diff --git a/lib/tiny-cloud/init b/lib/tiny-cloud/init
index 7e590ff..170e14a 100644
--- a/lib/tiny-cloud/init
+++ b/lib/tiny-cloud/init
@@ -8,19 +8,28 @@
 : "${SKIP_INIT_ACTIONS:=}"
 : "${HOTPLUG_TYPE:=mdev}"
 
-# TODO: default phase actions
+### default phase actions (without leading 'init__')
 
-# ensure existence of output directories
-[ ! -d "$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS" ] && mkdir -p "$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS"
-[ ! -d "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR" ] && mkdir -p "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR"
+INIT_ACTIONS_EARLY="
+    expand_root
+    install_hotplugs
+"
+INIT_ACTIONS_MAIN="
+    save_userdata
+    set_hostname
+    set_ssh_keys
+"
+INIT_ACTIONS_FINAL="
+    run_userdata
+"
 
-### NOTE: init-early functions...
+# try to ensure existence of output directories, but otherwise don't panic
+[ ! -d "$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS" ] && mkdir -p "$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS" || true
+[ ! -d "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR" ] && mkdir -p "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR" || true
 
-expand_root() {
-    skip_action expand_root && return
-
-    echo "Expanding Root Volume/ Partition"
+### init-early functions...
 
+init__expand_root() {
     local dev=$(awk '$2 == "/" {print $1}' "$ROOT"/proc/mounts)
     local partition=$(cat "$ROOT/sys/class/block/${dev#/dev/}/partition" 2>/dev/null)
 
@@ -35,36 +44,29 @@ expand_root() {
     $MOCK resize2fs "$dev"
 }
 
-install_hotplugs() {
-    skip_action install_hotplugs && return
-    [ ! -n "$HOTPLUG_MODULES" ] && return
-
-    echo "Installing Cloud Hotplugs"
-
+init__install_hotplugs() {
     local result rc=0
 
+    [ ! -n "$HOTPLUG_MODULES" ] && return
     if [ -f "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/$HOTPLUG_TYPE" ]; then
-	    . "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/$HOTPLUG_TYPE"
+        . "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/$HOTPLUG_TYPE"
     fi
 
+    printf ':' >&2
     for module in $HOTPLUG_MODULES; do
-        result='-'
-        printf " $module"
+        result='?'
+        printf "$module" >&2
         if type "mod__$module" | grep -q -w "function"; then
             "mod__$module" && result='+' || { result='!'; rc=1; }
         fi
-        printf "($result)"
+        printf '(%s) ' $result >&2
     done
     return $rc
 }
 
-### NOTE: init-main functions
-
-set_hostname() {
-    skip_action set_hostname && return
-
-    echo "Setting Instance Hostname"
+### init-main functions
 
+init__set_hostname() {
     local fqdn=$(imds @hostname)
     local host="${fqdn%%\.*}"
 
@@ -74,11 +76,7 @@ set_hostname() {
     echo -e "127.0.1.1\t$fqdn $host" >> "$ROOT"/etc/hosts
 }
 
-set_ssh_keys() {
-    skip_action set_ssh_keys && return
-
-    echo "Installing SSH Keys for $CLOUD_USER User"
-
+init__set_ssh_keys() {
     local user="$CLOUD_USER"
     local pwent="$(getent passwd "$user")"
     local group=$(echo "$pwent" | cut -d: -f4)
@@ -96,87 +94,61 @@ set_ssh_keys() {
     imds @ssh-keys > "$keys_file"
 }
 
-save_userdata() {
-    skip_action save_userdata && return
-
-    # TODO: this trips save_userdata_* and run_userdata tests: "stdout not empty"
-    #echo "Saving Instance UserData"
-
+init__save_userdata() {
     local userdata="$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/user-data"
     local tmpfile=$(mktemp "$userdata.XXXXXX")
-    local cmd
 
     imds -e @userdata > "$tmpfile"
-    cmd="cat"
-    if ! skip_action decompress_userdata; then
-        if printf '\037\213\010' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
-            gzip -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf 'BZh' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
-            bzip2 -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf '\375\067\172\130\132\000' | cmp -s -n 6 "$tmpfile"; then
-            unxz -c "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf '\135\000\000' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
-            lzma -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf '\211\114\132' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
-            lzop -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf '\004\042\115\030' | cmp -s -n 4 "$tmpfile"; then
-            lz4 -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        elif printf '(\265/\375' | cmp -s -n 4 "$tmpfile"; then
-            zstd -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
-        else
-            cp "$tmpfile" "$userdata"
-        fi
+    if printf '\037\213\010' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
+        gzip -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf 'BZh' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
+        bzip2 -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf '\375\067\172\130\132\000' | cmp -s -n 6 "$tmpfile"; then
+        unxz -c "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf '\135\000\000' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
+        lzma -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf '\211\114\132' | cmp -s -n 3 "$tmpfile"; then
+        lzop -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf '\004\042\115\030' | cmp -s -n 4 "$tmpfile"; then
+        lz4 -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
+    elif printf '(\265/\375' | cmp -s -n 4 "$tmpfile"; then
+        zstd -dc "$tmpfile" > "$userdata"
     else
         cp "$tmpfile" "$userdata"
     fi
     rm "$tmpfile"
 }
 
-### TODO: init-final functions
-
-run_userdata() {
-    skip_action run_userdata && return
-    if [ $(userdata_type) != "script" ]; then
-        echo "UserData is not executable"
-        return
-    fi
-
-    echo "Executing UserData Script"
+### init-final functions
 
+init__run_userdata() {
     local log="$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS/user-data.log"
     local exit="$TINY_CLOUD_LOGS/user-data.exit"
     local userdata="$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/user-data"
 
+    if [ $(userdata_type) != "script" ]; then
+        printf '(Not Executable) ' >&2
+        return
+    fi
+
     chmod +x "$userdata"
     { "$userdata" 2>& 1; echo $? > "$exit"; } | tee "$log"
 
     return $(cat "$exit")
 }
 
+### potentially override the above, per cloud
+
 # load cloud-specific init functions / vars
 if [ -f "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/cloud/$CLOUD/init" ]; then
-	. "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/cloud/$CLOUD/init"
+    . "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/cloud/$CLOUD/init"
 fi
 
-# TODO: load user-data type-specific init functions / vars
-
-### non-overrideable functions
-
-# should we skip this action?
-skip_action() {
-    local action="$1"
-    for i in $SKIP_INIT_ACTIONS; do
-        if [ "$i" = "$action" ]; then
-            printf " SKIPPING"
-            return 0
-        fi
-    done
-    return 1
-}
 
+# this should be non-overrideable, but need this before we...
 userdata_type() {
     if [ -f "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/user-data" ]; then
-        header=$(head -n1 "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/user-data")
+        header=$(head -n1 "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/user-data" | sed -e 's/[[:space:]].*//g')
         case "$header" in
             '#cloud-config') echo cloud-config;;
             '#!'*) echo script;;
@@ -186,3 +158,6 @@ userdata_type() {
         echo missing
     fi
 }
+
+# ...load user-data type-specific init functions / vars
+# TODO
diff --git a/sbin/tiny-cloud b/sbin/tiny-cloud
index aa6884a..6c0c01f 100755
--- a/sbin/tiny-cloud
+++ b/sbin/tiny-cloud
@@ -14,18 +14,15 @@ Usage: ${0##*/} [-h | --help] { early | main | final | --bootstrap {complete|inc
 EOF
 }
 
-bootstrap_complete() {
-    echo "Marking Instance Bootstrap Complete"
+init__bootstrap_complete() {
     touch "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/.bootstrap-complete"
 }
-
-bootstrap_incomplete() {
-    echo "Marking Instance Bootstrap Incomplete"
+init__bootstrap_incomplete() {
     rm -f "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/.bootstrap-complete"
 }
 
 args=$(getopt -o hb: --long help,bootstrap: -n ${0##*/} -- "$@")
-if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+if [ $? -ne 0 ] || [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
     usage >&2
     exit 1
 fi
@@ -36,11 +33,12 @@ while true; do
         -b|--bootstrap) shift
             case "$1" in
                 complete)   # indicate bootstrap is done
-                    bootstrap_complete;;
+                    init__bootstrap_complete;;
                 incomplete) # indicate bootstrap isn't done
-                    bootstrap_incomplete;;
+                    init__bootstrap_incomplete;;
                 *) usage >&2; exit 1;;
             esac
+            printf ' bootstrap marked "%s"\n' "$1" >&2
             exit 0;;
         --) shift; break;;
         *) usage >&2; exit 1;;
@@ -58,32 +56,48 @@ esac
 
 # is initial bootstrap already done?
 if [ -f "$TINY_CLOUD_VAR/.bootstrap-complete" ]; then
-    log -s "Already bootstrapped"
+    printf ' already bootstrapped\n' >&2
     exit 0;
 fi
 
-### default phase actions
-
-# TODO? represent as vars containing lists of funcs?
-
-early() {
-    expand_root
-    install_hotplugs
-}
-
-main() {
-    save_userdata
-    set_hostname
-    set_ssh_keys
-}
-
-final() {
-    run_userdata
-    bootstrap_complete
-}
-
 # load init functions
 . "$LIBDIR/tiny-cloud/init"
 
-# TODO? for loop over list of funcs? -- better for ebegin/eend-ish output
-echo $phase "$@"
+### non-overrideable stuff
+
+# should we skip this action?
+skip_action() {
+    local action="$1"
+    for i in $SKIP_INIT_ACTIONS; do
+        if [ "$i" = "$action" ]; then
+            return 0
+        fi
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+# mandatory final action...
+INIT_ACTIONS_FINAL="${INIT_ACTIONS_FINAL} bootstrap_complete"
+
+### let's do stuff!
+
+case "$phase" in
+    early)  INIT_ACTIONS="$INIT_ACTIONS_EARLY";;
+    main)   INIT_ACTIONS="$INIT_ACTIONS_MAIN";;
+    final)  INIT_ACTIONS="$INIT_ACTIONS_FINAL";;
+    *)      usage >&2; exit 1
+esac
+
+for ACTION in $INIT_ACTIONS; do
+    if skip_action "$ACTION"; then
+        printf '\n  -- %s : [SKIP]' $ACTION >&2
+        continue
+    fi
+    printf '\n  ++ %s ' $ACTION >&2
+    RESULT="UNKNOWN"
+    if type "init__$ACTION" | grep -q -w "function"; then
+        "init__$ACTION" "$@" && RESULT="DONE" || RESULT="FAIL"
+    fi
+    printf ': [%s]' $RESULT >&2
+done
+echo >&2