diff --git a/broker/Cargo.toml b/broker/Cargo.toml
index 539f18c..c2e56f0 100644
--- a/broker/Cargo.toml
+++ b/broker/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ default-run = "sphinx-key-broker"
 [dependencies]
 vls-protocol = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std" }
 vls-proxy = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std" }
+vls-frontend = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std" }
+vls-protocol-client = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std" }
 # vls-protocol = { path = "../../../evanf/validating-lightning-signer/vls-protocol" }
 # vls-proxy = { path = "../../../evanf/validating-lightning-signer/vls-proxy" }
 rumqttd = { git = "https://github.com/Evanfeenstra/rumqtt", branch = "metrics" } 
@@ -25,6 +27,8 @@ clap_derive = "3.2.6"
 chrono = "0.4"
 once_cell = "1.12.0"
 bitcoin = "0.28.1"
+async-trait = "0.1"
+url = { version = "2.2" }
 
 [features]
 default = ["std"]
diff --git a/broker/src/main.rs b/broker/src/main.rs
index 3d84339..52470b0 100644
--- a/broker/src/main.rs
+++ b/broker/src/main.rs
@@ -6,13 +6,17 @@ mod unix_fd;
 mod util;
 
 use crate::mqtt::start_broker;
-use crate::unix_fd::SignerLoop;
-use clap::{App, AppSettings, Arg, arg};
+use crate::unix_fd::{MqttSignerPort, SignerLoop};
+use bitcoin::Network;
+use clap::{arg, App, AppSettings, Arg};
 use std::env;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
+use url::Url;
+use vls_frontend::Frontend;
 use vls_proxy::client::UnixClient;
 use vls_proxy::connection::{open_parent_fd, UnixConnection};
-use bitcoin::Network;
+use vls_proxy::portfront::SignerPortFront;
 
 pub struct Channel {
     pub sequence: u16,
@@ -53,9 +57,8 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 .help("bitcoin network")
                 .long("network")
                 .value_parser(["regtest", "signet", "testnet", "mainnet", "bitcoin"])
-                .default_value("regtest")
+                .default_value("regtest"),
         );
-    
 
     let matches = app.get_matches();
 
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel(1000);
         let (status_tx, mut status_rx) = mpsc::channel(1000);
         log::info!("=> start broker");
-        let _runtime = start_broker(rx, status_tx, "sphinx-1");
+        let runtime = start_broker(rx, status_tx, "sphinx-1");
         log::info!("=> wait for connected status");
         // wait for connection = true
         let status = status_rx.blocking_recv().expect("couldnt receive");
@@ -94,6 +97,18 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         init::blocking_connect(tx.clone(), network);
         log::info!("=====> sent seed!");
 
+        if let Ok(btc_url) = env::var("BITCOIND_RPC_URL") {
+            let signer_port = MqttSignerPort::new(tx.clone());
+            let frontend = Frontend::new(
+                Arc::new(SignerPortFront {
+                    signer_port: Box::new(signer_port),
+                }),
+                Url::parse(&btc_url).expect("malformed btc rpc url"),
+            );
+            runtime.block_on(async {
+                frontend.start();
+            });
+        }
         // listen to reqs from CLN
         let conn = UnixConnection::new(parent_fd);
         let client = UnixClient::new(conn);
diff --git a/broker/src/unix_fd.rs b/broker/src/unix_fd.rs
index 31fb507..d3b9503 100644
--- a/broker/src/unix_fd.rs
+++ b/broker/src/unix_fd.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ use std::thread;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
 // use tokio::task::spawn_blocking;
 use crate::{Channel, ChannelReply, ChannelRequest};
+use async_trait::async_trait;
 use vls_protocol::{msgs, msgs::Message, Error, Result};
+use vls_protocol_client::SignerPort;
 use vls_proxy::client::Client;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
@@ -132,3 +134,39 @@ impl<C: 'static + Client> SignerLoop<C> {
         Ok(reply.reply)
     }
 }
+
+pub struct MqttSignerPort {
+    sender: mpsc::Sender<ChannelRequest>,
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl SignerPort for MqttSignerPort {
+    async fn handle_message(&self, message: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let reply_rx = self.send_request(message).await?;
+        self.get_reply(reply_rx).await
+    }
+
+    fn clone(&self) -> Box<dyn SignerPort> {
+        Box::new(Self {
+            sender: self.sender.clone(),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl MqttSignerPort {
+    pub fn new(sender: mpsc::Sender<ChannelRequest>) -> Self {
+        Self { sender }
+    }
+
+    async fn send_request(&self, message: Vec<u8>) -> Result<oneshot::Receiver<ChannelReply>> {
+        let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+        let request = ChannelRequest { message, reply_tx };
+        self.sender.send(request).await.map_err(|_| Error::Eof)?;
+        Ok(reply_rx)
+    }
+
+    async fn get_reply(&self, reply_rx: oneshot::Receiver<ChannelReply>) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let reply = reply_rx.blocking_recv().map_err(|_| Error::Eof)?;
+        Ok(reply.reply)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tester/Cargo.toml b/tester/Cargo.toml
index eb9ab26..7b767e0 100644
--- a/tester/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tester/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ sphinx-key-signer = { path = "../signer" }
 sphinx-key-parser = { path = "../parser" }
 vls-protocol = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std" }
 vls-protocol-signer = { git = "https://gitlab.com/Evanfeenstra/validating-lightning-signer", branch = "partial-std", default-features = false, features = ["std", "secp-lowmemory"] }
+# vls-protocol = { path = "../../../evanf/validating-lightning-signer/vls-protocol" }
+# vls-protocol-signer = { path = "../../../evanf/validating-lightning-signer/vls-protocol-signer", default-features = false, features = ["std", "secp-lowmemory"] }
 anyhow = {version = "1", features = ["backtrace"]}
 log = "0.4"
 rumqttc = "0.12.0"