diff --git a/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/db-handler.ts b/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/db-handler.ts
index ca2fae60..33300d52 100644
--- a/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/db-handler.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/db-handler.ts
@@ -123,11 +123,14 @@ export class DbHandler {
     }
 
     async destoryConnection() {
+        const log = Logger("plebbit-js:local-subplebbit:dbHandler:destroyConnection");
         await this._knex!.destroy();
         await this._keyv.disconnect();
 
         //@ts-expect-error
         this._knex = this._keyv = undefined;
+
+        log("Destroyed DB connection to sub", this._subplebbit.address, "successfully");
     }
     async createTransaction(transactionId: string): Promise<Transaction> {
         assert(!this._currentTrxs[transactionId]);
diff --git a/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/local-subplebbit.ts b/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/local-subplebbit.ts
index f657d284..019c3ae3 100644
--- a/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/local-subplebbit.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/node/subplebbit/local-subplebbit.ts
@@ -1604,6 +1604,7 @@ export class LocalSubplebbit extends RpcLocalSubplebbit implements CreateNewLoca
 
     private async syncIpnsWithDb() {
         const log = Logger("plebbit-js:local-subplebbit:sync");
+        await this._dbHandler.initDbIfNeeded();
         await this._switchDbWhileRunningIfNeeded();
 
         try {
@@ -1802,7 +1803,9 @@ export class LocalSubplebbit extends RpcLocalSubplebbit implements CreateNewLoca
             throw e;
         }
 
-        this.syncIpnsWithDb()
+        this._publishLoopPromise = this.syncIpnsWithDb();
+
+        this._publishLoopPromise
             .then(() => this._publishLoop(this._plebbit.publishInterval))
             .catch((reason) => {
                 log.error(reason);
@@ -1852,7 +1855,10 @@ export class LocalSubplebbit extends RpcLocalSubplebbit implements CreateNewLoca
             } catch (e) {
                 log.error(`Failed to unlock start lock on sub (${this.address})`, e);
             }
-            if (this._publishLoopPromise) await this._publishLoopPromise; // should be in try/catch
+            if (this._publishLoopPromise) {
+                await this._publishLoopPromise; // should be in try/catch
+                this._publishLoopPromise = undefined;
+            }
             await this._clientsManager.pubsubUnsubscribe(this.pubsubTopicWithfallback(), this.handleChallengeExchange);
             this._setStartedState("stopped");
             await this._dbHandler.rollbackAllTransactions();
@@ -1866,6 +1872,7 @@ export class LocalSubplebbit extends RpcLocalSubplebbit implements CreateNewLoca
             this._setState("stopped");
         } else if (this.state === "updating") {
             clearTimeout(this._updateTimeout);
+            await this._dbHandler.destoryConnection();
             this._setUpdatingState("stopped");
             log(`Stopped the updating of local subplebbit (${this.address})`);
             this._setState("stopped");