diff --git a/components/dashboard/src/api/workspace-client.ts b/components/dashboard/src/api/workspace-client.ts
index 32732833a9144c..79db025d35986d 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/src/api/workspace-client.ts
+++ b/components/dashboard/src/api/workspace-client.ts
@@ -4,28 +4,29 @@
  * See License.AGPL.txt in the project root for license information.
  */
 
-import { CallOptions, PromiseClient } from "@bufbuild/connect";
+import { CallOptions, PromiseClient, ConnectError, Code } from "@bufbuild/connect";
 import { PartialMessage } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
 import { WorkspaceService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_connectweb";
 import { GetWorkspaceRequest, GetWorkspaceResponse } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_pb";
 import { getGitpodService } from "../service/service";
+import { converter, getServiceClient } from "../service/public-api";
 
 class WorkspaceClient implements PromiseClient<typeof WorkspaceService> {
-    async getWorkspace(request: GetWorkspaceRequest, options?: CallOptions): Promise<GetWorkspaceResponse> {
-        // if public api is disable then
-        const result = await getGitpodService().server.getWorkspace(request.id);
-        // conversion to Public API tpypes
-        // otherwise use real public api
-        return new GetWorkspaceResponse();
+    async getWorkspace(
+        request: PartialMessage<GetWorkspaceRequest>,
+        options?: CallOptions,
+    ): Promise<GetWorkspaceResponse> {
+        if (!request.id) {
+            throw new ConnectError("id is required", Code.InvalidArgument);
+        }
+        const info = await getGitpodService().server.getWorkspace(request.id);
+        const workspace = converter.toWorkspace(info);
+        const result = new GetWorkspaceResponse();
+        result.item = workspace;
+        return result;
     }
 }
 
 export function getWorkspaceClient(): PromiseClient<typeof WorkspaceService> {
-    const w = window as any;
-    const _gp = w._gp || (w._gp = {});
-    let service = _gp[WorkspaceService.typeName];
-    if (!service) {
-        service = _gp[WorkspaceService.typeName] = new WorkspaceClient();
-    }
-    return service;
+    return getServiceClient(WorkspaceService, () => new WorkspaceClient());
 }
diff --git a/components/dashboard/src/service/public-api.ts b/components/dashboard/src/service/public-api.ts
index e416363a475aab..28fff9507f03e8 100644
--- a/components/dashboard/src/service/public-api.ts
+++ b/components/dashboard/src/service/public-api.ts
@@ -4,26 +4,30 @@
  * See License.AGPL.txt in the project root for license information.
  */
 
-import { createPromiseClient } from "@bufbuild/connect";
+import { Code, ConnectError, PromiseClient, createPromiseClient } from "@bufbuild/connect";
 import { createConnectTransport } from "@bufbuild/connect-web";
+import { MethodKind, ServiceType } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { TeamMemberInfo, TeamMemberRole } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol";
+import { PublicAPIConverter } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/public-api-converter";
 import { Project as ProtocolProject, Team as ProtocolTeam } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/teams-projects-protocol";
 import { HelloService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/dummy_connectweb";
+import { OIDCService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/oidc_connectweb";
+import { ProjectsService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/projects_connectweb";
+import { Project } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/projects_pb";
 import { TeamsService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/teams_connectweb";
+import { Team, TeamMember, TeamRole } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/teams_pb";
 import { TokensService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/tokens_connectweb";
-import { ProjectsService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/projects_connectweb";
 import { WorkspacesService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/workspaces_connectweb";
-import { OIDCService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/oidc_connectweb";
 import { getMetricsInterceptor } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/metrics";
-import { Team } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/teams_pb";
-import { TeamMemberInfo, TeamMemberRole } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol";
-import { TeamMember, TeamRole } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/teams_pb";
-import { Project } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/projects_pb";
+import { getExperimentsClient } from "../experiments/client";
 
 const transport = createConnectTransport({
     baseUrl: `${window.location.protocol}//${window.location.host}/public-api`,
     interceptors: [getMetricsInterceptor()],
 });
 
+export const converter = new PublicAPIConverter();
+
 export const helloService = createPromiseClient(HelloService, transport);
 export const teamsService = createPromiseClient(TeamsService, transport);
 export const personalAccessTokensService = createPromiseClient(TokensService, transport);
@@ -120,3 +124,66 @@ export function projectToProtocol(project: Project): ProtocolProject {
         },
     };
 }
+
+const clients = new Map<string, PromiseClient<ServiceType>>();
+
+export function getServiceClient<T extends ServiceType>(
+    type: T,
+    jsonRPCClientProvider: () => PromiseClient<T>,
+): PromiseClient<T> {
+    let client: PromiseClient<T> = clients.get(type.typeName) as any;
+    if (client) {
+        return client;
+    }
+    client = createServiceClient(type, jsonRPCClientProvider());
+    clients.set(type.typeName, client);
+    return client;
+}
+
+function createServiceClient<T extends ServiceType>(type: T, jsonRPCClient: PromiseClient<T>): PromiseClient<T> {
+    return new Proxy(jsonRPCClient, {
+        get(grpcClient, prop) {
+            // TODO(ak) remove after migration
+            async function resolveClient(): Promise<PromiseClient<T>> {
+                const isEnabled = await getExperimentsClient().getValueAsync("dashboard_public_api_v2_enabled", false, {
+                    //TODO(ak) user
+                });
+                if (isEnabled) {
+                    return grpcClient;
+                }
+                return jsonRPCClient;
+            }
+            return (...args: any[]) => {
+                const method = type.methods[prop as string];
+                if (!method) {
+                    throw new ConnectError("unimplemented", Code.Unimplemented);
+                }
+
+                // TODO(ak) default timeouts
+
+                if (method.kind === MethodKind.Unary || method.kind === MethodKind.ClientStreaming) {
+                    return (async () => {
+                        try {
+                            const client = await resolveClient();
+                            const result = await Reflect.apply(client[prop as any], client, args);
+                            return result;
+                        } catch (e) {
+                            throw converter.toError(e);
+                        }
+                    })();
+                }
+                return (async function* () {
+                    try {
+                        const client = await resolveClient();
+                        const generator = Reflect.apply(client[prop as any], client, args) as AsyncGenerator<any>;
+                        for await (const item of generator) {
+                            yield item;
+                        }
+                    } catch (e) {
+                        throw converter.toError(e);
+                    }
+                })();
+            };
+        },
+    });
+}
diff --git a/components/gitpod-protocol/package.json b/components/gitpod-protocol/package.json
index 686a18e4a66dc6..12133c3a14bf06 100644
--- a/components/gitpod-protocol/package.json
+++ b/components/gitpod-protocol/package.json
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
         "exit": true
     },
     "dependencies": {
+        "@bufbuild/connect": "^0.13.0",
+        "@gitpod/public-api": "0.1.5",
         "@types/react": "17.0.32",
         "abort-controller-x": "^0.4.0",
         "ajv": "^6.5.4",
diff --git a/components/server/src/api/public-api-converter.ts b/components/gitpod-protocol/src/public-api-converter.ts
similarity index 93%
rename from components/server/src/api/public-api-converter.ts
rename to components/gitpod-protocol/src/public-api-converter.ts
index 9095fe1f3838b8..63ad61f8c911d8 100644
--- a/components/server/src/api/public-api-converter.ts
+++ b/components/gitpod-protocol/src/public-api-converter.ts
@@ -5,17 +5,6 @@
  */
 
 import { Code, ConnectError } from "@bufbuild/connect";
-import {
-    CommitContext,
-    ConfigurationIdeConfig,
-    EnvVarWithValue,
-    PortProtocol,
-    WithEnvvarsContext,
-    WorkspaceContext,
-    WorkspaceInfo,
-    WorkspaceInstancePort,
-} from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol";
-import { ApplicationError, ErrorCode, ErrorCodes } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/messaging/error";
 import {
     AdmissionLevel,
     EditorReference,
@@ -30,10 +19,13 @@ import {
     WorkspaceStatus,
 } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_pb";
 import { injectable } from "inversify";
+import { ApplicationError, ErrorCode, ErrorCodes } from "./messaging/error";
+import { CommitContext, EnvVarWithValue, WithEnvvarsContext, WorkspaceContext, WorkspaceInfo } from "./protocol";
+import { ConfigurationIdeConfig, PortProtocol, WorkspaceInstancePort } from "./workspace-instance";
 
+// TODO(ak) integration testing with stub services
 @injectable()
 export class PublicAPIConverter {
-    // TODO(ak) integration testing with stub services
     toWorkspace(info: WorkspaceInfo) {
         const workspace = new Workspace();
 
@@ -72,7 +64,10 @@ export class PublicAPIConverter {
     }
 
     toError(reason: unknown): ConnectError {
-        if (reason instanceof ApplicationError) {
+        if (reason instanceof ConnectError) {
+            return reason;
+        }
+        if (reason instanceof ApplicationError || ApplicationError.hasErrorCode(reason)) {
             if (reason.code === ErrorCodes.NOT_FOUND) {
                 return new ConnectError(reason.message, Code.NotFound);
             }
diff --git a/components/server/src/api/server.ts b/components/server/src/api/server.ts
index cf1e21bb146724..9fceb3a17c70c0 100644
--- a/components/server/src/api/server.ts
+++ b/components/server/src/api/server.ts
@@ -7,28 +7,28 @@
 import { Code, ConnectError, ConnectRouter, HandlerContext, ServiceImpl } from "@bufbuild/connect";
 import { expressConnectMiddleware } from "@bufbuild/connect-express";
 import { MethodKind, ServiceType } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { PublicAPIConverter } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/public-api-converter";
 import { log } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/util/logging";
 import { HelloService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/dummy_connectweb";
 import { StatsService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/stats_connectweb";
 import { TeamsService as TeamsServiceDefinition } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/teams_connectweb";
 import { UserService as UserServiceDefinition } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v1/user_connectweb";
+import { WorkspaceService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_connectweb";
 import express from "express";
 import * as http from "http";
 import { inject, injectable, interfaces } from "inversify";
 import { AddressInfo } from "net";
+import { performance } from "perf_hooks";
+import { v4 } from "uuid";
+import { isFgaChecksEnabled } from "../authorization/authorizer";
 import { grpcServerHandled, grpcServerHandling, grpcServerStarted } from "../prometheus-metrics";
 import { SessionHandler } from "../session-handler";
+import { LogContextOptions, runWithContext, wrapAsyncGenerator } from "../util/log-context";
 import { APIHelloService as HelloServiceAPI } from "./hello-service-api";
 import { APIStatsService as StatsServiceAPI } from "./stats";
 import { APITeamsService as TeamsServiceAPI } from "./teams";
 import { APIUserService as UserServiceAPI } from "./user";
-import { WorkspaceServiceAPI as WorkspaceServiceAPI } from "./workspace-service-api";
-import { LogContextOptions, wrapAsyncGenerator, runWithContext } from "../util/log-context";
-import { v4 } from "uuid";
-import { performance } from "perf_hooks";
-import { WorkspaceService } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_connectweb";
-import { isFgaChecksEnabled } from "../authorization/authorizer";
-import { PublicAPIConverter } from "./public-api-converter";
+import { WorkspaceServiceAPI } from "./workspace-service-api";
 
 function service<T extends ServiceType>(type: T, impl: ServiceImpl<T>): [T, ServiceImpl<T>] {
     return [type, impl];
diff --git a/components/server/src/api/workspace-service-api.ts b/components/server/src/api/workspace-service-api.ts
index 12c7d984048e6e..ae0c00730dc955 100644
--- a/components/server/src/api/workspace-service-api.ts
+++ b/components/server/src/api/workspace-service-api.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { WorkspaceService as WorkspaceServiceInterface } from "@gitpod/public-ap
 import { GetWorkspaceRequest, GetWorkspaceResponse } from "@gitpod/public-api/lib/gitpod/experimental/v2/workspace_pb";
 import { inject, injectable } from "inversify";
 import { WorkspaceService } from "../workspace/workspace-service";
-import { PublicAPIConverter } from "./public-api-converter";
+import { PublicAPIConverter } from "@gitpod/gitpod-protocol/lib/public-api-converter";
 
 @injectable()
 export class WorkspaceServiceAPI implements ServiceImpl<typeof WorkspaceServiceInterface> {
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export class WorkspaceServiceAPI implements ServiceImpl<typeof WorkspaceServiceI
     @inject(PublicAPIConverter)
     private readonly apiConverter: PublicAPIConverter;
 
+    // TODO(ak) cancellation
     async getWorkspace(req: GetWorkspaceRequest, context: HandlerContext): Promise<GetWorkspaceResponse> {
         const info = await this.workspaceService.getWorkspace(context.user.id, req.id);
         const response = new GetWorkspaceResponse();