diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 5fb6f3e..938a42b 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@
       el.channelFilter.value = state.selectedTextChannel;
       applyActiveTab(state.activeTab);
       if ((textChanged || textGuildChanged) && state.selectedTextChannel && state.selectedTextGuild) {
-        await apiRequest('/api/backlog-sync', {
+        apiRequest('/api/backlog-sync', {
           method: 'POST',
           body: JSON.stringify({ guildId: state.selectedTextGuild, channelId: state.selectedTextChannel }),
         }).catch((error) => showError(`Backlog sync failed: ${error.message}`));
       }
       if (textChanged || textGuildChanged || state.activeTab === 'text') {
-        await fetchText().catch((error) => showError(error.message));
+        fetchText().catch((error) => showError(error.message));
       }
       await reconcileListenState();
       await reconcileStreamingState();
diff --git a/src/routes/syncRoutes.ts b/src/routes/syncRoutes.ts
index 1a80597..e8b0a7d 100644
--- a/src/routes/syncRoutes.ts
+++ b/src/routes/syncRoutes.ts
@@ -50,28 +50,37 @@ export function createSyncRoutes(client: Client): Router {
           success: true,
           channelId,
           messagesSync: 0,
+          queued: false,
           skipped: true,
         });
         return;
       }
 
-      logger.info({ guildId, channelId }, "Starting backlog sync");
+      logger.info({ guildId, channelId }, "Queueing backlog sync");
 
-      const count = await syncSelectedChannelBacklog(
-        client,
-        guildId,
-        channelId,
-      );
-
-      logger.info(
-        { guildId, channelId, messagesSync: count },
-        "Backlog sync complete",
-      );
+      syncSelectedChannelBacklog(client, guildId, channelId)
+        .then((count) => {
+          logger.info(
+            { guildId, channelId, messagesSync: count },
+            "Backlog sync complete",
+          );
+        })
+        .catch((error) => {
+          logger.warn(
+            {
+              guildId,
+              channelId,
+              error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+            },
+            "Backlog sync failed",
+          );
+        });
 
       res.json({
         success: true,
         channelId,
-        messagesSync: count,
+        messagesSync: 0,
+        queued: true,
         skipped: false,
       });
     } catch (error) {
diff --git a/tests/routes/syncRoutes.test.ts b/tests/routes/syncRoutes.test.ts
index 2dc9eda..04fbb12 100644
--- a/tests/routes/syncRoutes.test.ts
+++ b/tests/routes/syncRoutes.test.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ describe("createSyncRoutes", () => {
     expect(json).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       success: true,
       channelId: "selected-channel",
-      messagesSync: 3,
+      messagesSync: 0,
+      queued: true,
       skipped: false,
     });
     expect(next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ describe("createSyncRoutes", () => {
       success: true,
       channelId: "selected-channel",
       messagesSync: 0,
+      queued: false,
       skipped: true,
     });
   });