diff --git a/lib/floe/awesome_runner.rb b/lib/floe/awesome_runner.rb
index 3246d539..8520d9d5 100644
--- a/lib/floe/awesome_runner.rb
+++ b/lib/floe/awesome_runner.rb
@@ -1,14 +1,59 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+require "concurrent/array"
+
 module Floe
+  class AwesomeProcess < Thread
+    attr_reader :result
+    attr_accessor :error
+
+    def initialize(queue, context, *args)
+      self.report_on_exception = true
+      @processed = false
+      @context = context
+
+      # Don't like changing the value of context here,
+      # but want to make sure thread is set before the `queue.push`
+      # `queue.pop` will look potentially at status, which is through thread
+      context["thread"] = self
+
+      super do
+        @result = AwesomeSpawn.run(*args)
+
+        # this is changing the value of the context
+        # in the non-main thread
+        # Potential race condition here
+        Floe::AwesomeRunner.populate_results!(@context, :result => @result)
+
+        # trigger an event
+        queue.push(["delete", context])
+      rescue => err
+        # Shouldn't ever get in here
+        @error = err
+
+        Floe::AwesomeRunner.populate_results!(@context, :error => err)
+
+        # trigger an event
+        queue.push(["delete", context])
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   class AwesomeRunner < Floe::Runner
     SCHEME        = "awesome"
     SCHEME_PREFIX = "#{SCHEME}://"
     SCHEME_OFFSET = SCHEME.length + 3
 
+    # only exposed for tests
+    # use wait instead
+    attr_reader :queue
+
     def initialize(_options = {})
       require "awesome_spawn"
 
+      # events triggered
+      @queue = Queue.new
+
       super
     end
 
@@ -21,13 +66,18 @@ def run_async!(resource, params = {}, _secrets = {}, _context = {})
 
       runner_context = {}
 
-      # TODO: fix sanitization preventing params in args (e.g.: $PARAM1 => \$PARAM1)
-      result = AwesomeSpawn.run(method, :env => params, :params => args)
-      self.class.populate_results!(runner_context, :result => result)
+      # NOTE: this adds itself to the runner_context
+      AwesomeProcess.new(@queue, runner_context, method, :env => params, :params => args)
+
       runner_context
     end
 
     def status!(runner_context)
+      # check if it has no output (i.e.: we think it is running) but it is not running
+      if !runner_context.key?("Output") && !runner_context["thread"]&.alive?
+        runner_context["Output"] = {"Error" => "Lambda.Unknown", "Cause" => "no output and no thread"}
+        runner_context["Error"]  = true
+      end
     end
 
     def running?(runner_context)
@@ -43,9 +93,17 @@ def output(runner_context)
     end
 
     def cleanup(runner_context)
+      runner_context["thread"] = nil
     end
 
-    def wait(_timeout: nil, _events: %i[create update delete])
+    def wait(timeout: nil, _events: %i[create update delete])
+      # TODO: implement whole interface
+      raise "wait needs a block and doesn't support timeout" unless timeout.nil? && block_given?
+
+      loop do
+        event_context = @queue.pop
+        yield event_context if block_given?
+      end
     end
 
     # internal methods
diff --git a/spec/awesome_runner_spec.rb b/spec/awesome_runner_spec.rb
index 94bdf923..aafedc32 100644
--- a/spec/awesome_runner_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/awesome_runner_spec.rb
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@
       stub_good_run("ls", :params => [], :env => {}, :output => "file\nlisting\n")
 
       subject.run_async!("awesome://ls")
+      subject.queue.pop
     end
 
     it "passes environment variables to command run" do
       stub_good_run("ls", :params => [], :env => {"FOO" => "BAR"}, :output => "file\nlisting\n")
 
       subject.run_async!("awesome://ls", {"FOO" => "BAR"})
+      subject.queue.pop
     end
   end