diff --git a/piker/brokers/api.py b/piker/brokers/api.py
index ba54a565..f54a0e86 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/api.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/api.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from ..log import get_logger
 
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
+_clients: Dict[str, 'Client'] = {}
 
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def get_cached_client(
@@ -39,29 +40,38 @@ async def get_cached_client(
 
     If one has not been setup do it and cache it.
     """
-    # check if a cached client is in the local actor's statespace
-    ss = tractor.current_actor().statespace
+    global _clients
+
     clients = ss.setdefault('clients', {'_lock': trio.Lock()})
     lock = clients['_lock']
+
     client = None
+
     try:
-        log.info(f"Loading existing `{brokername}` daemon")
+        log.info(f"Loading existing `{brokername}` client")
+
         async with lock:
             client = clients[brokername]
             client._consumers += 1
+
         yield client
+
     except KeyError:
         log.info(f"Creating new client for broker {brokername}")
+
         async with lock:
             brokermod = get_brokermod(brokername)
             exit_stack = AsyncExitStack()
+
             client = await exit_stack.enter_async_context(
                 brokermod.get_client()
             )
             client._consumers = 0
             client._exit_stack = exit_stack
             clients[brokername] = client
+
             yield client
+
     finally:
         client._consumers -= 1
         if client._consumers <= 0: