diff --git a/piker/ui/monitor.py b/piker/ui/monitor.py
index 537227ef..18773da6 100644
--- a/piker/ui/monitor.py
+++ b/piker/ui/monitor.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ from kivy.lang import Builder
 from kivy.app import async_runTouchApp
 from kivy.core.window import Window
 
+from ..brokers.data import DataFeed
 from .tabular import (
     Row, TickerTable, _kv, _black_rgba, colorcode,
 )
@@ -170,37 +171,12 @@ async def _async_main(
 
     This is started with cli cmd `piker monitor`.
     '''
-    if test:
-        # stream from a local test file
-        quote_gen = await portal.run(
-            "piker.brokers.data", 'stream_from_file',
-            filename=test
-        )
-        # TODO: need a set of test packets to make this work
-        # seriously fu QT
-        # sd = {}
-    else:
-        # start live streaming from broker daemon
-        quote_gen = await portal.run(
-            "piker.brokers.data",
-            'start_quote_stream',
-            broker=brokermod.name,
-            symbols=tickers,
-            rate=3,
-        )
+    feed = DataFeed(portal, brokermod)
 
-    # subscribe for tickers (this performs a possible filtering
-    # where invalid symbols are discarded)
-    sd = await portal.run(
-        "piker.brokers.data", 'symbol_data',
-        broker=brokermod.name, tickers=tickers)
+    quote_gen, quotes = await feed.open_stream(
+        tickers, 'stock', rate=rate)
 
-    # get first quotes response
-    log.debug("Waiting on first quote...")
-    quotes = await quote_gen.__anext__()
-    first_quotes = [
-        brokermod.format_stock_quote(quote, symbol_data=sd)[0]
-        for quote in quotes.values()]
+    first_quotes, _ = feed.format_quotes(quotes)
 
     if first_quotes[0].get('last') is None:
         log.error("Broker API is down temporarily")
@@ -274,7 +250,7 @@ async def _async_main(
                 brokermod.format_stock_quote,
                 widgets,
                 quote_gen,
-                sd,
+                feed._symbol_data_cache,
                 quotes
             )