diff --git a/skynet/dgpu/__init__.py b/skynet/dgpu/__init__.py
index f5fcc9e..96cc303 100755
--- a/skynet/dgpu/__init__.py
+++ b/skynet/dgpu/__init__.py
@@ -1,36 +1,17 @@
 import logging
-import warnings
 
 import trio
+import urwid
 
 from hypercorn.config import Config
 from hypercorn.trio import serve
 from quart_trio import QuartTrio as Quart
 
-from skynet.dgpu.tui import WorkerMonitor
+from skynet.dgpu.tui import init_tui
 from skynet.dgpu.daemon import WorkerDaemon
 from skynet.dgpu.network import NetConnector
 
 
-def setup_logging_for_tui(level):
-    warnings.filterwarnings("ignore")
-
-    logger = logging.getLogger()
-    logger.setLevel(level)
-
-    fh = logging.FileHandler('dgpu.log')
-    fh.setLevel(level)
-
-    formatter = logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s")
-    fh.setFormatter(formatter)
-
-    logger.addHandler(fh)
-
-    for handler in logger.handlers:
-        if isinstance(handler, logging.StreamHandler):
-            logger.removeHandler(handler)
-
-
 async def open_dgpu_node(config: dict) -> None:
     '''
     Open a top level "GPU mgmt daemon", keep the
@@ -43,11 +24,10 @@ async def open_dgpu_node(config: dict) -> None:
 
     tui = None
     if config['tui']:
-        setup_logging_for_tui(logging.INFO)
-        tui = WorkerMonitor()
+        tui = init_tui()
 
-    conn = NetConnector(config, tui=tui)
-    daemon = WorkerDaemon(conn, config, tui=tui)
+    conn = NetConnector(config)
+    daemon = WorkerDaemon(conn, config)
 
     api: Quart|None = None
     if 'api_bind' in config:
@@ -71,5 +51,5 @@ async def open_dgpu_node(config: dict) -> None:
             # block until cancelled
             await daemon.serve_forever()
 
-        except *urwid.ExitMainLoop in ex_group:
+        except *urwid.ExitMainLoop:
             ...
diff --git a/skynet/dgpu/compute.py b/skynet/dgpu/compute.py
index ec50054..a027dc8 100755
--- a/skynet/dgpu/compute.py
+++ b/skynet/dgpu/compute.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager as cm
 import trio
 import torch
 
-from skynet.dgpu.tui import WorkerMonitor
+from skynet.dgpu.tui import maybe_update_tui
 from skynet.dgpu.errors import (
     DGPUComputeError,
     DGPUInferenceCancelled,
@@ -108,8 +108,7 @@ def compute_one(
     method: str,
     params: dict,
     inputs: list[bytes] = [],
-    should_cancel = None,
-    tui: WorkerMonitor | None = None
+    should_cancel = None
 ):
     if method == 'diffuse':
         method = 'txt2img'
@@ -130,8 +129,7 @@ def compute_one(
         if not isinstance(step, int):
             step = args[1]
 
-        if tui:
-            tui.set_progress(step, done=total_steps)
+        maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_progress(step, done=total_steps))
 
         if should_cancel:
             should_raise = trio.from_thread.run(should_cancel, request_id)
@@ -142,8 +140,7 @@ def compute_one(
 
         return {}
 
-    if tui:
-        tui.set_status(f'Request #{request_id}')
+    maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_status(f'Request #{request_id}'))
 
     inference_step_wakeup(0)
 
@@ -210,7 +207,6 @@ def compute_one(
     except BaseException as err:
         raise DGPUComputeError(str(err)) from err
 
-    if tui:
-        tui.set_status('')
+    maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_status(''))
 
     return output_hash, output
diff --git a/skynet/dgpu/daemon.py b/skynet/dgpu/daemon.py
index 4c0bdce..88c0eed 100755
--- a/skynet/dgpu/daemon.py
+++ b/skynet/dgpu/daemon.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from skynet.constants import (
 from skynet.dgpu.errors import (
     DGPUComputeError,
 )
-from skynet.dgpu.tui import WorkerMonitor
+from skynet.dgpu.tui import maybe_update_tui, maybe_update_tui_async
 from skynet.dgpu.compute import maybe_load_model, compute_one
 from skynet.dgpu.network import NetConnector
 
@@ -41,11 +41,9 @@ class WorkerDaemon:
     def __init__(
         self,
         conn: NetConnector,
-        config: dict,
-        tui: WorkerMonitor | None = None
+        config: dict
     ):
         self.conn: NetConnector = conn
-        self._tui = tui
         self.auto_withdraw = (
             config['auto_withdraw']
             if 'auto_withdraw' in config else False
@@ -152,10 +150,12 @@ class WorkerDaemon:
         return app
 
     async def _update_balance(self):
-        if self._tui:
+        async def _fn(tui):
             # update balance
             balance = await self.conn.get_worker_balance()
-            self._tui.set_header_text(new_balance=f'balance: {balance}')
+            tui.set_header_text(new_balance=f'balance: {balance}')
+
+        await maybe_update_tui_async(_fn)
 
     # TODO? this func is kinda big and maybe is better at module
     # level to reduce indentation?
@@ -258,8 +258,7 @@ class WorkerDaemon:
 
         with maybe_load_model(model, mode):
             try:
-                if self._tui:
-                    self._tui.set_progress(0, done=total_step)
+                maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_progress(0, done=total_step))
 
                 output_type = 'png'
                 if 'output_type' in body['params']:
@@ -276,7 +275,6 @@ class WorkerDaemon:
                                 mode, body['params'],
                                 inputs=inputs,
                                 should_cancel=self.should_cancel_work,
-                                tui=self._tui
                             )
                         )
 
@@ -285,8 +283,7 @@ class WorkerDaemon:
                             f'Unsupported backend {self.backend}'
                         )
 
-                if self._tui:
-                    self._tui.set_progress(total_step)
+                maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_progress(total_step))
 
                 self._last_generation_ts: str = datetime.now().isoformat()
                 self._last_benchmark: list[float] = self._benchmark
diff --git a/skynet/dgpu/network.py b/skynet/dgpu/network.py
index 6efd871..5deb058 100755
--- a/skynet/dgpu/network.py
+++ b/skynet/dgpu/network.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import outcome
 from PIL import Image
 from leap.cleos import CLEOS
 from leap.protocol import Asset
-from skynet.dgpu.tui import WorkerMonitor
+from skynet.dgpu.tui import maybe_update_tui
 from skynet.constants import (
     DEFAULT_IPFS_DOMAIN,
     GPU_CONTRACT_ABI,
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class NetConnector:
     - CLEOS client
 
     '''
-    def __init__(self, config: dict, tui: WorkerMonitor | None = None):
+    def __init__(self, config: dict):
         # TODO, why these extra instance vars for an (unsynced)
         # copy of the `config` state?
         self.account = config['account']
@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ class NetConnector:
             self.ipfs_domain = config['ipfs_domain']
 
         self._wip_requests = {}
-        self._tui = tui
-        if self._tui:
-            self._tui.set_header_text(new_worker_name=self.account)
+
+        maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.set_header_text(new_worker_name=self.account))
 
 
     # blockchain helpers
@@ -168,8 +167,8 @@ class NetConnector:
                 n.start_soon(
                     _run_and_save, snap['requests'], req['id'], self.get_status_by_request_id, req['id'])
 
-        if self._tui:
-            self._tui.network_update(snap)
+
+        maybe_update_tui(lambda tui: tui.network_update(snap))
 
         return snap
 
diff --git a/skynet/dgpu/tui.py b/skynet/dgpu/tui.py
index 6530b58..7614d1c 100644
--- a/skynet/dgpu/tui.py
+++ b/skynet/dgpu/tui.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-import urwid
-import trio
 import json
+import logging
+import warnings
+
+import trio
+import urwid
 
 
 class WorkerMonitor:
@@ -163,86 +166,41 @@ class WorkerMonitor:
         self.update_requests(queue)
 
 
-# # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# # Example usage
-# # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# 
-# async def main():
-#     # Example data
-#     example_requests = [
-#         {
-#             "id": 12,
-#             "model": "black-forest-labs/FLUX.1-schnell",
-#             "prompt": "Generate an answer about quantum entanglement.",
-#             "user": "alice123",
-#             "reward": "20.0000 GPU",
-#             "workers": ["workerA", "workerB"],
-#         },
-#         {
-#             "id": 5,
-#             "model": "some-other-model/v2.0",
-#             "prompt": "A story about dragons.",
-#             "user": "bobthebuilder",
-#             "reward": "15.0000 GPU",
-#             "workers": ["workerX"],
-#         },
-#         {
-#             "id": 99,
-#             "model": "cool-model/turbo",
-#             "prompt": "Classify sentiment in these tweets.",
-#             "user": "charlie",
-#             "reward": "25.5000 GPU",
-#             "workers": ["workerOne", "workerTwo", "workerThree"],
-#         },
-#     ]
-# 
-#     ui = WorkerMonitor()
-# 
-#     async def progress_task():
-#         # Fill from 0% to 100%
-#         for pct in range(101):
-#             ui.set_progress(
-#                 current=pct,
-#                 status_str=f"Request #1234 ({pct}%)"
-#             )
-#             await trio.sleep(0.05)
-#         # Reset to 0
-#         ui.set_progress(
-#             current=0,
-#             status_str="Starting again..."
-#         )
-# 
-#     async def update_data_task():
-#         await trio.sleep(3)  # Wait a bit, then update requests
-#         new_data = [{
-#             "id": 101,
-#             "model": "new-model/v1.0",
-#             "prompt": "Say hi to the world.",
-#             "user": "eve",
-#             "reward": "50.0000 GPU",
-#             "workers": ["workerFresh", "workerPower"],
-#         }]
-#         ui.update_requests(new_data)
-#         ui.set_header_text(new_worker_name="NewNodeName",
-#                             new_balance="balance: 12345.6789 GPU")
-# 
-#     try:
-#         async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
-#             # Run the TUI
-#             nursery.start_soon(ui.run_teadown_on_exit, nursery)
-# 
-#             ui.update_requests(example_requests)
-#             ui.set_header_text(
-#                 new_worker_name="worker1.scd",
-#                 new_balance="balance: 12345.6789 GPU"
-#             )
-#             # Start background tasks
-#             nursery.start_soon(progress_task)
-#             nursery.start_soon(update_data_task)
-# 
-#     except *KeyboardInterrupt as ex_group:
-#         ...
-# 
-# 
-# if __name__ == "__main__":
-#     trio.run(main)
+def setup_logging_for_tui(level):
+    warnings.filterwarnings("ignore")
+
+    logger = logging.getLogger()
+    logger.setLevel(level)
+
+    fh = logging.FileHandler('dgpu.log')
+    fh.setLevel(level)
+
+    formatter = logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s")
+    fh.setFormatter(formatter)
+
+    logger.addHandler(fh)
+
+    for handler in logger.handlers:
+        if isinstance(handler, logging.StreamHandler):
+            logger.removeHandler(handler)
+
+
+_tui = None
+def init_tui():
+    global _tui
+    assert not _tui
+    setup_logging_for_tui(logging.INFO)
+    _tui = WorkerMonitor()
+    return _tui
+
+
+def maybe_update_tui(fn):
+    global _tui
+    if _tui:
+        fn(_tui)
+
+
+async def maybe_update_tui_async(fn):
+    global _tui
+    if _tui:
+        await fn(_tui)