diff --git a/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py b/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
index 75a5d020..a4e11698 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/config/management/commands/ta_startup.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         self.stdout.write(TOPIC)
         self._sync_redis_state()
         self._make_folders()
-        self._release_locks()
+        self._clear_redis_keys()
         self._clear_tasks()
         self._clear_dl_cache()
         self._version_check()
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
 
         self.stdout.write(self.style.SUCCESS("    ✓ expected folders created"))
 
-    def _release_locks(self):
-        """make sure there are no leftover locks set in redis"""
-        self.stdout.write("[3] clear leftover locks in redis")
-        all_locks = [
+    def _clear_redis_keys(self):
+        """make sure there are no leftover locks or keys set in redis"""
+        self.stdout.write("[3] clear leftover keys in redis")
+        all_keys = [
             "dl_queue_id",
             "dl_queue",
             "downloading",
@@ -85,19 +85,22 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             "rescan",
             "run_backup",
             "startup_check",
+            "reindex:ta_video",
+            "reindex:ta_channel",
+            "reindex:ta_playlist",
         ]
 
         redis_con = RedisArchivist()
         has_changed = False
-        for lock in all_locks:
-            if redis_con.del_message(lock):
+        for key in all_keys:
+            if redis_con.del_message(key):
                 self.stdout.write(
-                    self.style.SUCCESS(f"    ✓ cleared lock {lock}")
+                    self.style.SUCCESS(f"    ✓ cleared key {key}")
                 )
                 has_changed = True
 
         if not has_changed:
-            self.stdout.write(self.style.SUCCESS("    no locks found"))
+            self.stdout.write(self.style.SUCCESS("    no keys found"))
 
     def _clear_tasks(self):
         """clear tasks and messages"""
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/index/reindex.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/index/reindex.py
index 53b62d13..224e542c 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/index/reindex.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/index/reindex.py
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class Reindex(ReindexBase):
             return
 
         for name, index_config in self.REINDEX_CONFIG.items():
-            if not RedisQueue(index_config["queue_name"]).has_item():
+            if not RedisQueue(index_config["queue_name"]).length():
                 continue
 
             self.total = RedisQueue(index_config["queue_name"]).length()
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/ta_redis.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/ta_redis.py
index b492aaf7..dd9ac511 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/ta_redis.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/ta_redis.py
@@ -100,61 +100,49 @@ class RedisArchivist(RedisBase):
 
 
 class RedisQueue(RedisBase):
-    """dynamically interact with queues in redis"""
+    """
+    dynamically interact with queues in redis using sorted set
+    - low score number is first in queue
+    - add new items with high score number
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, queue_name: str):
         super().__init__()
         self.key = f"{self.NAME_SPACE}{queue_name}"
 
-    def get_all(self):
+    def get_all(self) -> list[str]:
         """return all elements in list"""
-        result = self.conn.execute_command("LRANGE", self.key, 0, -1)
+        result = self.conn.zrange(self.key, 0, -1)
         return result
 
     def length(self) -> int:
         """return total elements in list"""
-        return self.conn.execute_command("LLEN", self.key)
+        return self.conn.zcard(self.key)
 
     def in_queue(self, element) -> str | bool:
         """check if element is in list"""
-        result = self.conn.execute_command("LPOS", self.key, element)
+        result = self.conn.zrank(self.key, element)
         if result is not None:
             return "in_queue"
 
         return False
 
-    def add_list(self, to_add):
+    def add_list(self, to_add: list) -> None:
         """add list to queue"""
-        self.conn.execute_command("RPUSH", self.key, *to_add)
-
-    def add_priority(self, to_add: str) -> None:
-        """add single video to front of queue"""
-        item: str = json.dumps(to_add)
-        self.clear_item(item)
-        self.conn.execute_command("LPUSH", self.key, item)
+        mapping = {i: "+inf" for i in to_add}
+        self.conn.zadd(self.key, mapping)
 
     def get_next(self) -> str | bool:
-        """return next element in the queue, False if none"""
-        result = self.conn.execute_command("LPOP", self.key)
+        """return next element in the queue, if available"""
+        result = self.conn.zpopmin(self.key)
+        if not result:
+            return False
 
-        return result
+        return result[0][0]
 
     def clear(self) -> None:
         """delete list from redis"""
-        self.conn.execute_command("DEL", self.key)
-
-    def clear_item(self, to_clear: str) -> None:
-        """remove single item from list if it's there"""
-        self.conn.execute_command("LREM", self.key, 0, to_clear)
-
-    def trim(self, size: int) -> None:
-        """trim the queue based on settings amount"""
-        self.conn.execute_command("LTRIM", self.key, 0, size)
-
-    def has_item(self) -> bool:
-        """check if queue as at least one pending item"""
-        result = self.conn.execute_command("LRANGE", self.key, 0, 0)
-        return bool(result)
+        self.conn.delete(self.key)
 
 
 class TaskRedis(RedisBase):