diff --git a/bkapi/src/main.rs b/bkapi/src/main.rs
index d12fe88..a477d2a 100644
--- a/bkapi/src/main.rs
+++ b/bkapi/src/main.rs
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ async fn search_nats(
     tracing::info!("subscribing to searches");
 
     let client = Arc::new(client);
+    let max_distance = config.max_distance;
 
     let mut sub = client
         .queue_subscribe("bkapi.search".to_string(), "bkapi-search".to_string())
@@ -312,30 +313,54 @@ async fn search_nats(
             }
         };
 
-        let payloads: Vec<SearchPayload> =
-            serde_json::from_slice(&message.payload).map_err(Error::Data)?;
-
-        let tree = tree.clone();
-        let client = client.clone();
-        let max_distance = config.max_distance;
-
-        tokio::task::spawn(
-            async move {
-                let hashes = payloads.into_iter().map(|payload| tree::HashDistance {
-                    hash: payload.hash,
-                    distance: payload.distance.clamp(0, max_distance),
-                });
-
-                let results = tree.find(hashes).await;
-
-                client
-                    .publish(reply, serde_json::to_vec(&results).unwrap_or_log().into())
-                    .await
-                    .unwrap_or_log();
-            }
-            .in_current_span(),
-        );
+        if let Err(err) = handle_search_nats(
+            max_distance,
+            client.clone(),
+            tree.clone(),
+            reply,
+            &message.payload,
+        )
+        .await
+        {
+            tracing::error!("could not handle nats search: {err}");
+        }
     }
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+async fn handle_search_nats(
+    max_distance: u32,
+    client: Arc<async_nats::Client>,
+    tree: tree::Tree,
+    reply: String,
+    payload: &[u8],
+) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    let payloads: Vec<SearchPayload> = serde_json::from_slice(payload).map_err(Error::Data)?;
+
+    tokio::task::spawn(
+        async move {
+            let hashes = payloads.into_iter().map(|payload| tree::HashDistance {
+                hash: payload.hash,
+                distance: payload.distance.clamp(0, max_distance),
+            });
+
+            let results = tree.find(hashes).await;
+
+            if let Err(err) = client
+                .publish(
+                    reply,
+                    serde_json::to_vec(&results)
+                        .expect_or_log("results could not be serialized")
+                        .into(),
+                )
+                .await
+            {
+                tracing::error!("could not publish results: {err}");
+            }
+        }
+        .in_current_span(),
+    );
+
+    Ok(())
+}