diff --git a/exchange-contract/contracts/token_object.cpp b/exchange-contract/contracts/token_object.cpp
index 5704201..bd7c195 100644
--- a/exchange-contract/contracts/token_object.cpp
+++ b/exchange-contract/contracts/token_object.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ contract_method_reference_t contract_method_dispatch_table[] = {
     CONTRACT_METHOD(echo),
 
     // object transfer, escrow & claim methods
+    CONTRACT_METHOD2(get_balance,ww::exchange::token_object::get_balance),
     CONTRACT_METHOD2(transfer,ww::exchange::token_object::transfer),
     CONTRACT_METHOD2(escrow,ww::exchange::token_object::escrow),
     CONTRACT_METHOD2(escrow_attestation,ww::exchange::token_object::escrow_attestation),
diff --git a/exchange-contract/docs/notebooks/templates/token.py b/exchange-contract/docs/notebooks/templates/token.py
index b066ed1..17755ea 100644
--- a/exchange-contract/docs/notebooks/templates/token.py
+++ b/exchange-contract/docs/notebooks/templates/token.py
@@ -135,8 +135,11 @@ def token_transfer(new_owner) :
 # free to change the file name as well. The default uses the asset name.
 
 # %%
+# this adds a reference key to "issuer" which makes the wallets work with tokens
+context.set('issuer', '@{.token_object.' + token_name + '}')
+
 contract_identifier = '{}_{}'.format(token_class, instance_identifier)
-contexts = ['asset_type', 'vetting', 'guardian', 'token_issuer', 'token_object']
+contexts = ['asset_type', 'issuer', 'vetting', 'guardian', 'token_issuer', 'token_object']
 contract_files = {
     'token' : token_context.get('save_file'),
 }
diff --git a/exchange-contract/exchange/contracts/token_object.cpp b/exchange-contract/exchange/contracts/token_object.cpp
index f9ed398..0ff2425 100644
--- a/exchange-contract/exchange/contracts/token_object.cpp
+++ b/exchange-contract/exchange/contracts/token_object.cpp
@@ -139,6 +139,30 @@ bool ww::exchange::token_object::initialize(
     return rsp.success(true);
 }
 
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------
+// METHOD: get_balance
+//
+// JSON PARAMETERS:
+//   none
+//
+// RETURNS:
+//   current number of assets assigned to the requestor
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------
+bool ww::exchange::token_object::get_balance(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp)
+{
+    ASSERT_INITIALIZED(rsp);
+
+    int count = 0;
+    std::string owner;
+
+    ASSERT_SUCCESS(rsp, ww::contract::base::get_owner(owner), "failed to retrieve owner");
+    if (env.originator_id_ == owner)
+        count = 1;
+
+    ww::value::Number balance(count);
+    return rsp.value(balance, false);
+}
+
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------
 // transfer
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/exchange-contract/exchange/token_object.h b/exchange-contract/exchange/token_object.h
index ec5bf36..163e186 100644
--- a/exchange-contract/exchange/token_object.h
+++ b/exchange-contract/exchange/token_object.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ namespace token_object
     bool initialize(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp);
 
     // the interface for these methods is copied from issuer contract
+    bool get_balance(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp);
     bool transfer(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp);
     bool escrow(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp);
     bool escrow_attestation(const Message& msg, const Environment& env, Response& rsp);
diff --git a/exchange-contract/pdo/exchange/plugins/token_object.py b/exchange-contract/pdo/exchange/plugins/token_object.py
index dcb9e2d..35ba2e6 100644
--- a/exchange-contract/pdo/exchange/plugins/token_object.py
+++ b/exchange-contract/pdo/exchange/plugins/token_object.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     'op_get_asset_type_identifier',
     'op_get_issuer_authority',
     'op_get_authority',
+    'op_get_balance',
     'op_transfer',
     'op_escrow',
     'op_release',
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@
 op_get_asset_type_identifier = asset_type.op_get_asset_type_identifier
 op_get_issuer_authority = vetting.op_get_issuer_authority
 op_get_authority = issuer.op_get_authority
+op_get_balance = issuer.op_get_balance
 op_transfer = issuer.op_transfer
 op_escrow = issuer.op_escrow
 op_release = issuer.op_release
@@ -312,6 +314,13 @@ def invoke(cls, state, context, new_owner, **kwargs) :
         with open (keyfile, "r") as myfile:
             verifying_key = myfile.read()
 
+        # in case count was specified, it must be 1 and we must remove it since it is set explicitly
+        # in the op invocation below
+        if 'count' in kwargs :
+            if kwargs['count'] != 1 :
+                raise ValueError('unexpected count for token transfer')
+            kwargs.pop('count')
+
         session = pbuilder.SessionParameters(save_file=save_file)
         pcontract.invoke_contract_op(issuer.op_transfer, state, context, session, verifying_key, 1, **kwargs)
 
@@ -372,6 +381,7 @@ def invoke(cls, state, context, message, **kwargs) :
     op_get_asset_type_identifier,
     op_get_issuer_authority,
     op_get_authority,
+    op_get_balance,
     op_transfer,
     op_escrow,
     op_release,