diff --git a/datastore/sharedds.nim b/datastore/sharedds.nim
index 7f5afc9..769e964 100644
--- a/datastore/sharedds.nim
+++ b/datastore/sharedds.nim
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ import pkg/questionable/results
 import pkg/upraises
 import pkg/taskpools
 import pkg/stew/results
+import pkg/threading/smartptrs
 
 import ./key
 import ./query
 import ./datastore
 import ./threadbackend
-import threading/smartptrs
+import ./fsds
 
 import pretty
 
@@ -98,14 +99,14 @@ method close*(
 
   without res =? self.tds[].ds.close(), err:
     result = failure(err)
+  # GC_unref(self.tds[].ds) ## TODO: is this needed?
 
   if self.tds[].tp != nil:
     ## this can block... how to handle? maybe just leak?
     self.tds[].tp.shutdown()
 
-proc newSharedDataStore*(
-  # T: typedesc[SharedDatastore],
-  backend: ThreadBackend,
+proc newSharedDataStore*[T: Datastore](
+  ds: Datastore,
 ): Future[?!SharedDatastore] {.async.} =
 
   var
@@ -113,11 +114,12 @@ proc newSharedDataStore*(
 
   without res =? newThreadResult(ThreadDatastorePtr), err:
     return failure(err)
-  
+
   try:
     res[].value = newSharedPtr(ThreadDatastore)
     echo "\nnewDataStore: threadId:", getThreadId()
-    res.createThreadDatastore(backend)
+    # GC_ref(ds)
+    res[].value[].ds = ds
     await wait(res[].signal)
   finally:
     echo "closing signal"
diff --git a/datastore/threadbackend.nim b/datastore/threadbackend.nim
index 2f01923..6c06231 100644
--- a/datastore/threadbackend.nim
+++ b/datastore/threadbackend.nim
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import ./datastore
 import ./databuffer
 import threading/smartptrs
 
-import fsds
-
 import pretty
 
 export key, query, smartptrs, databuffer
@@ -131,8 +129,6 @@ proc put*(
 
   tds[].tp.spawn putTask(ret, tds[].backend, bkey, bval)
 
-proc startupDatastore(ret: TResult[ThreadDatastorePtr], backend: ThreadBackend,) {.raises: [].}
-
 proc createThreadDatastore*(
   ret: TResult[ThreadDatastorePtr],
   backend: ThreadBackend,
@@ -150,38 +146,3 @@ proc createThreadDatastore*(
     ret[].error = exc.toBuffer()
     discard
 
-
-proc startupDatastore(
-    ret: TResult[ThreadDatastorePtr],
-    backend: ThreadBackend,
-) {.raises: [].} =
-  ## starts up a FS instance on a give thread
-  echo "\n"
-  echo "\nstartupDatastore: threadId:", getThreadId()
-  print "\nstartupDatastore: backend:\n", backend
-
-  echo ""
-  case backend.kind:
-  of FSBackend:
-    let ds = FSDatastore.new(
-      root = backend.root.toString(),
-      depth = backend.depth,
-      caseSensitive = backend.caseSensitive,
-      ignoreProtected = backend.ignoreProtected
-    )
-    if ds.isOk:
-      let ds = ds.get()
-      GC_ref(ds)
-      ret[].value[].ds = ds
-      ret[].state = Success
-    else:
-      ret[].state = Error
-      ret[].state = Success
-  of TestBackend:
-    echo "startupDatastore: TestBackend"
-    ret[].value[].backend = TestBackend
-    ret[].state = Success
-  else:
-    discard
-  
-  # print "startupDatastore: signal", ret[].signal.fireSync()