diff --git a/piker/data/feed.py b/piker/data/feed.py
index b9df8595..cdd19070 100644
--- a/piker/data/feed.py
+++ b/piker/data/feed.py
@@ -379,13 +379,25 @@ class Feed:
     @asynccontextmanager
     async def open_symbol_search(self) -> AsyncIterator[dict]:
 
+        open_search = getattr(self.mod, 'open_symbol_search', None)
+        if open_search is None:
+
+            # just return a pure pass through searcher
+            async def passthru(text: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+                return text
+
+            self.search = passthru
+            yield self.search
+            self.search = None
+            return
+
         async with self._brokerd_portal.open_context(
-
-            self.mod.open_symbol_search,
-
+            open_search,
         ) as (ctx, cache):
 
-            async with ctx.open_stream() as stream:
+            # shield here since we expect the search rpc to be
+            # cancellable by the user as they see fit.
+            async with ctx.open_stream(shield=True) as stream:
 
                 async def search(text: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
                     await stream.send(text)
@@ -448,7 +460,7 @@ async def open_feed(
     """
     global _cache, _cache_lock
 
-    sym = symbols[0]
+    sym = symbols[0].lower()
 
     # TODO: feed cache locking, right now this is causing
     # issues when reconncting to a long running emsd?
@@ -526,11 +538,6 @@ async def open_feed(
 
             _cache[(brokername, sym)] = feed
 
-            try:
-                async with feed.open_symbol_search():
-                    yield feed
+            async with feed.open_symbol_search():
+                yield feed
 
-            finally:
-                # always cancel the far end producer task
-                with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
-                    await stream.aclose()
diff --git a/piker/ui/_chart.py b/piker/ui/_chart.py
index 01d3af35..7b574422 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_chart.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_chart.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class ChartSpace(QtGui.QWidget):
         # self.init_strategy_ui()
         self.vbox.addLayout(self.toolbar_layout)
         self.vbox.addLayout(self.hbox)
+
         self._chart_cache = {}
         self.linkedcharts: 'LinkedSplitCharts' = None
         self.symbol_label: Optional[QtGui.QLabel] = None
@@ -135,6 +136,9 @@ class ChartSpace(QtGui.QWidget):
         Expects a ``numpy`` structured array containing all the ohlcv fields.
 
         """
+        # our symbol key style is always lower case
+        symbol_key = symbol_key.lower()
+
         linkedcharts = self._chart_cache.get(symbol_key)
 
         if not self.vbox.isEmpty():