diff --git a/lib/himbucks.go b/lib/himbucks.go
index 9a2f161..602f435 100644
--- a/lib/himbucks.go
+++ b/lib/himbucks.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package lib
 import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
-	"log"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/bwmarrin/discordgo"
@@ -21,42 +20,42 @@ type HimbucksEntry struct {
 	MessageCount int
 }
 
-func GetOrCreateHimbucksEntry(userID int, guildID string) error {
-	_, err := DBClient.Exec(`
-		INSERT INTO himbucks (user_id, guild_id, balance, message_count)
-		VALUES (?, ?, 0, 0)
-		ON CONFLICT (user_id, guild_id) DO NOTHING`,
-		userID, guildID)
-	return err
-}
-
 func ProcessMessage(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) error {
 	// Ignore bot messages
 	if m.Author.Bot {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Get user from database
+	// Get user from database, create if doesn't exist
 	var userID int
 	err := DBClient.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE discord_id = ?", m.Author.ID).Scan(&userID)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
 		// Store user in database
-		dbErr := StoreUser(m.Author.ID, m.Author.Username)
-		if dbErr != nil {
-			// Log the error but don't stop command execution
-			log.Printf("Error storing user: %v", dbErr)
+		err = StoreUser(m.Author.ID, m.Author.Username)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to store user: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get user: %w", err)
+		// Get the ID of the newly created user
+		err = DBClient.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE discord_id = ?", m.Author.ID).Scan(&userID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get new user ID: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to query user: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Ensure himbucks entry exists
-	err = GetOrCreateHimbucksEntry(userID, m.GuildID)
+	// Create himbucks entry if it doesn't exist
+	_, err = DBClient.Exec(`
+        INSERT INTO himbucks (user_id, guild_id, balance, message_count)
+        VALUES (?, ?, 0, 0)
+        ON CONFLICT (user_id, guild_id) DO NOTHING`,
+		userID, m.GuildID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create himbucks entry: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Update message count and check for rewards
+	// Continue with the rest of the message processing...
 	tx, err := DBClient.Begin()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start transaction: %w", err)
@@ -67,9 +66,9 @@ func ProcessMessage(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) error {
 	var lastEarnedAt sql.NullTime
 
 	err = tx.QueryRow(`
-		SELECT message_count, last_earned_at
-		FROM himbucks
-		WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
+        SELECT message_count, last_earned_at
+        FROM himbucks
+        WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
 		userID, m.GuildID).Scan(&messageCount, &lastEarnedAt)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get message count: %w", err)
@@ -81,15 +80,15 @@ func ProcessMessage(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) error {
 
 	if shouldReward {
 		_, err = tx.Exec(`
-			UPDATE himbucks
-			SET balance = balance + ?, message_count = 0, last_earned_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
-			WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
+            UPDATE himbucks
+            SET balance = balance + ?, message_count = 0, last_earned_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+            WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
 			HimbucksPerReward, userID, m.GuildID)
 	} else {
 		_, err = tx.Exec(`
-			UPDATE himbucks
-			SET message_count = ?
-			WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
+            UPDATE himbucks
+            SET message_count = ?
+            WHERE user_id = ? AND guild_id = ?`,
 			messageCount, userID, m.GuildID)
 	}