diff --git a/piker/ui/_chart.py b/piker/ui/_chart.py
index 6cc8ecb1..7af09d38 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_chart.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_chart.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import numpy as np
 import pyqtgraph as pg
 import tractor
 import trio
+from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 
 from ._axes import (
     DynamicDateAxis,
@@ -407,10 +408,6 @@ class ChartPlotWidget(pg.PlotWidget):
 
         self.default_view()
 
-        # TODO: stick in config
-        # use cross-hair for cursor?
-        # self.setCursor(QtCore.Qt.CrossCursor)
-
         # Assign callback for rescaling y-axis automatically
         # based on data contents and ``ViewBox`` state.
         self.sigXRangeChanged.connect(self._set_yrange)
@@ -821,6 +818,73 @@ class ChartPlotWidget(pg.PlotWidget):
         self.scene().leaveEvent(ev)
 
 
+_to_router: trio.abc.SendChannel = None
+_from_ui: trio.abc.ReceiveChannel = None
+
+
+# TODO: make this a ``tractor.msg.pub``
+async def stream_orders():
+    """Order streaming task: deliver orders transmitted from UI
+    to downstream consumers.
+
+    This is run in the UI actor (usually the one running Qt).
+    The UI simply delivers order messages to the above ``_to_router``
+    send channel (from sync code using ``.send_nowait()``), these values
+    are pulled from the channel here and send to any consumer(s).
+
+    """
+    global _from_ui
+
+    async for order in _from_ui:
+        yield order
+
+
+async def stream_and_route(ui_name):
+    """Order router actor entrypoint.
+
+    """
+    actor = tractor.current_actor()
+
+    # new router entry point
+    async with tractor.wait_for_actor(ui_name) as portal:
+        async for order in await portal.run(stream_orders):
+            print(f'order {order} received in {actor.uid}')
+
+            # push order back to parent as an "alert"
+            # (mocking for eg. a "fill")
+            yield order
+
+
+async def spawn_router_stream_alerts(
+    ident: str,
+    task_status: TaskStatus[str] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
+) -> None:
+
+    # setup local ui event streaming channels
+    global _from_ui, _to_router
+    _to_router, _from_ui = trio.open_memory_channel(100)
+
+    actor = tractor.current_actor()
+    subactor_name = ident + '.router'
+
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+
+        portal = await n.start_actor(
+            subactor_name,
+            rpc_module_paths=[__name__],
+        )
+        stream = await portal.run(
+            stream_and_route,
+            ui_name=actor.name
+        )
+
+        # let parent task continue
+        task_status.started(subactor_name)
+
+        async for alert in stream:
+            print(f'alert {alert} received in {actor.uid}')
+
+
 async def _async_main(
     sym: str,
     brokername: str,
@@ -906,6 +970,17 @@ async def _async_main(
 
         async with trio.open_nursery() as n:
 
+            router_name = await n.start(
+                spawn_router_stream_alerts,
+                sym,
+            )
+
+            # wait for router to come up before setting
+            # enabling send channel on chart
+            async with tractor.wait_for_actor(router_name):
+                global _to_router
+                linked_charts._to_router = _to_router
+
             # load initial fsp chain (otherwise known as "indicators")
             n.start_soon(
                 spawn_fsps,
diff --git a/piker/ui/cli.py b/piker/ui/cli.py
index e14ef3f6..0adeaf5a 100644
--- a/piker/ui/cli.py
+++ b/piker/ui/cli.py
@@ -150,5 +150,6 @@ def chart(config, symbol, date, rate, test, profile):
         tractor_kwargs={
             'debug_mode': True,
             'loglevel': tractorloglevel,
+            'rpc_module_paths': ['piker.ui._chart'],
         },
     )