diff --git a/piker/tsp/__init__.py b/piker/tsp/__init__.py
index 559da92c..adbe484e 100644
--- a/piker/tsp/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/tsp/__init__.py
@@ -51,10 +51,11 @@ from pendulum import (
 import numpy as np
 import polars as pl
 
-from ..accounting import (
+from piker.brokers import NoData
+from piker.accounting import (
     MktPair,
 )
-from ..data._util import (
+from piker.data._util import (
     log,
 )
 from ..data._sharedmem import (
@@ -302,16 +303,28 @@ async def maybe_fill_null_segments(
             gap: np.ndarray = shm._array[istart:istop]
 
             # copy the oldest OHLC samples forward
-            gap[ohlc_fields] = shm._array[istart]['close']
+            cls: float = shm._array[istart]['close']
+
+            # TODO: how can we mark this range as being a gap tho?
+            # -[ ] maybe pg finally supports nulls in ndarray to
+            #      show empty space somehow?
+            # -[ ] we could put a special value in the vlm or
+            #     another col/field to denote?
+            gap[ohlc_fields] = cls
 
             start_t: float = shm._array[istart]['time']
             t_diff: float = (istop - istart)*timeframe
+
             gap['time'] = np.arange(
                 start=start_t,
                 stop=start_t + t_diff,
                 step=timeframe,
             )
 
+            # TODO: reimpl using the new `.ui._remote_ctl` ctx
+            # ideally using some kinda decent
+            # tractory-reverse-lookup-connnection from some other
+            # `Context` type thingy?
             await sampler_stream.send({
                 'broadcast_all': {
 
@@ -332,11 +345,11 @@ async def maybe_fill_null_segments(
             #     parallel possible no matter the backend?
             # -[ ] fill algo: do queries in alternating "latest, then
             #    earliest, then latest.. etc?"
-            # await tractor.pause()
 
 
 async def start_backfill(
     get_hist,
+    frame_types: dict[str, Duration] | None,
     mod: ModuleType,
     mkt: MktPair,
     shm: ShmArray,
@@ -381,7 +394,6 @@ async def start_backfill(
                 60: {'years': 6},
             }
             period_duration: int = periods[timeframe]
-
             update_start_on_prepend = True
 
             # NOTE: manually set the "latest" datetime which we intend to
@@ -415,6 +427,28 @@ async def start_backfill(
                     end_dt=last_start_dt,
                 )
 
+            except NoData as _daterr:
+                # 3 cases:
+                # - frame in the middle of a legit venue gap
+                # - history actually began at the `last_start_dt`
+                # - some other unknown error (ib blocking the
+                #   history bc they don't want you seeing how they
+                #   cucked all the tinas..)
+                if dur := frame_types.get(timeframe):
+                    # decrement by a frame's worth of duration and
+                    # retry a few times.
+                    last_start_dt.subtract(
+                        seconds=dur.total_seconds()
+                    )
+                    log.warning(
+                        f'{mod.name} -> EMPTY FRAME for end_dt?\n'
+                        f'tf@fqme: {timeframe}@{mkt.fqme}\n'
+                        'bf_until <- last_start_dt:\n'
+                        f'{backfill_until_dt} <- {last_start_dt}\n'
+                        f'Decrementing `end_dt` by {dur} and retry..\n'
+                    )
+                    continue
+
             # broker says there never was or is no more history to pull
             except DataUnavailable:
                 log.warning(
@@ -871,7 +905,7 @@ async def tsdb_backfill(
     ):
         log.info(
             f'`{mod}` history client returned backfill config:\n'
-            f'{config}\n'
+            f'{pformat(config)}\n'
         )
 
         dt_eps: list[DateTime, DateTime] = []
@@ -943,6 +977,7 @@ async def tsdb_backfill(
                     partial(
                         start_backfill,
                         get_hist=get_hist,
+                        frame_types=config.get('frame_types', None),
                         mod=mod,
                         mkt=mkt,
                         shm=shm,