diff --git a/spec/Postal.spec.js b/spec/Postal.spec.js
index 877f880..2d02e12 100644
--- a/spec/Postal.spec.js
+++ b/spec/Postal.spec.js
@@ -535,8 +535,8 @@ describe( "Postal", function () {
 		var msgReceivedCnt = 0,
 			msgData;
 		before( function () {
-			channel = postal.channel( { channel : "MyGlobalChannel", topic : "MyTopic" } );
-			subscription = channel.subscribe( function ( data ) {
+			channel = postal.channel( "MyGlobalChannel" );
+			subscription = channel.subscribe( "MyTopic", function ( data ) {
 				msgReceivedCnt++;
 				msgData = data;
 			} );
@@ -604,43 +604,7 @@ describe( "Postal", function () {
 		describe( "With no channel name provided", function () {
 			describe( "Using string argument", function () {
 				before( function () {
-					gch = postal.channel( "SomeTopic" );
-				} );
-				after( function () {
-					gch = undefined;
-				} );
-				it( "channel should be of type ChannelDefinition", function () {
-					expect( gch instanceof ChannelDefinition ).to.be.ok();
-				} );
-				it( "should set channel name to DEFAULT_CHANNEL", function () {
-					expect( gch.channel ).to.be( DEFAULT_CHANNEL );
-				} );
-				it( "should set topic to SomeTopic", function () {
-					expect( gch._topic ).to.be( "SomeTopic" );
-				} );
-			} );
-			describe( "Using options (object) argument", function () {
-				before( function () {
-					gch = postal.channel( { topic : "SomeTopic" } );
-				} );
-				after( function () {
-					gch = undefined;
-				} );
-				it( "channel should be of type ChannelDefinition", function () {
-					expect( gch instanceof ChannelDefinition ).to.be.ok();
-				} );
-				it( "should set channel name to DEFAULT_CHANNEL", function () {
-					expect( gch.channel ).to.be( DEFAULT_CHANNEL );
-				} );
-				it( "should set topic to SomeTopic", function () {
-					expect( gch._topic ).to.be( "SomeTopic" );
-				} );
-			} );
-		} );
-		describe( "With channel name provided", function () {
-			describe( "Using string arguments", function () {
-				before( function () {
-					gch = postal.channel( "SomeChannel", "SomeTopic" );
+					gch = postal.channel( "SomeChannel" );
 				} );
 				after( function () {
 					gch = undefined;
@@ -651,26 +615,6 @@ describe( "Postal", function () {
 				it( "should set channel name to SomeChannel", function () {
 					expect( gch.channel ).to.be( "SomeChannel" );
 				} );
-				it( "should set topic to SomeTopic", function () {
-					expect( gch._topic ).to.be( "SomeTopic" );
-				} );
-			} );
-			describe( "Using options (object) argument", function () {
-				before( function () {
-					gch = postal.channel( { channel : "SomeChannel", topic : "SomeTopic" } );
-				} );
-				after( function () {
-					gch = undefined;
-				} );
-				it( "channel should be of type ChannelDefinition", function () {
-					expect( gch instanceof ChannelDefinition ).to.be.ok();
-				} );
-				it( "should set channel name to SomeChannel", function () {
-					expect( gch.channel ).to.be( "SomeChannel" );
-				} );
-				it( "should set topic to SomeTopic", function () {
-					expect( gch._topic ).to.be( "SomeTopic" );
-				} );
 			} );
 		} );
 	} );
@@ -705,124 +649,6 @@ describe( "Postal", function () {
 			expect( wireTapEnvelope[0].topic ).to.be( "Oh.Hai.There" );
 		} );
 	} );
-	describe( "When binding channel - one source to one destination", function () {
-		describe( "with only channel values provided", function () {
-			var destData = [],
-				destEnv = [],
-				linkages;
-			before( function () {
-				linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel" }, { channel : "destinationChannel" } );
-				subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "Oh.Hai.There", callback : function ( data, env ) {
-					destData.push( data );
-					destEnv.push( env );
-				}} );
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-				linkages[0].unsubscribe();
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-			} );
-			after( function () {
-				postal.utils.reset();
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
-				expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
-				expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
-				expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "Oh.Hai.There" );
-			} );
-		} );
-		describe( "with channel and static topic values provided", function () {
-			var destData = [],
-				destEnv = [],
-				linkages;
-			before( function () {
-				linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel", topic : "Oh.Hai.There"  }, { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "kthxbye" } );
-				subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "kthxbye", callback : function ( data, env ) {
-					destData.push( data );
-					destEnv.push( env );
-				}} );
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-				linkages[0].unsubscribe();
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-			} );
-			after( function () {
-				postal.utils.reset();
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
-				expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
-				expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
-				expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "kthxbye" );
-			} );
-		} );
-		describe( "with channel and topic transform values provided", function () {
-			var destData = [],
-				destEnv = [],
-				linkages;
-			before( function () {
-				linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel"  }, { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : function ( tpc ) {
-					return "NewTopic." + tpc;
-				} } );
-				subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There", callback : function ( data, env ) {
-					destData.push( data );
-					destEnv.push( env );
-				}} );
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-				linkages[0].unsubscribe();
-				postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-			} );
-			after( function () {
-				postal.utils.reset();
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
-				expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
-				expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
-			} );
-			it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
-				expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
-				expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There" );
-			} );
-		} );
-	} );
-	describe( "When binding channel - one source to multiple destinations", function () {
-		var destData = [],
-			destEnv = [],
-			callback = function ( data, env ) {
-				destData.push( data );
-				destEnv.push( env );
-			};
-
-		before( function () {
-			linkages = postal.linkChannels(
-				{ channel : "sourceChannel", topic: "Oh.Hai.There" },
-				[
-					{ channel : "destinationChannel", topic: "NewTopic.Oh.Hai" },
-					{ channel : "destinationChannel", topic: "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There" }
-				]);
-			postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai", callback : callback} );
-			postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There", callback : callback } );
-			postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
-		} );
-		after( function () {
-			postal.utils.reset();
-		} );
-		it( "linked subscriptions should each have been called once", function () {
-			expect( destData.length ).to.be( 2 );
-			expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 2 );
-		} );
-	});
 	describe( "When calling postal.utils.reset", function () {
 		var resolver;
 		before( function () {
diff --git a/spec/index.html b/spec/index.html
index 06a804d..e659ae7 100644
--- a/spec/index.html
+++ b/spec/index.html
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 <script type="text/javascript" src="BindingsResolver.spec.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="AmqpBindingsResolver.spec.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="Postal.spec.js"></script>
+<script type="text/javascript" src="linkedChannels.spec.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript">
     mocha.run();
 </script>
diff --git a/spec/linkedChannels.spec.js b/spec/linkedChannels.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79b3b9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/linkedChannels.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+describe("Linked Channels", function(){
+  describe( "When binding channel - one source to one destination", function () {
+    describe( "with only channel values provided", function () {
+      var destData = [],
+        destEnv = [],
+        linkages;
+      before( function () {
+        linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel" }, { channel : "destinationChannel" } );
+        subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "Oh.Hai.There", callback : function ( data, env ) {
+          destData.push( data );
+          destEnv.push( env );
+        }} );
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+        linkages[0].unsubscribe();
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+      } );
+      after( function () {
+        postal.utils.reset();
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
+        expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
+        expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
+        expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "Oh.Hai.There" );
+      } );
+    } );
+    describe( "with channel and static topic values provided", function () {
+      var destData = [],
+        destEnv = [],
+        linkages;
+      before( function () {
+        linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel", topic : "Oh.Hai.There"  }, { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "kthxbye" } );
+        subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "kthxbye", callback : function ( data, env ) {
+          destData.push( data );
+          destEnv.push( env );
+        }} );
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+        linkages[0].unsubscribe();
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+      } );
+      after( function () {
+        postal.utils.reset();
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
+        expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
+        expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
+        expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "kthxbye" );
+      } );
+    } );
+    describe( "with channel and topic transform values provided", function () {
+      var destData = [],
+        destEnv = [],
+        linkages;
+      before( function () {
+        linkages = postal.linkChannels( { channel : "sourceChannel"  }, { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : function ( tpc ) {
+          return "NewTopic." + tpc;
+        } } );
+        subscription = postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There", callback : function ( data, env ) {
+          destData.push( data );
+          destEnv.push( env );
+        }} );
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+        linkages[0].unsubscribe();
+        postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+      } );
+      after( function () {
+        postal.utils.reset();
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription should only have been invoked once", function () {
+        expect( destData.length ).to.be( 1 );
+        expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 1 );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription data should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destData[0].data ).to.be( "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..." );
+      } );
+      it( "linked subscription envelope should match expected results", function () {
+        expect( destEnv[0].channel ).to.be( "destinationChannel" );
+        expect( destEnv[0].topic ).to.be( "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There" );
+      } );
+    } );
+  } );
+  describe( "When binding channel - one source to multiple destinations", function () {
+    var destData = [],
+      destEnv = [],
+      callback = function ( data, env ) {
+        destData.push( data );
+        destEnv.push( env );
+      };
+
+    before( function () {
+      linkages = postal.linkChannels(
+        { channel : "sourceChannel", topic: "Oh.Hai.There" },
+        [
+          { channel : "destinationChannel", topic: "NewTopic.Oh.Hai" },
+          { channel : "destinationChannel", topic: "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There" }
+        ]);
+      postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai", callback : callback} );
+      postal.subscribe( { channel : "destinationChannel", topic : "NewTopic.Oh.Hai.There", callback : callback } );
+      postal.publish( "sourceChannel", "Oh.Hai.There", { data : "I'm in yer bus, linkin' to yer subscriptionz..."} );
+    } );
+    after( function () {
+      postal.utils.reset();
+    } );
+    it( "linked subscriptions should each have been called once", function () {
+      expect( destData.length ).to.be( 2 );
+      expect( destEnv.length ).to.be( 2 );
+    } );
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Api.js b/src/Api.js
index 79812fc..2db4e85 100644
--- a/src/Api.js
+++ b/src/Api.js
@@ -1,52 +1,4 @@
-var publishPicker = {
-		"1" : function ( envelope ) {
-			if ( !envelope ) {
-				throw new Error( "publishing from the 'global' postal.publish call requires a valid envelope." );
-			}
-			envelope.channel = envelope.channel || DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-			envelope.timeStamp = new Date();
-			postal.configuration.bus.publish( envelope );
-			return envelope;
-		},
-		"2" : function ( topic, data ) {
-			var envelope = { channel : DEFAULT_CHANNEL, topic : topic, timeStamp : new Date(), data : data };
-			postal.configuration.bus.publish( envelope );
-			return envelope;
-		},
-		"3" : function ( channel, topic, data ) {
-			var envelope = { channel : channel, topic : topic, timeStamp : new Date(), data : data };
-			postal.configuration.bus.publish( envelope );
-			return envelope;
-		}
-	},
-	channelPicker = {
-		"1" : function ( chn ) {
-			var channel = chn, topic, options = {};
-			if ( Object.prototype.toString.call( channel ) === "[object String]" ) {
-				channel = DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-				topic = chn;
-			}
-			else {
-				channel = chn.channel || DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-				topic = chn.topic;
-				options = chn.options || options;
-			}
-			return new postal.channelTypes[ options.type || "local" ]( channel, topic );
-		},
-		"2" : function ( chn, tpc ) {
-			var channel = chn, topic = tpc, options = {};
-			if ( Object.prototype.toString.call( tpc ) === "[object Object]" ) {
-				channel = DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-				topic = chn;
-				options = tpc;
-			}
-			return new postal.channelTypes[ options.type || "local" ]( channel, topic );
-		},
-		"3" : function ( channel, topic, options ) {
-			return new postal.channelTypes[ options.type || "local" ]( channel, topic );
-		}
-	},
-	sessionInfo = {};
+var sessionInfo = {};
 
 // save some setup time, albeit tiny
 localBus.subscriptions[SYSTEM_CHANNEL] = {};
@@ -61,29 +13,22 @@ var postal = {
 		SYSTEM_CHANNEL : SYSTEM_CHANNEL
 	},
 
-	channelTypes : {
-		local : ChannelDefinition
-	},
+  ChannelDefinition : ChannelDefinition,
 
-	channel : function () {
-		var len = arguments.length;
-		if ( channelPicker[len] ) {
-			return channelPicker[len].apply( this, arguments );
-		}
+  SubscriptionDefinition: SubscriptionDefinition,
+
+	channel : function ( channelName ) {
+    return new ChannelDefinition( channelName );
 	},
 
 	subscribe : function ( options ) {
-		var callback = options.callback,
-			topic = options.topic,
-			channel = options.channel || DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-		return new SubscriptionDefinition( channel, topic, callback );
+		return new SubscriptionDefinition( options.channel || DEFAULT_CHANNEL, options.topic, options.callback );
 	},
 
-	publish : function () {
-		var len = arguments.length;
-		if ( publishPicker[len] ) {
-			return publishPicker[len].apply( this, arguments );
-		}
+	publish : function ( envelope ) {
+    envelope.channel = envelope.channel || DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
+    postal.configuration.bus.publish( envelope );
+    return envelope;
 	},
 
 	addWireTap : function ( callback ) {
diff --git a/src/ChannelDefinition.js b/src/ChannelDefinition.js
index f053433..8a556d7 100644
--- a/src/ChannelDefinition.js
+++ b/src/ChannelDefinition.js
@@ -1,40 +1,18 @@
-var ChannelDefinition = function ( channelName, defaultTopic ) {
+var ChannelDefinition = function ( channelName ) {
 	this.channel = channelName || DEFAULT_CHANNEL;
-	this._topic = defaultTopic || "";
 };
 
 ChannelDefinition.prototype = {
 	subscribe : function () {
-		var len = arguments.length;
-		if ( len === 1 ) {
-			return new SubscriptionDefinition( this.channel, this._topic, arguments[0] );
-		}
-		else if ( len === 2 ) {
-			return new SubscriptionDefinition( this.channel, arguments[0], arguments[1] );
-		}
+    return arguments.length === 1 ?
+      new SubscriptionDefinition( this.channel, arguments[0].topic, arguments[0].callback ) :
+      new SubscriptionDefinition( this.channel, arguments[0], arguments[1] );
 	},
 
-	publish : function ( obj ) {
-		var _obj = obj || {};
-		var envelope = {
-			channel : this.channel,
-			topic : this._topic,
-			data : _obj
-		};
-		// If this is an envelope....
-		if ( _obj.topic && _obj.data ) {
-			envelope = _obj;
-			envelope.channel = envelope.channel || this.channel;
-		}
-		envelope.timeStamp = new Date();
+	publish : function () {
+    var envelope = arguments.length === 1 ? arguments[0] : { topic: arguments[0], data: arguments[1] };
+    envelope.channel = this.channel;
 		postal.configuration.bus.publish( envelope );
 		return envelope;
-	},
-
-	topic : function ( topic ) {
-		if ( topic === this._topic ) {
-			return this;
-		}
-		return new ChannelDefinition( this.channel, topic );
 	}
 };
diff --git a/src/LocalBus.js b/src/LocalBus.js
index 15b56fe..7712766 100644
--- a/src/LocalBus.js
+++ b/src/LocalBus.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ var localBus = {
 	},
 
 	publish : function ( envelope ) {
+    envelope.timeStamp = new Date();
 		_.each( this.wireTaps, function ( tap ) {
 			tap( envelope.data, envelope );
 		} );