diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/create_error.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/create_error.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5de9819330dbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/create_error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export const createError = err => ({
+  type: 'error',
+  error: {
+    stack: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? undefined : err.stack,
+    message: typeof err === 'string' ? err : err.message,
+  },
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/interpret.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/interpret.js
index 2777e9d0b80ea..ff7a2547f236f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/interpret.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/interpret.js
@@ -11,19 +11,7 @@ import { fromExpression } from '../lib/ast';
 import { getByAlias } from '../lib/get_by_alias';
 import { typesRegistry } from '../lib/types_registry';
 import { castProvider } from './cast';
-
-const createError = (err, { name, context, args }) => ({
-  type: 'error',
-  error: {
-    stack: err.stack,
-    message: typeof err === 'string' ? err : err.message,
-  },
-  info: {
-    context,
-    args,
-    functionName: name,
-  },
-});
+import { createError } from './create_error';
 
 export function interpretProvider(config) {
   const { functions, onFunctionNotFound, types } = config;
@@ -32,7 +20,7 @@ export function interpretProvider(config) {
 
   return interpret;
 
-  function interpret(node, context = null) {
+  async function interpret(node, context = null) {
     switch (getType(node)) {
       case 'expression':
         return invokeChain(node.chain, context);
@@ -58,7 +46,11 @@ export function interpretProvider(config) {
     // in this case, it will try to execute the function in another context
     if (!fnDef) {
       chain.unshift(link);
-      return onFunctionNotFound({ type: 'expression', chain: chain }, context);
+      try {
+        return await onFunctionNotFound({ type: 'expression', chain: chain }, context);
+      } catch (e) {
+        return createError(e);
+      }
     }
 
     try {
@@ -69,16 +61,15 @@ export function interpretProvider(config) {
       const newContext = await invokeFunction(fnDef, context, resolvedArgs);
 
       // if something failed, just return the failure
-      if (getType(newContext) === 'error') {
-        console.log('newContext error', newContext);
-        return newContext;
-      }
+      if (getType(newContext) === 'error') return newContext;
 
       // Continue re-invoking chain until it's empty
       return await invokeChain(chain, newContext);
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error(`common/interpret ${fnName}: invokeChain rejected`, err);
-      return createError(err, { name: fnName, context, args: fnArgs });
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Everything that throws from a function will hit this
+      // The interpreter should *never* fail. It should always return a `{type: error}` on failure
+      e.message = `[${fnName}] > ${e.message}`;
+      return createError(e);
     }
   }
 
@@ -165,6 +156,7 @@ export function interpretProvider(config) {
       return argAsts.map(argAst => {
         return async (ctx = context) => {
           const newContext = await interpret(argAst, ctx);
+          // This is why when any sub-expression errors, the entire thing errors
           if (getType(newContext) === 'error') throw newContext.error;
           return cast(newContext, argDefs[argName].types);
         };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/socket_interpret.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/socket_interpret.js
index a9ddb8c19c3f9..c8d5acf4fdd52 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/socket_interpret.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/common/interpreter/socket_interpret.js
@@ -46,19 +46,14 @@ export function socketInterpreterProvider({
         // set a unique message ID so the code knows what response to process
         const id = uuid();
 
-        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
           const { serialize, deserialize } = serializeProvider(types);
 
-          const listener = resp => {
-            if (resp.error) {
-              // cast error strings back into error instances
-              const err = resp.error instanceof Error ? resp.error : new Error(resp.error);
-              if (resp.stack) err.stack = resp.stack;
-              reject(err);
-            } else {
-              resolve(deserialize(resp.value));
-            }
-          };
+          // This will receive {type: [msgSuccess || msgError] value: foo}
+          // However it doesn't currently do anything with it. Which means `value`, regardless
+          // of failure or success, needs to be something the interpreters would logically return
+          // er, a primative or a {type: foo} object
+          const listener = resp => resolve(deserialize(resp.value));
 
           socket.once(`resp:${id}`, listener);
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/init.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/init.js
index 1ae088ff207bc..315a1d7e7f6dd 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/init.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/init.js
@@ -7,13 +7,9 @@
 import { routes } from './server/routes';
 import { functionsRegistry } from './common/lib/functions_registry';
 import { commonFunctions } from './common/functions';
-import { loadServerPlugins } from './server/lib/load_server_plugins';
+import { populateServerRegistries } from './server/lib/server_registries';
 import { registerCanvasUsageCollector } from './server/usage';
-import {
-  ecommerceSavedObjects,
-  flightsSavedObjects,
-  webLogsSavedObjects,
-} from './server/sample_data';
+import { loadSampleData } from './server/sample_data';
 
 export default async function(server /*options*/) {
   server.injectUiAppVars('canvas', () => {
@@ -34,30 +30,10 @@ export default async function(server /*options*/) {
   // There are some common functions that use private APIs, load them here
   commonFunctions.forEach(func => functionsRegistry.register(func));
 
-  await loadServerPlugins();
-  routes(server);
   registerCanvasUsageCollector(server);
+  loadSampleData(server);
 
-  const now = new Date();
-  const nowTimestamp = now.toISOString();
-  function updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(savedObjects) {
-    return savedObjects.map(savedObject => {
-      if (savedObject.type === 'canvas-workpad') {
-        savedObject.attributes['@timestamp'] = nowTimestamp;
-        savedObject.attributes['@created'] = nowTimestamp;
-      }
-
-      return savedObject;
-    });
-  }
-
-  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset(
-    'ecommerce',
-    updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(ecommerceSavedObjects)
-  );
-  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset(
-    'flights',
-    updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(flightsSavedObjects)
-  );
-  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset('logs', updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(webLogsSavedObjects));
+  // Do not initialize the app until the registries are populated
+  await populateServerRegistries(['serverFunctions', 'types']);
+  routes(server);
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/app/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/app/index.js
index 2c4d1f6e9f808..f4ba53f096b53 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/app/index.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/app/index.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import { compose, withProps } from 'recompose';
 import { createSocket } from '../../socket';
 import { initialize as initializeInterpreter } from '../../lib/interpreter';
+import { populateBrowserRegistries } from '../../lib/browser_registries';
 import { getAppReady, getBasePath } from '../../state/selectors/app';
 import { appReady, appError } from '../../state/actions/app';
 import { trackRouteChange } from './track_route_change';
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => ({
   setAppReady: basePath => async () => {
     // initialize the socket and interpreter
     createSocket(basePath);
+    await populateBrowserRegistries();
     await initializeInterpreter();
 
     // set app state to ready
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/error/error.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/error/error.js
index c37780657ba29..bb1a895798b7d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/error/error.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/error/error.js
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { get } from 'lodash';
 import { ShowDebugging } from './show_debugging';
 
 export const Error = ({ payload }) => {
-  const functionName = get(payload, 'info.functionName');
   const message = get(payload, 'error.message');
 
   return (
@@ -21,10 +20,7 @@ export const Error = ({ payload }) => {
       iconType="cross"
       title="Whoops! Expression failed"
     >
-      <p>
-        The function <strong>"{functionName}"</strong> failed
-        {message ? ' with the following message:' : '.'}
-      </p>
+      <p>{message ? 'Expression failed with the message:' : ''}</p>
       {message && <p style={{ padding: '0 16px' }}>{message}</p>}
 
       <ShowDebugging payload={payload} />
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/browser_registries.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/browser_registries.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..efceec04d6dce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/browser_registries.js
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import chrome from 'ui/chrome';
+import $script from 'scriptjs';
+import { typesRegistry } from '../../common/lib/types_registry';
+import {
+  argTypeRegistry,
+  datasourceRegistry,
+  transformRegistry,
+  modelRegistry,
+  viewRegistry,
+} from '../expression_types';
+import { elementsRegistry } from './elements_registry';
+import { renderFunctionsRegistry } from './render_functions_registry';
+import { functionsRegistry as browserFunctions } from './functions_registry';
+import { loadPrivateBrowserFunctions } from './load_private_browser_functions';
+
+const registries = {
+  browserFunctions: browserFunctions,
+  commonFunctions: browserFunctions,
+  elements: elementsRegistry,
+  types: typesRegistry,
+  renderers: renderFunctionsRegistry,
+  transformUIs: transformRegistry,
+  datasourceUIs: datasourceRegistry,
+  modelUIs: modelRegistry,
+  viewUIs: viewRegistry,
+  argumentUIs: argTypeRegistry,
+};
+
+let resolve = null;
+let called = false;
+
+const populatePromise = new Promise(_resolve => {
+  resolve = _resolve;
+});
+
+export const getBrowserRegistries = () => {
+  return populatePromise;
+};
+
+export const populateBrowserRegistries = () => {
+  if (called) throw new Error('function should only be called once per process');
+  called = true;
+
+  // loadPrivateBrowserFunctions is sync. No biggie.
+  loadPrivateBrowserFunctions();
+
+  const remainingTypes = Object.keys(registries);
+  const populatedTypes = {};
+
+  function loadType() {
+    const type = remainingTypes.pop();
+    window.canvas = window.canvas || {};
+    window.canvas.register = d => registries[type].register(d);
+
+    // Load plugins one at a time because each needs a different loader function
+    // $script will only load each of these once, we so can call this as many times as we need?
+    const pluginPath = chrome.addBasePath(`/api/canvas/plugins?type=${type}`);
+    $script(pluginPath, () => {
+      populatedTypes[type] = registries[type];
+
+      if (remainingTypes.length) loadType();
+      else resolve(populatedTypes);
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (remainingTypes.length) loadType();
+  return populatePromise;
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/interpreter.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/interpreter.js
index 0809046c8a0cb..36878871b8b15 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/interpreter.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/interpreter.js
@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ import { getSocket } from '../socket';
 import { typesRegistry } from '../../common/lib/types_registry';
 import { createHandlers } from './create_handlers';
 import { functionsRegistry } from './functions_registry';
-import { loadBrowserPlugins } from './load_browser_plugins';
+import { getBrowserRegistries } from './browser_registries';
 
 let socket;
-let functionList;
+let resolve;
+const functionList = new Promise(_resolve => (resolve = _resolve));
 
 export async function initialize() {
   socket = getSocket();
@@ -29,14 +30,14 @@ export async function initialize() {
 
   // Create the function list
   socket.emit('getFunctionList');
-  functionList = new Promise(resolve => socket.once('functionList', resolve));
+  socket.once('functionList', resolve);
   return functionList;
 }
 
 // Use the above promise to seed the interpreter with the functions it can defer to
 export async function interpretAst(ast, context) {
   // Load plugins before attempting to get functions, otherwise this gets racey
-  return Promise.all([functionList, loadBrowserPlugins()])
+  return Promise.all([functionList, getBrowserRegistries()])
     .then(([serverFunctionList]) => {
       return socketInterpreterProvider({
         types: typesRegistry.toJS(),
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/load_browser_plugins.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/load_browser_plugins.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f1f5b2e90894..0000000000000
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/load_browser_plugins.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
- * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
- */
-
-import chrome from 'ui/chrome';
-import $script from 'scriptjs';
-import { typesRegistry } from '../../common/lib/types_registry';
-import {
-  argTypeRegistry,
-  datasourceRegistry,
-  transformRegistry,
-  modelRegistry,
-  viewRegistry,
-} from '../expression_types';
-import { elementsRegistry } from './elements_registry';
-import { renderFunctionsRegistry } from './render_functions_registry';
-import { functionsRegistry as browserFunctions } from './functions_registry';
-import { loadPrivateBrowserFunctions } from './load_private_browser_functions';
-
-const types = {
-  browserFunctions: browserFunctions,
-  commonFunctions: browserFunctions,
-  elements: elementsRegistry,
-  types: typesRegistry,
-  renderers: renderFunctionsRegistry,
-  transformUIs: transformRegistry,
-  datasourceUIs: datasourceRegistry,
-  modelUIs: modelRegistry,
-  viewUIs: viewRegistry,
-  argumentUIs: argTypeRegistry,
-};
-
-export const loadBrowserPlugins = () =>
-  new Promise(resolve => {
-    loadPrivateBrowserFunctions();
-    const remainingTypes = Object.keys(types);
-    function loadType() {
-      const type = remainingTypes.pop();
-      window.canvas = window.canvas || {};
-      window.canvas.register = d => types[type].register(d);
-      // Load plugins one at a time because each needs a different loader function
-      // $script will only load each of these once, we so can call this as many times as we need?
-      const pluginPath = chrome.addBasePath(`/api/canvas/plugins?type=${type}`);
-      $script(pluginPath, () => {
-        if (remainingTypes.length) loadType();
-        else resolve(true);
-      });
-    }
-
-    loadType();
-  });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/socket.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/socket.js
index a96320c8e0f7e..08cd0e017ce9f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/socket.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/socket.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import io from 'socket.io-client';
 import { functionsRegistry } from '../common/lib/functions_registry';
-import { loadBrowserPlugins } from './lib/load_browser_plugins';
+import { getBrowserRegistries } from './lib/browser_registries';
 
 let socket;
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function createSocket(basePath) {
   socket = io(undefined, { path: `${basePath}/socket.io` });
 
   socket.on('getFunctionList', () => {
-    const pluginsLoaded = loadBrowserPlugins();
+    const pluginsLoaded = getBrowserRegistries();
 
     pluginsLoaded.then(() => socket.emit('functionList', functionsRegistry.toJS()));
   });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/get_plugin_stream.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/get_plugin_stream.js
index 51f3d234afdb1..6a08e2beeff8e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/get_plugin_stream.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/get_plugin_stream.js
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import ss from 'stream-stream';
 import { getPluginPaths } from './get_plugin_paths';
 
 export const getPluginStream = type => {
-  const stream = ss();
+  const stream = ss({
+    separator: '\n',
+  });
 
   getPluginPaths(type).then(files => {
     files.forEach(file => {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/browser.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/browser.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..feae107873ac6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/browser.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import uuid from 'uuid/v4';
+
+export const browser = ({ socket, serialize, deserialize }) => {
+  // Note that we need to be careful about how many times routeExpressionProvider is called, because of the socket.once below.
+  // It's too bad we can't get a list of browser plugins on the server
+  const getClientFunctions = new Promise(resolve => {
+    socket.emit('getFunctionList');
+    socket.once('functionList', resolve);
+  });
+
+  return getClientFunctions.then(functions => {
+    return {
+      interpret: (ast, context) => {
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          const id = uuid();
+          const listener = resp => {
+            if (resp.type === 'msgError') {
+              const { value } = resp;
+              // cast error strings back into error instances
+              const err = value instanceof Error ? value : new Error(value);
+              if (value.stack) err.stack = value.stack;
+              // Reject's with a legit error. Check! Environments should always reject with an error when something bad happens
+              reject(err);
+            } else {
+              resolve(deserialize(resp.value));
+            }
+          };
+
+          // {type: msgSuccess or msgError, value: foo}. Doesn't matter if it's success or error, we do the same thing for now
+          socket.once(`resp:${id}`, listener);
+
+          socket.emit('run', { ast, context: serialize(context), id });
+        });
+      },
+      getFunctions: () => Object.keys(functions),
+    };
+  });
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3533b55687246
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+import { createError } from '../../../common/interpreter/create_error';
+
+export const routeExpressionProvider = environments => {
+  async function routeExpression(ast, context = null) {
+    // List of environments in order of preference
+
+    return Promise.all(environments).then(environments => {
+      const environmentFunctions = environments.map(env => env.getFunctions());
+
+      // Grab name of the first function in the chain
+      const fnName = ast.chain[0].function.toLowerCase();
+
+      // Check each environment for that function
+      for (let i = 0; i < environmentFunctions.length; i++) {
+        if (environmentFunctions[i].includes(fnName)) {
+          // If we find it, run in that environment, and only that environment
+          return environments[i].interpret(ast, context).catch(e => createError(e));
+        }
+      }
+
+      // If the function isn't found in any environment, give up
+      throw new Error(`Function not found: [${fnName}]`);
+    });
+  }
+
+  return routeExpression;
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/server.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/server.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..94b8484ab5764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/server.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { getServerRegistries } from '../server_registries';
+import { interpretProvider } from '../../../common/interpreter/interpret';
+import { createHandlers } from '../create_handlers';
+import { getRequest } from '../../lib/get_request';
+
+export const server = ({ onFunctionNotFound, server, socket }) => {
+  const pluginsReady = getServerRegistries(['serverFunctions', 'types']);
+
+  return Promise.all([pluginsReady, getRequest(server, socket.handshake)]).then(
+    ([{ serverFunctions, types }, request]) => {
+      // 'request' is the modified hapi request object
+      return {
+        interpret: (ast, context) => {
+          const interpret = interpretProvider({
+            types: types.toJS(),
+            functions: serverFunctions.toJS(),
+            handlers: createHandlers(request, server),
+            onFunctionNotFound,
+          });
+
+          return interpret(ast, context);
+        },
+        getFunctions: () => Object.keys(serverFunctions.toJS()),
+      };
+    }
+  );
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/babeled.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/babeled.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..da33b0ae29f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/babeled.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+// The babel-register below uses .babelrc by default.
+require('babel-register');
+require('./worker');
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d3748db02f65c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { fork } from 'child_process';
+import { resolve } from 'path';
+import uuid from 'uuid/v4';
+
+// If the worker doesn't response in 10s, kill it.
+const WORKER_TIMEOUT = 20000;
+const workerPath = resolve(__dirname, 'babeled.js');
+const heap = {};
+let worker = null;
+
+export function getWorker() {
+  if (worker) return worker;
+  worker = fork(workerPath, {});
+
+  // 'exit' happens whether we kill the worker or it just dies.
+  // No need to look for 'error', our worker is intended to be long lived so it isn't running, it's an issue
+  worker.on('exit', () => {
+    // Heads up: there is no worker.off
+    worker = null;
+    // Restart immediately on exit since node takes a couple seconds to spin up
+    worker = getWorker();
+  });
+
+  worker.on('message', msg => {
+    const { type, value, id } = msg;
+    if (type === 'run') {
+      const { threadId } = msg;
+      const { ast, context } = value;
+      heap[threadId]
+        .onFunctionNotFound(ast, context)
+        .then(value => {
+          worker.send({ type: 'msgSuccess', id, value: value });
+        })
+        .catch(e => heap[threadId].reject(e));
+    }
+
+    if (type === 'msgSuccess' && heap[id]) heap[id].resolve(value);
+
+    // TODO: I don't think it is even possible to hit this
+    if (type === 'msgError' && heap[id]) heap[id].reject(new Error(value));
+  });
+
+  return worker;
+}
+
+// All serialize/deserialize must occur in here. We should not return serialized stuff to the expressionRouter
+export const thread = ({ onFunctionNotFound, serialize, deserialize }) => {
+  const getWorkerFunctions = new Promise(resolve => {
+    const worker = getWorker();
+    worker.send({ type: 'getFunctions' });
+    worker.on('message', msg => {
+      if (msg.type === 'functionList') resolve(msg.value);
+    });
+  });
+
+  return getWorkerFunctions.then(functions => {
+    return {
+      interpret: (ast, context) => {
+        const worker = getWorker();
+        const id = uuid();
+        worker.send({ type: 'run', id, value: { ast, context: serialize(context) } });
+
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          heap[id] = {
+            time: new Date().getTime(),
+            resolve: value => {
+              delete heap[id];
+              resolve(deserialize(value));
+            },
+            reject: e => {
+              delete heap[id];
+              reject(e);
+            },
+            onFunctionNotFound: (ast, context) =>
+              onFunctionNotFound(ast, deserialize(context)).then(serialize),
+          };
+
+          //
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            if (!heap[id]) return; // Looks like this has already been cleared from the heap.
+            if (worker) worker.kill();
+
+            // The heap will be cleared because the reject on heap will delete its own id
+            heap[id].reject(new Error('Request timed out'));
+          }, WORKER_TIMEOUT);
+        });
+      },
+
+      getFunctions: () => functions,
+    };
+  });
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/worker.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/worker.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d81df410f7af7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/route_expression/thread/worker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import uuid from 'uuid/v4';
+import { populateServerRegistries } from '../../server_registries';
+import { interpretProvider } from '../../../../common/interpreter/interpret';
+import { serializeProvider } from '../../../../common/lib/serialize';
+
+// We actually DO need populateServerRegistries here since this is a different node process
+const pluginsReady = populateServerRegistries(['commonFunctions', 'types']);
+const heap = {};
+
+process.on('message', msg => {
+  const { type, id, value } = msg;
+  const threadId = id;
+
+  pluginsReady.then(({ commonFunctions, types }) => {
+    types = types.toJS();
+    const { serialize, deserialize } = serializeProvider(types);
+    const interpret = interpretProvider({
+      types,
+      functions: commonFunctions.toJS(),
+      handlers: { environment: 'serverThreaded' },
+      onFunctionNotFound: (ast, context) => {
+        const id = uuid();
+        // This needs to send a message to the main thread, and receive a response. Uhg.
+        process.send({
+          type: 'run',
+          threadId,
+          id,
+          value: {
+            ast,
+            context: serialize(context),
+          },
+        });
+
+        // Note that there is no facility to reject here. That's because this would only occur as the result of something that happens in the main thread, and we reject there
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
+          heap[id] = { resolve };
+        });
+      },
+    });
+
+    if (type === 'getFunctions')
+      process.send({ type: 'functionList', value: Object.keys(commonFunctions.toJS()) });
+
+    if (type === 'msgSuccess') {
+      heap[id].resolve(deserialize(value));
+      delete heap[id];
+    }
+
+    if (type === 'run') {
+      const { ast, context } = msg.value;
+
+      interpret(ast, deserialize(context))
+        .then(value => {
+          process.send({ type: 'msgSuccess', value: serialize(value), id });
+        })
+        // TODO: I don't think it is even possible to hit this
+        .catch(value => {
+          process.send({ type: 'msgError', value, id });
+        });
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/load_server_plugins.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/server_registries.js
similarity index 55%
rename from x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/load_server_plugins.js
rename to x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/server_registries.js
index 0373261e96067..cff63a1138ea3 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/load_server_plugins.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/lib/server_registries.js
@@ -8,32 +8,48 @@ import { typesRegistry } from '../../common/lib/types_registry';
 import { functionsRegistry as serverFunctions } from '../../common/lib/functions_registry';
 import { getPluginPaths } from './get_plugin_paths';
 
-const types = {
+const registries = {
   serverFunctions: serverFunctions,
   commonFunctions: serverFunctions,
   types: typesRegistry,
 };
 
-const loaded = new Promise(resolve => {
-  const remainingTypes = Object.keys(types);
+let resolve = null;
+let called = false;
+
+const populatePromise = new Promise(_resolve => {
+  resolve = _resolve;
+});
+
+export const getServerRegistries = () => {
+  return populatePromise;
+};
+
+export const populateServerRegistries = types => {
+  if (called) throw new Error('function should only be called once per process');
+  called = true;
+  if (!types || !types.length) throw new Error('types is required');
+
+  const remainingTypes = types;
+  const populatedTypes = {};
 
   const loadType = () => {
     const type = remainingTypes.pop();
     getPluginPaths(type).then(paths => {
       global.canvas = global.canvas || {};
-      global.canvas.register = d => types[type].register(d);
+      global.canvas.register = d => registries[type].register(d);
 
       paths.forEach(path => {
         require(path);
       });
 
       global.canvas = undefined;
+      populatedTypes[type] = registries[type];
       if (remainingTypes.length) loadType();
-      else resolve(true);
+      else resolve(populatedTypes);
     });
   };
 
-  loadType();
-});
-
-export const loadServerPlugins = () => loaded;
+  if (remainingTypes.length) loadType();
+  return populatePromise;
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/routes/socket.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/routes/socket.js
index dd8a3f1440ea8..d0244e2a85537 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/routes/socket.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/routes/socket.js
@@ -5,51 +5,45 @@
  */
 
 import socket from 'socket.io';
-import { createHandlers } from '../lib/create_handlers';
-import { socketInterpreterProvider } from '../../common/interpreter/socket_interpret';
 import { serializeProvider } from '../../common/lib/serialize';
-import { functionsRegistry } from '../../common/lib/functions_registry';
 import { typesRegistry } from '../../common/lib/types_registry';
-import { loadServerPlugins } from '../lib/load_server_plugins';
-import { getRequest } from '../lib/get_request';
+import { getServerRegistries } from '../lib/server_registries';
+import { routeExpressionProvider } from '../lib/route_expression';
+import { browser } from '../lib/route_expression/browser';
+import { thread } from '../lib/route_expression/thread';
+import { server as serverEnv } from '../lib/route_expression/server';
 
 export function socketApi(server) {
   const io = socket(server.listener, { path: '/socket.io' });
 
   io.on('connection', socket => {
-    // Create the function list
-    socket.emit('getFunctionList');
-    const getClientFunctions = new Promise(resolve => socket.once('functionList', resolve));
+    const types = typesRegistry.toJS();
+    const { serialize, deserialize } = serializeProvider(types);
+
+    // I'd love to find a way to generalize all of these, but they each need a different set of things
+    // Note that ORDER MATTERS here. The environments will be tried in this order. Do not reorder this array.
+    const routeExpression = routeExpressionProvider([
+      thread({ onFunctionNotFound, serialize, deserialize }),
+      serverEnv({ onFunctionNotFound, socket, server }),
+      browser({ onFunctionNotFound, socket, serialize, deserialize }),
+    ]);
+
+    function onFunctionNotFound(ast, context) {
+      return routeExpression(ast, context);
+    }
 
     socket.on('getFunctionList', () => {
-      loadServerPlugins().then(() => socket.emit('functionList', functionsRegistry.toJS()));
+      getServerRegistries().then(({ serverFunctions }) =>
+        socket.emit('functionList', serverFunctions.toJS())
+      );
     });
 
     const handler = ({ ast, context, id }) => {
-      Promise.all([getClientFunctions, getRequest(server, socket.handshake)]).then(
-        ([clientFunctions, request]) => {
-          // request is the modified hapi request object
-          const types = typesRegistry.toJS();
-          const interpret = socketInterpreterProvider({
-            types,
-            functions: functionsRegistry.toJS(),
-            handlers: createHandlers(request, server),
-            referableFunctions: clientFunctions,
-            socket: socket,
-          });
-
-          const { serialize, deserialize } = serializeProvider(types);
-          return interpret(ast, deserialize(context))
-            .then(value => {
-              socket.emit(`resp:${id}`, { value: serialize(value) });
-            })
-            .catch(e => {
-              socket.emit(`resp:${id}`, {
-                error: e.message,
-                stack: e.stack,
-              });
-            });
-        }
+      return (
+        routeExpression(ast, deserialize(context))
+          .then(value => socket.emit(`resp:${id}`, { type: 'msgSuccess', value: serialize(value) }))
+          // TODO: I don't think it is possible to hit this right now? Maybe ever?
+          .catch(e => socket.emit(`resp:${id}`, { type: 'msgError', value: e }))
       );
     };
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/index.js
index 66438986c3108..212d9f5132831 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/index.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/index.js
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@
 import ecommerceSavedObjects from './ecommerce_saved_objects.json';
 import flightsSavedObjects from './flights_saved_objects.json';
 import webLogsSavedObjects from './web_logs_saved_objects.json';
+import { loadSampleData } from './load_sample_data';
 
-export { ecommerceSavedObjects, flightsSavedObjects, webLogsSavedObjects };
+export { loadSampleData, ecommerceSavedObjects, flightsSavedObjects, webLogsSavedObjects };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/load_sample_data.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/load_sample_data.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f2f462ed168d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/sample_data/load_sample_data.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { ecommerceSavedObjects, flightsSavedObjects, webLogsSavedObjects } from './index';
+
+export function loadSampleData(server) {
+  const now = new Date();
+  const nowTimestamp = now.toISOString();
+  function updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(savedObjects) {
+    return savedObjects.map(savedObject => {
+      if (savedObject.type === 'canvas-workpad') {
+        savedObject.attributes['@timestamp'] = nowTimestamp;
+        savedObject.attributes['@created'] = nowTimestamp;
+      }
+
+      return savedObject;
+    });
+  }
+
+  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset(
+    'ecommerce',
+    updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(ecommerceSavedObjects)
+  );
+  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset(
+    'flights',
+    updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(flightsSavedObjects)
+  );
+  server.addSavedObjectsToSampleDataset('logs', updateCanvasWorkpadTimestamps(webLogsSavedObjects));
+}