diff --git a/examples/signals.rs b/examples/signals.rs
index e5e0935b5..988b9af41 100644
--- a/examples/signals.rs
+++ b/examples/signals.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ fn app(cx: Scope) -> Element {
     use_future!(cx, || async move {
         loop {
             count += 1;
-            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(400)).await;
         }
     });
 
@@ -22,5 +22,9 @@ fn app(cx: Scope) -> Element {
         h1 { "High-Five counter: {count}" }
         button { onclick: move |_| count += 1, "Up high!" }
         button { onclick: move |_| count -= 1, "Down low!" }
+
+        if count() > 5 {
+            rsx!{ h2 { "High five!" } }
+        }
     })
 }
diff --git a/packages/signals/src/lib.rs b/packages/signals/src/lib.rs
index 2fcbdcdb2..e4b499ed8 100644
--- a/packages/signals/src/lib.rs
+++ b/packages/signals/src/lib.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub fn use_signal<T: 'static>(cx: &ScopeState, f: impl FnOnce() -> T) -> Signal<
         struct SignalHook<T> {
             signal: Signal<T>,
         }
+
         impl<T> Drop for SignalHook<T> {
             fn drop(&mut self) {
                 self.signal.rt.remove(self.signal.id);
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ impl<T: 'static> Signal<T> {
         self.rt.set(self.id, value);
     }
 
+    pub fn with<O>(&self, f: impl FnOnce(&T) -> O) -> O {
+        let write = self.read();
+        f(&*write)
+    }
+
     pub fn update<O>(&self, _f: impl FnOnce(&mut T) -> O) -> O {
         let mut write = self.write();
         _f(&mut *write)
@@ -74,13 +80,13 @@ impl<T: Clone + 'static> Signal<T> {
     }
 }
 
-// impl<T> std::ops::Deref for Signal<T> {
-//     type Target = dyn Fn() -> T;
+impl<T: Clone + 'static> std::ops::Deref for Signal<T> {
+    type Target = dyn Fn() -> T;
 
-//     fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
-//         todo!()
-//     }
-// }
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        self.rt.getter(self.id)
+    }
+}
 
 impl<T> std::clone::Clone for Signal<T> {
     fn clone(&self) -> Self {
@@ -123,27 +129,3 @@ impl<T: Div<Output = T> + Copy + 'static> std::ops::DivAssign<T> for Signal<T> {
         self.set(self.get() / rhs);
     }
 }
-
-// impl<T: Add<Output = T> + Copy> std::ops::AddAssign<T> for Signal<T> {
-//     fn add_assign(&mut self, rhs: T) {
-//         self.set((*self.current()) + rhs);
-//     }
-// }
-
-// impl<T: Sub<Output = T> + Copy> std::ops::SubAssign<T> for Signal<T> {
-//     fn sub_assign(&mut self, rhs: T) {
-//         self.set((*self.current()) - rhs);
-//     }
-// }
-
-// impl<T: Mul<Output = T> + Copy> std::ops::MulAssign<T> for Signal<T> {
-//     fn mul_assign(&mut self, rhs: T) {
-//         self.set((*self.current()) * rhs);
-//     }
-// }
-
-// impl<T: Div<Output = T> + Copy> std::ops::DivAssign<T> for Signal<T> {
-//     fn div_assign(&mut self, rhs: T) {
-//         self.set((*self.current()) / rhs);
-//     }
-// }
diff --git a/packages/signals/src/rt.rs b/packages/signals/src/rt.rs
index d516b9ff0..e849f9008 100644
--- a/packages/signals/src/rt.rs
+++ b/packages/signals/src/rt.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use dioxus_core::ScopeId;
 use slab::Slab;
 
 thread_local! {
+    // we cannot drop these since any future might be using them
     static RUNTIMES: RefCell<Vec<&'static SignalRt>> = RefCell::new(Vec::new());
 }
 
@@ -31,15 +32,16 @@ pub fn reclam_rt(_rt: &'static SignalRt) {
 }
 
 pub struct SignalRt {
-    signals: RefCell<Slab<Inner>>,
-    update_any: Arc<dyn Fn(ScopeId)>,
+    pub(crate) signals: RefCell<Slab<Inner>>,
+    pub(crate) update_any: Arc<dyn Fn(ScopeId)>,
 }
 
 impl SignalRt {
-    pub fn init<T: 'static>(&self, val: T) -> usize {
+    pub fn init<T: 'static>(&'static self, val: T) -> usize {
         self.signals.borrow_mut().insert(Inner {
             value: Box::new(val),
             subscribers: Vec::new(),
+            getter: None,
         })
     }
 
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ impl SignalRt {
         let signals = self.signals.borrow();
         let inner = &signals[id];
         let inner = inner.value.downcast_ref::<T>().unwrap();
-        f(&*inner)
+        f(inner)
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn read<T: 'static>(&self, id: usize) -> std::cell::Ref<T> {
@@ -89,9 +91,31 @@ impl SignalRt {
             signals[id].value.downcast_mut::<T>().unwrap()
         })
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn getter<T: 'static + Clone>(&self, id: usize) -> &dyn Fn() -> T {
+        let mut signals = self.signals.borrow_mut();
+        let inner = &mut signals[id];
+        let r = inner.getter.as_mut();
+
+        if r.is_none() {
+            let rt = self;
+            let r = move || rt.get::<T>(id);
+            let getter: Box<dyn Fn() -> T> = Box::new(r);
+            let getter: Box<dyn Fn()> = unsafe { std::mem::transmute(getter) };
+
+            inner.getter = Some(getter);
+        }
+
+        let r = inner.getter.as_ref().unwrap();
+
+        unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<&dyn Fn(), &dyn Fn() -> T>(r) }
+    }
 }
 
-struct Inner {
-    value: Box<dyn Any>,
-    subscribers: Vec<ScopeId>,
+pub(crate) struct Inner {
+    pub value: Box<dyn Any>,
+    pub subscribers: Vec<ScopeId>,
+
+    // todo: this has a soundness hole in it that you might not run into
+    pub getter: Option<Box<dyn Fn()>>,
 }