diff --git a/piker/data/_sampling.py b/piker/data/_sampling.py
index 2079eb71..566f2b07 100644
--- a/piker/data/_sampling.py
+++ b/piker/data/_sampling.py
@@ -227,7 +227,8 @@ async def sample_and_broadcast(
             # end up triggering backpressure which which will
             # eventually block this producer end of the feed and
             # thus other consumers still attached.
-            subs = bus._subscribers[sym]
+            subs = bus._subscribers[sym.lower()]
+
             for ctx in subs:
                 # print(f'sub is {ctx.chan.uid}')
                 try:
diff --git a/piker/data/feed.py b/piker/data/feed.py
index 1a24b29a..1097de50 100644
--- a/piker/data/feed.py
+++ b/piker/data/feed.py
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ async def allocate_persistent_feed(
     # TODO: make this into a composed type which also
     # contains the backfiller cs for individual super-based
     # resspawns when needed.
-    bus.feeds[symbol] = (cs, init_msg, first_quote)
+
+    # XXX: the ``symbol`` here is put into our native piker format (i.e.
+    # lower case).
+    bus.feeds[symbol.lower()] = (cs, init_msg, first_quote)
 
     if opened:
         # start history backfill task ``backfill_bars()`` is
@@ -272,7 +275,12 @@ async def attach_feed_bus(
                     ctx=ctx,
                     bus=bus,
                     brokername=brokername,
+
+                    # here we pass through the selected symbol in native
+                    # "format" (i.e. upper vs. lowercase depending on
+                    # provider).
                     symbol=symbol,
+
                     loglevel=loglevel,
                 )
             )
@@ -411,7 +419,7 @@ async def install_brokerd_search(
 
                 provider_name=brokermod.name,
                 search_routine=search,
-                pause_period=brokermod._search_conf.get('pause_period'),
+                pause_period=brokermod._search_conf.get('pause_period', 0.0616),
 
             ):
                 yield
diff --git a/piker/ui/_chart.py b/piker/ui/_chart.py
index 96424c14..64646da3 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_chart.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_chart.py
@@ -1538,7 +1538,6 @@ async def chart_symbol(
                 },
             })
 
-
         async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
 
             # load initial fsp chain (otherwise known as "indicators")
@@ -1598,6 +1597,7 @@ async def load_providers(
         # search engines.
         for broker in brokernames:
 
+            log.info(f'Loading brokerd for {broker}')
             # spin up broker daemons for each provider
             portal = await stack.enter_async_context(
                 maybe_spawn_brokerd(
diff --git a/piker/ui/_search.py b/piker/ui/_search.py
index a57894b0..27b3e360 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_search.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_search.py
@@ -497,7 +497,6 @@ async def fill_results(
     search: SearchBar,
     symsearch: Callable[..., Awaitable],
     recv_chan: trio.abc.ReceiveChannel,
-    # cached_symbols: Dict[str,
 
     # kb debouncing pauses
     min_pause_time: float = 0.0616,