diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
index af6af5e8..0705fc21 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
@@ -1291,13 +1291,23 @@ async def deliver_trade_events(
             case 'error':
                 # NOTE: see impl deats in
                 # `Client.inline_errors()::push_err()`
-                err: dict = item
+                err: dict|str = item
 
-                # never relay errors for non-broker related issues
+                # std case, never relay errors for non-order-control
+                # related issues.
                 # https://interactivebrokers.github.io/tws-api/message_codes.html
-                code: int = err['error_code']
-                reason: str = err['reason']
-                reqid: str = str(err['reqid'])
+                if isinstance(err, dict):
+                    code: int = err['error_code']
+                    reason: str = err['reason']
+                    reqid: str = str(err['reqid'])
+
+                # XXX, sometimes you'll get just a `str` of the form,
+                # '[code 104] connection failed' or something..
+                elif isinstance(err, str):
+                    code_part, _, reason = err.rpartition(']')
+                    if code_part:
+                        _, _, code = code_part.partition('[code')
+                    reqid: str = '<unknown>'
 
                 # "Warning:" msg codes,
                 # https://interactivebrokers.github.io/tws-api/message_codes.html#warning_codes