diff --git a/piker/storage/cli.py b/piker/storage/cli.py
index bf3f9072..6890192d 100644
--- a/piker/storage/cli.py
+++ b/piker/storage/cli.py
@@ -286,6 +286,11 @@ async def markup_gaps(
         prev_r: pl.DataFrame = wdts.filter(
             pl.col('index') == iend - 1
         )
+        # XXX: probably a gap in the (newly sorted or de-duplicated)
+        # dt-df, so we might need to re-index first..
+        if prev_r.is_empty():
+            await tractor.pause()
+
         istart: int = prev_r['index'][0]
         # dt_start_t: float = dt_prev.timestamp()
 
@@ -403,41 +408,11 @@ def ldshm(
 
                 period_s: float = float(max(d1, d2, med))
 
-                # over-write back to shm?
-                wdts: pl.DataFrame  # with dts
-                deduped: pl.DataFrame  # deduplicated dts
-                (
-                    wdts,
-                    deduped,
-                    diff,
-                ) = tsp.dedupe(
-                    shm_df,
-                    period=period_s,
-                )
-
                 null_segs: tuple = tsp.get_null_segs(
                     frame=shm.array,
                     period=period_s,
                 )
 
-                # detect gaps from in expected (uniform OHLC) sample period
-                step_gaps: pl.DataFrame = tsp.detect_time_gaps(
-                    wdts,
-                    expect_period=period_s,
-                )
-
-                # TODO: by default we always want to mark these up
-                # with rects showing up/down gaps Bo
-                venue_gaps: pl.DataFrame = tsp.detect_time_gaps(
-                    wdts,
-                    expect_period=period_s,
-
-                    # TODO: actually pull the exact duration
-                    # expected for each venue operational period?
-                    gap_dt_unit='days',
-                    gap_thresh=1,
-                )
-
                 # TODO: call null-seg fixer somehow?
                 if null_segs:
                     await tractor.pause()
@@ -457,25 +432,47 @@ def ldshm(
                 #             mkt=mkt,
                 #         ))
 
+                # over-write back to shm?
+                wdts: pl.DataFrame  # with dts
+                deduped: pl.DataFrame  # deduplicated dts
+                (
+                    wdts,
+                    deduped,
+                    diff,
+                ) = tsp.dedupe(
+                    shm_df,
+                    period=period_s,
+                )
+
+                # detect gaps from in expected (uniform OHLC) sample period
+                step_gaps: pl.DataFrame = tsp.detect_time_gaps(
+                    deduped,
+                    expect_period=period_s,
+                )
+
+                # TODO: by default we always want to mark these up
+                # with rects showing up/down gaps Bo
+                venue_gaps: pl.DataFrame = tsp.detect_time_gaps(
+                    deduped,
+                    expect_period=period_s,
+
+                    # TODO: actually pull the exact duration
+                    # expected for each venue operational period?
+                    gap_dt_unit='days',
+                    gap_thresh=1,
+                )
+
                 # TODO: find the disjoint set of step gaps from
                 # venue (closure) set!
                 # -[ ] do a set diff by checking for the unique
                 #    gap set only in the step_gaps?
                 if (
                     not venue_gaps.is_empty()
-                    # and not step_gaps.is_empty()
+                    or (
+                        period_s < 60
+                        and not step_gaps.is_empty()
+                    )
                 ):
-                    do_markup_gaps: bool = True
-                    if do_markup_gaps:
-                        aids: dict = await markup_gaps(
-                            fqme,
-                            period_s,
-                            actl,
-                            wdts,
-                            step_gaps,
-                        )
-                        assert aids
-
                     # write repaired ts to parquet-file?
                     if write_parquet:
                         start: float = time.time()
@@ -512,8 +509,6 @@ def ldshm(
                             shm._array.setflags(
                                 write=int(1),
                             )
-                            # last chance manual overwrites in REPL
-                            await tractor.pause()
                             shm.push(
                                 new,
                                 prepend=True,
@@ -521,11 +516,25 @@ def ldshm(
                                 update_first=False,  # don't update ._first
                             )
 
+                    do_markup_gaps: bool = True
+                    if do_markup_gaps:
+                        new_df: pl.DataFrame = tsp.np2pl(new)
+                        aids: dict = await markup_gaps(
+                            fqme,
+                            period_s,
+                            actl,
+                            new_df,
+                            step_gaps,
+                        )
+
+                        # last chance manual overwrites in REPL
+                        await tractor.pause()
+                        assert aids
 
                 else:
                     # allow interaction even when no ts problems.
                     await tractor.pause()
-                    assert not diff
+                    # assert not diff
 
 
             if shm_df is None: