diff --git a/src/runtime2/runtime.rs b/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
index 24844a612a6856a7090dc72c3948aeae6e1626b8..9b4c2ad4eda55e0eaf97a0b220c8417f253acc8e 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::runtime2::component::wake_up_if_sleeping;
 
 use super::communication::Message;
 use super::component::{CompCtx, CompPDL};
-use super::store::{ComponentStore, QueueDynMpsc, QueueDynProducer};
+use super::store::{ComponentStore, ComponentReservation, QueueDynMpsc, QueueDynProducer};
 use super::scheduler::*;
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -43,6 +43,17 @@ impl CompId {
     }
 }
 
+/// Handle to a component that is being created.
+pub(crate) struct CompReserved {
+    reservation: ComponentReservation,
+}
+
+impl CompReserved {
+    pub(crate) fn id(&self) -> CompId {
+        return CompId(self.reservation.index)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Private fields of a component, may only be modified by a single thread at
 /// a time.
 pub(crate) struct RuntimeComp {
@@ -208,10 +219,42 @@ impl RuntimeInner {
 
     // Creating/destroying components
 
+    pub(crate) fn start_create_pdl_component(&self) -> CompReserved {
+        self.increment_active_components();
+        let reservation = self.components.reserve();
+        return CompReserved{ reservation };
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn finish_create_pdl_component(
+        &self, reserved: CompReserved,
+        component: CompPDL, mut context: CompCtx, initially_sleeping: bool,
+    ) -> (CompKey, &mut RuntimeComp) {
+        let inbox_queue = QueueDynMpsc::new(16);
+        let inbox_producer = inbox_queue.producer();
+
+        let _id = reserved.id();
+        context.id = reserved.id();
+        let component = RuntimeComp {
+            public: CompPublic{
+                sleeping: AtomicBool::new(initially_sleeping),
+                num_handles: AtomicU32::new(1), // the component itself acts like a handle
+                inbox: inbox_producer,
+            },
+            code: component,
+            ctx: context,
+            inbox: inbox_queue,
+        };
+
+        let index = self.components.submit(reserved.reservation, component);
+        debug_assert_eq!(index, _id.0);
+        let component = self.components.get_mut(index);
+
+        return (CompKey(index), component);
+    }
+
     /// Creates a new component. Note that the public part will be properly
-    /// initialized, but the private fields (e.g. owned ports, peers, etc.)
-    /// are not.
-    pub(crate) fn create_pdl_component(&self, comp: CompPDL, initially_sleeping: bool) -> (CompKey, &mut RuntimeComp) {
+    /// initialized, but not all private fields are.
+    pub(crate) fn create_pdl_component(&self, comp: CompPDL, ctx: CompCtx, initially_sleeping: bool) -> (CompKey, &mut RuntimeComp) {
         let inbox_queue = QueueDynMpsc::new(16);
         let inbox_producer = inbox_queue.producer();
         let comp = RuntimeComp{
@@ -221,7 +264,7 @@ impl RuntimeInner {
                 inbox: inbox_producer,
             },
             code: comp,
-            ctx: CompCtx::default(),
+            ctx,
             inbox: inbox_queue,
         };