diff --git a/src/runtime2/mod.rs b/src/runtime2/mod.rs
index 5238d2ca54a24635e0ad21cfc077131084f531f1..fd5a8c1f4a1ae39e5134f103a1bcb423e059a189 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/mod.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/mod.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ use inbox::Message;
 use connector::{ConnectorPDL, ConnectorPublic, ConnectorScheduling, RunDeltaState};
 use scheduler::{Scheduler, ConnectorCtx, Router};
 use native::{Connector, ConnectorApplication, ApplicationInterface};
+use crate::runtime2::port::Port;
 
 /// A kind of token that, once obtained, allows mutable access to a connector.
 /// We're trying to use move semantics as much as possible: the owner of this
@@ -213,6 +214,33 @@ impl RuntimeInner {
         self.scheduler_notifier.notify_one();
     }
 
+    // --- Creating ports
+
+    /// Creates a new port pair. Note that these are stored globally like the
+    /// connectors are. Ports stored by components belong to those components.
+    pub(crate) fn create_channel(&self) -> (Port, Port) {
+        use port::{PortIdLocal, PortKind};
+
+        let getter_id = self.port_counter.fetch_add(2, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        let putter_id = PortIdLocal::new(getter_id + 1);
+        let getter_id = PortIdLocal::new(getter_id);
+
+        let getter_port = Port{
+            self_id: getter_id,
+            peer_id: putter_id,
+            kind: PortKind::Getter,
+            peer_connector: self.connector_id,
+        };
+        let putter_port = Port{
+            self_id: putter_id,
+            peer_id: getter_id,
+            kind: PortKind::Putter,
+            peer_connector: self.connector_id,
+        };
+
+        return (getter_port, putter_port);
+    }
+
     // --- Creating/retrieving/destroying components
 
     pub(crate) fn create_interface_component(&self, component: ConnectorApplication) -> ConnectorKey {
@@ -276,11 +304,13 @@ impl RuntimeInner {
     #[inline]
     pub(crate) fn increment_active_interfaces(&self) {
         let _old_num = self.active_interfaces.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        println!("DEBUG: Incremented active interfaces to {}", _old_num + 1);
         debug_assert_ne!(_old_num, 0); // once it hits 0, it stays zero
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn decrement_active_interfaces(&self) {
         let old_num = self.active_interfaces.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        println!("DEBUG: Decremented active interfaces to {}", old_num - 1);
         debug_assert!(old_num > 0);
         if old_num == 1 { // such that active interfaces is now 0
             let num_connectors = self.active_connectors.load(Ordering::Acquire);
@@ -292,11 +322,13 @@ impl RuntimeInner {
 
     #[inline]
     fn increment_active_components(&self) {
-        self.active_connectors.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        let _old_num = self.active_connectors.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        println!("DEBUG: Incremented components to {}", _old_num + 1);
     }
 
     fn decrement_active_components(&self) {
         let old_num = self.active_connectors.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        println!("DEBUG: Decremented components to {}", old_num - 1);
         debug_assert!(old_num > 0);
         if old_num == 0 { // such that we have no more active connectors (for now!)
             let num_interfaces = self.active_interfaces.load(Ordering::Acquire);