diff --git a/piker/data/feed.py b/piker/data/feed.py
index a519b395..72d3c50d 100644
--- a/piker/data/feed.py
+++ b/piker/data/feed.py
@@ -479,7 +479,6 @@ async def open_feed(
     loglevel: Optional[str] = None,
 
     tick_throttle: Optional[float] = None,  # Hz
-    shielded_stream: bool = False,
 
 ) -> Feed:
     '''
@@ -512,7 +511,7 @@ async def open_feed(
 
         ) as (ctx, (init_msg, first_quote)),
 
-        ctx.open_stream(shield=shielded_stream) as stream,
+        ctx.open_stream() as stream,
 
     ):
         # we can only read from shm
diff --git a/piker/fsp/__init__.py b/piker/fsp/__init__.py
index 3b5c359a..a6324bb6 100644
--- a/piker/fsp/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/fsp/__init__.py
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ async def cascade(
     async with data.feed.maybe_open_feed(
         brokername,
         [symbol],
-        shielded_stream=True,
     ) as (feed, stream):
 
         assert src.token == feed.shm.token