diff --git a/app/Console/Commands/SendRemindersCron.php b/app/Console/Commands/SendRemindersCron.php
index ad0b99387..0e0550d9e 100644
--- a/app/Console/Commands/SendRemindersCron.php
+++ b/app/Console/Commands/SendRemindersCron.php
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use App\Utils\Traits\MakesReminders;
 use Illuminate\Console\Command;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\App;
 
+//@deprecated 27-11-2022 - only ever should be used for testing
 class SendRemindersCron extends Command
 {
     use MakesReminders, MakesDates;
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/InvoiceController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/InvoiceController.php
index b81b4a476..c9df6ee84 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/InvoiceController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/InvoiceController.php
@@ -428,13 +428,13 @@ class InvoiceController extends BaseController
 
         event(new InvoiceWasUpdated($invoice, $invoice->company, Ninja::eventVars(auth()->user() ? auth()->user()->id : null)));
 
-        $transaction = [
-            'invoice' => $invoice->transaction_event(),
-            'payment' => [],
-            'client' => $invoice->client->transaction_event(),
-            'credit' => [],
-            'metadata' => [],
-        ];
+        // $transaction = [
+        //     'invoice' => $invoice->transaction_event(),
+        //     'payment' => [],
+        //     'client' => $invoice->client->transaction_event(),
+        //     'credit' => [],
+        //     'metadata' => [],
+        // ];
 
         // TransactionLog::dispatch(TransactionEvent::INVOICE_UPDATED, $transaction, $invoice->company->db);
 
diff --git a/app/Jobs/Company/CompanyExport.php b/app/Jobs/Company/CompanyExport.php
index f523c91b3..5da3430b6 100644
--- a/app/Jobs/Company/CompanyExport.php
+++ b/app/Jobs/Company/CompanyExport.php
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ use Illuminate\Queue\SerializesModels;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\App;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 
+use function Amp\call;
+
 class CompanyExport implements ShouldQueue
 {
     use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels, MakesHash;
@@ -531,6 +533,15 @@ class CompanyExport implements ShouldQueue
 
         $path = 'backups';
 
+        Storage::makeDirectory(public_path('storage/backups/'));
+
+        try {
+            mkdir(public_path('storage/backups/'));
+        }
+        catch(\Exception $e) {
+            nlog("could not create directory");
+        }
+
         $zip_path = public_path('storage/backups/'.$file_name);
         $zip = new \ZipArchive();
 
diff --git a/app/Listeners/Invoice/InvoiceFailedEmailNotification.php b/app/Listeners/Invoice/InvoiceFailedEmailNotification.php
index 8ab0e0949..ac100e0e4 100644
--- a/app/Listeners/Invoice/InvoiceFailedEmailNotification.php
+++ b/app/Listeners/Invoice/InvoiceFailedEmailNotification.php
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class InvoiceFailedEmailNotification
         $first_notification_sent = true;
 
         $invoice = $event->invitation->invoice;
-        $invoice->update(['last_sent_date' => now()]);
+        // $invoice->update(['last_sent_date' => now()]);
 
         $nmo = new NinjaMailerObject;
         $nmo->mailable = new NinjaMailer((new EntityFailedSendObject($event->invitation, 'invoice', $event->template, $event->message))->build());
diff --git a/app/PaymentDrivers/Stripe/SEPA.php b/app/PaymentDrivers/Stripe/SEPA.php
index c002d08f1..0b817b814 100644
--- a/app/PaymentDrivers/Stripe/SEPA.php
+++ b/app/PaymentDrivers/Stripe/SEPA.php
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class SEPA
         $this->stripe->payment_hash->data = array_merge((array) $this->stripe->payment_hash->data, $request->all());
         $this->stripe->payment_hash->save();
 
-        if (property_exists($gateway_response, 'status') && ($gateway_response->status == 'processing' || $gateway_response->status === 'succeeded')) {
+        if (property_exists($gateway_response, 'status') && ($gateway_response->status == 'processing' || $gateway_response->status == 'succeeded')) {
             if ($request->store_card) {
                 $this->storePaymentMethod($gateway_response);
             }
diff --git a/app/Services/Client/ClientService.php b/app/Services/Client/ClientService.php
index 9b9da5dfa..54bfcb799 100644
--- a/app/Services/Client/ClientService.php
+++ b/app/Services/Client/ClientService.php
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ class ClientService
         try {
             \DB::connection(config('database.default'))->transaction(function () use($amount) {
 
-                nlog("inside transaction - updating balance by {$amount}");
-
                 $this->client = Client::withTrashed()->where('id', $this->client->id)->lockForUpdate()->first();
                 $this->client->balance += $amount;
                 $this->client->save();
diff --git a/config/queue.php b/config/queue.php
index 412282299..18666fc43 100644
--- a/config/queue.php
+++ b/config/queue.php
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ return [
             'connection' => env('REDIS_QUEUE_CONNECTION', 'default'),
             'queue' => env('REDIS_QUEUE', 'default'),
             'retry_after' => 90000000,
-            'block_for' => null,
+            'block_for' => 1,
             'after_commit' => false,
         ],