diff --git a/internal/database/sync.go b/internal/database/sync.go
index bb9aced..728ad3d 100644
--- a/internal/database/sync.go
+++ b/internal/database/sync.go
@@ -224,24 +224,44 @@ func (src *DB) SyncTo(dst *DB) {
 var syncQueue = make(chan interface{})
 
 // Sync all databases to disk in a goroutine using a debouncer
-//TODO: add `force` param to force sync
 func cacheSyncScheduler(input <-chan interface{}) {
 	log.Debug("starting cache sync scheduler")
 
+	queue := make(chan interface{}, 100)
+
+
+	intervalOpt, err := config.GetModOpt("database", "sync-interval")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	intervalInt, ok := intervalOpt.(int)
+
+	if !ok {
+		log.Fatalf("sync-interval is not an int")
+	} else {
+		log.Debugf("db sync-interval: %d seconds", intervalInt)
+	}
+
+	interval := time.Duration(intervalInt) * time.Second
+
+
+	// TODO: set as global options
 	// debounce interval
-	queue := make(chan<- interface{}, 100)
-	interval := 4 * time.Second
 	timer := time.NewTimer(0)
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-input:
-			log.Debug("debouncing sync to disk")
+			// log.Debug("debouncing sync to disk")
 			timer.Reset(interval)
+			// log.Debugf("sync que len is %d", len(queue))
 			select {
 			case queue <- true:
-				// Writing to queue would not block
+				// Writing to queue will not block
+				// log.Debug("pushed sync to disk to queue")
 			default:
-				log.Critical("cache sync queue is full, something is wrong")
+				log.Debug("queue is full, dropping sync to disk request")
+				continue
 			}
 		case <-timer.C:
 			if len(queue) > 0 {
@@ -252,12 +272,17 @@ func cacheSyncScheduler(input <-chan interface{}) {
 				if err := Cache.DB.SyncToDisk(GetDBFullPath()); err != nil {
 					log.Fatalf("failed to sync cache to disk: %s", err)
 				}
-				queue = make(chan<- interface{})
+
+				// empty the queue
+				for len(queue) > 0 {
+					<-queue
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+//TODO: add `force` param to force sync
 func ScheduleSyncToDisk() {
 	go func() {
 		log.Debug("received sync to disk request")
@@ -371,6 +396,8 @@ func (dst *DB) SyncFromDisk(dbpath string) error {
 func (src *DB) CopyTo(dst *DB) {
 
 	log.Debugf("Copying <%s> to <%s>", src.Name, dst.Name)
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
 
 	srcDB, err := sqlx.Open(DriverBackupMode, src.Path)
 	defer func() {
@@ -405,3 +432,27 @@ func (src *DB) CopyTo(dst *DB) {
 
 	bk.Finish()
 }
+
+func (src *DB) SyncToCache() error {
+	if Cache.DB == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cache db is nil")
+	}
+
+	empty, err := Cache.DB.IsEmpty() 
+
+
+	//TODO!: if the error is table is not "non existant table" return the error
+	// otherwise move on and check if error is table does not exist
+	sql3err, isSQL3Err := err.(sqlite3.Error)
+	if err != nil && sql3err.Code != sqlite3.ErrError {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error checking if cache is empty: %w", err)
+	}
+	if empty || ( isSQL3Err && sql3err.Code == sqlite3.ErrError) {
+		log.Debugf("cache is empty, copying <%s> to <%s>", src.Name, CacheName)
+		src.CopyTo(Cache.DB)
+	} else {
+		log.Debugf("syncing <%s> to cache", src.Name)
+		src.SyncTo(Cache.DB)
+	}
+	return nil
+}