diff --git a/bitswap/bitswap.go b/bitswap/bitswap.go
index ed30b0d2c..f42330795 100644
--- a/bitswap/bitswap.go
+++ b/bitswap/bitswap.go
@@ -60,10 +60,15 @@ type BitSwap struct {
 	haltChan chan struct{}
 }
 
-// NewBitSwap creates a new BitSwap instance. It does not check its parameters.
-func NewBitSwap(p *peer.Peer, d ds.Datastore, r routing.IpfsRouting) *BitSwap {
+// NewSession initializes a bitswap session.
+func NewSession(parent context.Context, p *peer.Peer, d ds.Datastore, r routing.IpfsRouting) *BitSwap {
+
+	// TODO(brian): define a contract for management of async operations that
+	// fall under bitswap's purview
+	ctx, _ := context.WithCancel(parent)
+
 	receiver := tx.Forwarder{}
-	sender := tx.NewBSNetService(context.Background(), &receiver)
+	sender := tx.NewServiceWrapper(ctx, &receiver)
 	bs := &BitSwap{
 		peer:          p,
 		datastore:     d,
diff --git a/bitswap/transmission/service_wrapper.go b/bitswap/transmission/service_wrapper.go
index 04d3f21f8..4a85d1c04 100644
--- a/bitswap/transmission/service_wrapper.go
+++ b/bitswap/transmission/service_wrapper.go
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ import (
 	peer "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/peer"
 )
 
-func NewBSNetService(ctx context.Context, r Receiver) Sender {
+func NewServiceWrapper(ctx context.Context, r Receiver) Sender {
 	h := &handlerWrapper{r}
 	s := netservice.NewService(ctx, h)
-	return &serviceWrapper{*s}
+	return &senderWrapper{s}
 }
 
 // handlerWrapper is responsible for marshaling/unmarshaling NetMessages. It
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ func (wrapper *handlerWrapper) HandleMessage(
 	return outgoing, nil
 }
 
-type serviceWrapper struct {
-	serviceDelegate netservice.Service
+type senderWrapper struct {
+	serviceDelegate netservice.Sender
 }
 
-func (wrapper *serviceWrapper) SendMessage(
+func (wrapper *senderWrapper) SendMessage(
 	ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer, outgoing bsmsg.Exportable) error {
 	nmsg, err := outgoing.ToNet(p)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (wrapper *serviceWrapper) SendMessage(
 	return wrapper.serviceDelegate.SendMessage(ctx, nmsg, req.ID)
 }
 
-func (wrapper *serviceWrapper) SendRequest(ctx context.Context,
+func (wrapper *senderWrapper) SendRequest(ctx context.Context,
 	p *peer.Peer, outgoing bsmsg.Exportable) (bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
 
 	outgoingMsg, err := outgoing.ToNet(p)
diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index 97eec86f0..fe91ff8e8 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ type IpfsNode struct {
 	Routing routing.IpfsRouting
 
 	// the block exchange + strategy (bitswap)
-	BitSwap *bitswap.BitSwap
+	BitSwap bitswap.BitSwap
 
 	// the block service, get/add blocks.
 	Blocks *bserv.BlockService
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ func NewIpfsNode(cfg *config.Config, online bool) (*IpfsNode, error) {
 		net *inet.Network
 		// TODO: refactor so we can use IpfsRouting interface instead of being DHT-specific
 		route *dht.IpfsDHT
-		swap  *bitswap.BitSwap
 	)
 
 	if online {
@@ -99,14 +98,14 @@ func NewIpfsNode(cfg *config.Config, online bool) (*IpfsNode, error) {
 		route.Start()
 
 		// TODO(brian): pass a context to bs for its async operations
-		swap = bitswap.NewBitSwap(local, d, route)
-		swap.SetStrategy(bitswap.YesManStrategy)
+		bitswapSession := bitswap.NewSession(context.TODO(), local, d, route)
+		bitswapSession.SetStrategy(bitswap.YesManStrategy)
 
 		// TODO(brian): pass a context to initConnections
 		go initConnections(cfg, route)
 	}
 
-	bs, err := bserv.NewBlockService(d, swap)
+	bs, err := bserv.NewBlockService(d, bitswapSession)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ func NewIpfsNode(cfg *config.Config, online bool) (*IpfsNode, error) {
 		Blocks:    bs,
 		DAG:       dag,
 		Resolver:  &path.Resolver{DAG: dag},
-		BitSwap:   swap,
+		BitSwap:   bitswapSession,
 		Identity:  local,
 		Routing:   route,
 	}, nil