diff --git a/piker/cli.py b/piker/cli.py
index 86c42643..2a5b663a 100644
--- a/piker/cli.py
+++ b/piker/cli.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import pandas as pd
 
 from .log import get_console_log, colorize_json, get_logger
 from . import watchlists as wl
-from .brokers import core
+from .brokers import core, get_brokermod
 
 log = get_logger('cli')
 DEFAULT_BROKER = 'robinhood'
diff --git a/piker/watchlists.py b/piker/watchlists.py
index 6084a094..a57e7a32 100644
--- a/piker/watchlists.py
+++ b/piker/watchlists.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import os
 import json
-import ast
 from collections import defaultdict
 
+from .log import get_logger
+
+log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 def write_sorted_json(watchlist, path):
     for key in watchlist:
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ def delete_group(name, watchlist, path):
 
 def merge_watchlist(watchlist_to_merge, watchlist, path):
     merged_watchlist = defaultdict(list)
-    watchlist_to_merge = ast.literal_eval(watchlist_to_merge)
+    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 a9c9077e..d45ca31f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ CLI testing, dawg.
 import json
 import subprocess
 import pytest
+import tempfile
+import os.path
+import logging
 
+from piker.watchlists import make_config_dir
 
 def run(cmd):
     """Run cmd and check for zero return code.
@@ -85,3 +89,18 @@ def test_api_method_not_found(nyse_tickers, capfd):
     out, err = capfd.readouterr()
     assert 'null' in out
     assert f'No api method `{bad_meth}` could be found?' in err
+
+
+def test_watchlists_config_dir_created(caplog):
+    """Ensure that a config directory is created
+    """
+    #Create temporary directory
+    config_dir = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'piker')
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.DEBUG):
+        make_config_dir(config_dir)
+    assert len(caplog.records) == 1
+    record = caplog.records[0]
+    assert record.levelname == 'DEBUG'
+    assert record.message == f"Creating config dir {config_dir}"
+    assert os.path.isdir(config_dir)
+    os.rmdir(config_dir)