diff --git a/piker/brokers/kraken/broker.py b/piker/brokers/kraken/broker.py
index 43dab81c..6c56a3e7 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/kraken/broker.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/kraken/broker.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import time
 from typing import (
     Any,
     AsyncIterator,
-    # Optional,
     Union,
 )
 
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ from piker.pp import (
     Position,
     PpTable,
     Transaction,
-    # update_pps_conf,
     open_trade_ledger,
     open_pps,
 )
@@ -391,6 +389,7 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
             # most recent 50 trades and assume that by ordering we
             # already have those records in the ledger.
             tids2trades = await client.get_trades()
+            ledger_dict.update(tids2trades)
             api_trans = norm_trade_records(tids2trades)
 
             # retrieve kraken reported balances
@@ -448,12 +447,13 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
             ppmsgs = trades2pps(
                 table,
                 acctid,
-                # new_trans,
             )
             await ctx.started((ppmsgs, [acc_name]))
 
             # XXX: not fucking clue but putting this finally block
             # will suppress errors inside the direct await below!?!
+            # likely something to do with the exist stack inside
+            # the nobsws stuff...
             # try:
 
             # Get websocket token for authenticated data stream
@@ -494,26 +494,19 @@ async def trades_dialogue(
                 )
 
                 # enter relay loop
-                # try:
-                try:
-                    await handle_order_updates(
-                        ws,
-                        stream,
-                        ems_stream,
-                        apiflows,
-                        ids,
-                        reqids2txids,
-                        table,
-                        api_trans,
-                        acctid,
-                        acc_name,
-                        token,
-                    )
-                    # except:
-                    #     await tractor.breakpoint()
-                finally:
-                    # always update ledger on exit
-                    ledger_dict.update(tids2trades)
+                await handle_order_updates(
+                    ws,
+                    stream,
+                    ems_stream,
+                    apiflows,
+                    ids,
+                    reqids2txids,
+                    table,
+                    api_trans,
+                    acctid,
+                    acc_name,
+                    token,
+                )
 
 
 async def handle_order_updates(
@@ -561,9 +554,13 @@ async def handle_order_updates(
                     f'ownTrades update_{seq}:\n'
                     f'{pformat(trades_msgs)}'
                 )
+                # XXX: a fix / todo
+                # see the comment in the caller about weird error
+                # suppression around a commented `try:`
                 # assert 0
+
                 # format as tid -> trade event map
-                # eg. msg
+                # eg. received msg format,
                 # [{'TOKWHY-SMTUB-G5DOI6': {'cost': '95.29047',
                 #           'fee': '0.24776',
                 #           'margin': '0.00000',
@@ -579,15 +576,10 @@ async def handle_order_updates(
                     tid: trade
                     for entry in trades_msgs
                     for (tid, trade) in entry.items()
+
+                    # don't re-process datums we've already seen
                     if tid not in ledger_trans
                 }
-
-                # if tid in ledger_trans:
-                #     # skip already seen transactions
-                #     log.info(f'Skipping already seen trade {trade}')
-                #     continue
-
-                # await tractor.breakpoint()
                 for tid, trade in trades.items():
                     txid = trade['ordertxid']
 
@@ -642,11 +634,6 @@ async def handle_order_updates(
                     )
                     await ems_stream.send(filled_msg)
 
-                # if not trades:
-                #     # skip pp emissions if we have already
-                #     # processed all trades in this msg.
-                #     continue
-
                 new_trans = norm_trade_records(trades)
                 ppmsgs = trades2pps(
                     table,
@@ -897,9 +884,6 @@ async def handle_order_updates(
                 chain = apiflows[reqid]
                 chain.maps.append(event)
 
-                # pretxid = chain['txid']
-                # print(f'pretxid: {pretxid}')
-
                 resps, errored = process_status(
                     event,
                     oid,