diff --git a/cmd/run.go b/cmd/run.go
index 2ad8f543..c640c9e1 100644
--- a/cmd/run.go
+++ b/cmd/run.go
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ var runCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 		rcq := rewardsCalculatorQueue.NewRewardsCalculatorQueue(rc, l)
 
+		go rcq.Process()
+
 		p := pipeline.NewPipeline(fetchr, idxr, mds, sm, rc, rcq, cfg, sdc, l)
 
 		// Create new sidecar instance
diff --git a/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/handler.go b/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/handler.go
index ff15a8f7..05ab9350 100644
--- a/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/handler.go
+++ b/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/handler.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ func (rcq *RewardsCalculatorQueue) processMessage(msg *RewardsCalculationMessage
 	default:
 		response.Error = fmt.Errorf("unknown calculation type %s", msg.Data.CalculationType)
 	}
-
+	if msg.ResponseChan == nil {
+		rcq.logger.Sugar().Errorw("No response channel for rewards calculation message", "data", msg.Data)
+		return
+	}
 	msg.ResponseChan <- response
 }
diff --git a/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/queue.go b/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/queue.go
index 36abb793..533cc5b1 100644
--- a/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/queue.go
+++ b/pkg/rewardsCalculatorQueue/queue.go
@@ -11,10 +11,9 @@ func NewRewardsCalculatorQueue(rc *rewards.RewardsCalculator, logger *zap.Logger
 	queue := &RewardsCalculatorQueue{
 		logger:            logger,
 		rewardsCalculator: rc,
-		queue:             make(chan *RewardsCalculationMessage),
+		// allow the queue to buffer up to 100 messages
+		queue: make(chan *RewardsCalculationMessage, 100),
 	}
-	go queue.Process()
-
 	return queue
 }
 
@@ -38,8 +37,10 @@ func (rcq *RewardsCalculatorQueue) EnqueueAndWait(ctx context.Context, data Rewa
 
 	select {
 	case response := <-responseChan:
+		rcq.logger.Sugar().Infow("Received rewards calculation response")
 		return response.Data, response.Error
 	case <-ctx.Done():
+		rcq.logger.Sugar().Infow("Received context.Done()")
 		return nil, ctx.Err()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/rpcServer/rewardsHandlers.go b/pkg/rpcServer/rewardsHandlers.go
index 0cd87ec5..499a1b4a 100644
--- a/pkg/rpcServer/rewardsHandlers.go
+++ b/pkg/rpcServer/rewardsHandlers.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ func (rpc *RpcServer) GenerateRewardsRoot(ctx context.Context, req *sidecarV1.Ge
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.InvalidArgument, "snapshot date is required")
 	}
 
+	rpc.Logger.Sugar().Infow("Requesting rewards generation for snapshot date",
+		zap.String("cutoffDate", cutoffDate),
+	)
 	_, err := rpc.rewardsQueue.EnqueueAndWait(context.Background(), rewardsCalculatorQueue.RewardsCalculationData{
 		CalculationType: rewardsCalculatorQueue.RewardsCalculationType_CalculateRewards,
 		CutoffDate:      cutoffDate,
@@ -63,6 +66,9 @@ func (rpc *RpcServer) GenerateRewardsRoot(ctx context.Context, req *sidecarV1.Ge
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.Internal, err.Error())
 	}
 
+	rpc.Logger.Sugar().Infow("Getting max snapshot for cutoff date",
+		zap.String("cutoffDate", cutoffDate),
+	)
 	rewardsCalcEndDate, err := rpc.rewardsCalculator.GetMaxSnapshotDateForCutoffDate(cutoffDate)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.Internal, err.Error())