diff --git a/cmd/vidforward/main.go b/cmd/vidforward/main.go
index 1d6ee8a7..7c3e7e8d 100644
--- a/cmd/vidforward/main.go
+++ b/cmd/vidforward/main.go
@@ -380,22 +380,26 @@ func (m *broadcastManager) getPipeline(ma MAC) (*revid.Revid, error) {
 		panic("shouldn't be getting pipeline if this mac isn't registered")
 	}
 
+	return m.initOrStartPipeline(b.rv, b.urls)
+}
+
+// initOrStartPipeline ensures that provided Revid pointer points to an
+// initialised and running revid pipeline. 
+func (m *broadcastManager) initOrStartPipeline(rv *revid.Revid, urls []string) (*revid.Revid, error){
 	var err error
-	if b.rv == nil {
-		b.rv, err = newRevid(m.log, b.urls)
+	if rv == nil {
+		rv, err = newRevid(m.log, urls)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not create new revid: %v",err)
 		}
 	}
-
-	if !b.rv.Running() {
-		err = b.rv.Start()
+	if !rv.Running() {
+		err = rv.Start()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not start revid pipeline: %v",err)
 		}
 	}
-
-	return b.rv, nil
+	return rv, nil
 }
 
 // getStatus gets the broadcast's status corresponding to the provided MAC.
@@ -432,15 +436,15 @@ func (m *broadcastManager) createOrUpdate(broadcast Broadcast) error {
 
 	// If there's no old broadcast, we need to create a new revid pipeline.
 	if !ok {
-		m.log.Debug("no old broadcast, creating new pipeline","mac",broadcast.mac)
-		var err error
-		broadcast.rv, err = newRevid(m.log, broadcast.urls)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("could not initialise revid: %w", err)
-		}
 		maybeOld = &broadcast
 	}
 
+	var err error 
+	maybeOld.rv, err = m.initOrStartPipeline(maybeOld.rv, broadcast.urls)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not get revid pipeline: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	// If the URLS have changed, we need to update the revid pipeline.
 	// We won't enter this if we've just created a new revid pipeline.
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(maybeOld.urls, broadcast.urls) {
@@ -480,9 +484,9 @@ func (m *broadcastManager) createOrUpdate(broadcast Broadcast) error {
 			signalCh := make(chan struct{})
 			m.slateExitSignals[broadcast.mac] = signalCh
 
-			err := writeSlateAndCheckErrors(maybeOld.rv, signalCh, m.log)
+			err = writeSlateAndCheckErrors(maybeOld.rv, signalCh, m.log)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return fmt.Errorf("could not write slate and check for errors: %w", err)
 			}
 		default:
 			return fmt.Errorf("unknown status string: %s", broadcast.status)
@@ -495,12 +499,6 @@ func (m *broadcastManager) createOrUpdate(broadcast Broadcast) error {
 	// And then replace the old record with the new one in the map.
 	m.broadcasts[broadcast.mac] = &broadcast
 
-	// Start the pipeline (it's a no-op if it's already started).
-	err := broadcast.rv.Start()
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not start revid pipeline: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }