diff --git a/piker/brokers/kraken.py b/piker/brokers/kraken.py
index 30e57b9e..670eed6f 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/kraken.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/kraken.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Kraken backend.
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager as acm
 from dataclasses import asdict, field
 from datetime import datetime
+from pprint import pformat
 from typing import Any, Optional, AsyncIterator, Callable, Union
 import time
 
@@ -569,7 +570,10 @@ async def handle_order_requests(
     order: BrokerdOrder
 
     async for request_msg in ems_order_stream:
-        log.info(f'Received order request {request_msg}')
+        log.info(
+            'Received order request:\n'
+            f'{pformat(request_msg)}'
+        )
 
         action = request_msg['action']
 
@@ -628,6 +632,7 @@ async def handle_order_requests(
                     # update the internal pairing of oid to krakens
                     # txid with the new txid that is returned on edit
                     reqid = resp['result']['txid']
+
                 # deliver ack that order has been submitted to broker routing
                 await ems_order_stream.send(
                     BrokerdOrderAck(
@@ -788,7 +793,10 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
         # Get websocket token for authenticated data stream
         # Assert that a token was actually received.
         resp = await client.endpoint('GetWebSocketsToken', {})
+
+        # lol wtf is this..
         assert resp['error'] == []
+
         token = resp['result']['token']
 
         async with (
diff --git a/piker/clearing/_ems.py b/piker/clearing/_ems.py
index a5d04f0c..e00676f2 100644
--- a/piker/clearing/_ems.py
+++ b/piker/clearing/_ems.py
@@ -561,7 +561,10 @@ async def translate_and_relay_brokerd_events(
 
         name = brokerd_msg['name']
 
-        log.info(f'Received broker trade event:\n{pformat(brokerd_msg)}')
+        log.info(
+            f'Received broker trade event:\n'
+            f'{pformat(brokerd_msg)}'
+        )
 
         if name == 'position':
 
@@ -613,19 +616,28 @@ async def translate_and_relay_brokerd_events(
             # packed at submission since we already know it ahead of
             # time
             paper = brokerd_msg['broker_details'].get('paper_info')
+            ext = brokerd_msg['broker_details'].get('external')
             if paper:
                 # paperboi keeps the ems id up front
                 oid = paper['oid']
 
-            else:
+            elif ext:
                 # may be an order msg specified as "external" to the
                 # piker ems flow (i.e. generated by some other
                 # external broker backend client (like tws for ib)
-                ext = brokerd_msg['broker_details'].get('external')
-                if ext:
-                    log.error(f"External trade event {ext}")
+                log.error(f"External trade event {ext}")
 
                 continue
+
+            else:
+                # something is out of order, we don't have an oid for
+                # this broker-side message.
+                log.error(
+                    'Unknown oid:{oid} for msg:\n'
+                    f'{pformat(brokerd_msg)}'
+                    'Unable to relay message to client side!?'
+                )
+
         else:
             # check for existing live flow entry
             entry = book._ems_entries.get(oid)
@@ -823,7 +835,9 @@ async def process_client_order_cmds(
                 if reqid:
 
                     # send cancel to brokerd immediately!
-                    log.info("Submitting cancel for live order {reqid}")
+                    log.info(
+                        f'Submitting cancel for live order {reqid}'
+                    )
 
                     await brokerd_order_stream.send(msg.dict())
 
diff --git a/piker/ui/order_mode.py b/piker/ui/order_mode.py
index 3e230b71..a86fe816 100644
--- a/piker/ui/order_mode.py
+++ b/piker/ui/order_mode.py
@@ -873,7 +873,9 @@ async def process_trades_and_update_ui(
                 mode.lines.remove_line(uuid=oid)
 
         # each clearing tick is responded individually
-        elif resp in ('broker_filled',):
+        elif resp in (
+            'broker_filled',
+        ):
 
             known_order = book._sent_orders.get(oid)
             if not known_order: