diff --git a/collect/stressRelief/stress_relief_redis.go b/collect/stressRelief/stress_relief_redis.go
index 9decd2aef1..ee453b2ea1 100644
--- a/collect/stressRelief/stress_relief_redis.go
+++ b/collect/stressRelief/stress_relief_redis.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ type StressRelief struct {
 	stayOnUntil        time.Time
 	minDuration        time.Duration
 	identification     string
+	stressGossipCh     chan []byte
 
 	eg *errgroup.Group
 
@@ -104,46 +105,59 @@ func (s *StressRelief) Start() error {
 	s.stressLevels = make(map[string]stressReport)
 	s.done = make(chan struct{})
 
-	s.eg = &errgroup.Group{}
-
 	s.Health.Register(stressReliefHealthSource, 5*calculationInterval)
 
 	s.RefineryMetrics.Register("cluster_stress_level", "gauge")
 	s.RefineryMetrics.Register("individual_stress_level", "gauge")
 	s.RefineryMetrics.Register("stress_relief_activated", "gauge")
 
-	if err := s.Gossip.Subscribe("stress_level", s.onStressLevelMessage); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	s.stressGossipCh = s.Gossip.Subscribe("stress_level", 20)
+	s.eg = &errgroup.Group{}
+	s.eg.Go(s.monitor)
+
+	return nil
+}
 
-	// start our monitor goroutine that periodically calls recalc
-	s.eg.Go(func() error {
-		tick := time.NewTicker(calculationInterval)
-		defer tick.Stop()
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-tick.C:
-				currentLevel := s.Recalc()
-				// publish the stress level to the rest of the cluster
-				msg := stressLevelMessage{
-					level: currentLevel,
-					id:    s.identification,
-				}
-				err := s.Gossip.Publish("stress_level", msg.ToBytes())
-				if err != nil {
-					s.Logger.Error().Logf("error publishing stress level: %s", err)
-				} else {
-					s.Health.Ready(stressReliefHealthSource, true)
-				}
-			case <-s.done:
-				s.Logger.Debug().Logf("Stopping StressRelief system")
-				return nil
+func (s *StressRelief) monitor() error {
+	tick := time.NewTicker(calculationInterval)
+	defer tick.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-tick.C:
+			currentLevel := s.Recalc()
+			// publish the stress level to the rest of the cluster
+			msg := stressLevelMessage{
+				level: currentLevel,
+				id:    s.identification,
+			}
+			err := s.Gossip.Publish("stress_level", msg.ToBytes())
+			if err != nil {
+				s.Logger.Error().Logf("error publishing stress level: %s", err)
+			} else {
+				s.Health.Ready(stressReliefHealthSource, true)
 			}
-		}
 
-	})
+		case data := <-s.stressGossipCh:
+			msg, err := newMessageFromBytes(data)
+			if err != nil {
+				s.Logger.Error().Logf("error parsing stress level message: %s", err)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			s.lock.Lock()
+			s.stressLevels[msg.id] = stressReport{
+				key:       msg.id,
+				level:     msg.level,
+				timestamp: s.Clock.Now(),
+			}
+			s.lock.Unlock()
+
+		case <-s.done:
+			s.Logger.Debug().Logf("Stopping StressRelief system")
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
 
-	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *StressRelief) Stop() error {
@@ -311,22 +325,6 @@ func (s *StressRelief) deterministicFraction() uint {
 	return uint(float64(s.overallStressLevel-s.activateLevel)/float64(100-s.activateLevel)*100 + 0.5)
 }
 
-func (s *StressRelief) onStressLevelMessage(data []byte) {
-	msg, err := newMessageFromBytes(data)
-	if err != nil {
-		s.Logger.Error().Logf("error parsing stress level message: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
-
-	s.lock.Lock()
-	s.stressLevels[msg.id] = stressReport{
-		key:       msg.id,
-		level:     msg.level,
-		timestamp: s.Clock.Now(),
-	}
-	s.lock.Unlock()
-}
-
 type stressReport struct {
 	key   string
 	level uint
diff --git a/internal/gossip/gossip.go b/internal/gossip/gossip.go
index 29b8a11bca..3662a00086 100644
--- a/internal/gossip/gossip.go
+++ b/internal/gossip/gossip.go
@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@ package gossip
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"errors"
 
 	"github.com/facebookgo/startstop"
-	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 )
 
 // Gossiper is an interface for broadcasting messages to all receivers
@@ -14,80 +12,15 @@ type Gossiper interface {
 	// Publish sends a message to all peers listening on the channel
 	Publish(channel string, value []byte) error
 
-	// Subscribe listens for messages on the channel
-	Subscribe(channel string, callback func(data []byte)) error
+	// Subscribe returns a Go channel that will receive messages from the Gossip channel
+	// (Redis already called the thing we listen to a channel, so we have to live with that)
+	// The channel has a buffer of depth; if the buffer is full, messages will be dropped.
+	Subscribe(channel string, depth int) chan []byte
 
 	startstop.Starter
 	startstop.Stopper
 }
 
-var _ Gossiper = &InMemoryGossip{}
-
-// InMemoryGossip is a Gossiper that uses an in-memory channel
-type InMemoryGossip struct {
-	channel     chan []byte
-	subscribers map[string][]func(data []byte)
-
-	done chan struct{}
-	eg   *errgroup.Group
-}
-
-func (g *InMemoryGossip) Publish(channel string, value []byte) error {
-	msg := message{
-		key:  channel,
-		data: value,
-	}
-
-	select {
-	case <-g.done:
-		return errors.New("gossip has been stopped")
-	case g.channel <- msg.ToBytes():
-	default:
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (g *InMemoryGossip) Subscribe(channel string, callback func(data []byte)) error {
-	select {
-	case <-g.done:
-		return errors.New("gossip has been stopped")
-	default:
-	}
-
-	g.subscribers[channel] = append(g.subscribers[channel], callback)
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (g *InMemoryGossip) Start() error {
-	g.channel = make(chan []byte, 10)
-	g.eg = &errgroup.Group{}
-	g.subscribers = make(map[string][]func(data []byte))
-	g.done = make(chan struct{})
-
-	g.eg.Go(func() error {
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-g.done:
-				return nil
-			case value := <-g.channel:
-				msg := newMessageFromBytes(value)
-				callbacks := g.subscribers[msg.key]
-
-				for _, cb := range callbacks {
-					cb(msg.data)
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	})
-
-	return nil
-}
-func (g *InMemoryGossip) Stop() error {
-	close(g.done)
-	close(g.channel)
-	return g.eg.Wait()
-}
-
 type message struct {
 	key  string
 	data []byte
diff --git a/internal/gossip/gossip_inmem.go b/internal/gossip/gossip_inmem.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b476781d0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/gossip/gossip_inmem.go
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package gossip
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/honeycombio/refinery/logger"
+	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
+)
+
+// InMemoryGossip is a Gossiper that uses an in-memory channel
+type InMemoryGossip struct {
+	Logger        logger.Logger `inject:""`
+	gossipCh      chan []byte
+	subscriptions map[string][]chan []byte
+
+	done chan struct{}
+	mut  sync.RWMutex
+	eg   *errgroup.Group
+}
+
+var _ Gossiper = &InMemoryGossip{}
+
+func (g *InMemoryGossip) Publish(channel string, value []byte) error {
+	msg := message{
+		key:  channel,
+		data: value,
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case <-g.done:
+		return errors.New("gossip has been stopped")
+	case g.gossipCh <- msg.ToBytes():
+	default:
+		g.Logger.Warn().WithFields(map[string]interface{}{
+			"channel": channel,
+			"msg":     string(value),
+		}).Logf("Unable to publish message")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (g *InMemoryGossip) Subscribe(channel string, depth int) chan []byte {
+	select {
+	case <-g.done:
+		return nil
+	default:
+	}
+
+	ch := make(chan []byte, depth)
+	g.mut.Lock()
+	g.subscriptions[channel] = append(g.subscriptions[channel], ch)
+	g.mut.Unlock()
+
+	return ch
+}
+
+func (g *InMemoryGossip) Start() error {
+	g.gossipCh = make(chan []byte, 10)
+	g.eg = &errgroup.Group{}
+	g.subscriptions = make(map[string][]chan []byte)
+	g.done = make(chan struct{})
+
+	g.eg.Go(func() error {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-g.done:
+				return nil
+			case value := <-g.gossipCh:
+				msg := newMessageFromBytes(value)
+				g.mut.RLock()
+				for _, ch := range g.subscriptions[msg.key] {
+					select {
+					case ch <- msg.data:
+					default:
+						g.Logger.Warn().WithFields(map[string]interface{}{
+							"channel": msg.key,
+							"msg":     string(msg.data),
+						}).Logf("Unable to forward message")
+					}
+				}
+				g.mut.RUnlock()
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (g *InMemoryGossip) Stop() error {
+	close(g.done)
+	close(g.gossipCh)
+	return g.eg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/internal/gossip/gossip_redis.go b/internal/gossip/gossip_redis.go
index b3392fd0d2..93af233793 100644
--- a/internal/gossip/gossip_redis.go
+++ b/internal/gossip/gossip_redis.go
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ type GossipRedis struct {
 	Logger logger.Logger `inject:""`
 	eg     *errgroup.Group
 
-	lock        sync.RWMutex
-	subscribers map[string][]func(data []byte)
-	done        chan struct{}
+	lock          sync.RWMutex
+	subscriptions map[string][]chan []byte
+	done          chan struct{}
 
 	startstop.Stopper
 }
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type GossipRedis struct {
 func (g *GossipRedis) Start() error {
 	g.eg = &errgroup.Group{}
 	g.done = make(chan struct{})
-	g.subscribers = make(map[string][]func(data []byte))
+	g.subscriptions = make(map[string][]chan []byte)
 
 	g.eg.Go(func() error {
 		for {
@@ -46,14 +46,22 @@ func (g *GossipRedis) Start() error {
 				err := g.Redis.ListenPubSubChannels(nil, func(channel string, b []byte) {
 					msg := newMessageFromBytes(b)
 					g.lock.RLock()
-					callbacks := g.subscribers[msg.key]
+					chans := g.subscriptions[msg.key]
 					g.lock.RUnlock()
-					for _, cb := range callbacks {
-						cb(msg.data)
+					// we never block on sending to a subscriber; if it's full, we drop the message
+					for _, ch := range chans {
+						select {
+						case ch <- msg.data:
+						default:
+							g.Logger.Warn().WithFields(map[string]interface{}{
+								"channel": msg.key,
+								"msg":     string(msg.data),
+							}).Logf("Unable to forward message")
+						}
 					}
 				}, g.done, "refinery-gossip")
 				if err != nil {
-					g.Logger.Debug().Logf("Error listening to refinery-gossip channel: %v", err)
+					g.Logger.Warn().Logf("Error listening to refinery-gossip channel: %v", err)
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -68,20 +76,21 @@ func (g *GossipRedis) Stop() error {
 	return g.eg.Wait()
 }
 
-// Subscribe registers a callback for a given channel.
-func (g *GossipRedis) Subscribe(channel string, cb func(data []byte)) error {
+// Subscribe returns a channel that will receive messages from the Gossip channel.
+// The channel has a buffer of depth; if the buffer is full, messages will be dropped.
+func (g *GossipRedis) Subscribe(channel string, depth int) chan []byte {
 	select {
 	case <-g.done:
-		return errors.New("gossip has been stopped")
+		return nil
 	default:
 	}
 
+	ch := make(chan []byte, depth)
 	g.lock.Lock()
 	defer g.lock.Unlock()
-	g.subscribers[channel] = append(g.subscribers[channel], cb)
-
-	return nil
+	g.subscriptions[channel] = append(g.subscriptions[channel], ch)
 
+	return ch
 }
 
 // Publish sends a message to all subscribers of a given channel.
diff --git a/internal/gossip/gossip_redis_test.go b/internal/gossip/gossip_redis_test.go
index e12ebada56..c0fdc3195e 100644
--- a/internal/gossip/gossip_redis_test.go
+++ b/internal/gossip/gossip_redis_test.go
@@ -2,15 +2,17 @@ package gossip
 
 import (
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/honeycombio/refinery/config"
 	"github.com/honeycombio/refinery/logger"
 	"github.com/honeycombio/refinery/metrics"
 	"github.com/honeycombio/refinery/redis"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-func TestRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+func TestRoundTripChanRedis(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := config.MockConfig{
 		GetRedisHostVal: "localhost:6379",
 	}
@@ -30,18 +32,74 @@ func TestRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 
 	require.NoError(t, g.Start())
 
-	// Test that we can register a handler
-	require.NoError(t, g.Subscribe("test", func(data []byte) {
-		require.Equal(t, "hi", string(data))
-	}))
+	ch := g.Subscribe("test", 10)
+	require.NotNil(t, ch)
 
-	require.NoError(t, g.Subscribe("test2", func(data []byte) {
-		require.Equal(t, "bye", string(data))
-	}))
+	ch2 := g.Subscribe("test2", 10)
+	require.NotNil(t, ch2)
+
+	// This test is flaky unless we throw away the first message
+	g.Publish("throwaway", []byte("nevermind"))
 
 	// Test that we can publish a message
 	require.NoError(t, g.Publish("test", []byte("hi")))
 	require.NoError(t, g.Publish("test2", []byte("bye")))
 
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+		return len(ch) == 1 && len(ch2) == 1
+	}, 5*time.Second, 200*time.Millisecond)
+
+	select {
+	case hi := <-ch:
+		require.Equal(t, "hi", string(hi))
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("expected to receive a message on channel 'test'")
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case bye := <-ch2:
+		require.Equal(t, "bye", string(bye))
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("expected to receive a message on channel 'test2'")
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, g.Stop())
+}
+
+func TestRoundTripChanInMem(t *testing.T) {
+	g := &InMemoryGossip{}
+
+	require.NoError(t, g.Start())
+
+	ch := g.Subscribe("test", 10)
+	require.NotNil(t, ch)
+
+	ch2 := g.Subscribe("test2", 10)
+	require.NotNil(t, ch2)
+
+	// Test that we can publish a message
+	require.NoError(t, g.Publish("test", []byte("hi")))
+	require.NoError(t, g.Publish("test2", []byte("bye")))
+
+	assert.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+		return len(ch) == 1 && len(ch2) == 1
+	}, 5*time.Second, 200*time.Millisecond)
+
+	select {
+	case hi := <-ch:
+		require.Equal(t, "hi", string(hi))
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("expected to receive a message on channel 'test'")
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case bye := <-ch2:
+		require.Equal(t, "bye", string(bye))
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("expected to receive a message on channel 'test2'")
+	}
+
 	require.NoError(t, g.Stop())
 }