diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
index c0fa1fccbe1..f96505630ae 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ def Manager():
     m.start()
     return m
 
+def Pipe(duplex=True):
+    '''
+    Returns two connection object connected by a pipe
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.connection import Pipe
+    return Pipe(duplex)
+
 def cpu_count():
     '''
     Returns the number of CPUs in the system
@@ -131,28 +138,134 @@ def freeze_support():
         from multiprocessing.forking import freeze_support
         freeze_support()
 
+def get_logger():
+    '''
+    Return package logger -- if it does not already exist then it is created
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.util import get_logger
+    return get_logger()
+
+def log_to_stderr(level=None):
+    '''
+    Turn on logging and add a handler which prints to stderr
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.util import log_to_stderr
+    return log_to_stderr(level)
+
 def allow_connection_pickling():
     '''
     Install support for sending connections and sockets between processes
     '''
     from multiprocessing import reduction
 
-# Alias some names from submodules in the package namespace
-from multiprocessing.connection import Pipe
-from multiprocessing.util import (get_logger, log_to_stderr)
-
 #
 # Definitions depending on native semaphores
 #
-# Alias some names from submodules in the package namespace
-from multiprocessing.synchronize import (Lock, RLock, Condition, Event,
-                                         Semaphore, BoundedSemaphore)
-from multiprocessing.queues import (Queue, JoinableQueue)
-from multiprocessing.pool import Pool
-from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import (RawValue, Value,
-                                          RawArray, Array)
+
+def Lock():
+    '''
+    Returns a non-recursive lock object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Lock
+    return Lock()
+
+def RLock():
+    '''
+    Returns a recursive lock object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import RLock
+    return RLock()
+
+def Condition(lock=None):
+    '''
+    Returns a condition object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Condition
+    return Condition(lock)
+
+def Semaphore(value=1):
+    '''
+    Returns a semaphore object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Semaphore
+    return Semaphore(value)
+
+def BoundedSemaphore(value=1):
+    '''
+    Returns a bounded semaphore object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import BoundedSemaphore
+    return BoundedSemaphore(value)
+
+def Event():
+    '''
+    Returns an event object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Event
+    return Event()
+
+def Queue(maxsize=0):
+    '''
+    Returns a queue object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.queues import Queue
+    return Queue(maxsize)
+
+def JoinableQueue(maxsize=0):
+    '''
+    Returns a queue object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.queues import JoinableQueue
+    return JoinableQueue(maxsize)
+
+def Pool(processes=None, initializer=None, initargs=()):
+    '''
+    Returns a process pool object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.pool import Pool
+    return Pool(processes, initializer, initargs)
+
+def RawValue(typecode_or_type, *args):
+    '''
+    Returns a shared object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import RawValue
+    return RawValue(typecode_or_type, *args)
+
+def RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer):
+    '''
+    Returns a shared array
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import RawArray
+    return RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer)
+
+def Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds):
+    '''
+    Returns a synchronized shared object
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import Value
+    return Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds)
+
+def Array(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer, **kwds):
+    '''
+    Returns a synchronized shared array
+    '''
+    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import Array
+    return Array(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer, **kwds)
+
+#
+#
+#
 
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
-    from multiprocessing.forking import set_executable
+
+    def set_executable(executable):
+        '''
+        Sets the path to a python.exe or pythonw.exe binary used to run
+        child processes on Windows instead of sys.executable.
+        Useful for people embedding Python.
+        '''
+        from multiprocessing.forking import set_executable
+        set_executable(executable)
 
     __all__ += ['set_executable']
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
index 256e5724596..f32dab19afe 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
@@ -371,7 +371,13 @@ class Server(object):
 
             self.id_to_obj[ident] = (obj, set(exposed), method_to_typeid)
             if ident not in self.id_to_refcount:
-                self.id_to_refcount[ident] = None
+                self.id_to_refcount[ident] = 0
+            # increment the reference count immediately, to avoid
+            # this object being garbage collected before a Proxy
+            # object for it can be created.  The caller of create()
+            # is responsible for doing a decref once the Proxy object
+            # has been created.
+            self.incref(c, ident)
             return ident, tuple(exposed)
         finally:
             self.mutex.release()
@@ -393,11 +399,7 @@ class Server(object):
     def incref(self, c, ident):
         self.mutex.acquire()
         try:
-            try:
-                self.id_to_refcount[ident] += 1
-            except TypeError:
-                assert self.id_to_refcount[ident] is None
-                self.id_to_refcount[ident] = 1
+            self.id_to_refcount[ident] += 1
         finally:
             self.mutex.release()
 
@@ -634,6 +636,8 @@ class BaseManager(object):
                     token, self._serializer, manager=self,
                     authkey=self._authkey, exposed=exp
                     )
+                conn = self._Client(token.address, authkey=self._authkey)
+                dispatch(conn, None, 'decref', (token.id,))
                 return proxy
             temp.__name__ = typeid
             setattr(cls, typeid, temp)
@@ -726,10 +730,13 @@ class BaseProxy(object):
         elif kind == '#PROXY':
             exposed, token = result
             proxytype = self._manager._registry[token.typeid][-1]
-            return proxytype(
+            proxy = proxytype(
                 token, self._serializer, manager=self._manager,
                 authkey=self._authkey, exposed=exposed
                 )
+            conn = self._Client(token.address, authkey=self._authkey)
+            dispatch(conn, None, 'decref', (token.id,))
+            return proxy
         raise convert_to_error(kind, result)
 
     def _getvalue(self):
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
index 5ca8fb8bfbc..0054ff1822e 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer):
 
 def Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds):
     '''
-    Return a synchronization wrapper for a RawValue
+    Return a synchronization wrapper for a Value
     '''
     lock = kwds.pop('lock', None)
     if kwds:
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
index 3e21dfec853..428656a5b15 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ class SemLock(object):
 #
 
 class Semaphore(SemLock):
-    '''
-    A semaphore object
-    '''
+
     def __init__(self, value=1):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, value, SEM_VALUE_MAX)
 
@@ -86,9 +84,7 @@ class Semaphore(SemLock):
 #
 
 class BoundedSemaphore(Semaphore):
-    '''
-    A bounded semaphore object
-    '''
+
     def __init__(self, value=1):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, value, value)
 
@@ -105,9 +101,7 @@ class BoundedSemaphore(Semaphore):
 #
 
 class Lock(SemLock):
-    '''
-    A non-recursive lock object
-    '''
+
     def __init__(self):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, 1, 1)
 
@@ -132,9 +126,7 @@ class Lock(SemLock):
 #
 
 class RLock(SemLock):
-    '''
-    A recursive lock object
-    '''
+
     def __init__(self):
         SemLock.__init__(self, RECURSIVE_MUTEX, 1, 1)
 
@@ -160,9 +152,6 @@ class RLock(SemLock):
 #
 
 class Condition(object):
-    '''
-    A condition object
-    '''
 
     def __init__(self, lock=None):
         self._lock = lock or RLock()
@@ -263,9 +252,7 @@ class Condition(object):
 #
 
 class Event(object):
-    '''
-    An event object
-    '''
+
     def __init__(self):
         self._cond = Condition(Lock())
         self._flag = Semaphore(0)
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
index c3e811c4dad..7d53512725c 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def sub_warning(msg, *args):
 
 def get_logger():
     '''
-    Return package logger -- if it does not already exist then it is created
+    Returns logger used by multiprocessing
     '''
     global _logger