diff --git a/examples/callback/callback_context.cc b/examples/callback/callback_context.cc
index e72915cf00..e61d851bfa 100644
--- a/examples/callback/callback_context.cc
+++ b/examples/callback/callback_context.cc
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     auto cb = vt::theCB()->makeFunc<DataMsg,MyContext>(
       vt::pipe::LifetimeEnum::Once, &my_global_ctx, callbackFn
     );
-    auto msg = vt::makeMessage<CallbackMsg>(cb);
-    vt::theMsg()->sendMsg<CallbackMsg,handler>(1, msg);
+
+    auto const default_proxy = vt::theObjGroup()->getDefault();
+    default_proxy[1].send<CallbackMsg, handler>(cb);
   }
 
   vt::finalize();
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/manager.cc b/src/vt/objgroup/manager.cc
index 825d644216..657cc453b6 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/manager.cc
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/manager.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@
 
 namespace vt { namespace objgroup {
 
+proxy::DefaultProxyType ObjGroupManager::getDefault() const {
+  return proxy::DefaultProxyType{};
+}
+
 ObjGroupProxyType ObjGroupManager::getProxy(ObjGroupProxyType proxy) {
   return proxy;
 }
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/manager.h b/src/vt/objgroup/manager.h
index 9d21a4b9a2..914ef4428c 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/manager.h
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/manager.h
@@ -110,6 +110,14 @@ struct ObjGroupManager : runtime::component::Component<ObjGroupManager> {
    * communicator
    */
 
+  /**
+   * \brief Construct a special proxy instance that allows sending, broadcasting
+   * and reducing without actual object group.
+   *
+   * \return proxy to the object group
+   */
+  proxy::DefaultProxyType getDefault() const;
+
   /**
    * \brief Collectively construct a new object group. Allocates and constructs
    * the object on each node by forwarding constructor arguments.
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.h b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.h
index a191b0870c..8c7a3f30f3 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.h
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.h
@@ -373,6 +373,98 @@ struct Proxy {
   ObjGroupProxyType proxy_ = no_obj_group; /**< The raw proxy ID bits */
 };
 
+template <>
+struct Proxy<void> {
+  /**
+   * \brief Index the proxy to get the element proxy for a particular node
+   *
+   * \param[in] node the desired node
+   *
+   * \return an indexed proxy to that node
+   */
+  DefaultProxyElm operator[](NodeType node) const;
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Broadcast a message.
+   *
+   * \note Creates message from given args
+   *
+   * \param[in] args the arguments used to make a message
+   *
+   * \return the \c PendingSend for the sent message
+   */
+  template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f, typename... Args>
+  messaging::PendingSend broadcast(Args&&... args) const;
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Broadcast a message.
+   *
+   * \note Takes ownership of the supplied message.
+   *
+   * \param[in] msg the message to broadcast
+   * \param[in] tag the tag to put on the message
+   *
+   * \return the \c PendingSend for the sent message
+   */
+  template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f>
+  messaging::PendingSend
+  broadcastMsg(messaging::MsgPtrThief<MsgT> msg, TagType tag = no_tag) const;
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Reduce a message up the tree, possibly delayed through a pending
+   * send
+   *
+   * \note Creates message from given args
+   *
+   * \param[in] root the root node where the final handler provides the result
+   * \param[in] args the arguments used to make a message
+   *
+   * \return the pending send corresponding to the reduce
+   */
+  template <
+    typename OpT,
+    typename FunctorT,
+    typename MsgT,
+    typename... Args
+  >
+  messaging::PendingSend reduce(NodeType root, Args&&... args) const;
+
+    template <
+    typename OpT,
+    typename FunctorT,
+    typename MsgT,
+    ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f,
+    typename... Args
+  >
+  messaging::PendingSend reduce(NodeType root, Args&&... args) const;
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Reduce a message up the tree, possibly delayed through a pending
+   * send
+   *
+   * \param[in] root the root node where the final handler provides the result
+   * \param[in] msg the message to reduce on this node
+   *
+   * \return the pending send corresponding to the reduce
+   */
+  template <
+    typename OpT,
+    typename FunctorT,
+    typename MsgT
+  >
+  messaging::PendingSend reduceMsg(NodeType root, MsgT* const msg) const;
+
+  template <
+    typename OpT,
+    typename FunctorT,
+    typename MsgT,
+    ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f
+  >
+  messaging::PendingSend reduceMsg(NodeType root, MsgT* const msg) const;
+};
+
+using DefaultProxyType = Proxy<void>;
+
 }}} /* end namespace vt::objgroup::proxy */
 
 #endif /*INCLUDED_VT_OBJGROUP_PROXY_PROXY_OBJGROUP_H*/
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.impl.h b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.impl.h
index f5cc824870..411a6155d7 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.impl.h
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup.impl.h
@@ -223,6 +223,72 @@ void Proxy<ObjT>::destroyHandleSetRDMA(vt::rdma::HandleSet<T> set) const {
   return vt::theHandleRDMA()->deleteHandleSetCollectiveObjGroup<T>(set);
 }
 
+inline DefaultProxyElm Proxy<void>::operator[](NodeType node) const {
+  return DefaultProxyElm{node};
+}
+
+template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f, typename... Args>
+messaging::PendingSend Proxy<void>::broadcast(Args&&... args) const {
+  return broadcastMsg<MsgT, f>(makeMessage<MsgT>(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+}
+
+template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f>
+messaging::PendingSend
+Proxy<void>::broadcastMsg(messaging::MsgPtrThief<MsgT> msg, TagType tag) const {
+  return theMsg()->broadcastMsg<MsgT, f>(msg, tag);
+}
+
+template <typename OpT, typename FunctorT, typename MsgT, typename... Args>
+messaging::PendingSend
+Proxy<void>::reduce(NodeType root, Args&&... args) const {
+  return reduce<
+    OpT,
+    FunctorT,
+    MsgT,
+    &MsgT::template msgHandler<MsgT, OpT, FunctorT>,
+    Args...
+  >(root, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+}
+
+template <
+  typename OpT,
+  typename FunctorT,
+  typename MsgT,
+  ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f,
+  typename... Args
+>
+messaging::PendingSend
+Proxy<void>::reduce(NodeType root, Args&&... args) const {
+  auto const msg = makeMessage<MsgT>(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+  return reduceMsg<OpT, FunctorT, MsgT, f>(root, msg.get());
+}
+
+template <
+  typename OpT,
+  typename FunctorT,
+  typename MsgT
+>
+messaging::PendingSend
+Proxy<void>::reduceMsg(NodeType root, MsgT* const msg) const {
+  return reduceMsg<
+    OpT,
+    FunctorT,
+    MsgT,
+    &MsgT::template msgHandler<MsgT, OpT, FunctorT>
+  >(root, msg);
+}
+
+template <
+  typename OpT,
+  typename FunctorT,
+  typename MsgT,
+  ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f
+>
+messaging::PendingSend
+Proxy<void>::reduceMsg(NodeType root, MsgT* const msg) const {
+  return theCollective()->global()->reduce<OpT, FunctorT>(root, msg);
+}
+
 }}} /* end namespace vt::objgroup::proxy */
 
 #endif /*INCLUDED_VT_OBJGROUP_PROXY_PROXY_OBJGROUP_IMPL_H*/
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.h b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.h
index db840c8590..4fefcc82e5 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.h
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include "vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_bits.h"
 #include "vt/objgroup/active_func/active_func.h"
 #include "vt/messaging/message/smart_ptr.h"
+#include "vt/activefn/activefn.h"
 
 namespace vt { namespace objgroup { namespace proxy {
 
@@ -179,6 +180,25 @@ struct ProxyElm {
   NodeType node_           = uninitialized_destination; /**< The indexed node */
 };
 
+template <>
+struct ProxyElm<void> {
+  explicit ProxyElm(NodeType in_node);
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Send a message to the node indexed by this proxy to be
+   * delivered to the local object instance
+   *
+   * \param[in] args args to pass to the message constructor
+   */
+  template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f, typename... Args>
+  void send(Args&&... args) const;
+
+private:
+  NodeType node_ = uninitialized_destination; /**< The indexed node */
+};
+
+using DefaultProxyElm = ProxyElm<void>;
+
 }}} /* end namespace vt::objgroup::proxy */
 
 #endif /*INCLUDED_VT_OBJGROUP_PROXY_PROXY_OBJGROUP_ELM_H*/
diff --git a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.impl.h b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.impl.h
index 2c1aa6fe90..1ca1641b29 100644
--- a/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.impl.h
+++ b/src/vt/objgroup/proxy/proxy_objgroup_elm.impl.h
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@ ObjT* ProxyElm<ObjT>::get() const {
   return theObjGroup()->get<ObjT>(proxy);
 }
 
+inline ProxyElm<void>::ProxyElm(NodeType in_node) : node_{in_node} {}
+
+template <typename MsgT, ActiveTypedFnType<MsgT>* f, typename... Args>
+void ProxyElm<void>::send(Args&&... args) const {
+  vt::theMsg()->sendMsg<MsgT, f>(
+    node_, vt::makeMessage<MsgT>(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+}
+
 }}} /* end namespace vt::objgroup::proxy */
 
 #endif /*INCLUDED_VT_OBJGROUP_PROXY_PROXY_OBJGROUP_ELM_IMPL_H*/
diff --git a/tests/unit/collectives/test_collectives_reduce.extended.cc b/tests/unit/collectives/test_collectives_reduce.extended.cc
index c675cab48b..7679fa2b09 100644
--- a/tests/unit/collectives/test_collectives_reduce.extended.cc
+++ b/tests/unit/collectives/test_collectives_reduce.extended.cc
@@ -107,10 +107,12 @@ TEST_F(TestReduce, test_reduce_vec_int_msg) {
   vecOfInt.push_back(3);
 
   auto const root = 0;
-  auto msg = makeMessage<ReduceVecMsg<int>>(vecOfInt);
-  theCollective()->global()->reduce<
-    PlusOp<std::vector<int>>, Verify<ReduceOP::Plus>
-  >(root, msg.get());
+  auto const default_proxy = theObjGroup()->getDefault();
+  default_proxy.reduce<
+    PlusOp<std::vector<int>>,
+    Verify<ReduceOP::Plus>,
+    ReduceVecMsg<int>
+  >(root, vecOfInt);
 }
 
 }}} // end namespace vt::tests::unit
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_parallel_harness.h b/tests/unit/test_parallel_harness.h
index d496b38c20..aeac5d3162 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_parallel_harness.h
+++ b/tests/unit/test_parallel_harness.h
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ struct TestParallelHarnessAny : TestHarnessAny<TestBase> {
 
     TestHarnessAny<TestBase>::SetUp();
 
-    // TODO (STRZ) - do we want to use additional args here as well?
     if (mpi_singleton == nullptr) {
       mpi_singleton =
         std::make_unique<MPISingletonMultiTest>(test_argc, test_argv);
diff --git a/tutorial/tutorial_1d.h b/tutorial/tutorial_1d.h
index b68a73c989..0a22d3dfbb 100644
--- a/tutorial/tutorial_1d.h
+++ b/tutorial/tutorial_1d.h
@@ -74,20 +74,26 @@ static inline void activeMessageBroadcast() {
   (void)num_nodes;  // don't warn about unused variable
 
   /*
-   * The theMsg()->broadcastMsg(..) will send the message to every node in the
+   * default_proxy.broadcast(..) will send the message to every node in the
    * system. Every node will include all the nodes that VT has depending on the
    * MPI communicator passed in or the size attained (number of ranks) when
    * executing MPI init directly in non-interoperability mode.
    *
    * -- Message Ownership --
-   * As with sendMsg, sending with broadcastMsg relinquishes ownership of
-   * the message. Most calls to VT that supply a message are expected
-   * to relinquish ownership.
+   * default_proxy.broadcast(..) will create message out of args passed
+   * into it. There's an alternative - default_proxy.broadcastMsg(..) - which
+   * relinquishes ownership of the message passed to:
+   *
+   *   auto msg = ::vt::makeMessage<MyDataMsg>(1.0, 2.0, 3.0);
+   *   auto const default_proxy = theObjGroup()->getDefault();
+   *   default_proxy.broadcastMsg<MyDataMsg, msgHandlerX>(msg);
+   *
+   *  Most calls to VT that supply a message are expected to relinquish ownership.
    */
 
   if (this_node == 0) {
-    auto msg = ::vt::makeMessage<MyDataMsg>(1.0,2.0,3.0);
-    ::vt::theMsg()->broadcastMsg<MyDataMsg,msgHandlerX>(msg);
+    auto const default_proxy = theObjGroup()->getDefault();
+    default_proxy.broadcast<MyDataMsg, msgHandlerX>(1.0, 2.0, 3.0);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/tutorial/tutorial_1h.h b/tutorial/tutorial_1h.h
index 56d0391391..3051bf6414 100644
--- a/tutorial/tutorial_1h.h
+++ b/tutorial/tutorial_1h.h
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ static inline void activeMessageReduce() {
   // Get a reference to the value to set it in this reduce msg
   reduce_msg->getVal() = 50;
 
-  ::vt::theCollective()->global()->reduce<ReduceOp,ReduceResult>(
+  auto const default_proxy = theObjGroup()->getDefault();
+  default_proxy.reduceMsg<ReduceOp, ReduceResult>(
     root_reduce_node, reduce_msg.get()
   );
 }