diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8942e7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+storm/lib/
+storm/classes/
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1172f5a..8a33298 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ This has been tested on OSX 10.6.8 using Storm 0.5.3 and JRuby 1.6.4
 - edit Rakefile to ajust your `JRUBY_JAR`
 
 ``` sh
-$ ./lein deps
-rake build
-rake storm class=storm.starter.RubyExclamationTopology
+$ rake deps
+$ rake build
+$ rake storm class=RubyExclamationTopology
+$ rake storm class=RubyExclamationTopology2
+$ rake storm class=RubyWordCountTopology
 ```
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 5e62e82..3bd0b9e 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,23 +1,24 @@
-require 'ant'  
-  
-PROJECT_NAME = 'storm-jruby'  
-  
-JAVA_SRC_DIR = 'src/jvm'  
-JRUBY_SRC_DIR = 'src/jruby'  
- 
-RUNTIME_LIB_DIR = 'lib'  
-DEV_LIB_DIR = 'lib/dev' 
+require 'ant' 
+
 JRUBY_JAR = '/Users/colin/.rvm/rubies/jruby-1.6.4/lib/jruby.jar'
-  
-BUILD_DIR = 'build'  
-CLASSES_DIR = "classes"  
+
+STORM_DIR = './storm'
+JAVA_SRC_DIR = "#{STORM_DIR}/src/jvm"
+EXAMPLES_SRC_DIR = "./examples" 
+JRUBY_SRC_DIR = "./lib/red_storm" 
+RUNTIME_LIB_DIR = "#{STORM_DIR}/lib" 
+DEV_LIB_DIR = "#{STORM_DIR}/lib/dev" 
+CLASSES_DIR = "#{STORM_DIR}/classes"  
   
 task :default => [:clean, :build]  
   
-task :clean do  
-  ant.delete :dir => BUILD_DIR  
-  puts  
-end  
+task :clean_all => :clean do  
+  ant.delete :dir => RUNTIME_LIB_DIR
+end
+
+task :clean do
+  ant.delete :dir => CLASSES_DIR
+end
   
 task :setup do  
   ant.mkdir :dir => CLASSES_DIR  
@@ -28,29 +29,40 @@ task :setup do
   end  
 end  
   
-task :build => :setup do
-  build_java "#{JAVA_SRC_DIR}/backtype/storm/jruby"
-  build_jruby "#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}/storm/starter"
-end  
-  
-def build_java(source_folder)  
-  ant.javac :srcdir => source_folder, :destdir => CLASSES_DIR, :classpathref => 'classpath',  
-            :source => "1.6", :target => "1.6", :debug => "yes", :includeantruntime => "no"  
-  puts  
-end  
-  
-def build_jruby(source_folder)
-  puts("compiling jruby")
-  exec("jrubyc -t #{CLASSES_DIR} --javac -c \"#{DEV_LIB_DIR}/storm-0.5.3.jar\" -c \"#{CLASSES_DIR}\" #{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}")
-end  
+task :deps do
+  system("cd #{STORM_DIR}; ./lein deps")
+end
 
+task :build => :setup do
+  build_jruby("#{JRUBY_SRC_DIR}")
+  build_java("#{JAVA_SRC_DIR}/backtype/storm/jruby")
+  build_jruby("#{EXAMPLES_SRC_DIR}")
+end  
 
 task :storm do
   unless ENV['class']
     puts("usage: rake storm class={fully qualified java class name}")
     exit(1)
   end
-  exec("java -cp \"./#{CLASSES_DIR}:./#{RUNTIME_LIB_DIR}/*:./#{DEV_LIB_DIR}/*:#{JRUBY_JAR}\" #{ENV['class']}")
+  system("java -cp \"./#{CLASSES_DIR}:./#{RUNTIME_LIB_DIR}/*:./#{DEV_LIB_DIR}/*:#{JRUBY_JAR}\" #{ENV['class']}")
 end
 
+def build_java(source_folder)
+  puts("\n--> Building Java:")
+  ant.javac(
+    :srcdir => source_folder,
+    :destdir => CLASSES_DIR,
+    :classpathref => 'classpath', 
+    :source => "1.6",
+    :target => "1.6",
+    :debug => "yes",
+    :includeantruntime => "no",
+    :verbose => false,
+    :listfiles => true
+  )
+end  
   
+def build_jruby(source_folder)
+  puts("\n--> Building JRuby #{source_folder}")
+  system("jrubyc -t #{CLASSES_DIR} --verbose --javac -c \"#{DEV_LIB_DIR}/storm-0.5.3.jar\" -c \"#{CLASSES_DIR}\" #{source_folder}")
+end
diff --git a/examples/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb b/examples/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c483a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+
+class RubyExclamationBolt
+
+  def prepare(conf, context, collector)
+    @collector = collector
+  end
+
+  def execute(tuple)
+    @collector.emit(tuple, Values.new(tuple.getString(0) + "!!!"))
+    @collector.ack(tuple)
+  end
+
+  def declare_output_fields(declarer)
+    declarer.declare(Fields.new("word"))
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/src/jruby/storm/starter/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb b/examples/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb
similarity index 78%
rename from src/jruby/storm/starter/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb
rename to examples/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb
index 139eac0..102e5dd 100644
--- a/src/jruby/storm/starter/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/ruby_exclamation_topology.rb
@@ -15,9 +15,8 @@ java_import 'backtype.storm.utils.Utils'
 java_import 'java.util.Map'
 
 java_import 'backtype.storm.jruby.JRubyBolt'
-java_import 'storm.starter.RubyExclamationBolt'
 
-java_package 'storm.starter'
+require 'examples/ruby_exclamation_bolt'
 
 class RubyExclamationTopology
 
@@ -26,15 +25,15 @@ class RubyExclamationTopology
     builder = TopologyBuilder.new
     
     builder.setSpout(1, TestWordSpout.new, 10)     
-    builder.setBolt(2, JRubyBolt.new("storm.starter.RubyExclamationBolt"), 3).shuffleGrouping(1)
-    builder.setBolt(3, JRubyBolt.new("storm.starter.RubyExclamationBolt"), 2).shuffleGrouping(2)
+    builder.setBolt(2, JRubyBolt.new("RubyExclamationBolt"), 3).shuffleGrouping(1)
+    builder.setBolt(3, JRubyBolt.new("RubyExclamationBolt"), 2).shuffleGrouping(2)
             
     conf = Config.new
     conf.setDebug(true)
     
     cluster = LocalCluster.new
     cluster.submitTopology("test", conf, builder.createTopology)
-    Utils.sleep(10000)
+    sleep(5)
     cluster.killTopology("test")
     cluster.shutdown
   end
diff --git a/examples/ruby_exclamation_topology2.rb b/examples/ruby_exclamation_topology2.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec79bd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/ruby_exclamation_topology2.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+require 'java'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.Config'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.LocalCluster'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.OutputCollector'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.IRichBolt'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.TopologyBuilder'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Fields'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Tuple'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Values'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.utils.Utils'
+java_import 'java.util.Map'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.jruby.JRubyBolt'
+
+class RubyExclamationBolt2
+
+  def prepare(conf, context, collector)
+    @collector = collector
+  end
+
+  def execute(tuple)
+    @collector.emit(tuple, Values.new(tuple.getString(0) + "!!!"))
+    @collector.ack(tuple)
+  end
+
+  def declare_output_fields(declarer)
+    declarer.declare(Fields.new("word"))
+  end
+
+end
+
+class RubyExclamationTopology2
+
+  java_signature 'void main(String[])'
+  def self.main(args)
+    builder = TopologyBuilder.new
+    
+    builder.setSpout(1, TestWordSpout.new, 10)     
+    builder.setBolt(2, JRubyBolt.new("RubyExclamationBolt2"), 3).shuffleGrouping(1)
+    builder.setBolt(3, JRubyBolt.new("RubyExclamationBolt2"), 2).shuffleGrouping(2)
+            
+    conf = Config.new
+    conf.setDebug(true)
+    
+    cluster = LocalCluster.new
+    cluster.submitTopology("test", conf, builder.createTopology)
+    sleep(5)
+    cluster.killTopology("test")
+    cluster.shutdown
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/examples/ruby_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/ruby_word_count_topology.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e486b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/ruby_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+require 'java'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.Config'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.LocalCluster'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.OutputCollector'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.IRichBolt'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.TopologyBuilder'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Fields'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Tuple'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Values'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.utils.Utils'
+java_import 'java.util.Map'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.jruby.JRubyBolt'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.jruby.JRubySpout'
+
+
+class RubyRandomSentenceSpout
+  def initialize
+    @sentences = [
+      "the cow jumped over the moon",
+      "an apple a day keeps the doctor away",
+      "four score and seven years ago",
+      "snow white and the seven dwarfs",
+      "i am at two with nature"
+    ]
+  end 
+
+  def is_distributed
+    true
+  end
+
+  def open(conf, context, collector)
+    @collector = collector
+  end
+  
+  def next_tuple
+    @collector.emit(Values.new(@sentences[rand(@sentences.length)]))
+  end
+
+  def declare_output_fields(declarer)
+    declarer.declare(Fields.new("word"))
+  end
+end
+
+class RubySplitSentence
+  def prepare(conf, context, collector)
+    @collector = collector
+  end
+
+  def execute(tuple)
+    tuple.getString(0).split(" ").each {|w| @collector.emit(Values.new(w)) }
+  end
+
+  def declare_output_fields(declarer)
+    declarer.declare(Fields.new("word"))
+  end
+end
+
+class RubyWordCount
+  def initialize
+    @counts = Hash.new{|h, k| h[k] = 0}
+  end
+
+  def prepare(conf, context, collector)
+    @collector = collector
+  end
+
+  def execute(tuple)
+    word = tuple.getString(0)
+    @counts[word] += 1
+    @collector.emit(Values.new(word, @counts[word]))
+  end
+
+  def declare_output_fields(declarer)
+    declarer.declare(Fields.new("word", "count"))
+  end
+end
+
+
+class RubyWordCountTopology
+
+  java_signature 'void main(String[])'
+  def self.main(args)
+    builder = TopologyBuilder.new
+    builder.setSpout(1, JRubySpout.new("RubyRandomSentenceSpout"), 5)
+    builder.setBolt(2, JRubyBolt.new("RubySplitSentence"), 8).shuffleGrouping(1)
+    builder.setBolt(3, JRubyBolt.new("RubyWordCount"), 12).fieldsGrouping(2, Fields.new("word"))
+
+    conf = Config.new
+    conf.setDebug(true)
+    conf.setMaxTaskParallelism(3)
+
+    cluster = LocalCluster.new
+    cluster.submitTopology("word-count", conf, builder.createTopology)
+    sleep(5)
+    cluster.shutdown
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/red_storm.rb b/lib/red_storm.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3ebc96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/red_storm.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+require 'lib/red_storm/proxy/bolt'
+require 'lib/red_storm/proxy/spout'
diff --git a/lib/red_storm/proxy/bolt.rb b/lib/red_storm/proxy/bolt.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8629ba2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/red_storm/proxy/bolt.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+require 'java'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.OutputCollector'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.IRichBolt'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Fields'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Tuple'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Values'
+java_import 'java.util.Map'
+
+java_package 'redstorm.proxy'
+
+class Bolt
+  java_implements IRichBolt
+
+  java_signature 'IRichBolt (String real_bolt_class_name)'
+  def initialize(real_bolt_class_name)
+    @real_bolt_class_name = real_bolt_class_name
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void prepare(Map, TopologyContext, OutputCollector)'
+  def prepare(conf, context, collector)
+    @real_bolt = Object.module_eval(@real_bolt_class_name).new
+    @real_bolt.prepare(conf, context, collector)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void execute(Tuple)'
+  def execute(tuple)
+    @real_bolt.execute(tuple)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void cleanup()'
+  def cleanup
+    @real_bolt.cleanup if @real_bolt.respond_to?(:cleanup)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void declareOutputFields(OutputFieldsDeclarer)'
+  def declareOutputFields(declarer)
+    Object.module_eval(@real_bolt_class_name).new.declare_output_fields(declarer)
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/lib/red_storm/proxy/spout.rb b/lib/red_storm/proxy/spout.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10c0d67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/red_storm/proxy/spout.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+require 'java'
+
+java_import 'backtype.storm.spout.SpoutOutputCollector'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.IRichSpout'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Fields'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Tuple'
+java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Values'
+java_import 'java.util.Map'
+
+java_package 'redstorm.proxy'
+
+class Spout
+  java_implements IRichSpout
+
+  java_signature 'IRichSpout (String real_spout_class_name)'
+  def initialize(real_spout_class_name)
+    @real_spout_class_name = real_spout_class_name
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'boolean isDistributed()'
+  def isDistributed
+    Object.module_eval(@real_spout_class_name).new.is_distributed
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void open(Map, TopologyContext, SpoutOutputCollector)'
+  def open(conf, context, collector)
+    @real_spout = Object.module_eval(@real_spout_class_name).new
+    @real_spout.open(conf, context, collector)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void close()'
+  def close
+    @real_spout.close if @real_spout.respond_to?(:close)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void nextTuple()'
+  def nextTuple
+    @real_spout.next_tuple
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void ack(Object)'
+  def ack(msgId)
+    @real_spout.ack(msgId) if @real_spout.respond_to?(:close)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void fail(Object)'
+  def fail(msgId)
+    @real_spout.fail(msgId) if @real_spout.respond_to?(:close)
+  end
+
+  java_signature 'void declareOutputFields(OutputFieldsDeclarer)'
+  def declareOutputFields(declarer)
+    Object.module_eval(@real_spout_class_name).new.declare_output_fields(declarer)
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/src/jruby/storm/starter/bolt/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb b/src/jruby/storm/starter/bolt/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 41161be..0000000
--- a/src/jruby/storm/starter/bolt/ruby_exclamation_bolt.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-require 'java'
-
-java_import 'backtype.storm.task.OutputCollector'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.IRichBolt'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Fields'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Tuple'
-java_import 'backtype.storm.tuple.Values'
-java_import 'java.util.Map'
-
-java_package 'storm.starter'
-
-class RubyExclamationBolt
-    java_implements IRichBolt
-
-    java_signature 'void prepare(Map, TopologyContext, OutputCollector)'
-    def prepare(conf, context, collector)
-      @collector = collector
-    end
-
-    java_signature 'void execute(Tuple)'
-    def execute(tuple)
-      @collector.emit(tuple, Values.new(tuple.getString(0) + "!!!"))
-      @collector.ack(tuple)
-    end
-
-    java_signature 'void cleanup()'
-    def cleanup
-    end
-
-    java_signature 'void declareOutputFields(OutputFieldsDeclarer)'
-    def declareOutputFields(declarer)
-      declarer.declare(Fields.new("word"))
-    end
-
-  end
diff --git a/lein b/storm/lein
similarity index 100%
rename from lein
rename to storm/lein
diff --git a/project.clj b/storm/project.clj
similarity index 89%
rename from project.clj
rename to storm/project.clj
index 59716db..c18a61b 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/storm/project.clj
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 (defproject storm-jruby "0.0.1"
   :source-path "src/clj"
   :java-source-path "src/jvm"
+  :library-path "lib/"
+  :dev-library-path "lib/dev/"
+  :compile-path "build/classes"
   :javac-options {:debug "true" :fork "true"}
   :resources-path "multilang"
   :aot :all
diff --git a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java b/storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java
similarity index 60%
rename from src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java
rename to storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java
index f29288a..9e01e67 100644
--- a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java
+++ b/storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubyBolt.java
@@ -19,48 +19,50 @@ import java.util.Map;
  * post-deserialization at the workers.
  */
 public class JRubyBolt implements IRichBolt {
-  IRichBolt _bolt;
-  String _jrubyClassName;
+  IRichBolt _proxyBolt;
+  String _realBoltClassName;
   
   /**
    * create a new JRubyBolt
    * 
-   * @param jrubyClassName the fully qualified JRuby bolt implementation class name
+   * @param realBoltClassName the fully qualified JRuby bolt implementation class name
    */
-  public JRubyBolt(String jrubyClassName) {
-    // create instance of the jruby class so its available for declareOutputFields 
-    // which gets executed in the topology creation time, before the prepare method 
-    _jrubyClassName = jrubyClassName;
-    _bolt = realJRubyBolt(_jrubyClassName);
+  public JRubyBolt(String realBoltClassName) {
+    _realBoltClassName = realBoltClassName;
   }
 
   @Override
   public void prepare(final Map stormConf, final TopologyContext context, final OutputCollector collector) {
     // create instance of the jruby class here, after deserialization for the workers.
-    _bolt = realJRubyBolt(_jrubyClassName);
-    _bolt.prepare(stormConf, context, collector);
+    _proxyBolt = newProxyBolt(_realBoltClassName);
+    _proxyBolt.prepare(stormConf, context, collector);
   }
 
   @Override
   public void execute(Tuple input) {
-    _bolt.execute(input);
+    _proxyBolt.execute(input);
   }
 
   @Override
   public void cleanup() {
-    _bolt.cleanup();
+    _proxyBolt.cleanup();
   }
 
   @Override
   public void declareOutputFields(OutputFieldsDeclarer declarer) {
-    _bolt.declareOutputFields(declarer);
+    // declareOutputFields is executed in the topology creation time, before the prepare method at
+    // pre serialisation. do not set the _proxyBolt instance variable here to avoid JRuby serialization
+    // issues. Just create tmp bolt instance to call declareOutputFields.
+    IRichBolt bolt = newProxyBolt(_realBoltClassName);
+    bolt.declareOutputFields(declarer);
   }
 
-  private static IRichBolt realJRubyBolt(String realClassName) {
+  private static IRichBolt newProxyBolt(String realBoltClassName) {
     try {
-      Class clazz = Class.forName(realClassName);
-      return (IRichBolt)clazz.newInstance();
-    } catch (Exception e) {
+      redstorm.proxy.Bolt proxy = new redstorm.proxy.Bolt(realBoltClassName);
+      return proxy;
+    }
+    catch (Exception e) {
       throw new RuntimeException(e);
     }
   }
diff --git a/storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubySpout.java b/storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubySpout.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..953aee8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storm/src/jvm/backtype/storm/jruby/JRubySpout.java
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package backtype.storm.jruby;
+
+import backtype.storm.generated.StreamInfo;
+import backtype.storm.spout.ISpout;
+import backtype.storm.spout.SpoutOutputCollector;
+import backtype.storm.task.TopologyContext;
+import backtype.storm.topology.IRichSpout;
+import backtype.storm.topology.OutputFieldsDeclarer;
+import backtype.storm.tuple.Fields;
+import backtype.storm.utils.Utils;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+/**
+ * the JRubySpout class is a simple proxy class to the actual spout implementation in JRuby.
+ * this proxy is required to bypass the serialization/deserialization process when dispatching
+ * the spout to the workers. JRuby does not yet support serialization from Java
+ * (Java serialization call on a JRuby class). 
+ *
+ * Note that the JRuby spout class is instanciated twice, in the constructor and in the open
+ * method. The constructor instance is required to support the declareOutputFields at topology
+ * creation while the open instance is required for the actual spout execution, 
+ * post-deserialization at the workers.
+ */
+public class JRubySpout implements IRichSpout {
+  IRichSpout _proxySpout;
+  String _realSpoutClassName;
+  
+  /**
+   * create a new JRubySpout
+   * 
+   * @param jrubyClassName the fully qualified JRuby spout implementation class name
+   */
+  public JRubySpout(String realSpoutClassName) {
+    _realSpoutClassName = realSpoutClassName;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isDistributed() {
+    IRichSpout spout = newProxySpout(_realSpoutClassName);
+    return spout.isDistributed();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void open(final Map conf, final TopologyContext context, final SpoutOutputCollector collector) {
+    _proxySpout = newProxySpout(_realSpoutClassName);
+    _proxySpout.open(conf, context, collector);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void close() {
+    _proxySpout.close();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void nextTuple() {
+    _proxySpout.nextTuple();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void ack(Object msgId) {
+    _proxySpout.ack(msgId);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void fail(Object msgId) {
+    _proxySpout.fail(msgId);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void declareOutputFields(OutputFieldsDeclarer declarer) {
+    IRichSpout spout = newProxySpout(_realSpoutClassName);
+    spout.declareOutputFields(declarer);
+  }  
+
+  private static IRichSpout newProxySpout(String realSpoutClassName) {
+    try {
+      redstorm.proxy.Spout proxy = new redstorm.proxy.Spout(realSpoutClassName);
+      return proxy;
+    }
+    catch (Exception e) {
+      throw new RuntimeException(e);
+    }
+  }
+}