diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
index fa94044c..03d073fc 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
 from ib_insync.contract import (
     Contract,
+    Option,
 )
 from ib_insync.order import (
     Trade,
@@ -88,14 +89,17 @@ from .api import (
 def pack_position(
     pos: IbPosition
 
-) -> dict[str, Any]:
+) -> tuple[
+    str,
+    dict[str, Any]
+]:
 
     con = pos.contract
     fqsn, calc_price = con2fqsn(con)
 
     # TODO: options contracts into a sane format..
     return (
-        con.conId,
+        str(con.conId),
         BrokerdPosition(
             broker='ib',
             account=pos.account,
@@ -383,20 +387,19 @@ async def update_and_audit_msgs(
                     # raise ValueError(
                     log.error(
                         f'POSITION MISMATCH ib <-> piker ledger:\n'
-                        f'ib: {ibppmsg}\n'
-                        f'piker: {msg}\n'
-                        f'reverse_split_ratio: {reverse_split_ratio}\n'
-                        f'split_ratio: {split_ratio}\n\n'
                         'FIGURE OUT WHY TF YOUR LEDGER IS OFF!?!?\n\n'
                         'If you are expecting a (reverse) split in this '
-                        'instrument you should probably put the following '
+                        'instrument you should probably put the following\n\n'
                         f'in the `pps.toml` section:\n{entry}'
+                        f'IB:\nm{ibppmsg.to_dict()}\n\n'
+                        f'PIKER:\n{msg.to_dict()}\n\n'
+                        # f'reverse_split_ratio: {reverse_split_ratio}\n'
+                        # f'split_ratio: {split_ratio}\n\n'
                     )
                     msg.size = ibsize
 
             if ibppmsg.avg_price != msg.avg_price:
-
-                # TODO: make this a "propoganda" log level?
+                # TODO: make this a "propaganda" log level?
                 log.warning(
                     'The mega-cucks at IB want you to believe with their '
                     f'"FIFO" positioning for {msg.symbol}:\n'
@@ -425,10 +428,10 @@ async def update_and_audit_msgs(
             if validate and p.size:
                 # raise ValueError(
                 log.error(
-                    f'UNEXPECTED POSITION says ib:\n'
-                    f'piker: {msg}\n'
+                    f'UNEXPECTED POSITION says IB:\n'
                     'YOU SHOULD FIGURE OUT WHY TF YOUR LEDGER IS OFF!?\n'
-                    'THEY LIQUIDATED YOU OR YOUR MISSING LEDGER RECORDS!?'
+                    'THEY LIQUIDATED YOU OR YOUR MISSING LEDGER RECORDS!?\n'
+                    f'PIKER:\n{msg.to_dict()}\n'
                 )
             msgs.append(msg)
 
@@ -611,6 +614,8 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
                 # api clients which report trades for **this session**.
                 trades = await proxy.trades()
                 if trades:
+                    trans_by_acct: dict[str, Transaction]
+                    api_to_ledger_entries: dict[str, dict]
                     (
                         trans_by_acct,
                         api_to_ledger_entries,
@@ -637,17 +642,30 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
                             if trans:
                                 table.update_from_trans(trans)
 
+                trans = norm_trade_records(ledger)
+                table.update_from_trans(trans)
+
                 # process pp value reported from ib's system. we only
                 # use these to cross-check sizing since average pricing
                 # on their end uses the so called (bs) "FIFO" style
                 # which more or less results in a price that's not
                 # useful for traders who want to not lose money.. xb
+                # -> collect all ib-pp reported positions so that we can be
+                # sure know which positions to update from the ledger if
+                # any are missing from the ``pps.toml``
+                pos: IbPosition  # named tuple actually
                 for pos in client.positions():
-                    # collect all ib-pp reported positions so that we can be
-                    # sure know which positions to update from the ledger if
-                    # any are missing from the ``pps.toml``
-                    bs_mktid, msg = pack_position(pos)
 
+                    # NOTE XXX: we skip options for now since we don't
+                    # yet support the symbology nor the live feeds.
+                    if isinstance(pos.contract, Option):
+                        log.warning(
+                            f'Option contracts not supported for now:\n'
+                            f'{pos._asdict()}'
+                        )
+                        continue
+
+                    bs_mktid, msg = pack_position(pos)
                     acctid = msg.account = accounts_def.inverse[msg.account]
                     acctid = acctid.strip('ib.')
                     cids2pps[(acctid, bs_mktid)] = msg
@@ -663,29 +681,6 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
                         not pp
                         or pp.size != msg.size
                     ):
-                        trans = norm_trade_records(ledger)
-                        table.update_from_trans(trans)
-
-                        # XXX: not sure exactly why it wouldn't be in
-                        # the updated output (maybe this is a bug?) but
-                        # if you create a pos from TWS and then load it
-                        # from the api trades it seems we get a key
-                        # error from ``update[bs_mktid]`` ?
-                        pp = table.pps.get(bs_mktid)
-                        if not pp:
-                            log.error(
-                                f'The contract id for {msg} may have '
-                                f'changed to {bs_mktid}\nYou may need to '
-                                'adjust your ledger for this, skipping '
-                                'for now.'
-                            )
-                            continue
-
-                        # XXX: not sure exactly why it wouldn't be in
-                        # the updated output (maybe this is a bug?) but
-                        # if you create a pos from TWS and then load it
-                        # from the api trades it seems we get a key
-                        # error from ``update[bs_mktid]`` ?
                         pp = table.pps[bs_mktid]
                         pairinfo = pp.symbol
                         if msg.size != pp.size: