diff --git a/piker/brokers/__init__.py b/piker/brokers/__init__.py
index 8817842e..0c328d9f 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/__init__.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ __brokers__: list[str] = [
     'binance',
     'ib',
     'kraken',
-    'kucoin'
+    'kucoin',
 
     # broken but used to work
     # 'questrade',
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def get_brokermod(brokername: str) -> ModuleType:
     Return the imported broker module by name.
 
     '''
-    module = import_module('.' + brokername, 'piker.brokers')
+    module: ModuleType = import_module('.' + brokername, 'piker.brokers')
     # we only allow monkeying because it's for internal keying
     module.name = module.__name__.split('.')[-1]
     return module
diff --git a/piker/brokers/_util.py b/piker/brokers/_util.py
index d35c2578..3588a87a 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/_util.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/_util.py
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@
 Handy cross-broker utils.
 
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
 from functools import partial
 
 import json
-import asks
+import httpx
 import logging
 
 from ..log import (
@@ -60,11 +61,11 @@ class NoData(BrokerError):
     def __init__(
         self,
         *args,
-        info: dict,
+        info: dict|None = None,
 
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__(*args)
-        self.info: dict = info
+        self.info: dict|None = info
 
         # when raised, machinery can check if the backend
         # set a "frame size" for doing datetime calcs.
@@ -90,16 +91,18 @@ class DataThrottle(BrokerError):
 
 
 def resproc(
-    resp: asks.response_objects.Response,
+    resp: httpx.Response,
     log: logging.Logger,
     return_json: bool = True,
     log_resp: bool = False,
 
-) -> asks.response_objects.Response:
-    """Process response and return its json content.
+) -> httpx.Response:
+    '''
+    Process response and return its json content.
 
     Raise the appropriate error on non-200 OK responses.
-    """
+
+    '''
     if not resp.status_code == 200:
         raise BrokerError(resp.body)
     try:
diff --git a/piker/brokers/kraken/api.py b/piker/brokers/kraken/api.py
index df2ebd6a..4b16a2d0 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/kraken/api.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/kraken/api.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class Client:
         method: str,
         data: dict,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        resp = await self._sesh.post(
+        resp: httpx.Response = await self._sesh.post(
             url=f'/public/{method}',
             json=data,
         )
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ class Client:
                 self._secret,
             ),
         }
-        resp = await self._sesh.post(
+        resp: httpx.Response = await self._sesh.post(
             url=f'/private/{method}',
             data=data,
             headers=headers,