diff --git a/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraRegistry.java b/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraRegistry.java
index a44e924..cf1ba33 100644
--- a/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraRegistry.java
+++ b/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraRegistry.java
@@ -73,8 +73,20 @@ public void preRegister(String id, Object proxy) {
     public void registerActivator(String id,
                                   Class<? extends ItaraActivator<?>> activatorClass,
                                   Class<?> contractClass) {
+        if (activatorClass == null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+                    "[Itara] Received null value for activator class to be registered for component with id: %s%n" +
+                    "Check ComponentInterface definitions", id));
+        }
         activators.put(id, activatorClass);
+
+        if (contractClass == null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+                    "[Itara] Received null value for contract class to be registered for component with id: %s%n" +
+                    "Check ComponentInterface definitions", id));
+        }
         contracts.put(id, contractClass);
+
         log.info("[Itara] Registered activator for: " + id + " -> " + activatorClass.getName());
     }
 
@@ -156,4 +168,44 @@ public <T> T get(String id, Class<T> type) {
             activating.remove(id);
         }
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Try retrieve a component by contract/interface type.
+     *
+     * If exactly one component matches the type, returns it.
+     * If none match, throws IllegalStateException.
+     * If multiple match, throws IllegalStateException.
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public <T> T get(Class<T> type) {
+
+        String matchedId = null;
+
+        // Search all known component contracts
+        for (Map.Entry<String, Class<?>> entry : contracts.entrySet()) {
+
+            String id = entry.getKey();
+            Class<?> contract = entry.getValue();
+
+            if (type.isAssignableFrom(contract)) {
+
+                if (matchedId != null) {
+                    throw new IllegalStateException(
+                            "[Itara] Multiple components match type: "
+                                    + type.getName()
+                                    + " -> '" + matchedId + "', '" + id + "'");
+                }
+
+                matchedId = id;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (matchedId == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException(
+                    "[Itara] No component registered for type: "
+                            + type.getName());
+        }
+
+        return get(matchedId, type);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraSpring.java b/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraSpring.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7e05f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-common/src/main/java/io/itara/runtime/ItaraSpring.java
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package io.itara.runtime;
+
+/**
+ * Minimal Spring integration helper for Itara.
+ *
+ * <p>Purpose:
+ * Provides explicit access to Itara-managed component proxies so application
+ * developers can wire them into their own Spring configuration.
+ *
+ * <p>This is intentionally simple and explicit:
+ * <ul>
+ *   <li>No Spring auto-configuration</li>
+ *   <li>No automatic bean injection magic</li>
+ *   <li>No dependency on Spring inside itara-common or itara-agent</li>
+ * </ul>
+ *
+ * <p>Typical usage:
+ *
+ * <pre>{@code
+ * @Configuration
+ * public class AppConfig {
+ *
+ *     @Bean
+ *     public UserClient userClient() {
+ *         return ItaraSpring.get(UserClient.class);
+ *     }
+ * }
+ * }</pre>
+ *
+ * <p>The returned instance is the Itara-wired proxy that was pre-registered
+ * by the agent during startup.
+ */
+public final class ItaraSpring {
+
+    private ItaraSpring() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve a component by explicit component id and contract type.
+     *
+     * <p>Usually used internally or in advanced wiring scenarios where
+     * multiple implementations may exist.
+     *
+     * @param id component id from the topology configuration
+     * @param type expected contract/interface type
+     * @return the Itara-managed component instance or proxy
+     */
+    public static <T> T get(String id, Class<T> type) {
+        ItaraRegistry registry = ItaraRegistry.instance();
+        return registry.get(id, type);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve a component by contract/interface type.
+     *
+     * <p>Designed for Spring {@code @Bean} methods where the developer
+     * explicitly chooses which Itara component to expose as a Spring bean.
+     *
+     * <p>The registry must contain exactly one component matching the type.
+     * If multiple components match, an exception is thrown to avoid ambiguous
+     * wiring.
+     *
+     * @param type contract/interface type
+     * @return the pre-registered Itara proxy or activated component
+     */
+    public static <T> T get(Class<T> type) {
+        ItaraRegistry registry = ItaraRegistry.instance();
+        return registry.get(type);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/pom.xml b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f52101d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
+         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
+
+    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
+    <parent>
+        <groupId>io.itara.demo</groupId>
+        <artifactId>itara-demo</artifactId>
+        <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    </parent>
+
+    <artifactId>gateway-springcomponent</artifactId>
+
+    <dependencies>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.itara.demo</groupId>
+            <artifactId>gateway-api</artifactId>
+            <scope>compile</scope>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.itara.demo</groupId>
+            <artifactId>calculator-api</artifactId>
+            <scope>compile</scope>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
+            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter</artifactId>
+            <version>4.0.6</version>
+        </dependency>
+
+    </dependencies>
+
+    <build>
+        <plugins>
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>3.6.1</version>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <id>copy-runtime-dependencies</id>
+                        <phase>package</phase>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>copy-dependencies</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                        <configuration>
+                            <outputDirectory>
+                                ${project.build.directory}/lib
+                            </outputDirectory>
+                            <includeScope>runtime</includeScope>
+                        </configuration>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+            </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+    </build>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/DemoMain.java b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/DemoMain.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33edfa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/DemoMain.java
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+package demo.gateway.springcomponent;
+
+import demo.gateway.api.GatewayService;
+import io.itara.runtime.ItaraSpring;
+import org.springframework.boot.CommandLineRunner;
+import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
+import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
+
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * Demo entry point.
+ *
+ * The agent has already wired everything before this runs.
+ * All we do is obtain gateway from ItaraSpring and make a few calls.
+ *
+ * This same main works for both topologies:
+ *   - Direct: calculator runs in this JVM, called as a method
+ *   - HTTP:   calculator runs in a separate JVM, called over the network
+ *
+ * The code here does not change. The wiring config changes.
+ *
+ * Run with:
+ *   java  -Ditara.lib.dir=itara-libs \
+ *         -Ditara.config=itara-demo/wiring-direct-spring.yaml \
+ *         -Ditara.nodes=calculatorNode,gatewayNodeSpring \
+ *         -javaagent:itara-agent/target/itara-agent-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar \
+ *         -cp "itara-demo/calculator-component/target/calculator-component-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar;itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/target/lib/*;itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/target/gateway-springcomponent-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar" \
+ *         demo.gateway.springcomponent.DemoMain
+ */
+@SpringBootApplication
+public class DemoMain {
+
+    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(DemoMain.class.getName());
+
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        SpringApplication.run(DemoMain.class, args);
+    }
+
+    @Bean
+    public CommandLineRunner runner(final GatewayService gateway) {
+        return args -> {
+            log.info("=".repeat(50));
+            log.info("Itara Demo starting...");
+            log.info("=".repeat(50));
+
+            // Small pause to let the agent's HTTP server start if needed
+            Thread.sleep(500);
+
+            log.info("");
+            log.info("--- Making calls ---");
+            log.info("");
+
+            log.info(gateway.calculate(3, 4));
+            log.info("");
+            log.info(gateway.calculate(10, 25));
+            log.info("");
+            log.info(gateway.calculate(100, 200));
+
+            log.info("");
+            log.info("=".repeat(50));
+            log.info("Done.");
+            log.info("=".repeat(50));
+        };
+    }
+
+    @Bean
+    public GatewayService gateway() {
+        log.info("Making bean from: " + GatewayService.class.getName());
+        return ItaraSpring.get(GatewayService.class);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayActivator.java b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayActivator.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e10cdb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayActivator.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package demo.gateway.springcomponent;
+
+import demo.calculator.api.CalculatorService;
+import demo.gateway.api.GatewayService;
+import io.itara.api.ItaraActivator;
+import io.itara.runtime.ItaraRegistry;
+
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * Activator for the gateway component.
+ *
+ * Pulls CalculatorService from the registry — the registry returns either
+ * a direct instance (collocated topology) or an HTTP proxy (remote topology).
+ * This code does not change between the two topologies. That is the point.
+ */
+public class GatewayActivator implements ItaraActivator<GatewayService> {
+
+    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(GatewayActivator.class.getName());
+
+    @Override
+    public GatewayService activate(ItaraRegistry registry) {
+        log.info("[GatewayActivator] Pulling calculator from registry...");
+        CalculatorService calculator = registry.get("calculator", CalculatorService.class);
+        log.info("[GatewayActivator] Creating GatewayServiceImpl");
+        return new GatewayServiceImpl(calculator);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayServiceImpl.java b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayServiceImpl.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6de3a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/java/demo/gateway/springcomponent/GatewayServiceImpl.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package demo.gateway.springcomponent;
+
+import demo.calculator.api.CalculatorService;
+import demo.gateway.api.GatewayService;
+
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * The gateway implementation.
+ * Accepts a request, delegates to CalculatorService, prints and returns the result.
+ *
+ * Has no knowledge of whether CalculatorService is a direct call or HTTP.
+ * The registry provides whichever the topology config dictates.
+ */
+public class GatewayServiceImpl implements GatewayService {
+
+    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(GatewayServiceImpl.class.getName());
+
+    private final CalculatorService calculator;
+
+    public GatewayServiceImpl(CalculatorService calculator) {
+        this.calculator = calculator;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String calculate(int a, int b) {
+        log.info("[Gateway] Received request: add(" + a + ", " + b + ")");
+        int result = calculator.add(a, b);
+        String message = "The result of " + a + " + " + b + " = " + result;
+        log.info("[Gateway] Returning: " + message);
+        return message;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/resources/META-INF/itara/activator b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/resources/META-INF/itara/activator
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bad3d09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/gateway-springcomponent/src/main/resources/META-INF/itara/activator
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+component-id=gateway
+activator=demo.gateway.springcomponent.GatewayActivator
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/itara-demo/pom.xml b/itara-demo/pom.xml
index c65bd8b..d1ee9f7 100644
--- a/itara-demo/pom.xml
+++ b/itara-demo/pom.xml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
         <module>calculator-component</module>
         <module>gateway-api</module>
         <module>gateway-component</module>
+        <module>gateway-springcomponent</module>
     </modules>
 
     <dependencyManagement>
diff --git a/itara-demo/wiring-direct-spring.yaml b/itara-demo/wiring-direct-spring.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..faee35c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/wiring-direct-spring.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# wiring-direct.yaml
+# Both components run in the same JVM.
+# Gateway calls Calculator as a direct method call — no network involved.
+
+nodes:
+  - id: "gatewayNodeSpring"
+    component: "gateway"
+
+  - id: "calculatorNode"
+    component: "calculator"
+
+connections:
+  - from: "gatewayNodeSpring"
+    to: "calculatorNode"
+    type: "direct"
diff --git a/itara-demo/wiring-http-spring.yaml b/itara-demo/wiring-http-spring.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccfc545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/itara-demo/wiring-http-spring.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+nodes:
+  - id: "gatewayNodeSpring"
+    component: "gateway"
+
+  - id: "calculatorNode"
+    component: "calculator"
+
+connections:
+  - from: "gatewayNodeSpring"
+    to: "calculatorNode"
+    type: http
+    host: "localhost"
+    port: 8081
+    serializer: "json"
\ No newline at end of file