diff --git a/contract.go b/contract.go
index c181c91..595c0fb 100644
--- a/contract.go
+++ b/contract.go
@@ -112,10 +112,6 @@ func New(opts ...CoreOption) Result {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Post-construction: discover IPC handlers on all registered services.
-	// Services that implement HandleIPCEvents get auto-wired to the bus.
-	c.discoverHandlers()
-
 	return Result{c, true}
 }
 
@@ -135,10 +131,8 @@ func WithOptions(opts Options) CoreOption {
 }
 
 // WithService registers a service via its factory function.
-// The factory receives *Core so the service can wire IPC handlers
-// and access other subsystems during construction.
-// Service name is auto-discovered from the package path.
-// If the service implements HandleIPCEvents, it is auto-registered.
+// The factory receives *Core and is responsible for calling c.Service()
+// to register itself, and c.RegisterAction() for IPC handlers.
 //
 //	core.WithService(agentic.Register)
 //	core.WithService(display.Register(nil))
diff --git a/core.go b/core.go
index e89c835..fb9c5d9 100644
--- a/core.go
+++ b/core.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 )
@@ -81,28 +80,4 @@ func (c *Core) Must(err error, op, msg string) {
 	c.log.Must(err, op, msg)
 }
 
-// --- Post-Construction ---
-
-// discoverHandlers scans Config for service instances that implement HandleIPCEvents.
-// Called once after all WithService options have run — services are fully registered.
-func (c *Core) discoverHandlers() {
-	if c.config == nil || c.config.ConfigOptions == nil || c.config.Settings == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	c.config.mu.RLock()
-	defer c.config.mu.RUnlock()
-	for _, val := range c.config.Settings {
-		if val == nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		instanceValue := reflect.ValueOf(val)
-		handlerMethod := instanceValue.MethodByName("HandleIPCEvents")
-		if handlerMethod.IsValid() {
-			if handler, ok := handlerMethod.Interface().(func(*Core, Message) Result); ok {
-				c.RegisterAction(handler)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 // --- Global Instance ---
diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index 1e82dd6..3424769 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@
 
 // Service registry for the Core framework.
 //
-// Register a service:
+// Register a service (DTO with lifecycle hooks):
 //
-//	c.Service("auth", core.Service{})
+//	c.Service("auth", core.Service{OnStart: startFn})
+//
+// Register a service instance (auto-discovers Startable/Stoppable/HandleIPCEvents):
+//
+//	c.RegisterService("display", displayInstance)
 //
 // Get a service:
 //
@@ -13,11 +17,10 @@
 
 package core
 
-// No imports needed — uses package-level string helpers.
-
 // Service is a managed component with optional lifecycle.
 type Service struct {
 	Name     string
+	Instance any // the raw service instance (for interface discovery)
 	Options  Options
 	OnStart  func() Result
 	OnStop   func() Result
@@ -66,6 +69,77 @@ func (c *Core) Service(name string, service ...Service) Result {
 	return Result{OK: true}
 }
 
+// RegisterService registers a service instance by name.
+// Auto-discovers Startable, Stoppable, and HandleIPCEvents interfaces
+// on the instance and wires them into the lifecycle and IPC bus.
+//
+//	c.RegisterService("display", displayInstance)
+func (c *Core) RegisterService(name string, instance any) Result {
+	if name == "" {
+		return Result{E("core.RegisterService", "service name cannot be empty", nil), false}
+	}
+
+	c.Lock("srv").Mutex.Lock()
+	defer c.Lock("srv").Mutex.Unlock()
+
+	if c.services.locked {
+		return Result{E("core.RegisterService", Concat("service \"", name, "\" not permitted — registry locked"), nil), false}
+	}
+	if _, exists := c.services.services[name]; exists {
+		return Result{E("core.RegisterService", Join(" ", "service", name, "already registered"), nil), false}
+	}
+
+	srv := &Service{Name: name, Instance: instance}
+
+	// Auto-discover lifecycle interfaces
+	if s, ok := instance.(Startable); ok {
+		srv.OnStart = func() Result {
+			if err := s.OnStartup(c.context); err != nil {
+				return Result{err, false}
+			}
+			return Result{OK: true}
+		}
+	}
+	if s, ok := instance.(Stoppable); ok {
+		srv.OnStop = func() Result {
+			if err := s.OnShutdown(c.context); err != nil {
+				return Result{err, false}
+			}
+			return Result{OK: true}
+		}
+	}
+
+	c.services.services[name] = srv
+
+	// Auto-discover IPC handler
+	if handler, ok := instance.(interface {
+		HandleIPCEvents(*Core, Message) Result
+	}); ok {
+		c.ipc.ipcMu.Lock()
+		c.ipc.ipcHandlers = append(c.ipc.ipcHandlers, handler.HandleIPCEvents)
+		c.ipc.ipcMu.Unlock()
+	}
+
+	return Result{OK: true}
+}
+
+// ServiceFor retrieves a registered service by name and asserts its type.
+//
+//	prep, ok := core.ServiceFor[*agentic.PrepSubsystem](c, "agentic")
+func ServiceFor[T any](c *Core, name string) (T, bool) {
+	var zero T
+	r := c.Service(name)
+	if !r.OK {
+		return zero, false
+	}
+	svc := r.Value.(*Service)
+	if svc.Instance == nil {
+		return zero, false
+	}
+	typed, ok := svc.Instance.(T)
+	return typed, ok
+}
+
 // Services returns all registered service names.
 //
 //	names := c.Services()