diff --git a/ipc/sidecar.js b/ipc/sidecar.js
index 5f9178df..213bbf75 100644
--- a/ipc/sidecar.js
+++ b/ipc/sidecar.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const parse = require('../lib/parse')
 const { discoveryKey } = require('hypercore-crypto')
 const { isWindows, isMac } = require('which-runtime')
 const { SWAP, INTERNAL_UNSAFE, SPINDOWN_TIMEOUT, DESKTOP_RUNTIME, SOCKET_PATH, PLATFORM_DIR } = require('../lib/constants')
+const safetyCatch = require('safety-catch')
 
 const { constructor: AGF } = async function * () {}
 
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ module.exports = class IPC {
   constructor ({ updater, drive, corestore }) {
     this.updater = updater
     if (this.updater) {
-      this.updater.on('update', (checkout) => this.updateNotify(checkout))
+      // TODO: await and debounce?
+      this.updater.on('update', (checkout) => this.updateNotify(checkout).catch(safetyCatch))
     }
 
     this.server = Pipe.createServer()
diff --git a/lib/bundle.js b/lib/bundle.js
index 70393af9..b29b29f7 100644
--- a/lib/bundle.js
+++ b/lib/bundle.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const Tracer = require('./tracer')
 const Replicator = require('./replicator')
 const { SWAP } = require('./constants')
 const releaseWatcher = require('./release-watcher')
+const safetyCatch = require('safety-catch')
 const noop = Function.prototype
 
 module.exports = class Bundle {
@@ -59,7 +60,11 @@ module.exports = class Bundle {
     } else {
       this.replicator = null
     }
-    if (typeof updateNotify === 'function') this.#updates(updateNotify)
+
+    // TODO: why is this called here? this.#updates awaits this.ready()
+    // so we end up running the ready logic before the constructor fully ran
+    // which crashes because this.initializing is not yet set
+    if (typeof updateNotify === 'function') this.#updates(updateNotify).catch(safetyCatch)
 
     this.release = null
 
@@ -86,12 +91,12 @@ module.exports = class Bundle {
       if (this.updatesDiff) {
         this.watchingUpdates = watch(this.drive)
         for await (const { key, length, fork, diff } of this.watchingUpdates) {
-          updateNotify({ key, length, fork }, { link: this.link, diff })
+          await updateNotify({ key, length, fork }, { link: this.link, diff })
         }
       } else {
         this.watchingUpdates = releaseWatcher(this.drive.version || 0, this.drive)
         for await (const upd of this.watchingUpdates) {
-          updateNotify(
+          await updateNotify(
             { key: this.hexKey, length: upd.length, fork: upd.fork },
             { link: this.link, diff: null }
           )
diff --git a/lib/engine.js b/lib/engine.js
index a0437e49..3029c93a 100644
--- a/lib/engine.js
+++ b/lib/engine.js
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class Engine extends ReadyResource {
 
             try {
               await this.engine.updater.wait(checkout)
-              this.engine.sidecar.updateNotify(checkout)
+              await this.engine.sidecar.updateNotify(checkout)
               return true
             } catch (err) {
               this.report({ err })