diff --git a/hermes/src/aggregate.rs b/hermes/src/aggregate.rs
index 81b0b56a25..d88d5db26d 100644
--- a/hermes/src/aggregate.rs
+++ b/hermes/src/aggregate.rs
@@ -264,23 +264,22 @@ pub async fn store_update(state: &State, update: Update) -> Result<()> {
     // Update the aggregate state
     let mut aggregate_state = state.aggregate_state.write().await;
 
-    // Check if the update is new or out of order
-    match aggregate_state.latest_completed_slot {
+    // Send update event to subscribers. We are purposefully ignoring the result
+    // because there might be no subscribers.
+    let _ = match aggregate_state.latest_completed_slot {
         None => {
             aggregate_state.latest_completed_slot.replace(slot);
-            state.api_update_tx.send(AggregationEvent::New { slot })?;
+            state.api_update_tx.send(AggregationEvent::New { slot })
         }
         Some(latest) if slot > latest => {
             state.prune_removed_keys(message_state_keys).await;
             aggregate_state.latest_completed_slot.replace(slot);
-            state.api_update_tx.send(AggregationEvent::New { slot })?;
+            state.api_update_tx.send(AggregationEvent::New { slot })
         }
-        _ => {
-            state
-                .api_update_tx
-                .send(AggregationEvent::OutOfOrder { slot })?;
-        }
-    }
+        _ => state
+            .api_update_tx
+            .send(AggregationEvent::OutOfOrder { slot }),
+    };
 
     aggregate_state.latest_completed_slot = aggregate_state
         .latest_completed_slot
diff --git a/hermes/src/network/wormhole.rs b/hermes/src/network/wormhole.rs
index 1a6f03d9b4..d96aad2c79 100644
--- a/hermes/src/network/wormhole.rs
+++ b/hermes/src/network/wormhole.rs
@@ -225,7 +225,10 @@ pub async fn process_message(state: Arc<State>, vaa_bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Result<()
     )?;
 
     // Finally, store the resulting VAA in Hermes.
-    store_vaa(state.clone(), vaa.sequence, vaa_bytes).await?;
+    let sequence = vaa.sequence;
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        store_vaa(state.clone(), sequence, vaa_bytes).await;
+    });
 
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -334,16 +337,14 @@ pub fn verify_vaa<'a>(
 }
 
 #[tracing::instrument(skip(state, vaa_bytes))]
-pub async fn store_vaa(state: Arc<State>, sequence: u64, vaa_bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Result<()> {
+pub async fn store_vaa(state: Arc<State>, sequence: u64, vaa_bytes: Vec<u8>) {
     // Check VAA hasn't already been seen, this may have been checked previously
-    // but due to async nature It's possible other threads have mutated the state
+    // but due to async nature it's possible other threads have mutated the state
     // since this VAA started processing.
     let mut observed_vaa_seqs = state.observed_vaa_seqs.write().await;
-    ensure!(
-        !observed_vaa_seqs.contains(&sequence),
-        "Previously observed VAA: {}",
-        sequence,
-    );
+    if observed_vaa_seqs.contains(&sequence) {
+        return;
+    }
 
     // Clear old cached VAA sequences.
     while observed_vaa_seqs.len() > OBSERVED_CACHE_SIZE {
@@ -351,5 +352,9 @@ pub async fn store_vaa(state: Arc<State>, sequence: u64, vaa_bytes: Vec<u8>) ->
     }
 
     // Hand the VAA to the aggregate store.
-    crate::aggregate::store_update(&state, crate::aggregate::Update::Vaa(vaa_bytes)).await
+    if let Err(e) =
+        crate::aggregate::store_update(&state, crate::aggregate::Update::Vaa(vaa_bytes)).await
+    {
+        tracing::error!(error = ?e, "Failed to store VAA in aggregate store.");
+    }
 }