diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
index 53b010c..b823fa2 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
      * @param {object|undefined} [options]
      *      @param [options.cm_config] {object} config to pass to CodeMirror
      */
-    var CodeCell = function (session, options) {
-        this.session = session || null;
+    var CodeCell = function (kernel, options) {
+        this.kernel = kernel || null;
         this.code_mirror = null;
         this.input_prompt_number = null;
         this.collapsed = false;
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
 
     // Kernel related calls.
 
-    CodeCell.prototype.set_session = function (session) {
-        this.session = session;
+    CodeCell.prototype.set_kernel = function (kernel) {
+        this.kernel = kernel;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             'set_next_input': $.proxy(this._handle_set_next_input, this),
             'input_request': $.proxy(this._handle_input_request, this)
         };
-        this.last_msg_id = this.session.kernel.execute(this.get_text(), callbacks, {silent: false, store_history: true});
+        this.last_msg_id = this.kernel.execute(this.get_text(), callbacks, {silent: false, store_history: true});
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
index 0b5cb01..992c87f 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             var callbacks = {
                 'complete_reply': $.proxy(this.finish_completing, this)
             };
-            this.cell.session.kernel.complete(line, cur.ch, callbacks);
+            this.cell.kernel.complete(line, cur.ch, callbacks);
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
index 16d9297..f073419 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         this.element.data("notebook", this);
         this.next_prompt_number = 1;
         this.session = null;
+        this.kernel = null;
         this.clipboard = null;
         this.undelete_backup = null;
         this.undelete_index = null;
@@ -797,7 +798,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
 
         if (ncells === 0 || this.is_valid_cell_index(index) || index === ncells) {
             if (type === 'code') {
-                cell = new IPython.CodeCell(this.session);
+                cell = new IPython.CodeCell(this.kernel);
                 cell.set_input_prompt();
             } else if (type === 'markdown') {
                 cell = new IPython.MarkdownCell();
@@ -1390,21 +1391,21 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
      */
     Notebook.prototype.start_session = function () {
         this.session = new IPython.Session(this.notebook_name, this.notebook_path, this);
-        this.session.start();
-        this.link_cells_to_session();
+        this.session.start($.proxy(this._session_started, this));
     };
 
 
     /**
-     * Once a session is started, link the code cells to the session
+     * Once a session is started, link the code cells to the kernel
      *
      */
-    Notebook.prototype.link_cells_to_session= function(){
+    Notebook.prototype._session_started = function(){
+        this.kernel = this.session.kernel;
         var ncells = this.ncells();
         for (var i=0; i<ncells; i++) {
             var cell = this.get_cell(i);
             if (cell instanceof IPython.CodeCell) {
-                cell.set_session(this.session);
+                cell.set_kernel(this.session.kernel);
             };
         };  
     };
@@ -1806,21 +1807,20 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         $.ajax(url,settings);
     };
 
-    Notebook.prototype.notebook_rename = function (nbname) {
+    Notebook.prototype.rename = function (nbname) {
         var that = this;
-        var new_name = nbname + '.ipynb'
-        var name = {'name': new_name};
+        var data = {name: nbname + '.ipynb'};
         var settings = {
             processData : false,
             cache : false,
             type : "PATCH",
-            data : JSON.stringify(name),
+            data : JSON.stringify(data),
             dataType: "json",
             headers : {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
             success : $.proxy(that.rename_success, this),
             error : $.proxy(that.rename_error, this)
         };
-        $([IPython.events]).trigger('notebook_rename.Notebook');
+        $([IPython.events]).trigger('rename_notebook.Notebook', data);
         var url = utils.url_path_join(
             this.baseProjectUrl(),
             'api/notebooks',
@@ -1835,8 +1835,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         this.notebook_name = json.name
         var name = this.notebook_name
         var path = json.path
-        this.session.notebook_rename(name, path);
-        $([IPython.events]).trigger('notebook_renamed.Notebook');
+        this.session.rename_notebook(name, path);
+        $([IPython.events]).trigger('notebook_renamed.Notebook', json);
     }
 
     Notebook.prototype.rename_error = function (json, status, xhr) {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/savewidget.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/savewidget.js
index dadec6a..56e62f3 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/savewidget.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/savewidget.js
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
                         );
                         return false;
                     } else {
-                        IPython.notebook.notebook_rename(new_name);
+                        IPython.notebook.rename(new_name);
                     }
                 }}
                 },
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/tooltip.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/tooltip.js
index f3c471b..9c3679e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/tooltip.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/tooltip.js
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         // reexecute last call in pager by appending ? to show back in pager
         var that = this;
         var empty = function () {};
-        cell.session.kernel.execute(
+        cell.kernel.execute(
         that.name + '?', {
             'execute_reply': empty,
             'output': empty,
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             'object_info_reply': $.proxy(this._show, this)
         }
         var oir_token = this.extract_oir_token(line);
-        var msg_id = cell.session.kernel.object_info_request(oir_token, callbacks);
+        var msg_id = cell.kernel.object_info_request(oir_token, callbacks);
     }
 
     // make an imediate completion request
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js b/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
index 8f33f3b..f0e9f37 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         this._baseProjectUrl = notebook.baseProjectUrl();
     };
     
-    Session.prototype.start = function() {
+    Session.prototype.start = function(callback) {
         var that = this;
         var model = {
             notebook : {
@@ -37,13 +37,18 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             type : "POST",
             data: JSON.stringify(model),
             dataType : "json",
-            success : $.proxy(this.start_kernel, that),
+            success : function (data, status, xhr) {
+                that._handle_start_success(data);
+                if (callback) {
+                    callback(data, status, xhr);
+                }
+            },
         };
         var url = utils.url_path_join(this._baseProjectUrl, 'api/sessions');
         $.ajax(url, settings);
     };
     
-    Session.prototype.notebook_rename = function (name, path) {
+    Session.prototype.rename_notebook = function (name, path) {
         this.name = name;
         this.path = path;
         var model = {
@@ -63,7 +68,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         $.ajax(url, settings);
     };
     
-    Session.prototype.delete_session = function() {
+    Session.prototype.delete = function() {
         var settings = {
             processData : false,
             cache : false,
@@ -76,16 +81,15 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
     
     // Kernel related things
     /**
-     * Start a new kernel and set it on each code cell.
+     * Create the Kernel object associated with this Session.
      * 
-     * @method start_kernel
+     * @method _handle_start_success
      */
-    Session.prototype.start_kernel = function (json) {
-        this.id = json.id;
-        this.kernel_content = json.kernel;
+    Session.prototype._handle_start_success = function (data, status, xhr) {
+        this.id = data.id;
         var base_url = utils.url_path_join($('body').data('baseKernelUrl'), "api/kernels");
-        this.kernel = new IPython.Kernel(base_url, this.session_id);
-        this.kernel._kernel_started(this.kernel_content);
+        this.kernel = new IPython.Kernel(base_url);
+        this.kernel._kernel_started(data.kernel);
     };
     
     /**