diff --git a/uplc/src/plc.rs b/uplc/src/plc.rs
index 6e67e91..4df22b8 100644
--- a/uplc/src/plc.rs
+++ b/uplc/src/plc.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::db::{DB, OperationLogEntry};
 use color_eyre::eyre::{Result, eyre};
 use serde::Deserialize;
-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::{collections::HashMap, time::Duration};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct CreateOpV1 {
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ impl From<ExportedOp> for OperationLogEntry {
 
 const USER_AGENT: &str = "change-me (+https://willow.sh)";
 
+// todo look at switching to websocket after backfilled
 pub async fn run_plc_sync(db: DB) -> Result<()> {
     let client = reqwest::Client::builder().user_agent(USER_AGENT).build()?;
 
@@ -100,18 +101,23 @@ pub async fn run_plc_sync(db: DB) -> Result<()> {
                     .into()
             })
             .collect::<Vec<OperationLogEntry>>();
+        let count = ops.len();
 
-        if ops.is_empty() {
-            println!("no records returned, done!");
-            break;
+        if count == 0 {
+            println!("no ops returned, sleeping for 30 seconds");
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(30)).await;
+            continue;
         }
 
         println!("         found {} records", ops.len());
         after = ops.last().unwrap().seq;
-        total += ops.len();
+        total += count;
 
         db.upsert_operations(ops)?;
-    }
 
-    Ok(())
+        if count < 200 {
+            println!("only returned {} ops, sleeping for 10 seconds", count);
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
+        }
+    }
 }