diff --git a/pushserver/producers/syncapi.go b/pushserver/producers/syncapi.go
index 805964835..7b7e5c6b9 100644
--- a/pushserver/producers/syncapi.go
+++ b/pushserver/producers/syncapi.go
@@ -41,12 +41,11 @@ func (p *SyncAPI) SendAccountData(userID string, roomID string, dataType string)
 	}
 	m.Header.Set(jetstream.UserID, userID)
 
-	data := eventutil.AccountData{
+	var err error
+	m.Data, err = json.Marshal(eventutil.AccountData{
 		RoomID: roomID,
 		Type:   dataType,
-	}
-	var err error
-	m.Data, err = json.Marshal(data)
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/syncapi/consumers/pushserver.go b/syncapi/consumers/pushserver.go
index 38be7f0d1..76da03274 100644
--- a/syncapi/consumers/pushserver.go
+++ b/syncapi/consumers/pushserver.go
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ func (s *OutputNotificationDataConsumer) onMessage(ctx context.Context, msg *nat
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 			"user_id": userID,
 			"room_id": data.RoomID,
-		}).WithError(err).Panic("Could not save notification counts")
+		}).WithError(err).Error("Could not save notification counts")
+		return false
 	}
 
 	s.stream.Advance(streamPos)