diff --git a/src/gui/src/IPC.js b/src/gui/src/IPC.js
index 356e72e06..b9f136bc0 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/IPC.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/IPC.js
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import update_mouse_position from './helpers/update_mouse_position.js';
 import launch_app from './helpers/launch_app.js';
 import item_icon from './helpers/item_icon.js';
 
+window.ipc_handlers = {};
 /**
  * In Puter, apps are loaded in iframes and communicate with the graphical user interface (GUI), and each other, using the postMessage API.
  * The following sets up an Inter-Process Messaging System between apps and the GUI that enables communication
@@ -88,6 +89,17 @@ window.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
     const msg_id = event.data.uuid;
     const app_name = $(target_iframe).attr('data-app');
     const app_uuid = $el_parent_window.attr('data-app_uuid');
+    
+    if ( window.ipc_handlers.hasOwnProperty(event.data.msg) ) {
+        console.log('got message to new IPC handler', event.data.msg);
+        const ipc_context = {
+            appInstanceId: event.data.appInstanceID,
+        };
+        const spec = window.ipc_handlers[event.data.msg];
+        await spec.handler(event.data, { msg_id, ipc_context });
+        console.log('^ end of that thing');
+        return;
+    }
 
     // todo validate all event.data stuff coming from the client (e.g. event.data.message, .msg, ...)
     //-------------------------------------------------
@@ -846,25 +858,6 @@ window.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
         window.watchItems[event.data.item_uid].push(event.data.appInstanceID);
     }
     //--------------------------------------------------------
-    // launchApp
-    //--------------------------------------------------------
-    else if(event.data.msg === 'launchApp'){
-        // TODO: Determine if the app is allowed to launch child apps? We may want to limit this to prevent abuse.
-        // remember app for launch callback later
-        const child_instance_id = window.uuidv4();
-        window.child_launch_callbacks[child_instance_id] = {
-            parent_instance_id: event.data.appInstanceID,
-            launch_msg_id: msg_id,
-        };
-        // launch child app
-        launch_app({
-            name: event.data.app_name ?? app_name,
-            args: event.data.args ?? {},
-            parent_instance_id: event.data.appInstanceID,
-            uuid: child_instance_id,
-        });
-    }
-    //--------------------------------------------------------
     // readAppDataFile
     //--------------------------------------------------------
     else if(event.data.msg === 'readAppDataFile' && event.data.path !== undefined){
diff --git a/src/gui/src/initgui.js b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
index b2a3e66be..df1907781 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/initgui.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ import update_mouse_position from './helpers/update_mouse_position.js';
 import { LaunchOnInitService } from './services/LaunchOnInitService.js';
 import item_icon from './helpers/item_icon.js';
 import { AntiCSRFService } from './services/AntiCSRFService.js';
+import { IPCService } from './services/IPCService.js';
+import { ExecService } from './services/ExecService.js';
 
 const launch_services = async function (options) {
     // === Services Data Structures ===
@@ -75,6 +77,8 @@ const launch_services = async function (options) {
     globalThis.service_script_api_promise.resolve(service_script_api);
 
     // === Builtin Services ===
+    register('ipc', new IPCService());
+    register('exec', new ExecService());
     register('broadcast', new BroadcastService());
     register('theme', new ThemeService());
     register('process', new ProcessService());
diff --git a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62e9f240a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { Service } from "../definitions.js";
+import launch_app from "../helpers/launch_app.js";
+
+export class ExecService extends Service {
+    async _init ({ services }) {
+        const svc_ipc = services.get('ipc');
+        svc_ipc.register_ipc_handler('launchApp', {
+            handler: this.launchApp.bind(this),
+        });
+    }
+    
+    launchApp ({ app_name, args }, { ipc_context, msg_id } = {}) {
+        const child_instance_id = window.uuidv4();
+        window.child_launch_callbacks[child_instance_id] = {
+            parent_instance_id: event.data.appInstanceID,
+            launch_msg_id: msg_id,
+        };
+        // launch child app
+        launch_app({
+            name: app_name,
+            args: args ?? {},
+            parent_instance_id: ipc_context?.appInstanceId,
+            uuid: child_instance_id,
+        });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/gui/src/services/IPCService.js b/src/gui/src/services/IPCService.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2f025c87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gui/src/services/IPCService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { Service } from "../definitions.js";
+
+export class IPCService extends Service {
+    async _init () {
+        //
+    }
+    
+    register_ipc_handler (name, spec) {
+        window.ipc_handlers[name] = spec;
+    }
+}