diff --git a/apps/api/src/server.ts b/apps/api/src/server.ts
index 9d03d4a..900d6e6 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/server.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/server.ts
@@ -250,9 +250,9 @@ export const app = new Elysia()
     });
 
 app.listen(3000, async () => {
-    log.info({ port: 3000 }, "server started")
     if (cluster.worker?.id === 1) {
-        await syncService.nextSync().catch((err) => log.error({ err }, "failed to resume product sync queue"));
+        log.info({ port: 3000 }, "server started")
+        await syncService.syncNext().catch((err) => log.error({ err }, "failed to resume product sync queue"));
     }
 });
 
diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/sync.ts b/apps/api/src/services/sync.ts
index 4da95a1..62e0c7c 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/services/sync.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/sync.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export class SyncService {
 
     async sync(queuedSync: QueuedSync) {
         let id = queuedSync.id ?? null;
+        let freedSlot = false;
         try {
             log.info("starting sync run");
             await this.productSyncer.sync({
@@ -31,13 +32,14 @@ export class SyncService {
                         printful_product_id_filter: queuedSync.filter?.printfulProductIds ?? null,
                     };
                     if (id) {
-                        // Guard against another worker/machine having already claimed
-                        // this queued row between `queue.front()` and now.
                         const result = await db.updateTable("product_syncs")
                             .set(values)
                             .where("id", "=", id)
                             .where("started_at", "is", null)
                             .executeTakeFirst();
+
+                        // Guard against another worker/machine having already claimed
+                        // this queued row between `queue.front()` and now.
                         if (result.numUpdatedRows === 0n) throw new AlreadyClaimedError();
                     }
                     else {
@@ -61,9 +63,7 @@ export class SyncService {
                         .set({ syncing_printful_product_ids: [], ended_at: completionDate })
                         .where("id", "=", id)
                         .execute();
-
-                    // Sync next item in queue
-                    await this.nextSync();
+                    freedSlot = true;
                 }
             });
         }
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ export class SyncService {
 
             const activeSyncConflict = activeSync && err instanceof DatabaseError && err.code === "23505";
             if (activeSyncConflict) {
-                // If active sync has been syncing for too long, clear it and retry this sync
-                const TEN_MIN = 600000;
-                if (Date.now() - (activeSync.started_at?.getTime() ?? 0) > TEN_MIN) {
+                // If active sync has been syncing for 10 min (600000ms), clear it and retry this sync
+                if (Date.now() - (activeSync.started_at?.getTime() ?? 0) > 600000) {
                     log.info("already active sync exceeded timeout");
                     await db.updateTable("product_syncs")
                         .set({ syncing_printful_product_ids: [], ended_at: new Date(), has_failed: true })
@@ -98,14 +97,18 @@ export class SyncService {
                         .set({ syncing_printful_product_ids: [], ended_at: new Date(), has_failed: true })
                         .where("id", "=", id)
                         .execute();
+                    freedSlot = true;
                 }
                 throw err;
             }
-
+        }
+        finally {
+            if (freedSlot)
+                this.syncNext().catch((err) => log.error({ err }, "failed to process next queued sync"));
         }
     }
 
-    async nextSync() {
+    async syncNext() {
         const nextSync = await this.queue.front();
         if (nextSync) {
             await this.sync({