diff --git a/cmd/eksterd/memory.go b/cmd/eksterd/memory.go
index 480c484..21b67ee 100644
--- a/cmd/eksterd/memory.go
+++ b/cmd/eksterd/memory.go
@@ -312,23 +312,23 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) FollowURL(uid string, url string) (microsub.Feed, error)
 	feed := microsub.Feed{Type: "feed", URL: url}
 
 	var channelID int
-	if row := b.database.QueryRow(`SELECT "id" FROM "channels" WHERE "uid" = $1`, uid); row != nil {
-		err := row.Scan(&channelID)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+	err := b.database.QueryRow(`SELECT "id" FROM "channels" WHERE "uid" = $1`, uid).Scan(&channelID)
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+			return microsub.Feed{}, fmt.Errorf("channel does not exist: %w", err)
 		}
+		return microsub.Feed{}, err
 	}
 
-	row := b.database.QueryRow(
+	var feedID int
+	err = b.database.QueryRow(
 		`INSERT INTO "feeds" ("channel_id", "url") VALUES ($1, $2) RETURNING "id"`,
 		channelID,
 		feed.URL,
-	)
-	if row == nil {
-		return microsub.Feed{}, fmt.Errorf("no feed_id")
+	).Scan(&feedID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return feed, err
 	}
-	var feedID int
-	_ = row.Scan(&feedID)
 
 	resp, err := b.Fetch3(uid, feed.URL)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 51316e4..3aa331e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.16
 require (
 	github.com/axgle/mahonia v0.0.0-20180208002826-3358181d7394
 	github.com/blevesearch/bleve/v2 v2.0.3
+	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/gilliek/go-opml v1.0.0
 	github.com/golang-migrate/migrate/v4 v4.15.1
 	github.com/gomodule/redigo v1.8.2
diff --git a/pkg/timeline/postgres.go b/pkg/timeline/postgres.go
index 2329581..367a688 100644
--- a/pkg/timeline/postgres.go
+++ b/pkg/timeline/postgres.go
@@ -212,20 +212,31 @@ func (p *postgresStream) AddItem(item microsub.Item) (bool, error) {
 		t = t2
 	}
 	if item.UID == "" {
+		// FIXME: This won't work when we receive the item multiple times
 		h := sha256.Sum256([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", p.channel, time.Now().UnixNano())))
 		item.UID = hex.EncodeToString(h[:])
 	}
 
-	feedID, err := strconv.ParseInt(item.Source.ID, 10, 64)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("ERROR: item.Source.ID is not an integer %q: %w", item.Source.ID, err)
+	var optFeedID sql.NullInt64
+	if item.Source == nil || item.Source.ID == "" {
+		optFeedID.Valid = false
+		optFeedID.Int64 = 0
+	} else {
+		feedID, err := strconv.ParseInt(item.Source.ID, 10, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			optFeedID.Valid = false
+			optFeedID.Int64 = 0
+		} else {
+			optFeedID.Valid = true
+			optFeedID.Int64 = feedID
+		}
 	}
 
 	result, err := conn.ExecContext(context.Background(), `
 INSERT INTO "items" ("channel_id", "feed_id", "uid", "data", "published_at", "created_at")
 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, DEFAULT)
 ON CONFLICT ON CONSTRAINT "items_uid_key" DO NOTHING
-`, p.channelID, feedID, item.UID, &item, t)
+`, p.channelID, optFeedID, item.UID, &item, t)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("insert item: %w", err)
 	}