diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib.py b/piker/brokers/ib.py
index 9a77f5fb..8fda1dec 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib.py
@@ -673,23 +673,28 @@ class Client:
             # against non-known prices.
             raise RuntimeError("Can not order {symbol}, no live feed?")
 
-        trade = self.ib.placeOrder(
-            contract,
-            Order(
-                orderId=reqid or 0,  # stupid api devs..
-                action=action.upper(),  # BUY/SELL
-                # lookup the literal account number by name here.
-                account=account,
-                orderType='LMT',
-                lmtPrice=price,
-                totalQuantity=size,
-                outsideRth=True,
+        try:
+            trade = self.ib.placeOrder(
+                contract,
+                Order(
+                    orderId=reqid or 0,  # stupid api devs..
+                    action=action.upper(),  # BUY/SELL
+                    # lookup the literal account number by name here.
+                    account=account,
+                    orderType='LMT',
+                    lmtPrice=price,
+                    totalQuantity=size,
+                    outsideRth=True,
 
-                optOutSmartRouting=True,
-                routeMarketableToBbo=True,
-                designatedLocation='SMART',
-            ),
-        )
+                    optOutSmartRouting=True,
+                    routeMarketableToBbo=True,
+                    designatedLocation='SMART',
+                ),
+            )
+        except AssertionError:  # errrg insync..
+            log.warning(f'order for {reqid} already complete?')
+            # will trigger an error in ems request handler task.
+            return None
 
         # ib doesn't support setting your own id outside
         # their own weird client int counting ids..
@@ -1116,7 +1121,25 @@ class MethodProxy:
         chan = self.chan
         # send through method + ``kwargs: dict`` as pair
         await chan.send((meth, kwargs))
-        return await chan.receive()
+        msg = await chan.receive()
+        res = msg.get('result')
+        if res:
+            return res
+
+        err = msg.get('error')
+        if not err:
+            raise ValueError(f'Received unexpected asyncio msg {msg}')
+
+        raise err
+
+    async def wait_for_data_reset(self) -> None:
+        '''
+        Send hacker hot keys to ib program and wait
+        for the event that declares the data feeds to be
+        back up before unblocking.
+
+        '''
+        ...
 
 
 async def open_aio_client_method_relay(
@@ -1132,6 +1155,9 @@ async def open_aio_client_method_relay(
     ):
         to_trio.send_nowait(client)
 
+        # TODO: separate channel for error handling?
+        # client.inline_errors(to_trio)
+
         # relay all method requests to ``asyncio``-side client and
         # deliver back results
         while not to_trio._closed:
@@ -1143,10 +1169,18 @@ async def open_aio_client_method_relay(
             meth_name, kwargs = msg
 
             meth = getattr(client, meth_name)
-            resp = await meth(**kwargs)
+            try:
+                resp = await meth(**kwargs)
+                # echo the msg back
+                to_trio.send_nowait({'result': resp})
 
-            # echo the msg back
-            to_trio.send_nowait(resp)
+            except (
+                RequestError,
+
+                # TODO: relay all errors to trio?
+                # BaseException,
+            ) as err:
+                to_trio.send_nowait({'error': err})
 
 
 @acm
@@ -1361,6 +1395,7 @@ async def get_bars(
             return await get()
 
         except RequestError as err:
+            # why do we always need to rebind this?
             _err = err
 
             # TODO: retreive underlying ``ib_insync`` error?
@@ -1409,6 +1444,10 @@ async def get_bars(
                     if not in_throttle:
                         await tractor.breakpoint()
 
+                    # TODO: wait on data con reset event
+                    # then begin backfilling again.
+                    # await proxy.wait_for_data()
+
                     in_throttle = True
                     fails += 1
                     continue
@@ -1463,6 +1502,7 @@ async def backfill_bars(
     # on that until we have the `marketstore` daemon in place in which
     # case the shm size will be driven by user config and available sys
     # memory.
+    # count: int = 120,
     count: int = 22,
 
     task_status: TaskStatus[trio.CancelScope] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
@@ -1745,7 +1785,9 @@ async def stream_quotes(
 
     init_msgs = mk_init_msgs()
 
-    with trio.move_on_after(1):
+    # TODO: we should instead spawn a task that waits on a feed to start
+    # and let it wait indefinitely..instead of this hard coded stuff.
+    with trio.move_on_after(6):
         contract, first_ticker, details = await _trio_run_client_method(
             method='get_quote',
             symbol=sym,
@@ -1922,6 +1964,12 @@ async def handle_order_requests(
                 # counter - collision prone..)
                 reqid=order.reqid,
             )
+            if reqid is None:
+                await ems_order_stream.send(BrokerdError(
+                    oid=request_msg['oid'],
+                    symbol=request_msg['symbol'],
+                    reason='Order already active?',
+                ).dict())
 
             # deliver ack that order has been submitted to broker routing
             await ems_order_stream.send(