll.close fd)
+                }]
+    (run-with-fh devout arg)))
+
+{ : run : run-with-fh  }