diff --git a/js/modules/loki_public_chat_api.js b/js/modules/loki_public_chat_api.js
index 7894b6c8d..804ea74b4 100644
--- a/js/modules/loki_public_chat_api.js
+++ b/js/modules/loki_public_chat_api.js
@@ -395,6 +395,17 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
 
   // get moderation actions
   async pollForDeletions() {
+    try {
+      await this.pollOnceForDeletions();
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.warn(`Error while polling for public chat deletions: ${e}`);
+    }
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.pollForDeletions();
+    }, DELETION_POLL_EVERY);
+  }
+
+  async pollOnceForDeletions() {
     // grab the last 200 deletions
     const params = {
       count: 200,
@@ -432,15 +443,21 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
       this.deleteLastId = res.response.meta.max_id;
       ({ more } = res.response);
     }
-
-    // set up next poll
-    this.timers.delete = setTimeout(() => {
-      this.pollForDeletions();
-    }, PUBLICCHAT_DELETION_POLL_EVERY);
   }
 
   // get channel messages
   async pollForMessages() {
+    try {
+      await this.pollOnceForMessages();
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.warn(`Error while polling for public chat messages: ${e}`);
+    }
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.pollForMessages();
+    }, GROUPCHAT_POLL_EVERY);
+  }
+
+  async pollOnceForMessages() {
     const params = {
       include_annotations: 1,
       count: -20,
@@ -466,7 +483,10 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
         if (adnMessage.is_deleted) {
           return;
         }
-        if (adnMessage.annotations && adnMessage.annotations.length) {
+        if (
+          Array.isArray(adnMessage.annotations) &&
+          adnMessage.annotations.length !== 0
+        ) {
           const noteValue = adnMessage.annotations[0].value;
           ({ timestamp } = noteValue);
 
@@ -533,10 +553,6 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
       });
       this.conversation.setLastRetrievedMessage(this.lastGot);
     }
-
-    this.timers.message = setTimeout(() => {
-      this.pollForMessages();
-    }, PUBLICCHAT_MSG_POLL_EVERY);
   }
 
   // create a message in the channel
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/MessageDetail.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/MessageDetail.tsx
index 1a18a780a..deca2a6b4 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/MessageDetail.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/MessageDetail.tsx
@@ -56,18 +56,16 @@ export class MessageDetail extends React.Component<Props> {
   public renderDeleteButton() {
     const { i18n, message } = this.props;
 
-    return (
-      message.isDeletable ? (
-        <div className="module-message-detail__delete-button-container">
-          <button
-            onClick={message.onDelete}
-            className="module-message-detail__delete-button"
-          >
-            {i18n('deleteThisMessage')}
-          </button>
-        </div>
-      ) : null
-    );
+    return message.isDeletable ? (
+      <div className="module-message-detail__delete-button-container">
+        <button
+          onClick={message.onDelete}
+          className="module-message-detail__delete-button"
+        >
+          {i18n('deleteThisMessage')}
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    ) : null;
   }
 
   public renderContact(contact: Contact) {