diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 96fb563..5df6da1 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -86,6 +86,30 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     });
     const cbor_mod = cbor_dep.module("cbor");
 
+    const framing_mod = b.createModule(.{
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/remote/framing.zig"),
+    });
+
+    const protocol_mod = b.createModule(.{
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/remote/protocol.zig"),
+        .imports = &.{
+            .{ .name = "cbor", .module = cbor_mod },
+        },
+    });
+
+    const remote_child = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "remote_child_send",
+        .root_module = b.createModule(.{
+            .root_source_file = b.path("test/remote_child_send.zig"),
+            .target = target,
+            .optimize = optimize,
+            .imports = &.{
+                .{ .name = "cbor", .module = cbor_mod },
+                .{ .name = "framing", .module = framing_mod },
+            },
+        }),
+    });
+
     const thespian_mod = b.addModule("thespian", .{
         .root_source_file = b.path("src/thespian.zig"),
         .imports = &.{
@@ -103,9 +127,13 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         }),
     });
 
+    options.addOptionPath("remote_child_path", remote_child.getEmittedBin());
+
     tests.root_module.addImport("build_options", options_mod);
     tests.root_module.addImport("cbor", cbor_mod);
     tests.root_module.addImport("thespian", thespian_mod);
+    tests.root_module.addImport("framing", framing_mod);
+    tests.root_module.addImport("protocol", protocol_mod);
     tests.addIncludePath(b.path("test"));
     tests.addIncludePath(b.path("src"));
     tests.addIncludePath(b.path("include"));
diff --git a/src/remote/framing.zig b/src/remote/framing.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..674db38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/remote/framing.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+pub const max_frame_size = 8 * 4096; // matches thespian.max_message_size
+
+/// Write a length-prefixed frame. writer must support writeAll.
+pub fn write_frame(writer: anytype, payload: []const u8) !void {
+    var len_buf: [4]u8 = undefined;
+    std.mem.writeInt(u32, &len_buf, @intCast(payload.len), .big);
+    try writer.writeAll(&len_buf);
+    try writer.writeAll(payload);
+}
+
+/// Accumulates bytes until a complete length-prefixed frame is available.
+/// Returns a slice into the internal buffer on completion; null if more bytes
+/// are needed. The returned slice is only valid until the next call to feed().
+pub const Accumulator = struct {
+    buf: [max_frame_size + 4]u8 = undefined,
+    pos: usize = 0,
+
+    pub fn feed(self: *Accumulator, bytes: []const u8) ?[]const u8 {
+        const to_copy = @min(bytes.len, self.buf.len - self.pos);
+        @memcpy(self.buf[self.pos..][0..to_copy], bytes[0..to_copy]);
+        self.pos += to_copy;
+
+        if (self.pos < 4) return null;
+
+        const payload_len = std.mem.readInt(u32, self.buf[0..4], .big);
+        if (payload_len > max_frame_size) return null;
+
+        const total = 4 + payload_len;
+        if (self.pos < total) return null;
+
+        self.pos = 0;
+        return self.buf[4..total];
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/remote/protocol.zig b/src/remote/protocol.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27f5844
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/remote/protocol.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+const cbor = @import("cbor");
+
+pub const WireMessage = union(enum) {
+    send_named: SendNamed,
+
+    pub const SendNamed = struct {
+        from_id: u64,
+        to_name: []const u8,
+        payload: []const u8, // raw CBOR bytes
+    };
+};
+
+/// Decode a raw CBOR frame into a WireMessage.
+/// Returned slices point into the frame buffer and are only valid while it lives.
+pub fn decode(frame: []const u8) !WireMessage {
+    var from_id: u64 = 0;
+    var to_name: []const u8 = "";
+    var payload: []const u8 = "";
+
+    if (try cbor.match(frame, .{ "send_named", cbor.extract(&from_id), cbor.extract(&to_name), cbor.extract_cbor(&payload) }))
+        return .{ .send_named = .{ .from_id = from_id, .to_name = to_name, .payload = payload } };
+
+    return error.UnknownMessageType;
+}
diff --git a/test/remote_child_send.zig b/test/remote_child_send.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..450c8bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/remote_child_send.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/// Child process for the remoting POC test.
+/// Writes one framed CBOR send_named message to stdout and exits.
+const std = @import("std");
+const cbor = @import("cbor");
+const framing = @import("framing");
+
+pub fn main() !void {
+    var msg_buf: [256]u8 = undefined;
+    var stream: std.Io.Writer = .fixed(&msg_buf);
+    try cbor.writeValue(&stream, .{ "send_named", @as(u64, 1), "test_actor", .{ "hello", "from_child" } });
+    const payload = stream.buffered();
+    try framing.write_frame(std.fs.File.stdout(), payload);
+}
diff --git a/test/remote_poc_test.zig b/test/remote_poc_test.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a49d880
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/remote_poc_test.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const thespian = @import("thespian");
+const cbor = @import("cbor");
+const framing = @import("framing");
+const protocol = @import("protocol");
+const build_options = @import("build_options");
+
+const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
+const result = thespian.result;
+const unexpected = thespian.unexpected;
+const pid_ref = thespian.pid_ref;
+const Receiver = thespian.Receiver;
+const message = thespian.message;
+const extract = thespian.extract;
+const subprocess = thespian.subprocess;
+
+const tag = "subprocess";
+
+const Parent = struct {
+    allocator: Allocator,
+    proc: subprocess,
+    accumulator: framing.Accumulator,
+    receiver: Receiver(*@This()),
+    frame_received: bool = false,
+
+    const Args = struct { allocator: Allocator };
+
+    fn start(args: Args) result {
+        return init(args) catch |e| return thespian.exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
+    }
+
+    fn init(args: Args) !void {
+        const proc = try subprocess.init(
+            args.allocator,
+            message.fmt(.{build_options.remote_child_path}),
+            tag,
+            .Ignore,
+        );
+        const self = try args.allocator.create(@This());
+        self.* = .{
+            .allocator = args.allocator,
+            .proc = proc,
+            .accumulator = .{},
+            .receiver = .init(receive_fn, deinit, self),
+        };
+        errdefer self.deinit();
+        thespian.receive(&self.receiver);
+    }
+
+    fn deinit(self: *@This()) void {
+        self.proc.deinit();
+        self.allocator.destroy(self);
+    }
+
+    fn receive_fn(self: *@This(), from: pid_ref, m: message) result {
+        return self.receive(from, m) catch |e| return thespian.exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
+    }
+
+    fn receive(self: *@This(), _: pid_ref, m: message) !void {
+        var bytes: []const u8 = "";
+        var exit_code: i64 = 0;
+
+        if (try m.match(.{ tag, "stdout", extract(&bytes) })) {
+            if (self.accumulator.feed(bytes)) |frame| {
+                const msg = try protocol.decode(frame);
+                switch (msg) {
+                    .send_named => |s| {
+                        try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(u64, 1), s.from_id);
+                        try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("test_actor", s.to_name);
+                        try std.testing.expect(try cbor.match(s.payload, .{ "hello", "from_child" }));
+                    },
+                }
+                self.frame_received = true;
+            }
+        } else if (try m.match(.{ tag, "term", "exited", extract(&exit_code) })) {
+            try std.testing.expect(self.frame_received);
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(i64, 0), exit_code);
+            return thespian.exit("success");
+        } else if (try m.match(.{ tag, "stderr", extract(&bytes) })) {
+            // ignore stderr from child
+        } else {
+            return unexpected(m);
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+test "remote: child process sends a message to parent" {
+    const allocator = std.testing.allocator;
+    var ctx = try thespian.context.init(allocator);
+    defer ctx.deinit();
+
+    var success = false;
+    var exit_handler = thespian.make_exit_handler(&success, struct {
+        fn handle(ok: *bool, status: []const u8) void {
+            ok.* = std.mem.eql(u8, status, "success");
+        }
+    }.handle);
+
+    _ = try ctx.spawn_link(
+        Parent.Args{ .allocator = allocator },
+        Parent.start,
+        "remote_poc",
+        &exit_handler,
+        null,
+    );
+
+    ctx.run();
+
+    if (!success) return error.TestFailed;
+}
diff --git a/test/tests.zig b/test/tests.zig
index 81af45b..6331354 100644
--- a/test/tests.zig
+++ b/test/tests.zig
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const std = @import("std");
 pub const cpp = @import("tests_cpp.zig");
 pub const thespian = @import("tests_thespian.zig");
 pub const ip_tcp_client_server = @import("ip_tcp_client_server.zig");
+pub const remote_poc = @import("remote_poc_test.zig");
 
 test {
     std.testing.refAllDecls(@This());