diff --git a/ipylab/connection.py b/ipylab/connection.py
index 01e1779..dd51917 100644
--- a/ipylab/connection.py
+++ b/ipylab/connection.py
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
 import uuid
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, ClassVar
 
-from ipywidgets import register
+from ipywidgets import Widget, register
 from traitlets import Bool, Dict, Unicode
 
-from ipylab.asyncwidget import AsyncWidgetBase
+from ipylab.asyncwidget import AsyncWidgetBase, pack
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Generator
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Connection(AsyncWidgetBase):
     """
 
     CID_PREFIX = ""  # Required in subclassess to discriminate when creating.
-    _CLASS_DEFINITIONS: ClassVar[dict[str, type[Connection]]] = {}
+    _CLASS_DEFINITIONS: ClassVar[dict[str, type[Self]]] = {}
     _connections: dict[str, Connection] = {}  # noqa RUF012
     _model_name = Unicode("ConnectionModel").tag(sync=True)
     cid = Unicode(read_only=True, help="connection id").tag(sync=True)
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def __init_subclass__(cls, **kwargs) -> None:
             cls._CLASS_DEFINITIONS[cls.CID_PREFIX] = cls  # type: ignore
         super().__init_subclass__(**kwargs)
 
-    def __new__(cls, *, cid: str, id: str | None = None, **kwgs) -> Self:  # noqa: A002, ARG003
+    def __new__(cls, *, cid: str, id: str = "", info: dict | None = None, **kwgs) -> Self:  # noqa: A002
         if cid not in cls._connections:
             if cls.CID_PREFIX and not cid.startswith(cls.CID_PREFIX):
                 msg = f"Expected prefix '{cls.CID_PREFIX}' not found for {cid=}"
@@ -71,18 +71,17 @@ def __new__(cls, *, cid: str, id: str | None = None, **kwgs) -> Self:  # noqa: A
             # Check if a subclass is registered with 'CID_PREFIX'
             cls_ = cls._CLASS_DEFINITIONS.get(cid.split(":")[0], cls) if ":" in cid else cls
             kwgs.pop("info", None)
-            cls._connections[cid] = super().__new__(cls_, **kwgs)  # type: ignore
+            cls._connections[cid] = inst = super().__new__(cls_, **kwgs)
+            inst.set_trait("cid", cid)
+            inst.set_trait("id", id)
+            inst.set_trait("info", info or {})
+
         return cls._connections[cid]  # type: ignore
 
-    def __init__(self, *, cid: str, model_id=None, id: str | None = None, **kwgs):  # noqa: A002
+    def __init__(self, cid: str, id: str = "", info: dict | None = None, **kwgs):  # noqa: A002, ARG002
         if self._async_widget_base_init_complete:
             return
-        self.set_trait("cid", cid)
-        self.set_trait("id", id or "")
-        info = kwgs.pop("info", None)
-        if info:
-            self.set_trait("info", info)
-        super().__init__(model_id=model_id, **kwgs)
+        super().__init__(**kwgs)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.cid
@@ -153,3 +152,12 @@ async def activate_():
             return self
 
         return self.to_task(activate_())
+
+
+class ModelConnection(Connection):
+    """A connection to the model of a widget."""
+
+    CID_PREFIX = "ipylab widget connection"
+
+    def __new__(cls, widget: Widget, **kwgs) -> Self:
+        return super().__new__(cls, cid=cls.new_cid(), id=pack(widget), **kwgs)  # type: ignore
diff --git a/ipylab/menu.py b/ipylab/menu.py
index 52a6f70..004a483 100644
--- a/ipylab/menu.py
+++ b/ipylab/menu.py
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ def __new__(cls, *, model_id=None, **kwgs):
         kwgs.pop("basename", None)
         return super().__new__(cls, model_id=model_id, **kwgs)
 
-    def __init__(self, *, model_id=None, **kwgs):
+    def __init__(self, *, model_id=None, basename="", **kwgs):
         if self._async_widget_base_init_complete:
             return
-        if basename := kwgs.pop("basename", None):
+        if basename:
             self.set_trait("_basename", basename)
         super().__init__(model_id=model_id, **kwgs)
 
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ def add_item(
         )
         return self.to_task(self._add_to_tuple_trait("items", task))
 
+    def activate(self):
+        return self.execute_method("open")
+
 
 class MenuConnection(RankedMenu, Connection):
     """A connection to a custom menu"""
diff --git a/src/widgets/commands.ts b/src/widgets/commands.ts
index ae144c8..d617059 100644
--- a/src/widgets/commands.ts
+++ b/src/widgets/commands.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ export class CommandRegistryModel extends IpylabModel {
    * @param attributes The base attributes.
    * @param options The initialization options.
    */
-  initialize(attributes: any, options: any): void {
-    super.initialize(attributes, options);
+  async initialize(attributes: any, options: any): Promise<void> {
+    await super.initialize(attributes, options);
     this.commands.commandChanged.connect(this._sendCommandList, this);
     this._sendCommandList();
   }
diff --git a/src/widgets/connection.ts b/src/widgets/connection.ts
index 1309bb7..06ef456 100644
--- a/src/widgets/connection.ts
+++ b/src/widgets/connection.ts
@@ -16,22 +16,9 @@ import { IpylabModel } from './ipylab';
  */
 export class ConnectionModel extends IpylabModel {
   async initialize(attributes: ObjectHash, options: any): Promise<void> {
-    let base;
-    const cid = this.get('cid');
-    const id = this.get('id');
-    try {
-      base = this.getConnection(cid, id);
-    } catch {}
-    super.initialize(attributes, { ...options, base });
-    if (base) {
-      this.base.disposed.connect(() => this.close());
-      this.on('change:_dispose', this.dispose, this);
-    } else {
-      console.log(
-        `Failed to get connection for cid='${cid}' id='${id}' so closing...`
-      );
-      this.close();
-    }
+    await super.initialize(attributes, options);
+    this.base.disposed.connect(() => this.close());
+    this.on('change:_dispose', this.dispose, this);
   }
 
   close(comm_closed?: boolean): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/widgets/frontend.ts b/src/widgets/frontend.ts
index e87f42a..43a9980 100644
--- a/src/widgets/frontend.ts
+++ b/src/widgets/frontend.ts
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ export class JupyterFrontEndModel extends IpylabModel {
    * @param attributes The base attributes.
    * @param options The initialization options.
    */
-  initialize(attributes: any, options: any): void {
-    super.initialize(attributes, options);
+  async initialize(attributes: any, options: any): Promise<void> {
+    await super.initialize(attributes, options);
     this.set('version', this.app.version);
     Private.jupyterFrontEndModels.set(this.kernelId, this);
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/ipylab.ts b/src/widgets/ipylab.ts
index 46ee518..363d17a 100644
--- a/src/widgets/ipylab.ts
+++ b/src/widgets/ipylab.ts
@@ -55,26 +55,31 @@ export {
  * Base model for common features
  */
 export class IpylabModel extends WidgetModel {
-  initialize(attributes: ObjectHash, options: any): void {
+  async initialize(attributes: ObjectHash, options: any): Promise<void> {
     super.initialize(attributes, options);
+    try {
+      if (this.get('cid')) {
+        this._base = await this.getConnection(this.get('cid'), this.get('id'));
+      } else {
+        const basename = this.get('_basename');
+        this._base = basename
+          ? getNestedObject({
+              base: this,
+              path: basename,
+              basename: `model_name= '${this.defaults()._model_name}`
+            })
+          : this;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      this.close();
+      throw new Error(`Failed to set the base so closing...`);
+    }
     this.set('kernelId', this.kernelId);
     this.on('msg:custom', this._onCustomMessage, this);
     this.save_changes();
     const msg = `ipylab ${this.get('_model_name')} ready for operations`;
     this.send({ init: msg });
     onKernelLost(this.kernel, this.close, this);
-    if (typeof options.base === 'object') {
-      this._base = options.base;
-    } else {
-      const basename = this.get('_basename');
-      this._base = basename
-        ? getNestedObject({
-            base: this,
-            path: basename,
-            basename: `model_name= '${this.defaults()._model_name}`
-          })
-        : this;
-    }
   }
 
   get base(): any {
@@ -272,7 +277,11 @@ export class IpylabModel extends WidgetModel {
       onKernelLost(this.kernel, lw.dispose, lw);
       return lw;
     }
-    return this.getConnection(value);
+    const obj = await this.getConnection(value);
+    if (!(obj instanceof Widget)) {
+      throw new Error(`Not a widget '${value}'`);
+    }
+    return obj;
   }
   /**
    * Returns the object for the dotted path 'value'.
@@ -438,11 +447,19 @@ export class IpylabModel extends WidgetModel {
    * @param cid Get an object that has been registered as a connection.
    * @returns
    */
-  getConnection(cid: string, id: string | null = null): any {
+  async getConnection(cid: string, id: string | null = null): Promise<object> {
     if (Private.connection.has(cid)) {
       return Private.connection.get(cid);
     }
-    const obj = this._getLuminoWidgetFromShell(id || cid);
+    let obj;
+    if (id.slice(0, 10) === 'IPY_MODEL_') {
+      obj = await unpack_models(id, this.widget_manager);
+      if (!(obj instanceof WidgetModel)) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to get model ${id}`);
+      }
+    } else {
+      obj = this._getLuminoWidgetFromShell(id || cid);
+    }
     IpylabModel.registerConnection(obj, cid);
     return obj;
   }
diff --git a/src/widgets/notification.ts b/src/widgets/notification.ts
index 378f2c6..58305a7 100644
--- a/src/widgets/notification.ts
+++ b/src/widgets/notification.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 
 import { Notification } from '@jupyterlab/apputils';
 import { ObservableDisposableDelegate } from '@lumino/disposable';
+import { ObjectHash } from 'backbone';
 import { IpylabModel } from './ipylab';
 /**
  * The model for a notification.
  */
 export class NotificationManagerModel extends IpylabModel {
-  initialize(attributes: Backbone.ObjectHash, options: any): void {
-    super.initialize(attributes, options);
+  async initialize(attributes: ObjectHash, options: any): Promise<void> {
+    await super.initialize(attributes, options);
     Notification.manager.changed.connect(this.update, this);
   }