diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib.py b/piker/brokers/ib.py
index 6c9f0b0d..bba197f3 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib.py
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ from functools import partial
 import itertools
 from math import isnan
 from typing import (
-    Any, Optional,
+    Any, Callable, Optional,
     AsyncIterator, Awaitable,
+    Union,
 )
 import asyncio
 from pprint import pformat
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ import time
 import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 import tractor
+from tractor import to_asyncio
 from async_generator import aclosing
 from ib_insync.wrapper import RequestError
 from ib_insync.contract import Contract, ContractDetails, Option
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ import numpy as np
 
 from .. import config
 from ..log import get_logger, get_console_log
-from .._daemon import maybe_spawn_brokerd
+# from .._daemon import maybe_spawn_brokerd
 from ..data._source import from_df
 from ..data._sharedmem import ShmArray
 from ._util import SymbolNotFound, NoData
@@ -217,11 +219,12 @@ _enters = 0
 
 
 class Client:
-    """IB wrapped for our broker backend API.
+    '''
+    IB wrapped for our broker backend API.
 
     Note: this client requires running inside an ``asyncio`` loop.
 
-    """
+    '''
     _contracts: dict[str, Contract] = {}
 
     def __init__(
@@ -242,20 +245,22 @@ class Client:
         self,
         symbol: str,
         # EST in ISO 8601 format is required... below is EPOCH
-        start_dt: str = "1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000-05:00",
-        end_dt: str = "",
+        start_dt: Union[datetime, str] = "1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000-05:00",
+        end_dt: Union[datetime, str ] = "",
 
         sample_period_s: str = 1,  # ohlc sample period
         period_count: int = int(2e3),  # <- max per 1s sample query
 
         is_paid_feed: bool = False,  # placeholder
     ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
-        """Retreive OHLCV bars for a symbol over a range to the present.
-        """
+        '''
+        Retreive OHLCV bars for a symbol over a range to the present.
+
+        '''
         bars_kwargs = {'whatToShow': 'TRADES'}
 
         global _enters
-        print(f'ENTER BARS {_enters}')
+        print(f'ENTER BARS {_enters} @ end={end_dt}')
         _enters += 1
 
         contract = await self.find_contract(symbol)
@@ -984,7 +989,7 @@ async def _trio_run_client_method(
     # ):
     #     kwargs['_treat_as_stream'] = True
 
-    return await tractor.to_asyncio.run_task(
+    return await to_asyncio.run_task(
         _aio_run_client_method,
         meth=method,
         client=client,
@@ -992,60 +997,119 @@ async def _trio_run_client_method(
     )
 
 
-class _MethodProxy:
+class MethodProxy:
+
     def __init__(
         self,
-        portal: tractor.Portal
+        chan: to_asyncio.LinkedTaskChannel,
+
     ) -> None:
-        self._portal = portal
+        self.chan = chan
 
     async def _run_method(
         self,
         *,
         meth: str = None,
         **kwargs
+
     ) -> Any:
-        return await self._portal.run(
-            _trio_run_client_method,
-            method=meth,
-            **kwargs
-        )
+        '''
+        Make a ``Client`` method call by requesting through the
+        ``tractor.to_asyncio`` layer.
+
+        '''
+        chan = self.chan
+        # send through method + ``kwargs: dict`` as pair
+        await chan.send((meth, kwargs))
+        return await chan.receive()
 
 
-def get_client_proxy(
+async def open_aio_client_method_relay(
+    from_trio: asyncio.Queue,
+    to_trio: trio.abc.SendChannel,
 
-    portal: tractor.Portal,
-    target=Client,
+) -> None:
 
-) -> _MethodProxy:
-
-    proxy = _MethodProxy(portal)
-
-    # mock all remote methods
-    for name, method in inspect.getmembers(
-        target, predicate=inspect.isfunction
+    async with load_aio_clients() as (
+        client,
+        clients,
+        accts2clients,
     ):
-        if '_' == name[0]:
-            continue
-        setattr(proxy, name, partial(proxy._run_method, meth=name))
+        to_trio.send_nowait(client)
 
-    return proxy
+        # relay all method requests to ``asyncio``-side client and
+        # deliver back results
+        while True:
+            msg = await from_trio.get()
+            meth_name, kwargs = msg
+
+            meth = getattr(client, meth_name)
+            resp = await meth(**kwargs)
+
+            # echo the msg back
+            to_trio.send_nowait(resp)
 
 
 @acm
-async def get_client(
-    **kwargs,
-) -> Client:
-    """Init the ``ib_insync`` client in another actor and return
-    a method proxy to it.
-    """
-    async with maybe_spawn_brokerd(
-        brokername='ib',
-        infect_asyncio=True,
-        **kwargs
-    ) as portal:
-        proxy_client = get_client_proxy(portal)
-        yield proxy_client
+async def open_client_proxy() -> MethodProxy:
+
+    try:
+        async with to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
+            open_aio_client_method_relay,
+        ) as (first, chan):
+
+            assert isinstance(first, Client)
+            proxy = MethodProxy(chan)
+
+            # mock all remote methods on ib ``Client``.
+            for name, method in inspect.getmembers(
+                Client, predicate=inspect.isfunction
+            ):
+                if '_' == name[0]:
+                    continue
+                setattr(proxy, name, partial(proxy._run_method, meth=name))
+
+            yield proxy
+
+    except RequestError as err:
+        code, msg = err.code, err.message
+
+        # TODO: retreive underlying ``ib_insync`` error?
+        if (
+            code == 162 and (
+                'HMDS query returned no data' in msg
+                or 'No market data permissions for' in msg
+            )
+        ):
+            # these cases should not cause a task crash
+            log.warning(msg)
+
+        else:
+            raise
+
+
+# @acm
+# async def get_client(
+#     **kwargs,
+
+# ) -> Client:
+#     '''
+#     Init the ``ib_insync`` client in another actor and return
+#     a method proxy to it.
+
+#     '''
+#     async with (
+#         maybe_spawn_brokerd(
+#             brokername='ib',
+#             infect_asyncio=True,
+#             **kwargs
+#         ) as portal,
+#     ):
+#         assert 0
+        # TODO: the IPC via portal relay layer for when this current
+        # actor isn't in aio mode.
+        # open_client_proxy() as proxy,
+        #     yield proxy
 
 
 # https://interactivebrokers.github.io/tws-api/tick_types.html
@@ -1126,27 +1190,32 @@ def normalize(
 
 async def get_bars(
 
+    proxy: MethodProxy,
     sym: str,
     end_dt: str = "",
 
 ) -> (dict, np.ndarray):
+    '''
+    Retrieve historical data from a ``trio``-side task using
+    a ``MethoProxy``.
 
+    '''
     _err: Optional[Exception] = None
-
     fails = 0
+    bars: Optional[list] = None
+
     for _ in range(2):
         try:
 
-            bars, bars_array = await _trio_run_client_method(
-                method='bars',
+            bars, bars_array = await proxy.bars(
                 symbol=sym,
                 end_dt=end_dt,
             )
-
             if bars_array is None:
                 raise SymbolNotFound(sym)
 
             next_dt = bars[0].date
+            print(f'ib datetime {next_dt}')
 
             return (bars, bars_array, next_dt), fails
 
@@ -1169,8 +1238,16 @@ async def get_bars(
                     # error?
                     # OLDER: seem to always cause throttling despite low rps
 
-                    # raise err
-                    break
+                    # TODO: if there is not bars returned from the first
+                    # query we need to manually calculate the next step
+                    # back and convert to an expected datetime format.
+                    # if not bars:
+                    #     raise
+
+                    # try to decrement start point and look further back
+                    next_dt = bars[0].date
+                    print(f'ib datetime {next_dt}')
+                    continue
 
                 elif 'No market data permissions for' in err.message:
 
@@ -1197,6 +1274,41 @@ async def get_bars(
     #     raise _err
 
 
+@acm
+async def open_history_client(
+    symbol: str,
+
+) -> tuple[Callable, int]:
+
+    async with open_client_proxy() as proxy:
+
+        async def get_hist(
+            end_dt: str,
+            start_dt: str = '',
+
+        ) -> tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
+
+            out, fails = await get_bars(proxy, symbol, end_dt=end_dt)
+
+            # TODO: add logic here to handle tradable hours and only grab
+            # valid bars in the range
+            if out == (None, None):
+                # could be trying to retreive bars over weekend
+                log.error(f"Can't grab bars starting at {end_dt}!?!?")
+                raise NoData(f'{end_dt}')
+
+            bars, bars_array, next_dt = out
+
+            # volume cleaning since there's -ve entries,
+            # wood luv to know what crookery that is..
+            vlm = bars_array['volume']
+            vlm[vlm < 0] = 0
+
+            return bars_array, next_dt
+
+        yield get_hist
+
+
 async def backfill_bars(
 
     sym: str,
@@ -1219,56 +1331,60 @@ async def backfill_bars(
     https://github.com/pikers/piker/issues/128
 
     '''
-    if platform.system() == 'Windows':
-        log.warning(
-            'Decreasing history query count to 4 since, windows...')
-        count = 4
+    # async with open_history_client(sym) as proxy:
+    async with open_client_proxy() as proxy:
 
-    out, fails = await get_bars(sym)
+        if platform.system() == 'Windows':
+            log.warning(
+                'Decreasing history query count to 4 since, windows...')
+            count = 4
 
-    if out is None:
-        raise RuntimeError("Could not pull currrent history?!")
+        out, fails = await get_bars(proxy, sym)
 
-    (first_bars, bars_array, next_dt) = out
-    vlm = bars_array['volume']
-    vlm[vlm < 0] = 0
+        if out is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("Could not pull currrent history?!")
 
-    # write historical data to buffer
-    shm.push(bars_array)
+        (first_bars, bars_array, next_dt) = out
+        vlm = bars_array['volume']
+        vlm[vlm < 0] = 0
 
-    with trio.CancelScope() as cs:
+        # write historical data to buffer
+        shm.push(bars_array)
 
-        task_status.started(cs)
+        with trio.CancelScope() as cs:
 
-        i = 0
-        while i < count:
+            task_status.started(cs)
 
-            out, fails = await get_bars(sym, end_dt=next_dt)
+            i = 0
+            while i < count:
 
-            if fails is None or fails > 1:
-                break
+                out, fails = await get_bars(proxy, sym, end_dt=next_dt)
 
-            if out == (None, None):
-                # could be trying to retreive bars over weekend
-                # TODO: add logic here to handle tradable hours and only grab
-                # valid bars in the range
-                log.error(f"Can't grab bars starting at {next_dt}!?!?")
-                continue
+                if fails is None or fails > 1:
+                    break
 
-            bars, bars_array, next_dt = out
+                if out == (None, None):
+                    # could be trying to retreive bars over weekend
+                    # TODO: add logic here to handle tradable hours and
+                    # only grab valid bars in the range
+                    log.error(f"Can't grab bars starting at {next_dt}!?!?")
+                    continue
 
-            # volume cleaning since there's -ve entries,
-            # wood luv to know what crookery that is..
-            vlm = bars_array['volume']
-            vlm[vlm < 0] = 0
-            # TODO we should probably dig into forums to see what peeps
-            # think this data "means" and then use it as an indicator of
-            # sorts? dinkus has mentioned that $vlms for the day dont'
-            # match other platforms nor the summary stat tws shows in
-            # the monitor - it's probably worth investigating.
+                bars, bars_array, next_dt = out
 
-            shm.push(bars_array, prepend=True)
-            i += 1
+                # volume cleaning since there's -ve entries,
+                # wood luv to know what crookery that is..
+                vlm = bars_array['volume']
+                vlm[vlm < 0] = 0
+
+                # TODO we should probably dig into forums to see what peeps
+                # think this data "means" and then use it as an indicator of
+                # sorts? dinkus has mentioned that $vlms for the day dont'
+                # match other platforms nor the summary stat tws shows in
+                # the monitor - it's probably worth investigating.
+
+                shm.push(bars_array, prepend=True)
+                i += 1
 
 
 asset_type_map = {