diff --git a/piker/storage/marketstore/__init__.py b/piker/storage/marketstore/__init__.py
index d1a3d67f..d435fb66 100644
--- a/piker/storage/marketstore/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/storage/marketstore/__init__.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ from anyio_marketstore import (
 import pendulum
 import purerpc
 
-from ..service.marketstore import (
+from piker.service.marketstore import (
     MarketstoreClient,
     tf_in_1s,
     mk_tbk,
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ from anyio_marketstore import (  # noqa
     MarketstoreClient,
     Params,
 )
-from ..log import get_logger
+from piker.log import get_logger
 # from .._profile import Profiler
 
 
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ class MktsStorageClient:
         datetime | None,  # first dt
         datetime | None,  # last dt
     ]:
-
         first_tsdb_dt, last_tsdb_dt = None, None
         hist = await self.read_ohlcv(
             fqme,
@@ -119,10 +118,13 @@ class MktsStorageClient:
         log.info(f'Loaded tsdb history {hist}')
 
         if len(hist):
-            times = hist['Epoch']
+            # breakpoint()
+            times: np.ndarray = hist['Epoch']
+
             first, last = times[0], times[-1]
             first_tsdb_dt, last_tsdb_dt = map(
-                pendulum.from_timestamp, [first, last]
+                pendulum.from_timestamp,
+                [first, last]
             )
 
         return (
@@ -135,53 +137,82 @@ class MktsStorageClient:
         self,
         fqme: str,
         timeframe: int | str,
-        end: int | None = None,
-        limit: int = int(800e3),
+        end: float | None = None,  # epoch or none
+        limit: int = int(200e3),
 
     ) -> np.ndarray:
 
         client = self.client
         syms = await client.list_symbols()
-
         if fqme not in syms:
             return {}
 
+        # ensure end time is in correct int format!
+        if (
+            end
+            and not isinstance(end, float)
+        ):
+            end = int(float(end))
+            # breakpoint()
+
         # use the provided timeframe or 1s by default
         tfstr = tf_in_1s.get(timeframe, tf_in_1s[1])
 
-        params = Params(
+        import pymarketstore as pymkts
+        sync_client = pymkts.Client()
+        param = pymkts.Params(
             symbols=fqme,
             timeframe=tfstr,
             attrgroup='OHLCV',
             end=end,
-            # limit_from_start=True,
 
-            # TODO: figure the max limit here given the
-            # ``purepc`` msg size limit of purerpc: 33554432
             limit=limit,
+            # limit_from_start=True,
         )
+        try:
+            reply = sync_client.query(param)
+        except Exception as err:
+            if 'no files returned from query parse: None' in err.args:
+                return []
 
-        for i in range(3):
-            try:
-                result = await client.query(params)
-                break
-            except purerpc.grpclib.exceptions.UnknownError as err:
-                if 'snappy' in err.args:
-                    await tractor.breakpoint()
+            raise
 
-                # indicate there is no history for this timeframe
-                log.exception(
-                    f'Unknown mkts QUERY error: {params}\n'
-                    f'{err.args}'
-                )
-        else:
-            return {}
+        data_set: pymkts.results.DataSet = reply.first()
+        array: np.ndarray = data_set.array
 
-        # TODO: it turns out column access on recarrays is actually slower:
-        # https://jakevdp.github.io/PythonDataScienceHandbook/02.09-structured-data-numpy.html#RecordArrays:-Structured-Arrays-with-a-Twist
-        # it might make sense to make these structured arrays?
-        data_set = result.by_symbols()[fqme]
-        array = data_set.array
+        # params = Params(
+        #     symbols=fqme,
+        #     timeframe=tfstr,
+        #     attrgroup='OHLCV',
+        #     end=end,
+        #     # limit_from_start=True,
+
+        #     # TODO: figure the max limit here given the
+        #     # ``purepc`` msg size limit of purerpc: 33554432
+        #     limit=limit,
+        # )
+
+        # for i in range(3):
+        #     try:
+        #         result = await client.query(params)
+        #         break
+        #     except purerpc.grpclib.exceptions.UnknownError as err:
+        #         if 'snappy' in err.args:
+        #             await tractor.breakpoint()
+
+        #         # indicate there is no history for this timeframe
+        #         log.exception(
+        #             f'Unknown mkts QUERY error: {params}\n'
+        #             f'{err.args}'
+        #         )
+        # else:
+        #     return {}
+
+        # # TODO: it turns out column access on recarrays is actually slower:
+        # # https://jakevdp.github.io/PythonDataScienceHandbook/02.09-structured-data-numpy.html#RecordArrays:-Structured-Arrays-with-a-Twist
+        # # it might make sense to make these structured arrays?
+        # data_set = result.by_symbols()[fqme]
+        # array = data_set.array
 
         # XXX: ensure sample rate is as expected
         time = data_set.array['Epoch']
@@ -191,19 +222,20 @@ class MktsStorageClient:
 
             if time_step != ts:
                 log.warning(
-                    f'MKTS BUG: wrong timeframe loaded: {time_step}'
-                    'YOUR DATABASE LIKELY CONTAINS BAD DATA FROM AN OLD BUG'
+                    f'MKTS BUG: wrong timeframe loaded: {time_step}\n'
+                    'YOUR DATABASE LIKELY CONTAINS BAD DATA FROM AN OLD BUG '
                     f'WIPING HISTORY FOR {ts}s'
                 )
-                await self.delete_ts(fqme, timeframe)
+                await tractor.breakpoint()
+                # await self.delete_ts(fqme, timeframe)
 
                 # try reading again..
-                return await self.read_ohlcv(
-                    fqme,
-                    timeframe,
-                    end,
-                    limit,
-                )
+                # return await self.read_ohlcv(
+                #     fqme,
+                #     timeframe,
+                #     end,
+                #     limit,
+                # )
 
         return array