diff --git a/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/VTools.java b/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/VTools.java
index d4e89ff..e3163b1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/VTools.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/VTools.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import java.nio.file.Path;
 @Plugin(id = "vtools", name="VTools", version="1.0-SNAPSHOT", description="Some commands!", authors="unnamed")
 public class VTools {
     private final ProxyServer server;
+    public final Logger logger;
     public final Path dataDirectory;
 
     public static final TextColor COLOR_RED = TextColor.fromCSSHexString("#FF5555");
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ public class VTools {
     @Inject
     public VTools(ProxyServer server, Logger logger, @DataDirectory Path dataDirectory) {
         this.server = server;
+        this.logger = logger;
         this.dataDirectory = dataDirectory;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/listeners/TGBridge.java b/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/listeners/TGBridge.java
index 4891cc9..3a54e71 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/listeners/TGBridge.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/strifel/VTools/listeners/TGBridge.java
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ public class TGBridge {
     private String TOKEN = "";
     private long CHAT_ID = 0L;
 
+    private long backoffSec = 1L;
+
     public TGBridge(VTools plugin) {
         INSTANCE = this;
         this.plugin = plugin;
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ public class TGBridge {
                 this.TOKEN = config.getOrDefault("token", "");
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            plugin.logger.error("parsing config", e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ public class TGBridge {
         if (TOKEN.isEmpty() || CHAT_ID == 0L) return;
         bot = new TelegramBot(TOKEN);
         bot.setUpdatesListener(updates -> {
+            backoffSec = 1L;
             for (Update update : updates) {
                 try {
                     if (update != null &&
@@ -84,11 +87,19 @@ public class TGBridge {
                     }
                 }
                 catch (Exception e) {
-                    e.printStackTrace();
+                    plugin.logger.error("handling update", e);
                 }
             }
             return UpdatesListener.CONFIRMED_UPDATES_ALL;
-        }, Throwable::printStackTrace);
+        }, (e) -> {
+            plugin.logger.error("getting update", e);
+            plugin.logger.error(String.format("waiting %ds before getting another update", backoffSec));
+            try { Thread.sleep(backoffSec * 1000); } catch (InterruptedException ignored) {}
+            backoffSec *= 2L;
+            if (backoffSec > 3600) {
+                backoffSec = 3600;
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     protected void inbound(String content) {
@@ -100,23 +111,28 @@ public class TGBridge {
     }
 
     protected void outbound(String content) {
-        if (TOKEN.isEmpty() || CHAT_ID == 0L) return;
+        if (bot == null) return;
         if (content.length() > 4000) {
             content = content.substring(0, 4000);
         }
         bot.execute(new SendMessage(CHAT_ID, content), new Callback<SendMessage, SendResponse>() {
             @Override
             public void onResponse(SendMessage sendMessage, SendResponse sendResponse) {
+                if (!sendResponse.isOk()) {
+                    plugin.logger.error(String.format("sendMessage error %d: %s", sendResponse.errorCode(), sendResponse.description()));
+                }
             }
 
             @Override
             public void onFailure(SendMessage sendMessage, IOException e) {
+                plugin.logger.error("sending message", e);
             }
         });
     }
 
     @Subscribe
     public void onProxyShutdown(ProxyShutdownEvent event) {
+        if (bot == null) return;
         bot.removeGetUpdatesListener();
         bot.shutdown();
     }