diff --git a/packages/subapp-web/src/index.js b/packages/subapp-web/src/index.js
index ebba57afb..779afbfbf 100644
--- a/packages/subapp-web/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/subapp-web/src/index.js
@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@ export { default as makeSubAppSpec } from "./make-subapp-spec";
 export { default as AppContext } from "./app-context";
 
 export function defaultRenderStart(Component, ssr, element, props) {
-  if (ssr) {
-    hydrate(<Component {...props} />, element);
+  if (element) {
+    if (ssr) {
+      hydrate(<Component {...props} />, element);
+    } else {
+      render(<Component {...props} />, element);
+    }
   } else {
-    render(<Component {...props} />, element);
+    return <Component {...props} />;
   }
 }
 
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ export function loadSubApp(info, renderStart) {
         this.info.StartComponent || this.info.Component,
         options.serverSideRendering,
         element,
-        options._prepared
+        { ...options._prepared, ...options.props }
       );
     };
 
@@ -64,9 +68,10 @@ export function loadSubApp(info, renderStart) {
       } else {
         instance.element = element;
       }
+      console.log("rendering subapp", name, "into", element);
     } else {
-      console.error(`Starting subapp ${name} without options.id`);
-      return undefined;
+      // inline rendering, no instance
+      instance = { props: options.props };
     }
 
     const callStart = () => {
@@ -76,7 +81,6 @@ export function loadSubApp(info, renderStart) {
         return subApp.info.start(instance, element);
       }
 
-      console.log("rendering subapp", name, "into", element);
       return subApp._renderStart(instance, element);
     };
 
diff --git a/samples/poc-subapp/src/components/deals.jsx b/samples/poc-subapp/src/components/deals.jsx
index 9f3641d96..7a8d7a0ee 100644
--- a/samples/poc-subapp/src/components/deals.jsx
+++ b/samples/poc-subapp/src/components/deals.jsx
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ class SubApp extends React.Component {
       return (
         <div className="col-sm-4">
           <div className="panel panel-primary">
-            <div className="panel-body">
-              <subapp.info.Component {...this.props} />
-            </div>
+            <div className="panel-body">{subapp.start({ props: this.props })}</div>
           </div>
         </div>
       );