diff --git a/src/fetcher.rs b/src/fetcher.rs
index 86f2d0cc..c1a2d614 100644
--- a/src/fetcher.rs
+++ b/src/fetcher.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,12 @@ impl Fetcher {
         // We can't fetch as we are not async and we don't want to block the caller.
         // So we save this request as pending, and ask the syncer to sync us.
         self.pending.write().unwrap().insert(url);
-        let _ = GLOBALS.to_syncer.send("sync_fetcher".to_owned());
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            if let Err(e) = GLOBALS.fetcher.sync().await {
+                tracing::error!("Problem fetching from web: {}", e);
+            }
+        });
+
         Ok(None)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/globals.rs b/src/globals.rs
index ed7c059f..9307a5c9 100644
--- a/src/globals.rs
+++ b/src/globals.rs
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@ pub struct Globals {
     /// and stolen away when the Overlord is created.
     pub tmp_overlord_receiver: Mutex<Option<mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<BusMessage>>>,
 
-    /// This is an mpsc channel. The Syncer listens on it.
-    /// To create a sender, just clone() it.
-    pub to_syncer: mpsc::UnboundedSender<String>,
-
-    /// This is ephemeral. It is filled during lazy_static initializtion,
-    /// and stolen away when the Syncer is created.
-    pub tmp_syncer_receiver: Mutex<Option<mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<String>>>,
-
     /// All nostr events, keyed by the event Id
     pub events: RwLock<HashMap<Id, Event>>,
 
@@ -95,16 +87,11 @@ lazy_static! {
         // Setup a communications channel from the Minions to the Overlord.
         let (to_overlord, tmp_overlord_receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
 
-        // Setup a communications channel from the UI (or anybody else) to the Syncer.
-        let (to_syncer, tmp_syncer_receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
-
         Globals {
             db: Mutex::new(None),
             to_minions,
             to_overlord,
             tmp_overlord_receiver: Mutex::new(Some(tmp_overlord_receiver)),
-            to_syncer,
-            tmp_syncer_receiver: Mutex::new(Some(tmp_syncer_receiver)),
             events: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
             incoming_events: RwLock::new(Vec::new()),
             relationships: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a9c5f967..caec20bb 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ mod process;
 mod relationship;
 mod settings;
 mod signer;
-mod syncer;
 mod ui;
 
 use crate::comms::BusMessage;
@@ -75,20 +74,6 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
 }
 
 async fn tokio_main() {
-    // note: we don't get a spawn handle here, we don't signal this thread when we are exiting,
-    // we just let it die when tokio_main() exits. I think that is ok.
-    tokio::task::spawn(async move {
-        // Steal `tmp_syncer_receiver` from the GLOBALS, and give it to a new Syncer
-        let syncer_receiver = {
-            let mut mutex_option = GLOBALS.tmp_syncer_receiver.lock().await;
-            mem::replace(mutex_option.deref_mut(), None)
-        }
-        .unwrap();
-
-        let mut syncer = crate::syncer::Syncer::new(syncer_receiver);
-        syncer.run().await;
-    });
-
     // Steal `tmp_overlord_receiver` from the GLOBALS, and give it to a new Overlord
     let overlord_receiver = {
         let mut mutex_option = GLOBALS.tmp_overlord_receiver.lock().await;
diff --git a/src/syncer.rs b/src/syncer.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index e40894dd..00000000
--- a/src/syncer.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-use crate::globals::GLOBALS;
-use tokio::sync::mpsc;
-
-pub struct Syncer {
-    incoming: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<String>,
-}
-
-impl Syncer {
-    pub fn new(incoming: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<String>) -> Syncer {
-        Syncer { incoming }
-    }
-
-    pub async fn run(&mut self) {
-        loop {
-            let message = self.incoming.recv().await;
-
-            if message.is_none() {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            let message = message.unwrap();
-
-            match &*message {
-                "sync_fetcher" => {
-                    if let Err(e) = GLOBALS.fetcher.sync().await {
-                        tracing::error!("Problem fetching from web: {}", e);
-                    }
-                }
-                _ => {
-                    tracing::debug!("Syncer received unknown message: {}", message);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}