diff --git a/faucet.js b/faucet.js
index f1fa810..1100e48 100644
--- a/faucet.js
+++ b/faucet.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ export async function gib( chainId, owner, vault, tokenAmounts ) {
             if (t.s === 'USDC' && t.x.mock) {
                 // print 10,000 USDC
                 const provider = getProvider(chainId);
-                const usdc = await newContract(t.a, 'MockERC20', provider)
+                const signer = await provider.getSigner()  // regular server signer not the #8 faucet
+                const usdc = await newContract(t.a, 'MockERC20', signer)
                 await usdc.mint(vault, 10_000_000000)
                 console.log(`minted 10,000 USDC to ${vault}`)
             }