diff --git a/piker/brokers/cli.py b/piker/brokers/cli.py
index aa3abd24..b0083cfa 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/cli.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/cli.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def api(config, meth, kwargs, keys):
     """Make a broker-client API method call
     """
     # global opts
-    broker = config['broker']
+    broker = config['brokers'][0]
 
     _kwargs = {}
     for kwarg in kwargs:
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def quote(config, tickers, df_output):
     """Print symbol quotes to the console
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
 
     quotes = trio.run(partial(core.stocks_quote, brokermod, tickers))
     if not quotes:
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def bars(config, symbol, count, df_output):
     """Retreive 1m bars for symbol and print on the console
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
 
     # broker backend should return at the least a
     # list of candle dictionaries
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ def record(config, rate, name, dhost, filename):
     """Record client side quotes to a file on disk
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
     loglevel = config['loglevel']
     log = config['log']
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ def optsquote(config, symbol, df_output, date):
     """Retreive symbol option quotes on the console
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
 
     quotes = trio.run(
         partial(
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ def symbol_info(config, tickers):
     """Print symbol quotes to the console
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
 
     quotes = trio.run(partial(core.symbol_info, brokermod, tickers))
     if not quotes:
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ def search(config, pattern):
     """Search for symbols from broker backend(s).
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
 
     quotes = tractor.run(
         partial(core.symbol_search, brokermod, pattern),
diff --git a/piker/cli/__init__.py b/piker/cli/__init__.py
index 2ca5a1a6..0cc38874 100644
--- a/piker/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/cli/__init__.py
@@ -57,21 +57,31 @@ def pikerd(loglevel, host, tl, pdb):
 
 
 @click.group(context_settings=_context_defaults)
-@click.option('--broker', '-b', default=DEFAULT_BROKER,
-              help='Broker backend to use')
+@click.option(
+    '--brokers', '-b',
+    default=[DEFAULT_BROKER],
+    multiple=True,
+    help='Broker backend to use'
+)
 @click.option('--loglevel', '-l', default='warning', help='Logging level')
 @click.option('--tl', is_flag=True, help='Enable tractor logging')
 @click.option('--configdir', '-c', help='Configuration directory')
 @click.pass_context
-def cli(ctx, broker, loglevel, tl, configdir):
+def cli(ctx, brokers, loglevel, tl, configdir):
     if configdir is not None:
         assert os.path.isdir(configdir), f"`{configdir}` is not a valid path"
         config._override_config_dir(configdir)
 
     ctx.ensure_object(dict)
+
+    if len(brokers) == 1:
+        brokermods = [get_brokermod(brokers[0])]
+    else:
+        brokermods = [get_brokermod(broker) for broker in brokers]
+
     ctx.obj.update({
-        'broker': broker,
-        'brokermod': get_brokermod(broker),
+        'brokers': brokers,
+        'brokermods': brokermods,
         'loglevel': loglevel,
         'tractorloglevel': None,
         'log': get_console_log(loglevel),
diff --git a/piker/ui/_chart.py b/piker/ui/_chart.py
index 330d4d14..a0e2628e 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_chart.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_chart.py
@@ -1563,7 +1563,7 @@ async def _async_main(
     widgets: Dict[str, Any],
 
     sym: str,
-    brokername: str,
+    brokernames: str,
     loglevel: str,
 
 ) -> None:
@@ -1617,7 +1617,7 @@ async def _async_main(
         chart_app.search = search
 
         # this internally starts a ``chart_symbol()`` task above
-        chart_app.load_symbol(brokername, sym, loglevel)
+        chart_app.load_symbol(brokernames[0], sym, loglevel)
 
         async with _search.register_symbol_search(
 
@@ -1645,7 +1645,7 @@ async def _async_main(
 
 def _main(
     sym: str,
-    brokername: str,
+    brokernames: [str],
     piker_loglevel: str,
     tractor_kwargs,
 ) -> None:
@@ -1655,7 +1655,7 @@ def _main(
     # Qt entry point
     run_qtractor(
         func=_async_main,
-        args=(sym, brokername, piker_loglevel),
+        args=(sym, brokernames, piker_loglevel),
         main_widget=ChartSpace,
         tractor_kwargs=tractor_kwargs,
     )
diff --git a/piker/ui/_exec.py b/piker/ui/_exec.py
index 53de8554..96755fab 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_exec.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_exec.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from PyQt5.QtCore import (
     QCoreApplication,
 )
 import qdarkstyle
+# import qdarkgraystyle
 import trio
 import tractor
 from outcome import Error
diff --git a/piker/ui/cli.py b/piker/ui/cli.py
index b40a4c31..b674acfe 100644
--- a/piker/ui/cli.py
+++ b/piker/ui/cli.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def monitor(config, rate, name, dhost, test, tl):
     """Start a real-time watchlist UI
     """
     # global opts
-    brokermod = config['brokermod']
+    brokermod = config['brokermods'][0]
     loglevel = config['loglevel']
     log = config['log']
 
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ def chart(config, symbol, profile, pdb):
     _profile._pg_profile = profile
 
     # global opts
-    brokername = config['broker']
+    brokernames = config['brokers']
     tractorloglevel = config['tractorloglevel']
     pikerloglevel = config['loglevel']
 
     _main(
         sym=symbol,
-        brokername=brokername,
+        brokernames=brokernames,
         piker_loglevel=pikerloglevel,
         tractor_kwargs={
             'debug_mode': pdb,