diff --git a/revid/revid.go b/revid/revid.go
index 6d52be59..f7313b57 100644
--- a/revid/revid.go
+++ b/revid/revid.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"bitbucket.org/ausocean/av/stream"
@@ -121,6 +122,8 @@ type Revid struct {
 	// isRunning is a loaded and cocked foot-gun.
 	isRunning bool
 
+	mu sync.Mutex
+
 	err chan error
 }
 
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ func New(c Config, ns *netsender.Sender) (*Revid, error) {
 	return &r, nil
 }
 
+// TODO: put more thought into error severity
 func (r *Revid) handleErrors() {
 	for {
 		err := <-r.err
@@ -317,18 +321,21 @@ func (r *Revid) reset(config Config) error {
 
 // IsRunning returns whether the receiver is running.
 func (r *Revid) IsRunning() bool {
-	return r.isRunning
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	ret := r.isRunning
+	r.mu.Unlock()
+	return ret
 }
 
 // Start invokes a Revid to start processing video from a defined input
 // and packetising (if theres packetization) to a defined output.
 func (r *Revid) Start() error {
-	if r.isRunning {
+	if r.IsRunning() {
 		return errors.New(pkg + "start called but revid is already running")
 	}
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"starting Revid")
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Debug, pkg+"setting up output")
-	r.isRunning = true
+	r.setIsRunning(true)
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"starting output routine")
 	go r.outputClips()
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"setting up input and receiving content")
@@ -338,12 +345,12 @@ func (r *Revid) Start() error {
 
 // Stop halts any processing of video data from a camera or file
 func (r *Revid) Stop() error {
-	if !r.isRunning {
+	if !r.IsRunning() {
 		return errors.New(pkg + "stop called but revid is already stopped")
 	}
 
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"stopping revid")
-	r.isRunning = false
+	r.setIsRunning(false)
 
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"killing input proccess")
 	// If a cmd process is running, we kill!
@@ -359,7 +366,7 @@ func (r *Revid) outputClips() {
 	lastTime := time.Now()
 	var count int
 loop:
-	for r.isRunning {
+	for r.IsRunning() {
 		// If the ring buffer has something we can read and send off
 		chunk, err := r.buffer.Next(readTimeout)
 		switch err {
@@ -403,7 +410,7 @@ loop:
 							err = rs.restart()
 							if err != nil {
 								r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Error, pkg+"failed to restart rtmp session", "error", err.Error())
-								r.isRunning = false
+								r.setIsRunning(false)
 								return
 							}
 
@@ -494,10 +501,16 @@ func (r *Revid) startRaspivid() error {
 		r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"cannot start raspivid", "error", err.Error())
 	}
 
-	go r.transcode(stdout, time.Duration(0))
+	go r.processFrom(stdout, time.Duration(0))
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (r *Revid) setIsRunning(b bool) {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	r.isRunning = b
+	r.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
 func (r *Revid) startV4L() error {
 	const defaultVideo = "/dev/video0"
 
@@ -542,7 +555,7 @@ func (r *Revid) startV4L() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	go r.transcode(stdout, time.Duration(0))
+	go r.processFrom(stdout, time.Duration(0))
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -557,11 +570,11 @@ func (r *Revid) setupInputForFile() error {
 	defer f.Close()
 
 	// TODO(kortschak): Maybe we want a context.Context-aware parser that we can stop.
-	go r.transcode(f, time.Second/time.Duration(r.config.FrameRate))
+	go r.processFrom(f, time.Second/time.Duration(r.config.FrameRate))
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (r *Revid) transcode(read io.Reader, delay time.Duration) {
+func (r *Revid) processFrom(read io.Reader, delay time.Duration) {
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"reading input data")
 	r.err <- r.lexTo(r.encoder, read, delay)
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"finished reading input data")