diff --git a/src/kiri-mode/cam/export.js b/src/kiri-mode/cam/export.js
index 7741c53a..0bcc2636 100644
--- a/src/kiri-mode/cam/export.js
+++ b/src/kiri-mode/cam/export.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 // dep: geo.base
 // dep: geo.polygons
 // dep: kiri-mode.cam.driver
-gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.export", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.export", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { base, kiri } = root;
 const { polygons, util } = base;
diff --git a/src/kiri-mode/cam/ops.js b/src/kiri-mode/cam/ops.js
index 52150e30..4d19443b 100644
--- a/src/kiri-mode/cam/ops.js
+++ b/src/kiri-mode/cam/ops.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 // dep: kiri.slice
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.topo
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.topo4
-gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.ops", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.ops", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { base, kiri } = root;
 const { paths, polygons, newPoint, newPolygon, sliceConnect } = base;
diff --git a/src/kiri-mode/cam/prepare.js b/src/kiri-mode/cam/prepare.js
index 86389347..a9114798 100644
--- a/src/kiri-mode/cam/prepare.js
+++ b/src/kiri-mode/cam/prepare.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // dep: kiri.render
 // dep: kiri-mode.cam.driver
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.ops
-gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.prepare", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.prepare", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { base, kiri } = root;
 const { paths, polygons, newPoint } = base;
diff --git a/src/kiri-mode/cam/slice.js b/src/kiri-mode/cam/slice.js
index 73040ffa..8e9edcec 100644
--- a/src/kiri-mode/cam/slice.js
+++ b/src/kiri-mode/cam/slice.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.slicer
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.slicer2
 // use: kiri-mode.cam.ops
-gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.slice", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri-mode.cam.slice", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { base, kiri } = root;
 const { driver, newSlice, setSliceTracker } = kiri;
diff --git a/src/kiri/conf.js b/src/kiri/conf.js
index 7a03f5ca..e5d0efec 100644
--- a/src/kiri/conf.js
+++ b/src/kiri/conf.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 // dep: add.array
 // dep: data.local
-gapp.register("kiri.conf", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.conf", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { data } = root;
 const { local } = data;
diff --git a/src/kiri/consts.js b/src/kiri/consts.js
index 6e745ee9..b77c0f8b 100644
--- a/src/kiri/consts.js
+++ b/src/kiri/consts.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 "use strict";
 
-gapp.register("kiri.consts", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.consts", (root, exports) => {
 
 const COLOR = {
     wireframe: 0x444444,
diff --git a/src/kiri/init.js b/src/kiri/init.js
index ae5ce701..031da7a8 100644
--- a/src/kiri/init.js
+++ b/src/kiri/init.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 // dep: kiri.selection
 // use: kiri.tools
 // use: kiri.pack
-gapp.register("kiri.init", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.init", (root, exports) => {
 
     let { base, kiri } = root,
         { api, catalog, conf, consts, space } = kiri,
diff --git a/src/kiri/main.js b/src/kiri/main.js
index dad6c5db..1605d133 100644
--- a/src/kiri/main.js
+++ b/src/kiri/main.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 // use: kiri.files
 // use: kiri.frame
 // use: moto.ajax
-gapp.register("kiri.main", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.main", (root, exports) => {
 
     let { data, kiri, moto, noop } = root,
         { api, consts, lang, Widget, newWidget, utils, stats } = kiri,
@@ -995,9 +995,6 @@ gapp.register("kiri.main", [], (root, exports) => {
     // prevent safari from exiting full screen mode
     DOC.onkeydown = function (evt) { if (evt.keyCode == 27) evt.preventDefault() }
 
-    // complete module loading
-    // kiri.load_exec();
-
     // upon restore, seed presets
     api.event.emit('preset', api.conf.dbo());
 
diff --git a/src/kiri/settings.js b/src/kiri/settings.js
index 88fa6fd8..bbd4daa7 100644
--- a/src/kiri/settings.js
+++ b/src/kiri/settings.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 // dep: data.local
 // use: kiri.widgets
 // use: ext.base64
-gapp.register("kiri.settings", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.settings", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { data, kiri, moto, noop } = self;
 const { api, conf, consts, utils } = kiri;
diff --git a/src/kiri/tools.js b/src/kiri/tools.js
index 71784ce0..ef19635d 100644
--- a/src/kiri/tools.js
+++ b/src/kiri/tools.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 // dep: add.three
 // dep: kiri.api
-gapp.register("kiri.tools", [], (root, exports) => {
+gapp.register("kiri.tools", (root, exports) => {
 
 const { Vector3, Quaternion } = THREE;
 const { kiri, moto } = root;
diff --git a/src/main/gapp.js b/src/main/gapp.js
index 521cf3dc..e761be81 100644
--- a/src/main/gapp.js
+++ b/src/main/gapp.js
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ let mods = [];
 
 gapp.overlay = Object.assign;
 
+// extract function arguments grouped by type
 function exargs(args) {
     return {
         funcs: args.filter(a => typeof a === 'function'),
@@ -70,18 +71,7 @@ function exargs(args) {
     };
 }
 
-// register module without a load function
-gapp.register = function() {
-// console.log(1, { mods });
-    const args = exargs([...arguments]);
-    const name = args.strings[0];
-    const fn = args.funcs[0];
-    const mod = { fn, name };
-// console.log(2, { mods });
-// console.log('reg', { mod, mods });
-    mods.push(mod);
-};
-
+// prevent module load from terminating main/init chain
 function safeFN(fn, name) {
     return function() {
         try {
@@ -92,12 +82,23 @@ function safeFN(fn, name) {
     };
 }
 
+// register module without a load function
+gapp.register = function() {
+    const args = exargs([...arguments]);
+    const objs = args.objects || {};
+    const name = objs.name || objs.module || args.strings[0];
+    const fn   = objs.exec || args.funcs[0];
+    const mod  = { fn, name };
+    mods.push(mod);
+};
+
 // perform dependency checks and run module load functions
 gapp.main = function() {
     const args = exargs([...arguments]);
-    const app = args.strings[0];
-    const post = args.funcs[0];
-    const pre = args.funcs[1];
+    const objs = args.objects[0] || {};
+    const app  = objs.app  || args.strings[0];
+    const post = objs.post || args.funcs[0];
+    const pre  = objs.pre  || args.funcs[1];
     const root = self;
     // optional fn to run before loading
     if (pre) {
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ gapp.main = function() {
         }
         let tmp = path[map] || {};
         safeFN(fn, name)(root, exports => {
+            // map exports into module namespace when called
             if (exports) {
                 return path[map] = Object.assign(tmp, exports);
             }
diff --git a/src/main/kiri.js b/src/main/kiri.js
index 91241eb2..c22a6341 100644
--- a/src/main/kiri.js
+++ b/src/main/kiri.js
@@ -2,37 +2,40 @@
 
 "use strict";
 
-gapp.main("main.kiri", [], (root) => {
+gapp.main({
+    app: "kiri",
 
-    const { kiri } = root;
-    const { api } = kiri;
+    pre(root) {
+        let mods = root.kirimod = ( root.kirimod || [] );
 
-    // complete module loading
-    kiri.load_exec();
-
-}, (root) => {
-
-    const modfns = root.kirimod = ( root.kirimod || [] );
-
-    const kiri = root.kiri = {
-        beta: 4100,
-        driver: {}, // driver modules
-        load(fn) {
-            modfns.push(fn);
-        },
-        load_exec(api) {
-            const saferun = (fn) => {
-                try {
-                    fn(api || kiri.api);
-                } catch (error) {
-                    console.log({ module_error: error });
-                }
-            };
-            // complete module loading
-            modfns.forEach(modfn => saferun(modfn));
-            // rewrite load() to be immediate post-finalize
-            kiri.load = (modfn) => saferun(modfn);
-        }
-    };
+        let kiri = root.kiri = {
+            beta: 4100,
+            driver: {
+                // attached driver modules
+            },
+            load(fn) {
+                // modules register exec() functions
+                mods.push(fn);
+            },
+            load_exec(api) {
+                // process all module exec() functions
+                const saferun = (fn) => {
+                    try {
+                        fn(api || kiri.api);
+                    } catch (error) {
+                        console.log({ module_error: error });
+                    }
+                };
+                // complete module loading
+                mods.forEach(fn => saferun(fn));
+                // rewrite load() to run immediately post-finalize
+                kiri.load = (fn) => saferun(fn);
+            }
+        };
+    },
 
+    post(root) {
+        // complete module loading
+        root.kiri.load_exec();
+    }
 });