diff --git a/model/tradingPair.go b/model/tradingPair.go
index 8e7a6eb7a..1ad542ed3 100644
--- a/model/tradingPair.go
+++ b/model/tradingPair.go
@@ -48,14 +48,35 @@ func (p TradingPair) ToString(c *AssetConverter, delim string) (string, error) {
 
 // TradingPairFromString makes a TradingPair out of a string
 func TradingPairFromString(codeSize int8, c *AssetConverter, p string) (*TradingPair, error) {
-	base, e := c.FromString(p[0:codeSize])
+	return TradingPairFromString2(codeSize, []*AssetConverter{c}, p)
+}
+
+// TradingPairFromString2 makes a TradingPair out of a string
+func TradingPairFromString2(codeSize int8, converters []*AssetConverter, p string) (*TradingPair, error) {
+	var base Asset
+	var quote Asset
+	var e error
+
+	baseString := p[0:codeSize]
+	for _, c := range converters {
+		base, e = c.FromString(baseString)
+		if e == nil {
+			break
+		}
+	}
 	if e != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("base asset could not be converted: %s", e)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("base asset could not be converted using any of the converters in the list of %d converters: %s", len(converters), baseString)
 	}
 
-	quote, e := c.FromString(p[codeSize : codeSize*2])
+	quoteString := p[codeSize : codeSize*2]
+	for _, c := range converters {
+		quote, e = c.FromString(quoteString)
+		if e == nil {
+			break
+		}
+	}
 	if e != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("quote asset could not be converted: %s", e)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("quote asset could not be converted using any of the converters in the list of %d converters: %s", len(converters), quoteString)
 	}
 
 	return &TradingPair{Base: base, Quote: quote}, nil
diff --git a/plugins/ieif.go b/plugins/ieif.go
index 34f566c08..894302bfe 100644
--- a/plugins/ieif.go
+++ b/plugins/ieif.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package plugins
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/stellar/go/clients/horizon"
 	"github.com/stellar/kelp/api"
@@ -168,15 +169,16 @@ func (ieif *IEIF) LogAllLiabilities(assetBase horizon.Asset, assetQuote horizon.
 }
 
 func (ieif *IEIF) logLiabilities(asset horizon.Asset, assetStr string) {
+	trimmedAssetStr := strings.TrimSpace(assetStr)
 	l, e := ieif.assetLiabilities(asset)
 	if e != nil {
-		log.Printf("could not fetch liability for asset '%s', error = %s\n", assetStr, e)
+		log.Printf("could not fetch liability for %s asset, error = %s\n", trimmedAssetStr, e)
 		return
 	}
 
 	balance, e := ieif.assetBalance(asset)
 	if e != nil {
-		log.Printf("cannot fetch balance for asset '%s', error = %s\n", assetStr, e)
+		log.Printf("cannot fetch balance for %s asset, error = %s\n", trimmedAssetStr, e)
 		return
 	}
 	// TODO don't break out into vars
diff --git a/plugins/krakenExchange.go b/plugins/krakenExchange.go
index 4aadae595..f8149b50a 100644
--- a/plugins/krakenExchange.go
+++ b/plugins/krakenExchange.go
@@ -220,12 +220,13 @@ func (k *krakenExchange) GetOpenOrders(pairs []*model.TradingPair) (map[model.Tr
 		return nil, e
 	}
 
+	assetConverters := []*model.AssetConverter{k.assetConverterOpenOrders, model.Display}
 	m := map[model.TradingPair][]model.OpenOrder{}
 	for ID, o := range openOrdersResponse.Open {
 		// kraken uses different symbols when fetching open orders!
-		pair, e := model.TradingPairFromString(3, k.assetConverterOpenOrders, o.Description.AssetPair)
+		pair, e := model.TradingPairFromString2(3, assetConverters, o.Description.AssetPair)
 		if e != nil {
-			return nil, e
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing trading pair '%s' in krakenExchange#GetOpenOrders: %s", o.Description.AssetPair, e)
 		}
 
 		if _, ok := pairsMap[*pair]; !ok {
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@ func (k *krakenExchange) getTradeHistory(tradingPair model.TradingPair, maybeCur
 		var pair *model.TradingPair
 		pair, e = model.TradingPairFromString(4, k.assetConverter, _pair)
 		if e != nil {
-			return nil, e
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing trading pair '%s' in krakenExchange#getTradeHistory: %s", _pair, e)
 		}
 		orderConstraints := k.GetOrderConstraints(pair)
 		// for now use the max precision between price and volume for fee and cost