diff --git a/smartapps/initialstate-events/initial-state-event-streamer.src/initial-state-event-streamer.groovy b/smartapps/initialstate-events/initial-state-event-streamer.src/initial-state-event-streamer.groovy
index d82ccb3..b4cf20b 100644
--- a/smartapps/initialstate-events/initial-state-event-streamer.src/initial-state-event-streamer.groovy
+++ b/smartapps/initialstate-events/initial-state-event-streamer.src/initial-state-event-streamer.groovy
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ def setBucketKey() {
 		atomicState.bucketName = "$newBucketName"
 		atomicState.isBucketCreated = false
 	}
+
+	tryCreateBucket()
 }
 
 def setAccessKey() {
@@ -224,12 +226,12 @@ def setAccessKey() {
 }
 
 def installed() {
-	atomicState.version = "1.0.17"
+	atomicState.version = "1.0.18"
 	subscribeToEvents()
 
 	atomicState.isBucketCreated = false
 	atomicState.grokerSubdomain = "groker"
-	atomicState.eventBuffer = [];
+	atomicState.eventBuffer = []
 
 	runEvery15Minutes(flushBuffer)
 
@@ -242,22 +244,31 @@ def updated() {
 	if (atomicState.bucketKey != null && atomicState.accessKey != null) {
 		atomicState.isBucketCreated = false
 	}
-	
+	if (atomicState.eventBuffer == null) {
+		atomicState.eventBuffer = []
+	}
+
 	subscribeToEvents()
 
 	log.debug "updated (version $atomicState.version)"
 }
 
 def uninstalled() {
-	unsubscribe()
-	unschedule()
 	log.debug "uninstalled (version $atomicState.version)"
 }
 
-def createBucket() {
+def tryCreateBucket() {
+	
+	// if the bucket has already been created, no need to continue
+	if (atomicState.isBucketCreated) {
+		return
+	}
 
 	if (!atomicState.bucketName) {
     	atomicState.bucketName = atomicState.bucketKey
+    }
+    if (!atomicState.accessKey) {
+    	return
     }
 	def bucketName = "${atomicState.bucketName}"
 	def bucketKey = "${atomicState.bucketKey}"
@@ -301,13 +312,7 @@ def genericHandler(evt) {
 	}
 	def value = "$evt.value"
 
-	if (atomicState.accessKey == null || atomicState.bucketKey == null) {
-		return
-	}
-
-	if (!atomicState.isBucketCreated) {
-		createBucket()
-	}
+	tryCreateBucket()
 
 	eventHandler(key, value)
 }
@@ -317,28 +322,34 @@ def genericHandler(evt) {
 def flushBuffer() {
 	log.trace "About to flush the buffer on schedule"
 	if (atomicState.eventBuffer != null && atomicState.eventBuffer.size() > 0) {
-		shipEvents();
+		tryShipEvents()
 	}
 }
 
 def eventHandler(name, value) {
-	log.debug atomicState.eventBuffer;
+	log.debug atomicState.eventBuffer
 
-	def eventBuffer = atomicState.eventBuffer;
-	def epoch = now() / 1000;
+	def eventBuffer = atomicState.eventBuffer
+	def epoch = now() / 1000
 	eventBuffer << [key: "$name", value: "$value", epoch: "$epoch"]
 	
-	log.debug eventBuffer;
+	log.debug eventBuffer
 
-	atomicState.eventBuffer = eventBuffer;
+	atomicState.eventBuffer = eventBuffer
 
 	if (eventBuffer.size() >= 10) {
-		shipEvents();
+		tryShipEvents()
 	}
 }
 
 // a helper function for shipping the atomicState.eventBuffer to Initial State
-def shipEvents() {
+def tryShipEvents() {
+
+	// can't ship if access key and bucket key are null, so finish trying
+	if (atomicState.accessKey == null || atomicState.bucketKey == null) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	def eventPost = [
 		uri: "https://${atomicState.grokerSubdomain}.initialstate.com/api/events",
 		headers: [
@@ -348,7 +359,7 @@ def shipEvents() {
 			"Accept-Version": "0.0.2"
 		],
 		body: atomicState.eventBuffer
-	];
+	]
 
 	try {
 		// post the events to initial state
@@ -358,7 +369,7 @@ def shipEvents() {
 				log.error "shipping failed... ${resp.data}"
 			} else {
 				// clear the buffer
-				atomicState.eventBuffer = [];
+				atomicState.eventBuffer = []
 			}
 		}
 	} catch (e) {