diff --git a/api.py b/api.py
index 2c5ba62..a5669a1 100644
--- a/api.py
+++ b/api.py
@@ -28,11 +28,8 @@ import config
 
 
 def CreateChannel(google_user, client, client_address, instance_id, args):
-  instance = models.Instance.FindOrCreate(instance_id)
-
-  if instance.polling:
-    instance.polling = False
-    instance.save()
+  instance = models.Instance.FindOrCreate(instance_id, polling=False)
+  assert not instance.polling
 
   token = channel.create_channel(
       client_id=instance_id,
@@ -56,11 +53,8 @@ def CreateChannel(google_user, client, client_address, instance_id, args):
 
 
 def Poll(google_user, client, client_address, instance_id, args):
-  instance = models.Instance.FindOrCreate(instance_id)
-
-  if not instance.polling:
-    instance.polling = True
-    instance.save()
+  instance = models.Instance.FindOrCreate(instance_id, polling=True, active=True)
+  assert instance.polling
 
   events = []
   if google_user:
diff --git a/lib/models.py b/lib/models.py
index 253fb38..30734bf 100644
--- a/lib/models.py
+++ b/lib/models.py
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ class Instance(db.Model):
     return cls.get_by_key_name(instance_id)
 
   @classmethod
-  def FindOrCreate(cls, instance_id, polling=False):
+  def FindOrCreate(cls, instance_id, **kwargs):
     logging.info('Instance: %s', instance_id)
-    return cls.get_or_insert(instance_id, polling=polling)
+    return cls.get_or_insert(instance_id, **kwargs)
 
   def GetSubscriptions(self):
     return (
         Subscription.all()
-        .filter('instance=', self))
+        .filter('instance =', self))
 
 
 class Subject(db.Model):
@@ -412,7 +412,8 @@ class Subscription(db.Model):
       cls(parent=subject,
           instance=instance,
           readable_only_by_me=readable_only_by_me,
-          writable_only_by_me=writable_only_by_me).put()
+          writable_only_by_me=writable_only_by_me,
+          polling=polling).put()
     return subject.GetEvents(messages, last_id, request)
 
   @classmethod
@@ -432,7 +433,7 @@ class Subscription(db.Model):
   def SendMessage(self, msg):
     encoded = json.dumps(msg, default=utils.EncodeJSON)
     if self.polling:
-      Event(parent=this,
+      Event(parent=self,
             json=encoded).save()
     else:
       instance_key = Subscription.instance.get_value_for_datastore(self)
@@ -445,7 +446,7 @@ class Subscription(db.Model):
         .ancestor(self))
     ret = []
     for e in events:
-      if e in acks:
+      if str(e.key()) in acks:
         e.delete()
       else:
         ret.append(e.ToEvent())