diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index e6d09cab..27f44121 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ libzmq_la_SOURCES = \
     command.hpp \
     config.hpp \
     connecter.hpp \
+    context.hpp \
     data_distributor.hpp \
     decoder.hpp \
     devpoll.hpp \
-    dispatcher.hpp \
     dummy_aggregator.hpp \
     dummy_distributor.hpp \
     encoder.hpp \
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ libzmq_la_SOURCES = \
     zmq_tcp_engine.hpp \
     app_thread.cpp \
     connecter.cpp \
+    context.cpp \
     data_distributor.cpp \
     devpoll.hpp \
-    dispatcher.cpp \
     dummy_aggregator.cpp \
     dummy_distributor.cpp \
     epoll.cpp \
diff --git a/src/app_thread.cpp b/src/app_thread.cpp
index 2406dbd1..9cc61c79 100644
--- a/src/app_thread.cpp
+++ b/src/app_thread.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "app_thread.hpp"
-#include "dispatcher.hpp"
+#include "context.hpp"
 #include "err.hpp"
 #include "session.hpp"
 #include "pipe.hpp"
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
 #define ZMQ_DELAY_COMMANDS
 #endif
 
-zmq::app_thread_t::app_thread_t (dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_) :
-    object_t (dispatcher_, thread_slot_),
+zmq::app_thread_t::app_thread_t (context_t *context_, int thread_slot_) :
+    object_t (context_, thread_slot_),
     tid (0),
     last_processing_time (0)
 {
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void zmq::app_thread_t::process_commands (bool block_)
         for (int i = 0; i != thread_slot_count (); i++) {
             if (signals & (ypollset_t::signals_t (1) << i)) {
                 command_t cmd;
-                while (dispatcher->read (i, get_thread_slot (), &cmd))
+                while (context->read (i, get_thread_slot (), &cmd))
                     cmd.destination->process_command (cmd);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/app_thread.hpp b/src/app_thread.hpp
index ffe55963..8295c2f8 100644
--- a/src/app_thread.hpp
+++ b/src/app_thread.hpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        app_thread_t (class dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_);
+        app_thread_t (class context_t *context_, int thread_slot_);
 
         //  To be called when the whole infrastrucure is being closed.
         void shutdown ();
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace zmq
         struct i_api *create_socket (int type_);
 
         //  Nota bene: The following two functions are accessed from different
-        //  threads. The caller (dispatcher) is responsible for synchronisation
+        //  threads. The caller (context) is responsible for synchronisation
         //  of accesses.
 
         //  Returns true is current thread is associated with the app thread.
diff --git a/src/dispatcher.cpp b/src/context.cpp
similarity index 89%
rename from src/dispatcher.cpp
rename to src/context.cpp
index 56a5e0b4..ab4643ea 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/context.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "../include/zmq.h"
 
-#include "dispatcher.hpp"
+#include "context.hpp"
 #include "app_thread.hpp"
 #include "io_thread.hpp"
 #include "platform.hpp"
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "windows.h"
 #endif
 
-zmq::dispatcher_t::dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
+zmq::context_t::context_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
 {
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
     //  Intialise Windows sockets. Note that WSAStartup can be called multiple
@@ -72,12 +72,12 @@ zmq::dispatcher_t::dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
         io_threads [i]->start ();
 }
 
-void zmq::dispatcher_t::shutdown ()
+void zmq::context_t::shutdown ()
 {
      delete this;
 }
 
-zmq::dispatcher_t::~dispatcher_t ()
+zmq::context_t::~context_t ()
 {
     //  Ask I/O threads to terminate.
     for (io_threads_t::size_type i = 0; i != io_threads.size (); i++)
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ zmq::dispatcher_t::~dispatcher_t ()
 #endif
 }
 
-int zmq::dispatcher_t::thread_slot_count ()
+int zmq::context_t::thread_slot_count ()
 {
     return signalers.size ();
 }
 
-zmq::i_api *zmq::dispatcher_t::create_socket (int type_)
+zmq::i_api *zmq::context_t::create_socket (int type_)
 {
     threads_sync.lock ();
     app_thread_t *thread = choose_app_thread ();
@@ -128,14 +128,14 @@ zmq::i_api *zmq::dispatcher_t::create_socket (int type_)
     return s;
 }
 
-zmq::app_thread_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::choose_app_thread ()
+zmq::app_thread_t *zmq::context_t::choose_app_thread ()
 {
     //  Check whether thread ID is already assigned. If so, return it.
     for (app_threads_t::size_type i = 0; i != app_threads.size (); i++)
         if (app_threads [i]->is_current ())
             return app_threads [i];
 
-    //  Check whether there's an unused thread slot in the dispatcher.
+    //  Check whether there's an unused thread slot in the cotext.
     for (app_threads_t::size_type i = 0; i != app_threads.size (); i++)
         if (app_threads [i]->make_current ())
             return app_threads [i];
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ zmq::app_thread_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::choose_app_thread ()
     return NULL;
 }
 
-zmq::io_thread_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::choose_io_thread (uint64_t taskset_)
+zmq::io_thread_t *zmq::context_t::choose_io_thread (uint64_t taskset_)
 {
     zmq_assert (io_threads.size () > 0);
 
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ zmq::io_thread_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::choose_io_thread (uint64_t taskset_)
     return io_threads [result];
 }
 
-void zmq::dispatcher_t::create_pipe (object_t *reader_parent_,
+void zmq::context_t::create_pipe (object_t *reader_parent_,
     object_t *writer_parent_, uint64_t hwm_, uint64_t lwm_,
     pipe_reader_t **reader_, pipe_writer_t **writer_)
 {
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void zmq::dispatcher_t::create_pipe (object_t *reader_parent_,
     *writer_ = writer;
 }
 
-void zmq::dispatcher_t::destroy_pipe (pipe_t *pipe_)
+void zmq::context_t::destroy_pipe (pipe_t *pipe_)
 {
     //  Remove the pipe from the repository.
     pipe_info_t info;
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ void zmq::dispatcher_t::destroy_pipe (pipe_t *pipe_)
     delete info.writer;
 }
 
-int zmq::dispatcher_t::register_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_,
+int zmq::context_t::register_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_,
     session_t *session_)
 {
    inproc_endpoint_sync.lock ();
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ int zmq::dispatcher_t::register_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_,
    return 0;
 }
 
-zmq::object_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::get_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_)
+zmq::object_t *zmq::context_t::get_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_)
 {
     inproc_endpoint_sync.lock ();
     inproc_endpoints_t::iterator it = inproc_endpoints.find (endpoint_);
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ zmq::object_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::get_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_)
     return session;
 }
 
-void zmq::dispatcher_t::unregister_inproc_endpoints (session_t *session_)
+void zmq::context_t::unregister_inproc_endpoints (session_t *session_)
 {
     inproc_endpoint_sync.lock ();
 
diff --git a/src/dispatcher.hpp b/src/context.hpp
similarity index 89%
rename from src/dispatcher.hpp
rename to src/context.hpp
index 07c35cd1..7701ef70 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher.hpp
+++ b/src/context.hpp
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
     along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
-#ifndef __ZMQ_DISPATCHER_HPP_INCLUDED__
-#define __ZMQ_DISPATCHER_HPP_INCLUDED__
+#ifndef __ZMQ_CONTEXT_HPP_INCLUDED__
+#define __ZMQ_CONTEXT_HPP_INCLUDED__
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
@@ -37,19 +37,19 @@ namespace zmq
     //  Dispatcher implements bidirectional thread-safe passing of commands
     //  between N threads. It consists of a ypipes to pass commands and
     //  signalers to wake up the receiver thread when new commands are
-    //  available. Note that dispatcher is inefficient for passing messages
+    //  available. Note that context is inefficient for passing messages
     //  within a thread (sender thread = receiver thread). The optimisation is
     //  not part of the class and should be implemented by individual threads
     //  (presumably by calling the command handling function directly).
     
-    class dispatcher_t
+    class context_t
     {
     public:
 
-        //  Create the dispatcher object. Matrix of pipes to communicate between
+        //  Create the context object. Matrix of pipes to communicate between
         //  each socket and each I/O thread is created along with appropriate
         //  signalers.
-        dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_);
+        context_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_);
 
         //  To be called to terminate the whole infrastructure (zmq_term).
         void shutdown ();
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ namespace zmq
         //  Create a socket engine.
         struct i_api *create_socket (int type_);
 
-        //  Returns number of thread slots in the dispatcher. To be used by
+        //  Returns number of thread slots in the context. To be used by
         //  individual threads to find out how many distinct signals can be
         //  received.
         int thread_slot_count ();
 
-        //  Write command to the dispatcher.
+        //  Send command from the source to the destination.
         inline void write (int source_, int destination_,
             const command_t &command_)
         {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace zmq
                 signalers [destination_]->signal (source_);
         }
 
-        //  Read command from the dispatcher. Returns false if there is no
+        //  Receive command from the source. Returns false if there is no
         //  command available.
         inline bool read (int source_,  int destination_, command_t *command_)
         {
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ namespace zmq
     private:
 
         //  Clean-up.
-        ~dispatcher_t ();
+        ~context_t ();
 
         //  Returns the app thread associated with the current thread.
         //  NULL if we are out of app thread slots.
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ namespace zmq
         //  of inproc endpoints.
         mutex_t inproc_endpoint_sync;
 
-        dispatcher_t (const dispatcher_t&);
-        void operator = (const dispatcher_t&);
+        context_t (const context_t&);
+        void operator = (const context_t&);
     };
     
 }
diff --git a/src/io_thread.cpp b/src/io_thread.cpp
index 045627ce..162ed4c2 100644
--- a/src/io_thread.cpp
+++ b/src/io_thread.cpp
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@
 #include "select.hpp"
 #include "devpoll.hpp"
 #include "kqueue.hpp"
-#include "dispatcher.hpp"
+#include "context.hpp"
 #include "session.hpp"
 #include "simple_semaphore.hpp"
 #include "session.hpp"
 
-zmq::io_thread_t::io_thread_t (dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_) :
-    object_t (dispatcher_, thread_slot_)
+zmq::io_thread_t::io_thread_t (context_t *context_, int thread_slot_) :
+    object_t (context_, thread_slot_)
 {
 #if defined ZMQ_FORCE_SELECT
     poller = new select_t;
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void zmq::io_thread_t::in_event ()
 
             //  Read all the commands from particular thread.
             command_t cmd;
-            while (dispatcher->read (source_thread_slot, thread_slot, &cmd))
+            while (context->read (source_thread_slot, thread_slot, &cmd))
                 cmd.destination->process_command (cmd);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/io_thread.hpp b/src/io_thread.hpp
index afb8110b..585a28b8 100644
--- a/src/io_thread.hpp
+++ b/src/io_thread.hpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        io_thread_t (class dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_);
+        io_thread_t (class context_t *context_, int thread_slot_);
 
         //  Launch the physical thread.
         void start ();
diff --git a/src/object.cpp b/src/object.cpp
index a9370ab2..7c852120 100644
--- a/src/object.cpp
+++ b/src/object.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 */
 
 #include "object.hpp"
-#include "dispatcher.hpp"
+#include "context.hpp"
 #include "err.hpp"
 #include "pipe_reader.hpp"
 #include "pipe_writer.hpp"
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@
 #include "simple_semaphore.hpp"
 #include "i_engine.hpp"
 
-zmq::object_t::object_t (dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_) :
-    dispatcher (dispatcher_),
+zmq::object_t::object_t (context_t *context_, int thread_slot_) :
+    context (context_),
     thread_slot (thread_slot_)
 {
 }
 
 zmq::object_t::object_t (object_t *parent_) :
-    dispatcher (parent_->dispatcher),
+    context (parent_->context),
     thread_slot (parent_->thread_slot)
 {
 }
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ zmq::object_t::~object_t ()
 
 int zmq::object_t::thread_slot_count ()
 {
-    return dispatcher->thread_slot_count ();
+    return context->thread_slot_count ();
 }
 
 int zmq::object_t::get_thread_slot ()
@@ -107,34 +107,34 @@ void zmq::object_t::create_pipe (object_t *reader_parent_,
     object_t *writer_parent_, uint64_t hwm_, uint64_t lwm_,
     pipe_reader_t **reader_, pipe_writer_t **writer_)
 {
-    dispatcher->create_pipe (reader_parent_, writer_parent_, hwm_, lwm_,
+    context->create_pipe (reader_parent_, writer_parent_, hwm_, lwm_,
         reader_, writer_);
 }
 
 void zmq::object_t::destroy_pipe (pipe_t *pipe_)
 {
-    dispatcher->destroy_pipe (pipe_);
+    context->destroy_pipe (pipe_);
 }
 
 int zmq::object_t::register_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_,
     session_t *session_)
 {
-    return dispatcher->register_inproc_endpoint (endpoint_, session_);
+    return context->register_inproc_endpoint (endpoint_, session_);
 }
 
 zmq::object_t *zmq::object_t::get_inproc_endpoint (const char *endpoint_)
 {
-    return dispatcher->get_inproc_endpoint (endpoint_);
+    return context->get_inproc_endpoint (endpoint_);
 }
 
 void zmq::object_t::unregister_inproc_endpoints (session_t *session_)
 {
-    dispatcher->unregister_inproc_endpoints (session_);
+    context->unregister_inproc_endpoints (session_);
 }
 
 zmq::io_thread_t *zmq::object_t::choose_io_thread (uint64_t taskset_)
 {
-    return dispatcher->choose_io_thread (taskset_);
+    return context->choose_io_thread (taskset_);
 }
 
 void zmq::object_t::send_stop ()
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ void zmq::object_t::send_stop ()
     command_t cmd;
     cmd.destination = this;
     cmd.type = command_t::stop;
-    dispatcher->write (thread_slot, thread_slot, cmd);
+    context->write (thread_slot, thread_slot, cmd);
 }
 
 void zmq::object_t::send_bind (object_t *destination_, pipe_reader_t *reader_,
@@ -289,6 +289,6 @@ void zmq::object_t::send_command (command_t &cmd_)
     if (destination_thread_slot == thread_slot)
         cmd_.destination->process_command (cmd_);
     else 
-        dispatcher->write (thread_slot, destination_thread_slot, cmd_);
+        context->write (thread_slot, destination_thread_slot, cmd_);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/object.hpp b/src/object.hpp
index b2ae3349..796e7fa8 100644
--- a/src/object.hpp
+++ b/src/object.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        object_t (class dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_);
+        object_t (class context_t *context_, int thread_slot_);
         object_t (object_t *parent_);
         ~object_t ();
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace zmq
     protected:
 
         //  Derived object can use following functions to interact with
-        //  global repositories. See dispatcher.hpp for function details.
+        //  global repositories. See context.hpp for function details.
         int thread_slot_count ();
         void create_pipe (class object_t *reader_parent_,
             class object_t *writer_parent_, uint64_t hwm_, uint64_t lwm_,
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace zmq
         virtual void process_terminate_ack ();
 
         //  Pointer to the root of the infrastructure.
-        class dispatcher_t *dispatcher;
+        class context_t *context;
 
         //  Slot ID of the thread the object belongs to.
         int thread_slot;
diff --git a/src/pipe.hpp b/src/pipe.hpp
index 16ac8375..8894a225 100644
--- a/src/pipe.hpp
+++ b/src/pipe.hpp
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ namespace zmq
 
     class pipe_t : public ypipe_t <zmq_msg, false, message_pipe_granularity>
     {
-        //  Dispatcher is a friend so that it can create & destroy the pipes.
+        //  Context is a friend so that it can create & destroy the pipes.
         //  By making constructor & destructor private we are sure that nobody
-        //  except dispatcher messes with pipes.
-        friend class dispatcher_t;
+        //  except context messes with pipes.
+        friend class context_t;
 
     private:
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace zmq
         void set_index (int index_);
         int get_index ();
 
-        //  Index of the pipe in dispatcher's array of pipes.
+        //  Index of the pipe in context's array of pipes.
         int index;
 
         pipe_t (const pipe_t&);
diff --git a/src/pipe_reader.cpp b/src/pipe_reader.cpp
index eea1371e..79dfe2e7 100644
--- a/src/pipe_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe_reader.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,6 @@ void zmq::pipe_reader_t::terminate ()
 
 void zmq::pipe_reader_t::process_terminate_ack ()
 {
-    //  Ask dispatcher to deallocate the pipe.
+    //  Ask context to deallocate the pipe.
     destroy_pipe (pipe);
 }
diff --git a/src/pipe_reader.hpp b/src/pipe_reader.hpp
index 4f859880..cf45bb40 100644
--- a/src/pipe_reader.hpp
+++ b/src/pipe_reader.hpp
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ namespace zmq
 
     class pipe_reader_t : public object_t
     {
-        //  Dispatcher is a friend so that it can create & destroy the reader.
+        //  Context is a friend so that it can create & destroy the reader.
         //  By making constructor & destructor private we are sure that nobody
-        //  except dispatcher messes with readers.
-        friend class dispatcher_t;
+        //  except context messes with readers.
+        friend class context_t;
 
     public:
 
diff --git a/src/pipe_writer.hpp b/src/pipe_writer.hpp
index 2c5132ea..a727b1fc 100644
--- a/src/pipe_writer.hpp
+++ b/src/pipe_writer.hpp
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ namespace zmq
 
     class pipe_writer_t : public object_t
     {
-        //  Dispatcher is a friend so that it can create & destroy the writer.
+        //  Context is a friend so that it can create & destroy the writer.
         //  By making constructor & destructor private we are sure that nobody
-        //  except dispatcher messes with writers.
-        friend class dispatcher_t;
+        //  except context messes with writers.
+        friend class context_t;
 
     public:
 
diff --git a/src/safe_object.cpp b/src/safe_object.cpp
index 5a5ab8b4..d4a92d78 100644
--- a/src/safe_object.cpp
+++ b/src/safe_object.cpp
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 
 #include "safe_object.hpp"
 
-zmq::safe_object_t::safe_object_t (class dispatcher_t *dispatcher_,
-      int thread_slot_) :
-    object_t (dispatcher_, thread_slot_),
+zmq::safe_object_t::safe_object_t (class context_t *context_,
+        int thread_slot_) :
+    object_t (context_, thread_slot_),
     processed_seqnum (0),
     terminating (false)
 {
diff --git a/src/safe_object.hpp b/src/safe_object.hpp
index 8bdd41cc..b47db48b 100644
--- a/src/safe_object.hpp
+++ b/src/safe_object.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        safe_object_t (class dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_);
+        safe_object_t (class context_t *context_, int thread_slot_);
         safe_object_t (object_t *parent_);
 
         void inc_seqnum ();
diff --git a/src/zmq.cpp b/src/zmq.cpp
index a7fd486c..0fb6fe1a 100644
--- a/src/zmq.cpp
+++ b/src/zmq.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "i_api.hpp"
 #include "err.hpp"
-#include "dispatcher.hpp"
+#include "context.hpp"
 #include "msg.hpp"
 
 int zmq_msg_init (zmq_msg *msg_)
@@ -162,28 +162,27 @@ int zmq_msg_type (zmq_msg *msg_)
 
 void *zmq_init (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
 {
-    //  There should be at least a single thread managed by the dispatcher.
+    //  There should be at least a single thread managed by the context.
     if (app_threads_ < 0 || io_threads_ < 0 ||
           app_threads_ + io_threads_ == 0) {
         errno = EINVAL;
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    zmq::dispatcher_t *dispatcher =
-        new zmq::dispatcher_t (app_threads_, io_threads_);
-    zmq_assert (dispatcher);
-    return (void*) dispatcher;
+    zmq::context_t *context = new zmq::context_t (app_threads_, io_threads_);
+    zmq_assert (context);
+    return (void*) context;
 }
 
 int zmq_term (void *context_)
 {
-    ((zmq::dispatcher_t*) context_)->shutdown ();
+    ((zmq::context_t*) context_)->shutdown ();
     return 0;
 }
 
 void *zmq_socket (void *context_, int type_)
 {
-    return (void*) (((zmq::dispatcher_t*) context_)->create_socket (type_));
+    return (void*) (((zmq::context_t*) context_)->create_socket (type_));
 }
 
 int zmq_close (void *s_)