diff --git a/cmd/eksterd/fetch.go b/cmd/eksterd/fetch.go
index bd84174..5b92729 100644
--- a/cmd/eksterd/fetch.go
+++ b/cmd/eksterd/fetch.go
@@ -342,6 +342,9 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) feedItems(fetchURL, contentType string, body io.Reader)
 }
 
 func (b *memoryBackend) ProcessContent(channel, fetchURL, contentType string, body io.Reader) error {
+	conn := pool.Get()
+	defer conn.Close()
+
 	items, err := b.feedItems(fetchURL, contentType, body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -349,27 +352,23 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) ProcessContent(channel, fetchURL, contentType string, bo
 
 	for _, item := range items {
 		item.Read = false
-		b.channelAddItem(channel, item)
+		err = b.channelAddItem(conn, channel, item)
+		log.Printf("ERROR: %s\n", err)
 	}
 
+	err = b.updateChannelUnreadCount(conn, channel)
+	log.Printf("error: while updating channel unread count for %s: %s\n", channel, err)
+
 	return nil
 }
 
 // Fetch3 fills stuff
 func (b *memoryBackend) Fetch3(channel, fetchURL string) (*http.Response, error) {
 	log.Printf("Fetching channel=%s fetchURL=%s\n", channel, fetchURL)
-
-	resp, err := Fetch2(fetchURL)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return resp, nil
+	return Fetch2(fetchURL)
 }
 
-func (b *memoryBackend) channelAddItem(channel string, item microsub.Item) {
-	conn := pool.Get()
-	defer conn.Close()
-
+func (b *memoryBackend) channelAddItem(conn redis.Conn, channel string, item microsub.Item) error {
 	// send to redis
 	channelKey := fmt.Sprintf("channel:%s:posts", channel)
 	zchannelKey := fmt.Sprintf("zchannel:%s:posts", channel)
@@ -381,7 +380,7 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) channelAddItem(channel string, item microsub.Item) {
 	data, err := json.Marshal(item)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error while creating item for redis: %v\n", err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 
 	forRedis := redisItem{
@@ -397,46 +396,56 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) channelAddItem(channel string, item microsub.Item) {
 	_, err = redis.String(conn.Do("HMSET", redis.Args{}.Add(itemKey).AddFlat(&forRedis)...))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error while writing item for redis: %v\n", err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 
 	readChannelKey := fmt.Sprintf("channel:%s:read", channel)
 	isRead, err := redis.Bool(conn.Do("SISMEMBER", readChannelKey, itemKey))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	if isRead {
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	added, err := redis.Int64(conn.Do("SADD", channelKey, itemKey))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error while adding item %s to channel %s for redis: %v\n", itemKey, channelKey, err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 
 	score, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, item.Published)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error can't parse %s as time\n", item.Published)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	added, err = redis.Int64(conn.Do("ZADD", zchannelKey, score.Unix()*1.0, itemKey))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error while zadding item %s to channel %s for redis: %v\n", itemKey, channelKey, err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if added > 0 {
-		log.Printf("Adding item to channel %s\n", channel)
+		log.Printf("Added item to channel %s\n", channel)
 		log.Println(item)
-
-		if c, e := b.Channels[channel]; e {
-			unread, err := redis.Int(conn.Do("ZCARD", zchannelKey))
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Printf("error while getting length of channel %s: %v\n", channelKey, err)
-			}
-			c.Unread = unread
-			b.Channels[channel] = c
-		}
 	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (b *memoryBackend) updateChannelUnreadCount(conn redis.Conn, channel string) error {
+	if c, e := b.Channels[channel]; e {
+		zchannelKey := fmt.Sprintf("zchannel:%s:posts", channel)
+		unread, err := redis.Int(conn.Do("ZCARD", zchannelKey))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		c.Unread = unread
+		b.Channels[channel] = c
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 type redisItem struct {
diff --git a/cmd/eksterd/micropub.go b/cmd/eksterd/micropub.go
index 9f95d43..597b602 100644
--- a/cmd/eksterd/micropub.go
+++ b/cmd/eksterd/micropub.go
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ func (h *micropubHandler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			item.Read = false
 			id, _ := redis.Int(conn.Do("INCR", "source:"+sourceID+"next_id"))
 			item.ID = fmt.Sprintf("%x", sha1.Sum([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("source:%s:%d", sourceID, id))))
-			h.Backend.channelAddItem(channel, item)
+			h.Backend.channelAddItem(conn, channel, item)
+			h.Backend.updateChannelUnreadCount(conn, channel)
 		}
 
 		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")