diff --git a/examples/basic_order_bot.py b/examples/basic_order_bot.py
index 51575cc3..7aff6966 100644
--- a/examples/basic_order_bot.py
+++ b/examples/basic_order_bot.py
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ async def bot_main():
             # tick_throttle=10,
         ) as feed,
 
+        tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
         trio.open_nursery() as tn,
     ):
         assert accounts
diff --git a/piker/accounting/_pos.py b/piker/accounting/_pos.py
index 1b305009..e815881d 100644
--- a/piker/accounting/_pos.py
+++ b/piker/accounting/_pos.py
@@ -362,7 +362,11 @@ class Position(Struct):
         # added: bool = False
         tid: str = t.tid
         if tid in self._events:
-            log.warning(f'{t} is already added?!')
+            log.debug(
+                f'Txn is already added?\n'
+                f'\n'
+                f'{t}\n'
+            )
             # return added
 
         # TODO: apparently this IS possible with a dict but not
@@ -696,7 +700,7 @@ class Account(Struct):
                     else:
                         # TODO: we reallly need a diff set of
                         # loglevels/colors per subsys.
-                        log.warning(
+                        log.debug(
                             f'Recent position for {fqme} was closed!'
                         )
 
diff --git a/piker/brokers/binance/broker.py b/piker/brokers/binance/broker.py
index a13ce38f..919e8152 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/binance/broker.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/binance/broker.py
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ async def open_trade_dialog(
             #   - ledger: TransactionLedger
 
             async with (
+                tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
                 trio.open_nursery() as tn,
                 ctx.open_stream() as ems_stream,
             ):
diff --git a/piker/brokers/deribit/api.py b/piker/brokers/deribit/api.py
index a84c3f6f..436e1952 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/deribit/api.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/deribit/api.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from typing import (
 )
 
 from pendulum import now
+import tractor
 import trio
 import numpy as np
 from tractor.trionics import (
@@ -708,6 +709,7 @@ async def get_client(
 ) -> Client:
 
     async with (
+        tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
         trio.open_nursery() as n,
         open_jsonrpc_session(
             _ws_url, response_type=JSONRPCResult
diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/api.py b/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
index 09e842d3..5c8563ba 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ from bidict import bidict
 import trio
 import tractor
 from tractor import to_asyncio
+from tractor import trionics
 from pendulum import (
     from_timestamp,
     DateTime,
@@ -1373,8 +1374,8 @@ async def load_clients_for_trio(
     '''
     Pure async mngr proxy to ``load_aio_clients()``.
 
-    This is a bootstrap entrypoing to call from
-    a ``tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from()``.
+    This is a bootstrap entrypoint to call from
+    a `tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from()`.
 
     '''
     async with load_aio_clients(
@@ -1395,7 +1396,10 @@ async def open_client_proxies() -> tuple[
     async with (
         tractor.trionics.maybe_open_context(
             acm_func=tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from,
-            kwargs={'target': load_clients_for_trio},
+            kwargs={
+                'target': load_clients_for_trio,
+                # ^XXX, kwarg to `open_channel_from()`
+            },
 
             # lock around current actor task access
             # TODO: maybe this should be the default in tractor?
@@ -1588,7 +1592,8 @@ async def open_client_proxy(
             event_consumers=event_table,
         ) as (first, chan),
 
-        trio.open_nursery() as relay_n,
+        trionics.collapse_eg(),  # loose-ify
+        trio.open_nursery() as relay_tn,
     ):
 
         assert isinstance(first, Client)
@@ -1628,7 +1633,7 @@ async def open_client_proxy(
 
                     continue
 
-        relay_n.start_soon(relay_events)
+        relay_tn.start_soon(relay_events)
 
         yield proxy
 
diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
index ddda9020..b78f2880 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/broker.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
 from tractor.to_asyncio import LinkedTaskChannel
+from tractor import trionics
 from ib_insync.contract import (
     Contract,
 )
@@ -407,7 +408,7 @@ async def update_and_audit_pos_msg(
 
     # TODO: make this a "propaganda" log level?
     if ibpos.avgCost != msg.avg_price:
-        log.warning(
+        log.debug(
             f'IB "FIFO" avg price for {msg.symbol} is DIFF:\n'
             f'ib: {ibfmtmsg}\n'
             '---------------------------\n'
@@ -738,7 +739,7 @@ async def open_trade_dialog(
                                 f'UNEXPECTED POSITION says IB => {msg.symbol}\n'
                                 'Maybe they LIQUIDATED YOU or your ledger is wrong?\n'
                             )
-                            log.error(logmsg)
+                            log.debug(logmsg)
 
             await ctx.started((
                 all_positions,
@@ -747,21 +748,22 @@ async def open_trade_dialog(
 
             async with (
                 ctx.open_stream() as ems_stream,
-                trio.open_nursery() as n,
+                trionics.collapse_eg(),
+                trio.open_nursery() as tn,
             ):
                 # relay existing open orders to ems
                 for msg in order_msgs:
                     await ems_stream.send(msg)
 
                 for client in set(aioclients.values()):
-                    trade_event_stream: LinkedTaskChannel = await n.start(
+                    trade_event_stream: LinkedTaskChannel = await tn.start(
                         open_trade_event_stream,
                         client,
                     )
 
                     # start order request handler **before** local trades
                     # event loop
-                    n.start_soon(
+                    tn.start_soon(
                         handle_order_requests,
                         ems_stream,
                         accounts_def,
@@ -769,7 +771,7 @@ async def open_trade_dialog(
                     )
 
                     # allocate event relay tasks for each client connection
-                    n.start_soon(
+                    tn.start_soon(
                         deliver_trade_events,
 
                         trade_event_stream,
diff --git a/piker/clearing/_ems.py b/piker/clearing/_ems.py
index aad849aa..6c49b8e9 100644
--- a/piker/clearing/_ems.py
+++ b/piker/clearing/_ems.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ from bidict import bidict
 import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
+from tractor import trionics
 
 from ._util import (
     log,  # sub-sys logger
@@ -500,7 +501,7 @@ class Router(Struct):
 
     '''
     # setup at actor spawn time
-    nursery: trio.Nursery
+    _tn: trio.Nursery
 
     # broker to book map
     books: dict[str, DarkBook] = {}
@@ -666,7 +667,7 @@ class Router(Struct):
                 # dark book clearing loop, also lives with parent
                 # daemon to allow dark order clearing while no
                 # client is connected.
-                self.nursery.start_soon(
+                self._tn.start_soon(
                     clear_dark_triggers,
                     self,
                     relay.brokerd_stream,
@@ -689,7 +690,7 @@ class Router(Struct):
 
                 # spawn a ``brokerd`` order control dialog stream
                 # that syncs lifetime with the parent `emsd` daemon.
-                self.nursery.start_soon(
+                self._tn.start_soon(
                     translate_and_relay_brokerd_events,
                     broker,
                     relay.brokerd_stream,
@@ -763,10 +764,12 @@ async def _setup_persistent_emsd(
 
     global _router
 
-    # open a root "service nursery" for the ``emsd`` actor
-    async with trio.open_nursery() as service_nursery:
-
-        _router = Router(nursery=service_nursery)
+    # open a root "service task-nursery" for the `emsd`-actor
+    async with (
+        trionics.collapse_eg(),
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn
+    ):
+        _router = Router(_tn=tn)
 
         # TODO: send back the full set of persistent
         # orders/execs?
@@ -1511,7 +1514,7 @@ async def maybe_open_trade_relays(
         loglevel: str = 'info',
     ):
 
-        fqme, relay, feed, client_ready = await _router.nursery.start(
+        fqme, relay, feed, client_ready = await _router._tn.start(
             _router.open_trade_relays,
             fqme,
             exec_mode,
diff --git a/piker/data/feed.py b/piker/data/feed.py
index 05834e9d..18404954 100644
--- a/piker/data/feed.py
+++ b/piker/data/feed.py
@@ -728,7 +728,10 @@ class Feed(Struct):
                 async for msg in stream:
                     await tx.send(msg)
 
-        async with trio.open_nursery() as nurse:
+        async with (
+            tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+            trio.open_nursery() as nurse
+        ):
             # spawn a relay task for each stream so that they all
             # multiplex to a common channel.
             for brokername in mods:
diff --git a/piker/tsp/__init__.py b/piker/tsp/__init__.py
index f10f0f75..121fcbb7 100644
--- a/piker/tsp/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/tsp/__init__.py
@@ -963,7 +963,10 @@ async def tsdb_backfill(
         # concurrently load the provider's most-recent-frame AND any
         # pre-existing tsdb history already saved in `piker` storage.
         dt_eps: list[DateTime, DateTime] = []
-        async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
+        async with (
+            tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+            trio.open_nursery() as tn
+        ):
             tn.start_soon(
                 push_latest_frame,
                 dt_eps,
@@ -1012,9 +1015,16 @@ async def tsdb_backfill(
                 int,
                 Duration,
             ]|None = config.get('frame_types', None)
+
             if def_frame_durs:
                 def_frame_size: Duration = def_frame_durs[timeframe]
-                assert def_frame_size == calced_frame_size
+
+                if def_frame_size != calced_frame_size:
+                    log.warning(
+                        f'Expected frame size {def_frame_size}\n'
+                        f'Rxed frame {calced_frame_size}\n'
+                    )
+                    # await tractor.pause()
             else:
                 # use what we calced from first frame above.
                 def_frame_size = calced_frame_size
@@ -1043,7 +1053,9 @@ async def tsdb_backfill(
             # if there is a gap to backfill from the first
             # history frame until the last datum loaded from the tsdb
             # continue that now in the background
-            async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
+            async with trio.open_nursery(
+                strict_exception_groups=False,
+            ) as tn:
 
                 bf_done = await tn.start(
                     partial(
@@ -1308,6 +1320,7 @@ async def manage_history(
         # sampling period) data set since normally differently
         # sampled timeseries can be loaded / process independently
         # ;)
+        tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
         trio.open_nursery() as tn,
     ):
         log.info(
diff --git a/tests/test_questrade.py b/tests/test_questrade.py
index 4614b4f9..79e51ef5 100644
--- a/tests/test_questrade.py
+++ b/tests/test_questrade.py
@@ -142,7 +142,12 @@ async def test_concurrent_tokens_refresh(us_symbols, loglevel):
         # async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
         #     await n.run_in_actor('other', intermittently_refresh_tokens)
 
-        async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
+        async with (
+            tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+            trio.open_nursery(
+            # strict_exception_groups=False,
+            ) as n
+        ):
 
             quoter = await qt.stock_quoter(client, us_symbols)
 
@@ -383,7 +388,9 @@ async def test_quote_streaming(tmx_symbols, loglevel, stream_what):
             else:
                 symbols = [tmx_symbols]
 
-            async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
+            async with trio.open_nursery(
+                strict_exception_groups=False,
+            ) as n:
                 for syms, func in zip(symbols, stream_what):
                     n.start_soon(func, feed, syms)