diff --git a/piker/cli.py b/piker/cli.py
index 963ebe5c..13c7439e 100644
--- a/piker/cli.py
+++ b/piker/cli.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 Console interface to broker client/daemons.
 """
 from functools import partial
-from multiprocessing import Process
 import json
 import os
 
@@ -12,9 +11,8 @@ import trio
 
 from . import watchlists as wl
 from .brokers import core, get_brokermod
-from .brokers.core import _brokerd_main
-from .ipc import Channel
 from .log import get_console_log, colorize_json, get_logger
+from . import tractor
 
 log = get_logger('cli')
 DEFAULT_BROKER = 'robinhood'
@@ -23,18 +21,24 @@ _config_dir = click.get_app_dir('piker')
 _watchlists_data_path = os.path.join(_config_dir, 'watchlists.json')
 
 
-def run(main, loglevel='info'):
-    get_console_log(loglevel)
-    return trio.run(main)
-
-
 @click.command()
 @click.option('--loglevel', '-l', default='warning', help='Logging level')
 @click.option('--host', '-h', default='127.0.0.1', help='Host address to bind')
 def pikerd(loglevel, host):
     """Spawn the piker daemon.
     """
-    run(partial(_brokerd_main, host), loglevel)
+    get_console_log(loglevel)
+    tractor.run(
+        None,  # no main task
+        statespace={
+            'boker2tickersubs': {},
+            'clients': {},
+            'dtasks': set(),
+        },
+        outlive_main=True,  # run daemon forever
+        rpc_module_paths=['piker.broker.core'],
+        name='brokerd',
+    )
 
 
 @click.group()
@@ -53,7 +57,7 @@ def cli():
 def api(meth, kwargs, loglevel, broker, keys):
     """client for testing broker API methods with pretty printing of output.
     """
-    log = get_console_log(loglevel)
+    get_console_log(loglevel)
     brokermod = get_brokermod(broker)
 
     _kwargs = {}
@@ -64,8 +68,9 @@ def api(meth, kwargs, loglevel, broker, keys):
             key, _, value = kwarg.partition('=')
             _kwargs[key] = value
 
-    data = run(
-        partial(core.api, brokermod, meth, **_kwargs), loglevel=loglevel)
+    data = trio.run(
+        partial(core.api, brokermod, meth, **_kwargs)
+    )
 
     if keys:
         # filter to requested keys
@@ -89,10 +94,12 @@ def api(meth, kwargs, loglevel, broker, keys):
               help='Ouput in `pandas.DataFrame` format')
 @click.argument('tickers', nargs=-1, required=True)
 def quote(loglevel, broker, tickers, df_output):
-    """client for testing broker API methods with pretty printing of output.
+    """Retreive symbol quotes on the console in either json or dataframe
+    format.
     """
     brokermod = get_brokermod(broker)
-    quotes = run(partial(core.quote, brokermod, tickers), loglevel=loglevel)
+    get_console_log(loglevel)
+    quotes = trio.run(partial(core.quote, brokermod, tickers))
     if not quotes:
         log.error(f"No quotes could be found for {tickers}?")
         return
@@ -133,48 +140,30 @@ def watch(loglevel, broker, rate, name, dhost):
 
     async def launch_client(sleep=0.5, tries=10):
 
-        async def subscribe(channel):
-            # initial subs request for symbols
-            await channel.send((brokermod.name, tickers))
-            # symbol data is returned in first response which we'll
-            # ignore on reconnect
-            await channel.recv()
+        async with tractor.find_actor('brokerd') as portals:
+            async with tractor.open_nursery() as nursery:
+                if not portals:
+                    log.warn("No broker daemon could be found")
+                    log.warning("Spawning local brokerd..")
+                    portal = await nursery.start_actor(
+                        'brokerd',
+                        main=None,  # no main task
+                        statespace={
+                            'broker2tickersubs': {},
+                            'clients': {},
+                            'dtasks': set(),
+                        },
+                        outlive_main=True,  # run daemon forever
+                        rpc_module_paths=['piker.brokers.core'],
+                        loglevel=loglevel,
+                    )
+                else:
+                    portal = portals[0]
 
-        channel = Channel((dhost, 1616), on_reconnect=subscribe)
-        for _ in range(tries):  # try for 5 seconds
-            try:
-                await channel.connect()
-                break
-            except OSError as oserr:
-                await trio.sleep(sleep)
-        else:
-            # will raise indicating child proc should be spawned
-            await channel.connect()
+                # run kivy app
+                await _async_main(name, portal, tickers, brokermod, rate)
 
-        async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
-            nursery.start_soon(
-                _async_main, name, channel, tickers,
-                brokermod, rate
-            )
-
-        # signal exit of stream handler task
-        await channel.aclose()
-
-    try:
-        trio.run(partial(launch_client, tries=1))
-    except OSError as oserr:
-        log.warn("No broker daemon could be found")
-        log.warn(oserr)
-        log.warning("Spawning local broker-daemon...")
-        child = Process(
-            target=run,
-            args=(partial(_brokerd_main, dhost), loglevel),
-            daemon=True,
-            name='pikerd',
-        )
-        child.start()
-        trio.run(partial(launch_client, tries=5))
-        child.join()
+    tractor.run(partial(launch_client, tries=1))
 
 
 @cli.group()