diff --git a/controller/aof.go b/controller/aof.go
index 7381e874..efbb4731 100644
--- a/controller/aof.go
+++ b/controller/aof.go
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ func (c *Controller) queueHooks(d *commandDetailsT) error {
 		for _, msg := range hmsgs {
 			c.qidx++ // increment the log id
 			key := hookLogPrefix + uint64ToString(c.qidx)
-			_, _, err := tx.Set(key, string(msg), hookLogSetDefaults())
+			_, _, err := tx.Set(key, string(msg), hookLogSetDefaults)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/controller/hooks.go b/controller/hooks.go
index 17ce3eac..3b291940 100644
--- a/controller/hooks.go
+++ b/controller/hooks.go
@@ -17,16 +17,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tidwall/tile38/controller/server"
 )
 
-const hookLogTTL = time.Second * 30
-
-func hookLogSetDefaults() *buntdb.SetOptions {
-	if hookLogTTL > 0 {
-		return &buntdb.SetOptions{
-			Expires: true, // automatically delete after 30 seconds
-			TTL:     hookLogTTL,
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
+var hookLogSetDefaults = &buntdb.SetOptions{
+	Expires: true, // automatically delete after 30 seconds
+	TTL:     time.Second * 30,
 }
 
 type hooksByName []*Hook
@@ -424,8 +417,8 @@ func (h *Hook) Close() {
 // notify the manager that there may be something new in the queue.
 func (h *Hook) Signal() {
 	h.mu.Lock()
-	defer h.mu.Unlock()
 	h.cond.Broadcast()
+	h.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
 // the manager is a forever loop that calls proc whenever there's a signal.
@@ -456,8 +449,8 @@ func (h *Hook) manager() {
 func (h *Hook) proc() (ok bool) {
 	var keys, vals []string
 	var ttls []time.Duration
+	start := time.Now()
 	err := h.db.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
-
 		// get keys and vals
 		err := tx.AscendGreaterOrEqual("hooks", h.query, func(key, val string) bool {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(key, hookLogPrefix) {
@@ -472,15 +465,13 @@ func (h *Hook) proc() (ok bool) {
 
 		// delete the keys
 		for _, key := range keys {
-			if hookLogTTL > 0 {
-				ttl, err := tx.TTL(key)
-				if err != nil {
-					if err != buntdb.ErrNotFound {
-						return err
-					}
+			ttl, err := tx.TTL(key)
+			if err != nil {
+				if err != buntdb.ErrNotFound {
+					return err
 				}
-				ttls = append(ttls, ttl)
 			}
+			ttls = append(ttls, ttl)
 			_, err = tx.Delete(key)
 			if err != nil {
 				if err != buntdb.ErrNotFound {
@@ -514,22 +505,20 @@ func (h *Hook) proc() (ok bool) {
 			// failed to send. try to reinsert the remaining. if this fails we lose log entries.
 			keys = keys[i:]
 			vals = vals[i:]
-			if hookLogTTL > 0 {
-				ttls = ttls[i:]
-			}
+			ttls = ttls[i:]
 			h.db.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
 				for i, key := range keys {
 					val := vals[i]
-					var opts *buntdb.SetOptions
-					if hookLogTTL > 0 {
-						opts = &buntdb.SetOptions{
+					ttl := ttls[i] - time.Since(start)
+					if ttl > 0 {
+						opts := &buntdb.SetOptions{
 							Expires: true,
-							TTL:     ttls[i],
+							TTL:     ttl,
+						}
+						_, _, err := tx.Set(key, val, opts)
+						if err != nil {
+							return err
 						}
-					}
-					_, _, err := tx.Set(key, val, opts)
-					if err != nil {
-						return err
 					}
 				}
 				return nil