diff --git a/cdk/package.json b/cdk/package.json
index a066b62cf..32b443931 100644
--- a/cdk/package.json
+++ b/cdk/package.json
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda-event-sources": "1.147.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-s3": "1.147.0",
     "@aws-cdk/aws-ssm": "1.147.0",
+    "@aws-cdk/aws-sqs": "1.147.0",
     "@aws-cdk/core": "1.147.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/cdk/stack.ts b/cdk/stack.ts
index b6bbbf567..e678e27a6 100644
--- a/cdk/stack.ts
+++ b/cdk/stack.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import * as lambda from "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda";
 import * as S3 from "@aws-cdk/aws-s3";
 import * as iam from "@aws-cdk/aws-iam";
 import * as ssm from "@aws-cdk/aws-ssm";
+import * as sqs from "@aws-cdk/aws-sqs";
 import * as apigateway from "@aws-cdk/aws-apigateway";
 import * as appsync from "@aws-cdk/aws-appsync";
 import * as db from "@aws-cdk/aws-dynamodb";
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ import * as eventsTargets from "@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets";
 import { join } from "path";
 import { APP } from "../shared/constants";
 import crypto from "crypto";
-import { DynamoEventSource } from "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda-event-sources";
+import { SqsEventSource } from "@aws-cdk/aws-lambda-event-sources";
 import { ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_KEYS } from "../shared/environmentVariables";
 
 export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
@@ -183,6 +184,11 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
 
     const pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename = "pinboard-notifications-lambda";
 
+    const pinboardNotificationsSQS = new sqs.Queue(
+      thisStack,
+      `${pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename}-sqs`
+    );
+
     const pinboardNotificationsLambda = new lambda.Function(
       thisStack,
       pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename,
@@ -197,16 +203,30 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
           APP,
           [ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_KEYS.usersTableName]:
             pinboardAppsyncUserTable.tableName,
+          [ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_KEYS.notificationQueueURL]:
+            pinboardNotificationsSQS.queueUrl,
         },
         functionName: `${pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename}-${STAGE}`,
         code: lambda.Code.fromBucket(
           deployBucket,
           `${STACK}/${STAGE}/${pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename}/${pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename}.zip`
         ),
-        initialPolicy: [readPinboardParamStorePolicyStatement],
+        initialPolicy: [
+          readPinboardParamStorePolicyStatement,
+          new iam.PolicyStatement({
+            actions: ["sqs:SendMessage"],
+            effect: iam.Effect.ALLOW,
+            resources: [pinboardNotificationsSQS.queueArn],
+          }),
+        ],
       }
     );
     pinboardAppsyncUserTable.grantReadData(pinboardNotificationsLambda);
+    pinboardNotificationsLambda.addEventSource(
+      new SqsEventSource(pinboardNotificationsSQS, {
+        reportBatchItemFailures: true,
+      })
+    );
 
     const pinboardAuthLambdaBasename = "pinboard-auth-lambda";
 
@@ -286,13 +306,6 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
       }
     );
 
-    pinboardNotificationsLambda.addEventSource(
-      new DynamoEventSource(pinboardAppsyncItemTable, {
-        maxBatchingWindow: Duration.seconds(10),
-        startingPosition: lambda.StartingPosition.LATEST,
-      })
-    );
-
     const pinboardLastItemSeenByUserTableBaseName =
       "pinboard-last-item-seen-by-user-table";
 
@@ -329,6 +342,14 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
       pinboardGridBridgeLambda
     );
 
+    const pinboardNotificationsLambdaDataSource = pinboardAppsyncApi.addLambdaDataSource(
+      `${pinboardNotificationsLambdaBasename
+        .replace("pinboard-", "")
+        .split("-")
+        .join("_")}_ds`,
+      pinboardNotificationsLambda
+    );
+
     const pinboardItemDataSource = pinboardAppsyncApi.addDynamoDbDataSource(
       `${pinboardItemTableBaseName
         .replace("pinboard-", "")
@@ -374,7 +395,7 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
         }
       `)
     );
-    const dynamoFilterResponseMappingTemplate = appsync.MappingTemplate.fromString(
+    const basicResponseMappingTemplate = appsync.MappingTemplate.fromString(
       "$util.toJson($context.result)"
     );
 
@@ -382,30 +403,65 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
       typeName: "Query",
       fieldName: "listItems",
       requestMappingTemplate: dynamoFilterRequestMappingTemplate,
-      responseMappingTemplate: dynamoFilterResponseMappingTemplate,
+      responseMappingTemplate: basicResponseMappingTemplate,
     });
 
-    pinboardItemDataSource.createResolver({
+    const insertItemPipelineFunction = new appsync.AppsyncFunction(
+      thisStack,
+      "pinboard-insert-item-pipeline-function",
+      {
+        name: "insert_item",
+        api: pinboardAppsyncApi,
+        dataSource: pinboardItemDataSource,
+        requestMappingTemplate: resolverBugWorkaround(
+          appsync.MappingTemplate.dynamoDbPutItem(
+            appsync.PrimaryKey.partition("id").auto(),
+            appsync.Values.projecting("input")
+              .attribute("timestamp")
+              .is("$util.time.nowEpochSeconds()")
+              .attribute("userEmail")
+              .is("$ctx.identity.resolverContext.userEmail")
+          )
+        ),
+        responseMappingTemplate: appsync.MappingTemplate.dynamoDbResultItem(),
+      }
+    );
+
+    const queueNotificationPipelineFunction = new appsync.AppsyncFunction(
+      thisStack,
+      "pinboard-queue-notification-pipeline-function",
+      {
+        name: "queue_notification",
+        api: pinboardAppsyncApi,
+        dataSource: pinboardNotificationsLambdaDataSource,
+        requestMappingTemplate: resolverBugWorkaround(
+          appsync.MappingTemplate.lambdaRequest(
+            "$util.toJson($ctx.prev.result)",
+            "Invoke"
+          )
+        ),
+        responseMappingTemplate: appsync.MappingTemplate.lambdaResult(),
+      }
+    );
+
+    pinboardAppsyncApi.createResolver({
       typeName: "Mutation",
       fieldName: "createItem",
       requestMappingTemplate: resolverBugWorkaround(
-        appsync.MappingTemplate.dynamoDbPutItem(
-          appsync.PrimaryKey.partition("id").auto(),
-          appsync.Values.projecting("input")
-            .attribute("timestamp")
-            .is("$util.time.nowEpochSeconds()")
-            .attribute("userEmail")
-            .is("$ctx.identity.resolverContext.userEmail")
-        )
+        appsync.MappingTemplate.fromString("{}")
       ),
-      responseMappingTemplate: appsync.MappingTemplate.dynamoDbResultItem(),
+      pipelineConfig: [
+        insertItemPipelineFunction,
+        queueNotificationPipelineFunction,
+      ],
+      responseMappingTemplate: basicResponseMappingTemplate,
     });
 
     pinboardLastItemSeenByUserDataSource.createResolver({
       typeName: "Query",
       fieldName: "listLastItemSeenByUsers",
       requestMappingTemplate: dynamoFilterRequestMappingTemplate, // TODO consider custom resolver for performance
-      responseMappingTemplate: dynamoFilterResponseMappingTemplate,
+      responseMappingTemplate: basicResponseMappingTemplate,
     });
 
     pinboardLastItemSeenByUserDataSource.createResolver({
@@ -479,7 +535,7 @@ export class PinBoardStack extends Stack {
         }
       `)
       ),
-      responseMappingTemplate: dynamoFilterResponseMappingTemplate,
+      responseMappingTemplate: basicResponseMappingTemplate,
     });
 
     pinboardUserDataSource.createResolver({
diff --git a/cdk/test/__snapshots__/stack.test.ts.snap b/cdk/test/__snapshots__/stack.test.ts.snap
index ab0b5cc98..fed157338 100644
--- a/cdk/test/__snapshots__/stack.test.ts.snap
+++ b/cdk/test/__snapshots__/stack.test.ts.snap
@@ -107,6 +107,42 @@ Object {
       },
       "Type": "AWS::AppSync::GraphQLApi",
     },
+    "pinboardappsyncapiMutationcreateItemResolverFA9560B7": Object {
+      "DependsOn": Array [
+        "pinboardappsyncapiSchema868D9F5B",
+      ],
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "ApiId": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardappsyncapi9D519400",
+            "ApiId",
+          ],
+        },
+        "FieldName": "createItem",
+        "Kind": "PIPELINE",
+        "PipelineConfig": Object {
+          "Functions": Array [
+            Object {
+              "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+                "pinboardinsertitempipelinefunction3F6F60CF",
+                "FunctionId",
+              ],
+            },
+            Object {
+              "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+                "pinboardqueuenotificationpipelinefunction6293EB5F",
+                "FunctionId",
+              ],
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+        "RequestMappingTemplate": "## schema checksum : 069f29169cf579ccf5c31b1d41c78246
+{}",
+        "ResponseMappingTemplate": "$util.toJson($context.result)",
+        "TypeName": "Mutation",
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::AppSync::Resolver",
+    },
     "pinboardappsyncapiSchema868D9F5B": Object {
       "Properties": Object {
         "ApiId": Object {
@@ -471,39 +507,6 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
       },
       "Type": "AWS::AppSync::DataSource",
     },
-    "pinboardappsyncapiitemtabledatasourceMutationcreateItemResolver7AEC9201": Object {
-      "DependsOn": Array [
-        "pinboardappsyncapiitemtabledatasourceFD08E0E9",
-        "pinboardappsyncapiSchema868D9F5B",
-      ],
-      "Properties": Object {
-        "ApiId": Object {
-          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
-            "pinboardappsyncapi9D519400",
-            "ApiId",
-          ],
-        },
-        "DataSourceName": "item_table_datasource",
-        "FieldName": "createItem",
-        "Kind": "UNIT",
-        "RequestMappingTemplate": "## schema checksum : 069f29169cf579ccf5c31b1d41c78246
-
-      #set($input = $ctx.args.input)
-      $util.qr($input.put(\\"timestamp\\", $util.time.nowEpochSeconds()))
-$util.qr($input.put(\\"userEmail\\", $ctx.identity.resolverContext.userEmail))
-      {
-        \\"version\\": \\"2017-02-28\\",
-        \\"operation\\": \\"PutItem\\",
-        \\"key\\" : {
-      \\"id\\" : $util.dynamodb.toDynamoDBJson($util.autoId())
-    },
-        \\"attributeValues\\": $util.dynamodb.toMapValuesJson($input)
-      }",
-        "ResponseMappingTemplate": "$util.toJson($ctx.result)",
-        "TypeName": "Mutation",
-      },
-      "Type": "AWS::AppSync::Resolver",
-    },
     "pinboardappsyncapiitemtabledatasourceQuerylistItemsResolver15E3DD35": Object {
       "DependsOn": Array [
         "pinboardappsyncapiitemtabledatasourceFD08E0E9",
@@ -783,6 +786,94 @@ $util.qr($input.put(\\"userEmail\\", $ctx.identity.resolverContext.userEmail))
       },
       "Type": "AWS::IAM::Policy",
     },
+    "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsFB281B61": Object {
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "ApiId": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardappsyncapi9D519400",
+            "ApiId",
+          ],
+        },
+        "LambdaConfig": Object {
+          "LambdaFunctionArn": Object {
+            "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+              "pinboardnotificationslambdaC35CECF7",
+              "Arn",
+            ],
+          },
+        },
+        "Name": "notifications_lambda_ds",
+        "ServiceRoleArn": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsServiceRoleC527BA2E",
+            "Arn",
+          ],
+        },
+        "Type": "AWS_LAMBDA",
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::AppSync::DataSource",
+    },
+    "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsServiceRoleC527BA2E": Object {
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "AssumeRolePolicyDocument": Object {
+          "Statement": Array [
+            Object {
+              "Action": "sts:AssumeRole",
+              "Effect": "Allow",
+              "Principal": Object {
+                "Service": "appsync.amazonaws.com",
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+          "Version": "2012-10-17",
+        },
+        "Tags": Array [
+          Object {
+            "Key": "App",
+            "Value": "pinboard",
+          },
+          Object {
+            "Key": "Stack",
+            "Value": Object {
+              "Ref": "Stack",
+            },
+          },
+          Object {
+            "Key": "Stage",
+            "Value": Object {
+              "Ref": "Stage",
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::IAM::Role",
+    },
+    "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsServiceRoleDefaultPolicyC86ED932": Object {
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "PolicyDocument": Object {
+          "Statement": Array [
+            Object {
+              "Action": "lambda:InvokeFunction",
+              "Effect": "Allow",
+              "Resource": Object {
+                "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+                  "pinboardnotificationslambdaC35CECF7",
+                  "Arn",
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+          "Version": "2012-10-17",
+        },
+        "PolicyName": "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsServiceRoleDefaultPolicyC86ED932",
+        "Roles": Array [
+          Object {
+            "Ref": "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsServiceRoleC527BA2E",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::IAM::Policy",
+    },
     "pinboardappsyncapiusertabledatasource482E1AE5": Object {
       "Properties": Object {
         "ApiId": Object {
@@ -2254,6 +2345,38 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
       },
       "Type": "AWS::IAM::Policy",
     },
+    "pinboardinsertitempipelinefunction3F6F60CF": Object {
+      "DependsOn": Array [
+        "pinboardappsyncapiitemtabledatasourceFD08E0E9",
+        "pinboardappsyncapiSchema868D9F5B",
+      ],
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "ApiId": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardappsyncapi9D519400",
+            "ApiId",
+          ],
+        },
+        "DataSourceName": "item_table_datasource",
+        "FunctionVersion": "2018-05-29",
+        "Name": "insert_item",
+        "RequestMappingTemplate": "## schema checksum : 069f29169cf579ccf5c31b1d41c78246
+
+      #set($input = $ctx.args.input)
+      $util.qr($input.put(\\"timestamp\\", $util.time.nowEpochSeconds()))
+$util.qr($input.put(\\"userEmail\\", $ctx.identity.resolverContext.userEmail))
+      {
+        \\"version\\": \\"2017-02-28\\",
+        \\"operation\\": \\"PutItem\\",
+        \\"key\\" : {
+      \\"id\\" : $util.dynamodb.toDynamoDBJson($util.autoId())
+    },
+        \\"attributeValues\\": $util.dynamodb.toMapValuesJson($input)
+      }",
+        "ResponseMappingTemplate": "$util.toJson($ctx.result)",
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::AppSync::FunctionConfiguration",
+    },
     "pinboarditemtable83382753": Object {
       "DeletionPolicy": "Retain",
       "Properties": Object {
@@ -2382,6 +2505,9 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
         "Environment": Object {
           "Variables": Object {
             "APP": "pinboard",
+            "NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_URL": Object {
+              "Ref": "pinboardnotificationslambdasqsC013918E",
+            },
             "STACK": Object {
               "Ref": "Stack",
             },
@@ -2435,23 +2561,6 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
       },
       "Type": "AWS::Lambda::Function",
     },
-    "pinboardnotificationslambdaDynamoDBEventSourcePinBoardStackpinboarditemtableB307C42935A18399": Object {
-      "Properties": Object {
-        "BatchSize": 100,
-        "EventSourceArn": Object {
-          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
-            "pinboarditemtable83382753",
-            "StreamArn",
-          ],
-        },
-        "FunctionName": Object {
-          "Ref": "pinboardnotificationslambdaC35CECF7",
-        },
-        "MaximumBatchingWindowInSeconds": 10,
-        "StartingPosition": "LATEST",
-      },
-      "Type": "AWS::Lambda::EventSourceMapping",
-    },
     "pinboardnotificationslambdaServiceRole2F6EBFE9": Object {
       "Properties": Object {
         "AssumeRolePolicyDocument": Object {
@@ -2525,6 +2634,16 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
                 ],
               },
             },
+            Object {
+              "Action": "sqs:SendMessage",
+              "Effect": "Allow",
+              "Resource": Object {
+                "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+                  "pinboardnotificationslambdasqsC013918E",
+                  "Arn",
+                ],
+              },
+            },
             Object {
               "Action": Array [
                 "dynamodb:BatchGetItem",
@@ -2549,22 +2668,19 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
                 },
               ],
             },
-            Object {
-              "Action": "dynamodb:ListStreams",
-              "Effect": "Allow",
-              "Resource": "*",
-            },
             Object {
               "Action": Array [
-                "dynamodb:DescribeStream",
-                "dynamodb:GetRecords",
-                "dynamodb:GetShardIterator",
+                "sqs:ReceiveMessage",
+                "sqs:ChangeMessageVisibility",
+                "sqs:GetQueueUrl",
+                "sqs:DeleteMessage",
+                "sqs:GetQueueAttributes",
               ],
               "Effect": "Allow",
               "Resource": Object {
                 "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
-                  "pinboarditemtable83382753",
-                  "StreamArn",
+                  "pinboardnotificationslambdasqsC013918E",
+                  "Arn",
                 ],
               },
             },
@@ -2580,6 +2696,69 @@ $util.toJson($ctx.result)",
       },
       "Type": "AWS::IAM::Policy",
     },
+    "pinboardnotificationslambdaSqsEventSourcePinBoardStackpinboardnotificationslambdasqs6993908FF9F3EA04": Object {
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "EventSourceArn": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardnotificationslambdasqsC013918E",
+            "Arn",
+          ],
+        },
+        "FunctionName": Object {
+          "Ref": "pinboardnotificationslambdaC35CECF7",
+        },
+        "FunctionResponseTypes": Array [
+          "ReportBatchItemFailures",
+        ],
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::Lambda::EventSourceMapping",
+    },
+    "pinboardnotificationslambdasqsC013918E": Object {
+      "DeletionPolicy": "Delete",
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "Tags": Array [
+          Object {
+            "Key": "App",
+            "Value": "pinboard",
+          },
+          Object {
+            "Key": "Stack",
+            "Value": Object {
+              "Ref": "Stack",
+            },
+          },
+          Object {
+            "Key": "Stage",
+            "Value": Object {
+              "Ref": "Stage",
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
+      "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
+    },
+    "pinboardqueuenotificationpipelinefunction6293EB5F": Object {
+      "DependsOn": Array [
+        "pinboardappsyncapinotificationslambdadsFB281B61",
+        "pinboardappsyncapiSchema868D9F5B",
+      ],
+      "Properties": Object {
+        "ApiId": Object {
+          "Fn::GetAtt": Array [
+            "pinboardappsyncapi9D519400",
+            "ApiId",
+          ],
+        },
+        "DataSourceName": "notifications_lambda_ds",
+        "FunctionVersion": "2018-05-29",
+        "Name": "queue_notification",
+        "RequestMappingTemplate": "## schema checksum : 069f29169cf579ccf5c31b1d41c78246
+{\\"version\\": \\"2017-02-28\\", \\"operation\\": \\"Invoke\\", \\"payload\\": $util.toJson($ctx.prev.result)}",
+        "ResponseMappingTemplate": "$util.toJson($ctx.result)",
+      },
+      "Type": "AWS::AppSync::FunctionConfiguration",
+    },
     "pinboardusersrefresherlambda2D488032": Object {
       "DependsOn": Array [
         "pinboardusersrefresherlambdaServiceRoleDefaultPolicy0F8B88A3",
diff --git a/notifications-lambda/run.ts b/notifications-lambda/run.ts
index eba05324f..8eda2411e 100644
--- a/notifications-lambda/run.ts
+++ b/notifications-lambda/run.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 import { handler } from "./src";
+import { Item } from "../shared/graphql/graphql";
+import { SQSRecord } from "aws-lambda";
+
+const item: Item = {
+  pinboardId: "63923",
+  payload: null,
+  mentions: ["tom.richards@guardian.co.uk"],
+  userEmail: "tom.richards@guardian.co.uk",
+  id: "535b86e2-4f01-4f60-a2d0-a5e4f5a7d312",
+  message: "testing one two three",
+  type: "message-only",
+  timestamp: "1630517452",
+};
 
 handler({
   Records: [
     {
-      dynamodb: {
-        NewImage: {
-          pinboardId: { S: "63923" },
-          payload: { NULL: true },
-          mentions: { L: [{ S: "tom.richards@guardian.co.uk" }] },
-          userEmail: { S: "tom.richards@guardian.co.uk" },
-          id: { S: "535b86e2-4f01-4f60-a2d0-a5e4f5a7d312" },
-          message: { S: "testing one two three" },
-          type: { S: "message-only" },
-          timestamp: { N: "1630517452" },
-        },
-      },
-    },
+      body: JSON.stringify(item),
+    } as SQSRecord, // casting here to avoid populating loads of fields of SQSRecord which are not used by the handler
   ],
 });
diff --git a/notifications-lambda/src/index.ts b/notifications-lambda/src/index.ts
index 3b577680c..58299bed9 100644
--- a/notifications-lambda/src/index.ts
+++ b/notifications-lambda/src/index.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import { Key } from "aws-sdk/clients/dynamodb";
 import { Item, MyUser } from "../../shared/graphql/graphql";
 import { getEnvironmentVariableOrThrow } from "../../shared/environmentVariables";
 import { publicVapidKey } from "../../shared/constants";
-import { DynamoDBStreamEvent } from "aws-lambda";
 import { PushSubscription } from "web-push";
+import { SQSEvent } from "aws-lambda/trigger/sqs";
+import { isItem } from "../../shared/graphql/extraTypes";
 
 type UserWithWebPushSubscription = MyUser & {
   webPushSubscription: PushSubscription;
@@ -21,24 +22,36 @@ const isUserMentioned = (item: Item, user: MyUser) =>
 const doesUserManuallyHavePinboardOpen = (item: Item, user: MyUser) =>
   user.manuallyOpenedPinboardIds?.includes(item.pinboardId);
 
-export const handler = async (event: DynamoDBStreamEvent) => {
+export const handler = async (event: Item | SQSEvent) => {
+  console.dir(event);
+
+  if (isItem(event)) {
+    const item: Item = event;
+    const sqs = new AWS.SQS();
+    await sqs
+      .sendMessage({
+        QueueUrl: getEnvironmentVariableOrThrow("notificationQueueURL"),
+        DelaySeconds: 0,
+        MessageBody: JSON.stringify(item),
+      })
+      .promise()
+      .then((sqsResult) => console.log(sqsResult))
+      .catch((sqsError) =>
+        console.error("failed to queue item for notification", sqsError)
+      );
+    return item; // always return success so that pipeline never fails on this step
+  }
+
+  const items = event.Records.map(
+    (sqsRecord) => JSON.parse(sqsRecord.body) as Item
+  );
+
   const dynamo = new AWS.DynamoDB.DocumentClient(standardAwsConfig);
   const usersTableName = getEnvironmentVariableOrThrow("usersTableName");
   const privateVapidKey = await pinboardSecretPromiseGetter(
     "notifications/privateVapidKey"
   );
 
-  const items: Item[] = event.Records.reduce(
-    (acc, record) =>
-      record.dynamodb?.NewImage
-        ? [
-            ...acc,
-            AWS.DynamoDB.Converter.unmarshall(record.dynamodb.NewImage) as Item,
-          ]
-        : acc,
-    [] as Item[]
-  );
-
   const processPageOfUsers = async (startKey?: Key) => {
     const userResults = await dynamo
       .scan({
diff --git a/shared/environmentVariables.ts b/shared/environmentVariables.ts
index b10288935..cb291afae 100644
--- a/shared/environmentVariables.ts
+++ b/shared/environmentVariables.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export const ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_KEYS = {
   workflowDnsName: "WORKFLOW_DATASTORE_LOAD_BALANCER_DNS_NAME",
   graphqlEndpoint: "GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT",
   sentryDSN: "SENTRY_DSN",
+  notificationQueueURL: "NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_URL",
 };
 
 export const getEnvironmentVariableOrThrow = (
diff --git a/shared/graphql/extraTypes.ts b/shared/graphql/extraTypes.ts
index 01d87aef6..e77571d6d 100644
--- a/shared/graphql/extraTypes.ts
+++ b/shared/graphql/extraTypes.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { WorkflowStub } from "./graphql";
+import type { Item, WorkflowStub } from "./graphql";
 
 export type PinboardData = WorkflowStub;
 
@@ -14,3 +14,6 @@ export const isPinboardData = (
   !!maybePinboardData &&
   maybePinboardData !== "loading" &&
   maybePinboardData !== "notTrackedInWorkflow";
+
+export const isItem = (maybeItem: unknown): maybeItem is Item =>
+  !!maybeItem && typeof maybeItem === "object" && "pinboardId" in maybeItem;