diff --git a/piker/data/feed.py b/piker/data/feed.py
index ac6b188a..047bd40d 100644
--- a/piker/data/feed.py
+++ b/piker/data/feed.py
@@ -267,8 +267,6 @@ async def allocate_persistent_feed(
     # TODO: probably make a struct msg type for this as well
     # since eventually we do want to have more efficient IPC..
     first_quote: dict[str, Any]
-
-    symstr = symstr.lower()
     (
         init_msgs,
         first_quote,
@@ -465,9 +463,6 @@ async def open_feed_bus(
 
     for symbol in symbols:
 
-        # we always use lower case keys internally
-        symbol = symbol.lower()
-
         # if no cached feed for this symbol has been created for this
         # brokerd yet, start persistent stream and shm writer task in
         # service nursery
@@ -653,7 +648,12 @@ class Feed(Struct):
         brokers: Sequence[str] | None = None,
 
     ) -> trio.abc.ReceiveChannel:
+        '''
+        Open steams to multiple data providers (``brokers``) and
+        multiplex their msgs onto a common mem chan for
+        only-requires-a-single-thread style consumption.
 
+        '''
         if brokers is None:
             mods = self.mods
             brokers = list(self.mods)
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ async def install_brokerd_search(
 @acm
 async def maybe_open_feed(
 
-    fqsns: list[str],
+    fqmes: list[str],
     loglevel: Optional[str] = None,
 
     **kwargs,
@@ -754,12 +754,12 @@ async def maybe_open_feed(
     in a tractor broadcast receiver.
 
     '''
-    fqsn = fqsns[0]
+    fqme = fqmes[0]
 
     async with maybe_open_context(
         acm_func=open_feed,
         kwargs={
-            'fqsns': fqsns,
+            'fqmes': fqmes,
             'loglevel': loglevel,
             'tick_throttle': kwargs.get('tick_throttle'),
 
@@ -767,12 +767,12 @@ async def maybe_open_feed(
             'allow_overruns': kwargs.get('allow_overruns', True),
             'start_stream': kwargs.get('start_stream', True),
         },
-        key=fqsn,
+        key=fqme,
 
     ) as (cache_hit, feed):
 
         if cache_hit:
-            log.info(f'Using cached feed for {fqsn}')
+            log.info(f'Using cached feed for {fqme}')
             # add a new broadcast subscription for the quote stream
             # if this feed is likely already in use
 
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ async def maybe_open_feed(
 @acm
 async def open_feed(
 
-    fqsns: list[str],
+    fqmes: list[str],
 
     loglevel: str | None = None,
     allow_overruns: bool = True,
@@ -808,9 +808,9 @@ async def open_feed(
     providers: dict[ModuleType, list[str]] = {}
     feed = Feed()
 
-    for fqsn in fqsns:
-        brokername, *_ = unpack_fqme(fqsn)
-        bfqsn = fqsn.replace('.' + brokername, '')
+    for fqme in fqmes:
+        brokername, *_ = unpack_fqme(fqme)
+        bfqme = fqme.replace('.' + brokername, '')
 
         try:
             mod = get_brokermod(brokername)
@@ -818,13 +818,13 @@ async def open_feed(
             mod = get_ingestormod(brokername)
 
         # built a per-provider map to instrument names
-        providers.setdefault(mod, []).append(bfqsn)
+        providers.setdefault(mod, []).append(bfqme)
         feed.mods[mod.name] = mod
 
     # one actor per brokerd for now
     brokerd_ctxs = []
 
-    for brokermod, bfqsns in providers.items():
+    for brokermod, bfqmes in providers.items():
 
         # if no `brokerd` for this backend exists yet we spawn
         # a daemon actor for it.
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ async def open_feed(
         bus_ctxs: list[AsyncContextManager] = []
         for (
             portal,
-            (brokermod, bfqsns),
+            (brokermod, bfqmes),
         ) in zip(portals, providers.items()):
 
             feed.portals[brokermod] = portal
@@ -868,10 +868,20 @@ async def open_feed(
                 portal.open_context(
                     open_feed_bus,
                     brokername=brokermod.name,
-                    symbols=bfqsns,
+                    symbols=bfqmes,
                     loglevel=loglevel,
                     start_stream=start_stream,
                     tick_throttle=tick_throttle,
+
+                    # XXX: super important to avoid
+                    # the brokerd from some other
+                    # backend overruning the task here
+                    # bc some other brokerd took longer
+                    # to startup before we hit the `.open_stream()`
+                    # loop below XD .. really we should try to do each
+                    # of these stream open sequences sequentially per
+                    # backend? .. need some thot!
+                    allow_overruns=True,
                 )
             )
 
@@ -880,16 +890,16 @@ async def open_feed(
         async with (
             gather_contexts(bus_ctxs) as ctxs,
         ):
-            stream_ctxs = []
+            stream_ctxs: list[tractor.MsgStream] = []
             for (
                 (ctx, flumes_msg_dict),
-                (brokermod, bfqsns),
+                (brokermod, bfqmes),
             ) in zip(ctxs, providers.items()):
 
-                for fqsn, flume_msg in flumes_msg_dict.items():
+                for fqme, flume_msg in flumes_msg_dict.items():
                     flume = Flume.from_msg(flume_msg)
-                    assert flume.symbol.fqsn == fqsn
-                    feed.flumes[fqsn] = flume
+                    assert flume.symbol.fqme == fqme
+                    feed.flumes[fqme] = flume
 
                     # TODO: do we need this?
                     flume.feed = feed
@@ -915,21 +925,24 @@ async def open_feed(
                     )
                 )
 
+            stream: tractor.MsgStream
+            brokermod: ModuleType
+            fqmes: list[str]
             async with (
                 gather_contexts(stream_ctxs) as streams,
             ):
                 for (
                     stream,
-                    (brokermod, bfqsns),
+                    (brokermod, bfqmes),
                 ) in zip(streams, providers.items()):
 
                     assert stream
                     feed.streams[brokermod.name] = stream
 
-                    # apply `brokerd`-common steam to each flume
-                    # tracking a symbol from that provider.
-                    for fqsn, flume in feed.flumes.items():
-                        if brokermod.name == flume.symbol.broker:
+                    # apply `brokerd`-common stream to each flume
+                    # tracking a live market feed from that provider.
+                    for fqme, flume in feed.flumes.items():
+                        if brokermod.name == flume.mkt.broker:
                             flume.stream = stream
 
                 assert len(feed.mods) == len(feed.portals) == len(feed.streams)