diff --git a/tests/test_paper.py b/tests/test_paper.py
index 0c920986..b91547ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_paper.py
+++ b/tests/test_paper.py
@@ -8,8 +8,12 @@ from piker.log import get_logger
 from piker.clearing._messages import ( 
     Order                                    
 )
-from typing import AsyncContextManager
+from typing import (
+    AsyncContextManager,
+    Any,
+)
 
+from functools import partial
 from piker.pp import (
     Position,
     Transaction,
@@ -38,21 +42,38 @@ from piker.clearing._client import (
 
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
+_clearing_price: float
+
 
 def test_paper_trade(
     open_test_pikerd: AsyncContextManager
 ):
+    _cleared_price: float
+    test_exec_mode='live'
+    test_action = 'buy'
+    test_oid = '560beac8-b1b1-4dee-bd1e-6604a704c9ea'
+    test_account = 'paper'
+    test_size = 1 
+    test_price = 30000
+    test_broker = 'kraken'
+    test_brokers = [test_broker]
+    test_symbol = 'xbtusdt' 
+    test_fqsn = f'{test_symbol}.{test_broker}'
+    test_pp_account = 'piker-paper'
 
-    async def main():
+
+    async def open(
+        open_pikerd: AsyncContextManager,
+        send_order: bool = False,
+        assert_entries: bool = False,
+        teardown: bool = True,
+    ) -> Any:
         # type declares
         book: OrderBook
-        trades_stream: tractor.MsgStream
-        pps: dict[str, list[BrokerdPosition]]
-        accounts: list[str]
-        dialogs: dict[str, Status]
+        global _cleared_price
 
         async with (
-            open_test_pikerd() as (_, _, _, services),
+            open_pikerd() as (_, _, _, services),
 
             open_ems(
                 'xbtusdt.kraken',
@@ -66,78 +87,67 @@ def test_paper_trade(
             ),
         ):
             
-            test_exec_mode='live'
-            test_action = 'buy'
-            test_oid = '560beac8-b1b1-4dee-bd1e-6604a704c9ea'
-            test_account = 'paper'
-            test_size = 1 
-            test_price = 30000
-            test_broker = 'kraken'
-            test_brokers = [test_broker]
-            test_symbol = 'xbtusdt' 
-            test_fqsn = f'{test_symbol}.{test_broker}'
-            test_pp_account = 'piker-paper'
 
-            order = Order(
-                exec_mode=test_exec_mode,
-                action=test_action,
-                oid=test_oid,
-                account=test_account,
-                size=test_size,
-                symbol=test_fqsn,
-                price=test_price,
-                brokers=test_brokers
-            )
+            if send_order: 
+                order = Order(
+                    exec_mode=test_exec_mode,
+                    action=test_action,
+                    oid=test_oid,
+                    account=test_account,
+                    size=test_size,
+                    symbol=test_fqsn,
+                    price=test_price,
+                    brokers=test_brokers
+                )
 
-            book.send(order)
+                book.send(order)
+                
+                await trio.sleep(1)
             
-            await trio.sleep(1)
+            if assert_entries:
 
-            cleared_ledger_entry = {}
-            # check if trades have been updated in in ledge and pp 
-            with open_trade_ledger(test_broker, test_account) as ledger:
-                log.warning(f'ledger: {ledger}')
-                cleared_ledger_entry = ledger[test_oid]
-                assert list(ledger.keys())[0] == test_oid
-                assert cleared_ledger_entry['size'] == test_size
-                assert cleared_ledger_entry['fqsn'] == test_fqsn
-                 
-            with open_pps(test_broker, test_pp_account) as table: 
-                # save pps in local state
-                assert table.brokername == test_broker 
-                assert table.acctid == test_pp_account 
-#                assert cleared_ledger_entry['price'] == table.conf.clears[0].price
-                pp_price = table.conf[test_broker][test_pp_account][test_fqsn]["ppu"] 
-                assert math.isclose(pp_price, cleared_ledger_entry['size'], rel_tol=1)
+                cleared_ledger_entry = {}
+                # check if trades have been updated in in ledge and pp 
+                with open_trade_ledger(test_broker, test_account) as ledger:
+                    cleared_ledger_entry = ledger[test_oid]
+                    _cleared_price = cleared_ledger_entry["price"]
+                    assert list(ledger.keys())[0] == test_oid
+                    assert cleared_ledger_entry['size'] == test_size
+                    assert cleared_ledger_entry['fqsn'] == test_fqsn
 
-            raise KeyboardInterrupt
-        
+                     
+                with open_pps(test_broker, test_pp_account) as table: 
+                    # save pps in local state
+                    assert table.brokername == test_broker 
+                    assert table.acctid == test_pp_account 
+        #                assert cleared_ledger_entry['price'] == table.conf.clears[0].price
+                    pp_price = table.conf[test_broker][test_pp_account][test_fqsn]["ppu"] 
+                    assert math.isclose(pp_price, cleared_ledger_entry['size'], rel_tol=1)
+
+            if teardown:
+                raise KeyboardInterrupt
+            return pps
+            
+    async def open_and_assert_pps(): 
+        pps = await open(open_test_pikerd)
+        assert pps(test_broker, test_account)[0] == _cleared_price
 
     with pytest.raises(
         trio.MultiError
     ) as exc_info:
-        trio.run(main)
+        # run initial time and send sent and assert trade
+        trio.run(partial(open, 
+                         open_pikerd=open_test_pikerd,
+                         send_order=True, 
+                         assert_entries=True, 
+                        )
+                 )
+
+        # Run again just to boot piker
+        trio.run(partial(open, 
+                         open_pikerd=open_test_pikerd,
+                        )
+                ) 
+        trio.run(open_and_assert_pps)
 
 
-def test_trades_persist(
-    open_test_pikerd: AsyncContextManager
-):
-
-    async def main():
-        async with (
-            open_test_pikerd() as (_, _, _, services),
-
-            open_ems(
-                'xbtusdt.kraken',
-                mode='paper',
-            ) as (
-                book,
-                trades_stream,
-                pps,
-                accounts,
-                dialogs,
-            ),
-        ):
-
-            assert pps.len()
-    trio.run(main)