diff --git a/src/comp/back/upcall.rs b/src/comp/back/upcall.rs
index b1b533c84d6a..df7b4a4a2d02 100644
--- a/src/comp/back/upcall.rs
+++ b/src/comp/back/upcall.rs
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ fn declare_upcalls(type_names tn, ModuleRef llmod) -> @upcalls {
                         [T_ptr(T_crate(tn)), T_size_t(), T_size_t(),
                             T_size_t(), T_ptr(T_ptr(T_tydesc(tn)))],
                         T_ptr(T_tydesc(tn))),
-        new_task=d("new_task", [T_ptr(T_i8())], T_taskptr(tn)),
+        new_task=d("new_task", [T_ptr(T_str())], T_taskptr(tn)),
         start_task=d("start_task", [T_taskptr(tn), T_int(), T_int(),
                                        T_int(), T_size_t()],
                      T_taskptr(tn)),
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/trans.rs b/src/comp/middle/trans.rs
index 054e6114a717..8552aa4e6fe4 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/trans.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/trans.rs
@@ -5903,7 +5903,8 @@ fn trans_spawn(&@block_ctxt cx,
     };
 
     // dump a bunch of information
-    log_err "Spawn";
+    log_err "Translating Spawn " +
+        "(The compiled program is not actually running yet, don't worry!";
     log_err #fmt("task name: %s", tname);
 
     // Generate code
@@ -5920,6 +5921,8 @@ fn trans_spawn(&@block_ctxt cx,
     // 
     // 4. Pass a pointer to the spawnee function and the argument tuple to
     // upcall_start_task.
+    //
+    // 5. Oh yeah, we have to create the task before we start it...
     
     // Translate the arguments, remembering their types and where the values
     // ended up.
@@ -5961,6 +5964,23 @@ fn trans_spawn(&@block_ctxt cx,
 
     // Now we're ready to do the upcall.
 
+    // But first, we'll create a task.
+    let ValueRef lltname = C_str(bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx, tname);
+    log_err #fmt("ty(new_task) = %s",
+                 val_str(bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx.tn, 
+                         bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx.upcalls.new_task));
+    log_err #fmt("ty(lltaskptr) = %s",
+                 val_str(bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx.tn, 
+                         bcx.fcx.lltaskptr));
+    log_err #fmt("ty(lltname) = %s",
+                 val_str(bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx.tn, 
+                         lltname));
+
+    log_err "Building upcall_new_task";
+    auto new_task = bcx.build.Call(bcx.fcx.lcx.ccx.upcalls.new_task,
+                              [bcx.fcx.lltaskptr, lltname]);
+    log_err "Done";
+
     alt(dom) {
         case(ast::dom_implicit) {
             // TODO
@@ -5975,6 +5995,8 @@ fn trans_spawn(&@block_ctxt cx,
             fail;
         }
     }
+
+    ret res(bcx, new_task);
 }
 
 fn trans_send(&@block_ctxt cx, &@ast::expr lhs, &@ast::expr rhs,
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_upcall.cpp b/src/rt/rust_upcall.cpp
index 6bdfaef96e13..f95a6e3ebeeb 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_upcall.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_upcall.cpp
@@ -538,10 +538,11 @@ upcall_get_type_desc(rust_task *task,
 }
 
 extern "C" CDECL rust_task *
-upcall_new_task(rust_task *spawner, const char *name) {
+upcall_new_task(rust_task *spawner, rust_vec *name) {
+    // name is a rust string structure.
     LOG_UPCALL_ENTRY(spawner);
     rust_dom *dom = spawner->dom;
-    rust_task *task = dom->create_task(spawner, name);
+    rust_task *task = dom->create_task(spawner, (const char *)name->data);
     return task;
 }