diff --git a/examples/web3/src/index.ts b/examples/web3/src/index.ts
index 718412c4b2..2a0880298b 100644
--- a/examples/web3/src/index.ts
+++ b/examples/web3/src/index.ts
@@ -7,59 +7,54 @@ import {
 } from './manager';
 
 import {
-    Kernel, ServerConnection, KernelMessage
+    KernelManager, ServerConnection, KernelMessage
 } from '@jupyterlab/services';
 
 let BASEURL = prompt('Notebook BASEURL', 'http://localhost:8888');
 let WSURL = 'ws:' + BASEURL.split(':').slice(1).join(':');
 
-document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function(event) {
+document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async function(event) {
 
     // Connect to the notebook webserver.
     let connectionInfo = ServerConnection.makeSettings({
         baseUrl: BASEURL,
         wsUrl: WSURL
     });
-    Kernel.getSpecs(connectionInfo).then(kernelSpecs => {
-        return Kernel.startNew({
-            name: kernelSpecs.default,
-            serverSettings: connectionInfo
-        });
-    }).then(kernel => {
-
-        // Create a codemirror instance
-        let code = require('../widget_code.json').join('\n');
-        let inputarea = document.getElementsByClassName('inputarea')[0] as HTMLElement;
-        CodeMirror(inputarea, {
-            value: code,
-            mode: 'python',
-            tabSize: 4,
-            showCursorWhenSelecting: true,
-            viewportMargin: Infinity,
-            readOnly: true
-        });
-
-        // Create the widget area and widget manager
-        let widgetarea = document.getElementsByClassName('widgetarea')[0] as HTMLElement;
-        let manager = new WidgetManager(kernel, widgetarea);
+    let kernelManager = new KernelManager({serverSettings: connectionInfo});
+    let kernel = await kernelManager.startNew();
+
+    // Create a codemirror instance
+    let code = require('../widget_code.json').join('\n');
+    let inputarea = document.getElementsByClassName('inputarea')[0] as HTMLElement;
+    CodeMirror(inputarea, {
+        value: code,
+        mode: 'python',
+        tabSize: 4,
+        showCursorWhenSelecting: true,
+        viewportMargin: Infinity,
+        readOnly: true
+    });
 
-        // Run backend code to create the widgets.  You could also create the
-        // widgets in the frontend, like the other widget examples demonstrate.
-        let execution = kernel.requestExecute({ code: code });
-        execution.onIOPub = (msg) => {
-            // If we have a display message, display the widget.
-            if (KernelMessage.isDisplayDataMsg(msg)) {
-                let widgetData: any = msg.content.data['application/vnd.jupyter.widget-view+json'];
-                if (widgetData !== undefined && widgetData.version_major === 2) {
-                    let model = manager.get_model(widgetData.model_id);
-                    if (model !== undefined) {
-                        model.then(model => {
-                            manager.display_model(msg, model);
-                        });
-                    }
+    // Create the widget area and widget manager
+    let widgetarea = document.getElementsByClassName('widgetarea')[0] as HTMLElement;
+    let manager = new WidgetManager(kernel, widgetarea);
+
+    // Run backend code to create the widgets.  You could also create the
+    // widgets in the frontend, like the other widget examples demonstrate.
+    let execution = kernel.requestExecute({ code: code });
+    execution.onIOPub = (msg) => {
+        // If we have a display message, display the widget.
+        if (KernelMessage.isDisplayDataMsg(msg)) {
+            let widgetData: any = msg.content.data['application/vnd.jupyter.widget-view+json'];
+            if (widgetData !== undefined && widgetData.version_major === 2) {
+                let model = manager.get_model(widgetData.model_id);
+                if (model !== undefined) {
+                    model.then(model => {
+                        manager.display_model(msg, model);
+                    });
                 }
             }
-        };
-    });
+        }
+    };
 });
 
diff --git a/examples/web3/src/manager.ts b/examples/web3/src/manager.ts
index b195adeff2..e79c6c2e30 100644
--- a/examples/web3/src/manager.ts
+++ b/examples/web3/src/manager.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class WidgetManager extends HTMLManager {
      * Create a comm.
      */
     async _create_comm(target_name: string, model_id: string, data?: any, metadata?: any): Promise<base.shims.services.Comm> {
-            let comm = await this.kernel.connectToComm(target_name, model_id);
+            let comm = this.kernel.createComm(target_name, model_id);
             if (data || metadata) {
                 comm.open(data, metadata);
             }