diff --git a/src/core/ChatMessageBuffer.js b/src/core/ChatMessageBuffer.js
index 81e1127..5356eb5 100644
--- a/src/core/ChatMessageBuffer.js
+++ b/src/core/ChatMessageBuffer.js
@@ -11,12 +11,15 @@ import { Message, Channel } from '../data/sql';
 const MAX_BUFFER_TIME = 120000;
 
 class ChatMessageBuffer {
-  constructor() {
+  constructor(socketEvents) {
     this.buffer = new Map();
     this.timestamps = new Map();
 
     this.cleanBuffer = this.cleanBuffer.bind(this);
     this.cleanLoop = setInterval(this.cleanBuffer, 3 * 60 * 1000);
+    this.addMessage = this.addMessage.bind(this);
+    this.socketEvents = socketEvents;
+    socketEvents.on('chatMessage', this.addMessage);
   }
 
   async getMessages(cid, limit = 30) {
@@ -50,13 +53,17 @@ class ChatMessageBuffer {
     );
   }
 
-  async addMessage(
+  async broadcastChatMessage(
     name,
     message,
     cid,
     uid,
-    flag,
+    flag = 'xx',
+    sendapi = true,
   ) {
+    if (message.length > 200) {
+      return;
+    }
     Message.create({
       name,
       flag,
@@ -71,6 +78,27 @@ class ChatMessageBuffer {
         id: cid,
       },
     });
+    /*
+     * goes through socket events and then comes
+     * back at addMessage
+     */
+    this.socketEvents.broadcastChatMessage(
+      name,
+      message,
+      cid,
+      uid,
+      flag,
+      sendapi,
+    );
+  }
+
+  async addMessage(
+    name,
+    message,
+    cid,
+    uid,
+    flag,
+  ) {
     const messages = this.buffer.get(cid);
     if (messages) {
       messages.push([
diff --git a/src/core/ChatProvider.js b/src/core/ChatProvider.js
index 4ba0592..1643eb3 100644
--- a/src/core/ChatProvider.js
+++ b/src/core/ChatProvider.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export class ChatProvider {
       },
     ];
     this.mutedCountries = [];
-    this.chatMessageBuffer = new ChatMessageBuffer();
+    this.chatMessageBuffer = new ChatMessageBuffer(socketEvents);
     this.clearOldMessages = this.clearOldMessages.bind(this);
 
     socketEvents.on('recvChatMessage', async (user, message, channelId) => {
@@ -503,32 +503,8 @@ export class ChatProvider {
     return null;
   }
 
-  broadcastChatMessage(
-    name,
-    message,
-    channelId,
-    id,
-    country = 'xx',
-    sendapi = true,
-  ) {
-    if (message.length > 250) {
-      return;
-    }
-    this.chatMessageBuffer.addMessage(
-      name,
-      message,
-      channelId,
-      id,
-      country,
-    );
-    socketEvents.broadcastChatMessage(
-      name,
-      message,
-      channelId,
-      id,
-      country,
-      sendapi,
-    );
+  broadcastChatMessage(...args) {
+    return this.chatMessageBuffer.broadcastChatMessage(...args);
   }
 
   static async checkIfMuted(uid) {
diff --git a/src/core/ranking.js b/src/core/ranking.js
index be46ac4..30ed66f 100644
--- a/src/core/ranking.js
+++ b/src/core/ranking.js
@@ -33,17 +33,19 @@ class Ranks {
   }
 
   async updateRanking() {
-    logger.info('Update pixel rankings');
     if (socketEvents.amIImportant()) {
+      logger.info('Update pixel rankings in SQL');
       // recalculate ranking column
       await sequelize.query(
         // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
-        'SET @r=0; UPDATE Users SET ranking= @r:= (@r + 1) ORDER BY totalPixels DESC;',
+        'SET @r=0; UPDATE Users SET ranking= @r:= (@r + 1) WHERE totalPixels IS NOT NULL ORDER BY totalPixels DESC;',
       );
       await sequelize.query(
         // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
-        'SET @r=0; UPDATE Users SET dailyRanking= @r:= (@r + 1) ORDER BY dailyTotalPixels DESC;',
+        'SET @r=0; UPDATE Users SET dailyRanking= @r:= (@r + 1) WHERE dailyTotalPixels IS NOT NULL ORDER BY dailyTotalPixels DESC;',
       );
+    } else {
+      logger.info('Get pixel rankings from SQL');
     }
     // populate dictionaries
     const ranking = await RegUser.findAll({
@@ -64,7 +66,9 @@ class Ranks {
         ],
       ],
       limit: 100,
-      where: { id: { [Sequelize.Op.notIn]: [51, 1] } },
+      where: {
+        ranking: { [Sequelize.Op.not]: null },
+      },
       order: ['ranking'],
       raw: true,
     });
@@ -86,7 +90,9 @@ class Ranks {
         ],
       ],
       limit: 100,
-      where: { id: { [Sequelize.Op.notIn]: [51, 1] } },
+      where: {
+        dailyRanking: { [Sequelize.Op.not]: null },
+      },
       order: ['dailyRanking'],
       raw: true,
     });
diff --git a/src/ssr/Main.jsx b/src/ssr/Main.jsx
index 3e3afbd..6146edc 100644
--- a/src/ssr/Main.jsx
+++ b/src/ssr/Main.jsx
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function generateMainPage(req) {
   const ssvR = {
     ...ssv,
     shard: (host.startsWith(`${socketEvents.thisShard}.`))
-      ? '' : socketEvents.getLowestActiveShard(),
+      ? null : socketEvents.getLowestActiveShard(),
     lang: lang === 'default' ? 'en' : lang,
   };
   const scripts = (assets[`client-${lang}`])