diff --git a/samples/Makefile b/samples/Makefile
index 1103cc93c04..4a220a1ef77 100644
--- a/samples/Makefile
+++ b/samples/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ASC_FLAGS=-r -t -v
 
 
 SAMPLES:=$(basename $(wildcard *.as))
+SUBDIRS:=$(shell ls -d */)
 
 all:
 	rm -f *.txt
@@ -14,6 +15,9 @@ all:
 	  echo "$(ASC) $(ASC_FLAGS) $$sample.as >$$sample.txt 2>&1"; \
 	  $(ASC) $(ASC_FLAGS) $$sample.as >$$sample.txt 2>&1; \
 	done
+	@for dir in $(SUBDIRS); do \
+	  make -C  $$dir ; \
+	done
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.txt
diff --git a/samples/app/Makefile b/samples/app/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..95c3871de0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Makefile for actorscript  demos
+
+# This works with bash
+
+ASC=../../src/asc
+DVM=../../test/dvm.sh
+# we need to specify the output if there is more than one .as file
+OUT=main.wasm
+#ASC_FLAGS=-r -t -v
+LIB=list.as types.as server.as client.as
+
+SAMPLES:= test
+
+all:
+	$(ASC) -r -t -v $(LIB) main.as >main.txt 2>&1
+
+dvm:
+	$(ASC) --dfinity -o $(OUT) $(LIB) main.as
+	$(DVM) $(OUT)
+
+clean:
+	rm -f $(OUT)
diff --git a/samples/app/README.md b/samples/app/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4edaef412f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Compiling multiple-files as a single application
+
+This sample shows how to interpret/compile an application consisting of multipl e `.as` files by passing several files on the `asc` command-line.
+
+The application is a version of the single-file [chatpp][../chatpp.as], split into several files.
+
+See the [Makefile](./Makefile) for more details.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/samples/app/client.as b/samples/app/client.as
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d29ab90227b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/client.as
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+actor class Client() = this {
+  // TODO: these should be constructor params once we can compile them
+  private var name : Text = "";
+  private var server : ?Server  = null;
+
+  go(n : Text, s : Server) {
+    name := n;
+    server := ?s;
+    ignore(async {
+      let sub = await s.subscribe(this);
+      sub.post("hello from " # name);
+      sub.post("goodbye from " # name);
+      sub.cancel();
+    })
+  };
+
+  send(msg : Text) {
+    print(name # " received " # msg # "\n");
+  };
+};
+
diff --git a/samples/app/list.as b/samples/app/list.as
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b37e2d13f01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/list.as
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+type List<T> = ?{head : T; var tail : List<T>};
+
diff --git a/samples/app/main.as b/samples/app/main.as
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d23e4ee6fb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/main.as
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+let server = Server();
+let bob = Client();
+let alice = Client();
+let charlie = Client();
+bob.go("bob", server);
+alice.go("alice", server);
+charlie.go("charlie", server);
diff --git a/samples/app/main.txt b/samples/app/main.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..15622ff780c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/main.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+-- Checking all:
+type Client = actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()}
+type ClientData = {client : Client; id : Nat; revoked : var Bool}
+type List<T> = ?{head : T; tail : var List<T>}
+type Server = actor {subscribe : shared Client -> async Subscription}
+type Subscription = shared {cancel : shared () -> (); post : shared Text -> ()}
+let Client : () -> Client
+let Server : () -> Server
+let alice : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()}
+let bob : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()}
+let charlie : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()}
+let server : actor {subscribe : shared Client -> async Subscription}
+-- Interpreting all:
+Server()
+  <= {subscribe = func}
+Client()
+  <= {go = func; send = func}
+Client()
+  <= {go = func; send = func}
+Client()
+  <= {go = func; send = func}
+-> message go("bob", {subscribe = func})
+-> message go("alice", {subscribe = func})
+-> message go("charlie", {subscribe = func})
+<- message go("bob", {subscribe = func})
+  go("bob", {subscribe = func})
+    -> async client.as:9.12-14.6
+    ignore(async _)
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message go("alice", {subscribe = func})
+  go("alice", {subscribe = func})
+    -> async client.as:9.12-14.6
+    ignore(async _)
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message go("charlie", {subscribe = func})
+  go("charlie", {subscribe = func})
+    -> async client.as:9.12-14.6
+    ignore(async _)
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- async client.as:9.12-14.6
+  -> message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  => await client.as:10.17-10.40
+<- async client.as:9.12-14.6
+  -> message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  => await client.as:10.17-10.40
+<- async client.as:9.12-14.6
+  -> message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  => await client.as:10.17-10.40
+<- message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+    -> async server.as:18.52-29.4
+    <= async _
+<- message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+    -> async server.as:18.52-29.4
+    <= async _
+<- message subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+  subscribe({go = func; send = func})
+    -> async server.as:18.52-29.4
+    <= async _
+<- async server.as:18.52-29.4
+  <= {cancel = func; post = func}
+<- async server.as:18.52-29.4
+  <= {cancel = func; post = func}
+<- async server.as:18.52-29.4
+  <= {cancel = func; post = func}
+<- await client.as:10.17-10.40({cancel = func; post = func})
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("hello from bob")
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from bob")
+  -> message anon-func-27.16()
+  <= ()
+<- await client.as:10.17-10.40({cancel = func; post = func})
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("hello from alice")
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from alice")
+  -> message anon-func-27.16()
+  <= ()
+<- await client.as:10.17-10.40({cancel = func; post = func})
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("hello from charlie")
+  -> message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from charlie")
+  -> message anon-func-27.16()
+  <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("hello from bob")
+  anon-func-24.14("hello from bob")
+    broadcast(0, "hello from bob")
+      -> message send("hello from bob")
+      -> message send("hello from bob")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from bob")
+  anon-func-24.14("goodbye from bob")
+    broadcast(0, "goodbye from bob")
+      -> message send("goodbye from bob")
+      -> message send("goodbye from bob")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-27.16()
+  anon-func-27.16()
+    unsubscribe(0)
+      print("(unsubscribe ")
+(unsubscribe         <= ()
+      printInt(0)
+0        <= ()
+      print(")\n")
+)
+        <= ()
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("hello from alice")
+  anon-func-24.14("hello from alice")
+    broadcast(1, "hello from alice")
+      -> message send("hello from alice")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from alice")
+  anon-func-24.14("goodbye from alice")
+    broadcast(1, "goodbye from alice")
+      -> message send("goodbye from alice")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-27.16()
+  anon-func-27.16()
+    unsubscribe(1)
+      print("(unsubscribe ")
+(unsubscribe         <= ()
+      printInt(1)
+1        <= ()
+      print(")\n")
+)
+        <= ()
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("hello from charlie")
+  anon-func-24.14("hello from charlie")
+    broadcast(2, "hello from charlie")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-24.14("goodbye from charlie")
+  anon-func-24.14("goodbye from charlie")
+    broadcast(2, "goodbye from charlie")
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message anon-func-27.16()
+  anon-func-27.16()
+    unsubscribe(2)
+      print("(unsubscribe ")
+(unsubscribe         <= ()
+      printInt(2)
+2        <= ()
+      print(")\n")
+)
+        <= ()
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("hello from bob")
+  send("hello from bob")
+    print("charlie received hello from bob\n")
+charlie received hello from bob
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("hello from bob")
+  send("hello from bob")
+    print("alice received hello from bob\n")
+alice received hello from bob
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("goodbye from bob")
+  send("goodbye from bob")
+    print("charlie received goodbye from bob\n")
+charlie received goodbye from bob
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("goodbye from bob")
+  send("goodbye from bob")
+    print("alice received goodbye from bob\n")
+alice received goodbye from bob
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("hello from alice")
+  send("hello from alice")
+    print("charlie received hello from alice\n")
+charlie received hello from alice
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+<- message send("goodbye from alice")
+  send("goodbye from alice")
+    print("charlie received goodbye from alice\n")
+charlie received goodbye from alice
+      <= ()
+    <= ()
+-- Finished all:
+let Client : () -> Client = func
+let Server : () -> Server = func
+let alice : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()} = {go = func; send = func}
+let bob : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()} = {go = func; send = func}
+let charlie : actor {go : shared (Text, Server) -> (); send : shared Text -> ()} = {go = func; send = func}
+let server : actor {subscribe : shared Client -> async Subscription} = {subscribe = func}
+
diff --git a/samples/app/server.as b/samples/app/server.as
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2dc1368203a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/server.as
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+actor class Server() = {
+  private var nextId : Nat = 0;
+  private var clients : List<ClientData> = null;
+
+  private broadcast(id : Nat, message : Text) {
+    var next = clients;
+    label sends loop {
+      switch next {
+        case null { break sends };
+        case (?n) {
+          if (n.head.id != id) n.head.client.send(message);
+          next := n.tail;
+        };
+      };
+    };
+  };
+
+  subscribe(aclient : Client) : async Subscription {
+    let c = new {id = nextId; client = aclient; var revoked = false};
+    nextId += 1;
+    let cs = new {head = c; var tail = clients};
+    clients := ?cs;
+    return (shared {
+      post = shared func(message : Text) {
+        if (not c.revoked) broadcast(c.id, message);
+      };
+      cancel = shared func() { unsubscribe(c.id) };
+    });
+  };
+
+  private unsubscribe(id : Nat) {
+    var prev : List<ClientData> = null;
+    var next = clients;
+    loop {
+      switch next {
+        case null return;
+        case (?n) {
+          if (n.head.id == id) {
+            switch prev {
+              case null { clients := n.tail };
+              case (?p) { p.tail := n.tail };
+            };
+            print "(unsubscribe "; printInt id; print ")\n";
+            return;
+          };
+          prev := next;
+          next := n.tail;
+        };
+      };
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+
diff --git a/samples/app/types.as b/samples/app/types.as
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3ff7117f44d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/app/types.as
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+type Subscription = shared {
+  post : shared Text -> ();  // revokable by Server
+  cancel : shared () -> ();
+};
+
+type ClientData = {
+  id : Nat;
+  client : Client;
+  var revoked : Bool;
+};
+