diff --git a/lib/error.js b/lib/error.js
index de7ca437..fdb34774 100644
--- a/lib/error.js
+++ b/lib/error.js
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@ function register (errorName) {
 }
 
 register('BadNumberError')
+register('NoDataError')
diff --git a/lib/routes.js b/lib/routes.js
index d2940856..77982337 100644
--- a/lib/routes.js
+++ b/lib/routes.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 var BigNumber = require('bignumber.js')
 var logger = require('./logger')
 
+var E = require('./error')
+
 var mock = false
 
 var plugins
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ function buildRates () {
   var rates = {}
   cryptoCodes.forEach(function (cryptoCode) {
     var _rate = plugins.getDeviceRate(cryptoCode)
-    if (!_rate) return
+    if (!_rate) throw new E.NoDataError('No rate for ' + cryptoCode + ' yet')
     var rate = _rate.rates
     rates[cryptoCode] = {
       cashIn: rate.ask.times(cashInCommission),
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ function buildBalances () {
   var _balances = {}
   cryptoCodes.forEach(function (cryptoCode) {
     var balance = plugins.fiatBalance(cryptoCode)
+    if (!balance) throw new E.NoDataError('No balance for ' + cryptoCode + ' yet')
     _balances[cryptoCode] = balance
   })
 
@@ -65,8 +68,18 @@ function poll (req, res) {
 
   logger.debug('poll request from: %s', fingerprint)
 
-  var rates = buildRates()
-  var balances = buildBalances()
+  var rates
+  var balances
+
+  try {
+    rates = buildRates()
+    balances = buildBalances()
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof E.NoDataError) {
+      logger.debug(e)
+      return res.send(500)
+    }
+  }
 
   var config = plugins.getConfig()
   var settings = config.exchanges.settings
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 9e5994ab..ca7554e2 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 - change satoshis to crypto_atoms in db (ask neal about this)
 
-- on upgrade, make sure we're not sending out lots of notifications
+- on upgrade, make sure we're not sending out lots of notifications to users
+  - set notified to true on all transactions before running
 
------------------
+- handle redeems
+  - if fetchPhoneTx fails for trader, try raqia. Use record to update l-s db, and take it from there.
+  - should be safe because:
+    - impossible to dispense via raqia, we don't allow access anymore
+    - each new fetch will hit l-s db as usual
 
-If machine is polling when server starts:
+----
 
-TypeError: Cannot read property 'cashIn' of undefined
-    at /Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/lib/routes.js:83:22
-    at /Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/lib/plugins.js:271:12
-    at /Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/lib/postgresql_interface.js:619:7
-    at null.callback (/Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/lib/postgresql_interface.js:129:5)
-    at Query.handleReadyForQuery (/Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/node_modules/pg/lib/query.js:89:10)
-    at null.<anonymous> (/Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/node_modules/pg/lib/client.js:163:19)
-    at emitOne (events.js:82:20)
-    at emit (events.js:169:7)
-    at Socket.<anonymous> (/Users/josh/projects/lamassu-server/node_modules/pg/lib/connection.js:109:12)
-    at emitOne (events.js:77:13)
+UTC:
+http://justatheory.com/computers/databases/postgresql/use-timestamptz.html
+
+Upgrade instructions:
+
+AFTER migrating, set timezone in config to 'UTC', then restart server