diff --git a/src/client/libdistren.h b/src/client/libdistren.h
--- a/src/client/libdistren.h
+++ b/src/client/libdistren.h
@@ -26,12 +26,16 @@
 
 #include "distren.h"
 
+#include "common/multiio.h"
+
 struct distren
 {
   distren_malloc_t malloc;
   distren_free_t free;
   struct options_common *options; /*< use a pointer just to avoid #include "options.h"? */
   char *server;
+
+  multiio_context_t multiio;
 };
 
 struct distren_job
@@ -62,14 +66,18 @@ void *_malloc(distren_t distren, size_t 
 void _free(distren_t distren, void *tofree);
 
 /**
-   Sets up the distren handle with information garnered from
-   configuration files, etc. Uses the environment variable
-   DISTREN_CONFIG or the built-in default config file location.
+ * Sets up the distren handle with information garnered from
+ * configuration files, etc. Uses the environment variable
+ * DISTREN_CONFIG or the built-in default config file location.
+ *
+ * Also initializes multiio.
  */
 int _distren_getoptions(distren_t handle);
 
 /**
-   Unsets-up the distren handle with options loadable from a config file.
+ * Unsets-up the distren handle with options loadable from a config file.
+ *
+ * Also unloads multiio.
  */
 int _distren_loseoptions(distren_t handle);