diff --git a/include/thespian/c/instance.h b/include/thespian/c/instance.h
index 3a2eb06..29e5977 100644
--- a/include/thespian/c/instance.h
+++ b/include/thespian/c/instance.h
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 typedef thespian_result (*thespian_receiver)(thespian_behaviour_state,
                                              thespian_handle from, cbor_buffer);
+typedef void (*thespian_receiver_dtor)(thespian_behaviour_state);
 
-void thespian_receive(thespian_receiver, thespian_behaviour_state);
+void thespian_receive(thespian_receiver, thespian_behaviour_state,
+                      thespian_receiver_dtor);
 
 bool thespian_get_trap();
 bool thespian_set_trap(bool);
diff --git a/src/c/instance.cpp b/src/c/instance.cpp
index 48232b8..5007f58 100644
--- a/src/c/instance.cpp
+++ b/src/c/instance.cpp
@@ -7,11 +7,19 @@ using std::string_view;
 
 extern "C" {
 
-void thespian_receive(thespian_receiver r, thespian_behaviour_state s) {
-  thespian::receive([r, s](auto from, cbor::buffer msg) -> thespian::result {
+void thespian_receive(thespian_receiver r, thespian_behaviour_state s,
+                      thespian_receiver_dtor dtor) {
+  struct receiver_wrapper {
+    thespian_receiver r;
+    thespian_behaviour_state s;
+    thespian_receiver_dtor dtor;
+    ~receiver_wrapper() { dtor(s); }
+  };
+  auto wrapper = std::make_shared<receiver_wrapper>(r, s, dtor);
+  thespian::receive([wrapper](auto from, cbor::buffer msg) -> thespian::result {
     thespian_handle from_handle = reinterpret_cast<thespian_handle>( // NOLINT
         &from);
-    auto *ret = r(s, from_handle, {msg.data(), msg.size()});
+    auto *ret = wrapper->r(wrapper->s, from_handle, {msg.data(), msg.size()});
     if (ret) {
       auto err = cbor::buffer();
       const uint8_t *data = ret->base;
diff --git a/src/thespian.zig b/src/thespian.zig
index 1afd814..d05e261 100644
--- a/src/thespian.zig
+++ b/src/thespian.zig
@@ -541,23 +541,29 @@ pub fn receive(r: anytype) void {
         },
         else => @compileError("invalid receiver type"),
     };
-    c.thespian_receive(T.run, r);
+    c.thespian_receive(T.run, r, T.dtor);
 }
 
 pub fn Receiver(comptime T: type) type {
     return struct {
         f: FunT,
+        deinit_f: DeinitFunT,
         data: T,
         const FunT: type = *const fn (T, from: pid_ref, m: message) result;
+        const DeinitFunT: type = *const fn (T) void;
         const Self = @This();
-        pub fn init(f: FunT, data: T) Self {
-            return .{ .f = f, .data = data };
+        pub fn init(f: FunT, deinit_fn: DeinitFunT, data: T) Self {
+            return .{ .f = f, .deinit_f = deinit_fn, .data = data };
         }
         pub fn run(ostate: c.thespian_behaviour_state, from: c.thespian_handle, m: c.cbor_buffer) callconv(.c) c.thespian_result {
             const state: *Self = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ostate orelse unreachable));
             reset_error();
             return to_result(state.f(state.data, wrap_handle(from), message.from(m)));
         }
+        pub fn dtor(ostate: c.thespian_behaviour_state) callconv(.c) void {
+            const state: *Self = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ostate orelse unreachable));
+            state.deinit_f(state.data);
+        }
     };
 }
 
@@ -980,11 +986,10 @@ const CallContext = struct {
             .response = null,
             .a = a,
         };
-        self.receiver = ReceiverT.init(receive_, self);
+        self.receiver = ReceiverT.init(receive_, deinit_from_dtor, self);
         const proc = try spawn_link(a, self, start, @typeName(Self));
         defer proc.deinit();
         try self.done.timedWait(timeout_ns);
-        defer self.deinit(); // only deinit on success. if we timed out proc will have to deinit
         return self.response orelse .{};
     }
 
@@ -992,22 +997,23 @@ const CallContext = struct {
         self.a.destroy(self);
     }
 
+    fn deinit_from_dtor(self: *Self) void {
+        // dtor fires after actor exits; only free if caller has already moved on (timed out or got response)
+        const expired = self.from.expired();
+        self.from.deinit();
+        if (expired) self.deinit();
+    }
+
     fn start(self: *Self) result {
         errdefer self.done.set();
-        _ = set_trap(true);
         try self.to.link();
         try self.to.send_raw(self.request);
         receive(&self.receiver);
     }
 
     fn receive_(self: *Self, _: pid_ref, m: message) result {
-        defer {
-            const expired = self.from.expired();
-            self.from.deinit();
-            self.done.set();
-            if (expired) self.deinit();
-        }
         self.response = m.clone(self.a) catch |e| return exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
+        self.done.set();
         return exit_normal();
     }
 };
@@ -1034,17 +1040,17 @@ const DelayedSender = struct {
     }
 
     fn start(self: *DelayedSender) result {
-        self.receiver = ReceiverT.init(receive_, self);
+        self.receiver = ReceiverT.init(receive_, deinit, self);
         const m_ = self.message.?;
         self.timeout = timeout.init(self.delay_us, m_) catch |e| return exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
         self.a.free(m_.buf);
-        _ = set_trap(true);
         receive(&self.receiver);
     }
 
     fn deinit(self: *DelayedSender) void {
         self.timeout.deinit();
         self.target.deinit();
+        self.a.destroy(self);
     }
 
     fn receive_(self: *DelayedSender, _: pid_ref, m_: message) result {
@@ -1052,7 +1058,6 @@ const DelayedSender = struct {
             self.timeout.cancel() catch |e| return exit_error(e, @errorReturnTrace());
             return;
         }
-        defer self.deinit();
         if (try m_.match(.{ "exit", "timeout_error", any, any }))
             return exit_normal();
         try self.target.send_raw(m_);