diff --git a/backend/cmd/httpd/main.ha b/backend/cmd/httpd/main.ha
index 819a2f5..7babba4 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/httpd/main.ha
+++ b/backend/cmd/httpd/main.ha
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use io;
 use fmt;
 use bufio;
 use strings;
+use thread;
+use time;
 
 const usage: [_]getopt::help = [
 	"HTTP server",
@@ -50,21 +52,29 @@ export fn main() void = {
 			yield this;
 		case net::error => abort("failure while serving");
 		};
-		defer http::serve_finish(serv_req);
 
-		let buf = memio::dynamic();
-		defer io::close(&buf)!;
-		handlereq(&buf, &serv_req.request);
-
-		http::response_write(
-			serv_req.socket,
-			http::STATUS_OK,
-			&buf,
-			("Content-Type", "text/plain")
-		)!;
+		let tid = thread::spawn(&handle_req, serv_req)!;
+		thread::detach(tid)!;
 	};
 };
 
+fn handle_req(arg: nullable *opaque) void = {
+	let serv_req = arg: *http::server_request;
+	defer http::serve_finish(serv_req);
+	fmt::printfln("got a request. serving now.")!;
+
+	let buf = memio::dynamic();
+	defer io::close(&buf)!;
+	handlereq(&buf, &serv_req.request);
+
+	http::response_write(
+		serv_req.socket,
+		http::STATUS_OK,
+		&buf,
+		("Content-Type", "text/plain")
+	)!;
+};
+
 export fn handlereq(buf: *io::stream, request: *http::request) void = {
 	fmt::fprintfln(buf, "Method: {}", request.method)!;
 	fmt::fprintfln(buf, "Path: {}", request.target.path)!;
@@ -74,6 +84,8 @@ export fn handlereq(buf: *io::stream, request: *http::request) void = {
 	http::write_header(buf, &request.header)!;
 	fmt::fprintfln(buf, "EOF")!;
 
+	time::sleep(5 * time::SECOND);
+
 	match (request.body) {
 	case void => void;
 	case let body: io::handle =>