diff --git a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
index 71aae718d..3ab593ac0 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
+++ b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
         }
     });
 
-    var a = function() {
+    (function() {
         var content = document.createElement("div");
         content.id = "tab-debug";
 
@@ -114,84 +114,56 @@
 
         var sbc = document.getElementById("debug-content");
 
-        var errornotification = null;
-
         var messageCount = 0;
 
-
-        function debugConnect() {
-            //console.log("debug ws connecting");
-            var path = location.hostname+":"+location.port+document.location.pathname;
-            path = path+(path.slice(-1) == "/"?"":"/")+"debug/ws";
-            path = "ws"+(document.location.protocol=="https:"?"s":"")+"://"+path;
-            var ws = new WebSocket(path);
-            ws.onopen = function() {
-                if (errornotification) {
-                    errornotification.close();
-                    errornotification = null;
-                }
-                //console.log("debug ws connected");
-            }
-            ws.onmessage = function(event) {
-                var o = JSON.parse(event.data);
-                if (o.heartbeat) {
-                    return;
-                }
-                //console.log(msg);
-                var msg = document.createElement("div");
-                msg.onmouseover = function() {
-                    msg.style.borderRightColor = "#999";
-                    var n = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
-                    if (n) {
-                        n.highlighted = true;
-                        n.dirty = true;
-                    }
-                    RED.view.redraw();
-                };
-                msg.onmouseout = function() {
-                    msg.style.borderRightColor = "";
-                    var n = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
-                    if (n) {
-                        n.highlighted = false;
-                        n.dirty = true;
-                    }
-                    RED.view.redraw();
-                };
-                msg.onclick = function() {
-                    var node = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
-                    if (node) {
-                        RED.view.showWorkspace(node.z);
-                    }
-                    
-                };
-                var name = (o.name?o.name:o.id).toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
-                var topic = (o.topic||"").toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
-                var payload = (o.msg||"").toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
-                msg.className = 'debug-message'+(o.level?(' debug-message-level-'+o.level):'')
-                msg.innerHTML = '<span class="debug-message-date">'+getTimestamp()+'</span>'+
-                                '<span class="debug-message-name">['+name+']</span>'+
-                                (o.topic?'<span class="debug-message-topic">'+topic+'</span>':'')+
-                                '<span class="debug-message-payload">'+payload+'</span>';
-                var atBottom = (sbc.scrollHeight-messages.offsetHeight-sbc.scrollTop) < 5;
-                messageCount++;
-                $(messages).append(msg);
-
-                if (messageCount > 200) {
-                    $("#debug-content .debug-message:first").remove();
-                    messageCount--;
-                }
-                if (atBottom) {
-                    $(sbc).scrollTop(sbc.scrollHeight);
+        var handleDebugMessage = function(t,o) {
+            var msg = document.createElement("div");
+            msg.onmouseover = function() {
+                msg.style.borderRightColor = "#999";
+                var n = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
+                if (n) {
+                    n.highlighted = true;
+                    n.dirty = true;
                 }
+                RED.view.redraw();
             };
-            ws.onclose = function() {
-                if (errornotification == null) {
-                    errornotification = RED.notify("<b>Error</b>: Lost connection to server","error",true);
+            msg.onmouseout = function() {
+                msg.style.borderRightColor = "";
+                var n = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
+                if (n) {
+                    n.highlighted = false;
+                    n.dirty = true;
                 }
-                setTimeout(debugConnect,1000);
+                RED.view.redraw();
+            };
+            msg.onclick = function() {
+                var node = RED.nodes.node(o.id);
+                if (node) {
+                    RED.view.showWorkspace(node.z);
+                }
+                
+            };
+            var name = (o.name?o.name:o.id).toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
+            var topic = (o.topic||"").toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
+            var payload = (o.msg||"").toString().replace(/&/g,"&amp;").replace(/</g,"&lt;").replace(/>/g,"&gt;");
+            msg.className = 'debug-message'+(o.level?(' debug-message-level-'+o.level):'')
+            msg.innerHTML = '<span class="debug-message-date">'+getTimestamp()+'</span>'+
+                            '<span class="debug-message-name">['+name+']</span>'+
+                            (o.topic?'<span class="debug-message-topic">'+topic+'</span>':'')+
+                            '<span class="debug-message-payload">'+payload+'</span>';
+            var atBottom = (sbc.scrollHeight-messages.offsetHeight-sbc.scrollTop) < 5;
+            messageCount++;
+            $(messages).append(msg);
+
+            if (messageCount > 200) {
+                $("#debug-content .debug-message:first").remove();
+                messageCount--;
             }
-        }
-        debugConnect();
+            if (atBottom) {
+                $(sbc).scrollTop(sbc.scrollHeight);
+            }
+        };
+        RED.comms.subscribe("debug",handleDebugMessage);
 
         $("#debug-tab-clear").click(function() {
             $(".debug-message").remove();
@@ -203,7 +175,7 @@
             RED.view.redraw();
         });
 
-    }();
+    })();
 </script>
 
 <style>
diff --git a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
index 6c5a4aa38..fa0e82a8f 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
@@ -51,35 +51,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 if (typeof msg.payload == "undefined") { msg.payload = "(undefined)"; }
                 if (msg.payload instanceof Buffer) { msg.payload = "(Buffer) "+msg.payload.toString('hex'); }
                 if (this.active) {
-                    DebugNode.send({id:this.id,name:this.name,topic:msg.topic,msg:msg.payload,_path:msg._path});
+                    sendDebug({id:this.id,name:this.name,topic:msg.topic,msg:msg.payload,_path:msg._path});
                 }
             }
         });
     }
-    
-    var lastSentTime = (new Date()).getTime();
-    
-    setInterval(function() {
-        var now = (new Date()).getTime();
-        if (now-lastSentTime > 15000) {
-            lastSentTime = now;
-            for (var i in DebugNode.activeConnections) {
-                var ws = DebugNode.activeConnections[i];
-                try {
-                    var p = JSON.stringify({heartbeat:lastSentTime});
-                    ws.send(p);
-                } catch(err) {
-                    util.log("[debug] ws heartbeat error : "+err);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }, 15000);
-    
-    
-    
+   
     RED.nodes.registerType("debug",DebugNode);
     
-    DebugNode.send = function(msg) {
+    function sendDebug(msg) {
         if (msg.msg instanceof Error) {
             msg.msg = msg.msg.toString();
         } else if (typeof msg.msg === 'object') {
@@ -106,47 +86,13 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             msg.msg = msg.msg.substr(0,debuglength) +" ....";
         }
         
-        for (var i in DebugNode.activeConnections) {
-            var ws = DebugNode.activeConnections[i];
-            try {
-                var p = JSON.stringify(msg);
-                ws.send(p);
-            } catch(err) {
-                util.log("[debug] ws error : "+err);
-            }
-        }
-        lastSentTime = (new Date()).getTime();
+        RED.comms.publish("debug",msg);
     }
     
-    DebugNode.activeConnections = [];
-    
-    var path = RED.settings.httpAdminRoot || "/";
-    path = path + (path.slice(-1) == "/" ? "":"/") + "debug/ws";
-    
-    DebugNode.wsServer = new ws.Server({server:RED.server,path:path});
-    DebugNode.wsServer.on('connection',function(ws) {
-        DebugNode.activeConnections.push(ws);
-        ws.on('close',function() {
-            for (var i in DebugNode.activeConnections) {
-                if (DebugNode.activeConnections[i] === ws) {
-                    DebugNode.activeConnections.splice(i,1);
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-        });
-        ws.on('error', function(err) {
-            util.log("[debug] ws error : "+err);
-        });
-    });
-    
-    DebugNode.wsServer.on('error', function(err) {
-        util.log("[debug] ws server error : "+err);
-    });
-    
     DebugNode.logHandler = new events.EventEmitter();
     DebugNode.logHandler.on("log",function(msg) {
         if (msg.level == "warn" || msg.level == "error") {
-            DebugNode.send(msg);
+            sendDebug(msg);
         }
     });
     RED.log.addHandler(DebugNode.logHandler);
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 33334667e..79f3bd98f 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -317,5 +317,6 @@
 <script src="red/ui/editor.js"></script>
 <script src="red/ui/library.js"></script>
 <script src="red/ui/notifications.js"></script>
+<script src="red/comms.js"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/public/red/comms.js b/public/red/comms.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f20e42032
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/red/comms.js
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2014 IBM Corp.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ **/
+ 
+RED.comms = function() {
+    
+    var errornotification = null;
+    var subscriptions = {};
+    
+    function connectWS() {
+        var path = location.hostname+":"+location.port+document.location.pathname;
+        path = path+(path.slice(-1) == "/"?"":"/")+"comms";
+        path = "ws"+(document.location.protocol=="https:"?"s":"")+"://"+path;
+        var ws = new WebSocket(path);
+        ws.onopen = function() {
+            if (errornotification) {
+                errornotification.close();
+                errornotification = null;
+            }
+        }
+        ws.onmessage = function(event) {
+            var msg = JSON.parse(event.data);
+            var subscribers = subscriptions[msg.topic];
+            if (subscribers) {
+                for (var i=0;i<subscribers.length;i++) {
+                    subscribers[i](msg.topic,msg.data);
+                }
+            }
+        };
+        ws.onclose = function() {
+            if (errornotification == null) {
+                errornotification = RED.notify("<b>Error</b>: Lost connection to server","error",true);
+            }
+            setTimeout(connectWS,1000);
+        }
+    }
+    connectWS();
+
+    function subscribe(topic,callback) {
+        if (subscriptions[topic] == null) {
+            subscriptions[topic] = [];
+        }
+        subscriptions[topic].push(callback);
+    }
+    
+    return {
+        subscribe: subscribe
+    }
+}();
diff --git a/red/comms.js b/red/comms.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7641eaaf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/red/comms.js
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2014 IBM Corp.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ **/
+
+var ws = require("ws");
+var util = require("util");
+
+var server;
+var settings;
+
+var wsServer;
+var activeConnections = [];
+
+var heartbeatTimer;
+var lastSentTime;
+
+
+function init(_server,_settings) {
+    server = _server;
+    settings = _settings;
+}
+
+function start() {
+    var path = settings.httpAdminRoot || "/";
+    path = path + (path.slice(-1) == "/" ? "":"/") + "comms";
+    wsServer = new ws.Server({server:server,path:path});
+    
+    wsServer.on('connection',function(ws) {
+        activeConnections.push(ws);
+        ws.on('close',function() {
+            for (var i=0;i<activeConnections.length;i++) {
+                if (activeConnections[i] === ws) {
+                    activeConnections.splice(i,1);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        ws.on('error', function(err) {
+            util.log("[red:comms] error : "+err.toString());
+        });
+    });
+    
+    wsServer.on('error', function(err) {
+        util.log("[red:comms] server error : "+err.toString());
+    });
+     
+    lastSentTime = Date.now();
+    
+    heartbeatTimer = setInterval(function() {
+        var now = Date.now();
+        if (now-lastSentTime > 15000) {
+            lastSentTime = now;
+            publish("hb",lastSentTime);
+        }
+    }, 15000);
+}
+
+function publish(topic,data) {
+    var msg = JSON.stringify({topic:topic,data:data});
+    activeConnections.forEach(function(conn) {
+        try {
+            conn.send(msg);
+        } catch(err) {
+            util.log("[red:comms] send error : "+err.toString());
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+
+module.exports = {
+    init:init,
+    start:start,
+    publish:publish,
+}
diff --git a/red/red.js b/red/red.js
index 87ad63bcc..14a0d9a50 100644
--- a/red/red.js
+++ b/red/red.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ var events = require("./events");
 var server = require("./server");
 var nodes = require("./nodes");
 var library = require("./library");
+var comms = require("./comms");
 var log = require("./log");
 var fs = require("fs");
 var settings = null;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ var RED = {
     stop: server.stop,
     nodes: nodes,
     library: library,
+    comms: comms,
     events: events,
     log: log
 };
diff --git a/red/server.js b/red/server.js
index b26c232d8..f765ae6cd 100644
--- a/red/server.js
+++ b/red/server.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ var when = require('when');
 
 var createUI = require("./ui");
 var redNodes = require("./nodes");
+var comms = require("./comms");
 
 var app = null;
 var nodeApp = null;
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ var storage = null;
 function createServer(_server,_settings) {
     server = _server;
     settings = _settings;
+    comms.init(_server,_settings);
     storage = require("./storage");
     app = createUI(settings);
     nodeApp = express();
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ function start() {
             
             redNodes.loadFlows();
         });
+        comms.start();
     });
     
     return defer.promise;