diff --git a/piker/cli.py b/piker/cli.py
index ad254e57..65377937 100644
--- a/piker/cli.py
+++ b/piker/cli.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def watch(loglevel, broker, rate, name):
     log = get_console_log(loglevel)  # activate console logging
     brokermod = get_brokermod(broker)
 
-    watchlists = json.dumps({
+    watchlists_base = {
         'cannabis': [
             'EMH.VN', 'LEAF.TO', 'HVT.VN', 'HMMJ.TO', 'APH.TO',
             'CBW.VN', 'TRST.CN', 'VFF.TO', 'ACB.TO', 'ABCN.VN',
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@ def watch(loglevel, broker, rate, name):
         'dad': ['GM', 'TSLA', 'DOL.TO', 'CIM', 'SPY', 'SHOP.TO'],
         'pharma': ['ATE.VN'],
         'indexes': ['SPY', 'DAX', 'QQQ', 'DIA'],
-    })
+    }
+    watchlist_from_file = wl.ensure_watchlists(_watchlists_data_path)
+    watchlists = wl.merge_watchlist(watchlist_from_file, watchlists_base)
     # broker_conf_path = os.path.join(
     #     click.get_app_dir('piker'), 'watchlists.json')
     # from piker.testing import _quote_streamer as brokermod
@@ -144,11 +146,9 @@ def watch(loglevel, broker, rate, name):
         rate = broker_limit
         log.warn(f"Limiting {brokermod.__name__} query rate to {rate}/sec")
     trio.run(_async_main, name, watchlists[name], brokermod, rate)
-
     # broker_conf_path = os.path.join(
     #     click.get_app_dir('piker'), 'watchlists.json')
     # from piker.testing import _quote_streamer as brokermod
-    trio.run(_async_main, name, watchlists[name], brokermod)
 
 
 @cli.group()
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def delete(ctx, name):
 @click.argument('watchlist_to_merge', nargs=1, required=True)
 @click.pass_context
 def merge(ctx, watchlist_to_merge):
-    merged_watchlist = wl.merge_watchlist(watchlist_to_merge,
+    merged_watchlist = wl.merge_watchlist(json.loads(watchlist_to_merge),
                                           ctx.obj['watchlist'])
     wl.write_sorted_json(merged_watchlist, ctx.obj['path'])
 
diff --git a/piker/watchlists.py b/piker/watchlists.py
index b440b5f1..ae777904 100644
--- a/piker/watchlists.py
+++ b/piker/watchlists.py
@@ -40,14 +40,12 @@ def remove_ticker(name, ticker_name, watchlist):
 
 
 def delete_group(name, watchlist):
-    if name in watchlist:
-        del watchlist[name]
+    watchlist.pop(name, None)
     return watchlist
 
 
 def merge_watchlist(watchlist_to_merge, watchlist):
     merged_watchlist = defaultdict(list)
-    watchlist_to_merge = json.loads(watchlist_to_merge)
     for d in (watchlist, watchlist_to_merge):
         for key, value in d.items():
             merged_watchlist[key].extend(value)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 8453e794..10e5668f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -175,32 +175,30 @@ def test_group_deleted_from_watchlists(capfd, piker_dir):
 
 
 def test_watchlists_loaded(capfd, piker_dir):
-    expected_out_text = json.dumps({
-        'dad': ['CIM', 'DOL.TO', 'GM', 'SHOP.TO', 'SPY', 'TSLA'],
-        'pharma': ['ATE.VN'],
-    })
     expected_out = {
         'dad': ['CIM', 'DOL.TO', 'GM', 'SHOP.TO', 'SPY', 'TSLA'],
         'pharma': ['ATE.VN'],
     }
+    expected_out_text = json.dumps(expected_out)
     run(f"piker watchlists -d {piker_dir} load", expected_out_text)
     out = wl.ensure_watchlists(piker_dir)
     assert out == expected_out
 
 
-def test_watchlists_is_merge(capfd, piker_dir):
+def test_watchlists_are_merged(capfd, piker_dir):
     orig_watchlist = {
         'dad': ['CIM', 'DOL.TO', 'GM', 'SHOP.TO', 'SPY', 'TSLA'],
         'indexes': ['DAX', 'DIA', 'QQQ', 'SPY'],
         'pharma': ['ATE.VN'],
     }
     list_to_merge = json.dumps({
-        'drugs': ['CRACK']
+        'drugs': ['CRACK'],
+        'pharma': ['ATE.VN', 'MALI', 'PERCOCET']
     })
     expected_out = {
         'dad': ['CIM', 'DOL.TO', 'GM', 'SHOP.TO', 'SPY', 'TSLA'],
         'indexes': ['DAX', 'DIA', 'QQQ', 'SPY'],
-        'pharma': ['ATE.VN'],
+        'pharma': ['ATE.VN', 'MALI', 'PERCOCET'],
         'drugs': ['CRACK']
     }
     wl.write_sorted_json(orig_watchlist, piker_dir)
diff --git a/tests/test_watchlists.py b/tests/test_watchlists.py
index 8e8e7f70..f198860f 100644
--- a/tests/test_watchlists.py
+++ b/tests/test_watchlists.py
@@ -96,6 +96,6 @@ def test_watchlist_is_merged():
     """Ensure that watchlist is merged.
     """
     wl_temp = {'test': ['TEST.CN']}
-    wl_temp2 = '{"test2": ["TEST2.CN"]}'
+    wl_temp2 = {'test': ['TOAST'], "test2": ["TEST2.CN"]}
     wl_temp3 = wl.merge_watchlist(wl_temp2, wl_temp)
-    assert wl_temp3 == {'test': ['TEST.CN'], 'test2': ['TEST2.CN']}
+    assert wl_temp3 == {'test': ['TEST.CN', 'TOAST'], 'test2': ['TEST2.CN']}