diff --git a/intel/filterlists/bloom.go b/intel/filterlists/bloom.go
index 4df4f70a..93cde1ed 100644
--- a/intel/filterlists/bloom.go
+++ b/intel/filterlists/bloom.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (bf *scopedBloom) add(scope, value string) {
 		// not have support for it. We just drop the value
 		// as a call to Test() for that scope will always
 		// return "true"
-		log.Warningf("failed to add unknown entity type %q", scope)
+		log.Warningf("failed to add unknown entity type %q with value %q", scope, value)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/intel/filterlists/database.go b/intel/filterlists/database.go
index cee940f2..46c54673 100644
--- a/intel/filterlists/database.go
+++ b/intel/filterlists/database.go
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ const (
 )
 
 const bfFalsePositiveRate = 0.001
-const filterlistsDisabled = "filterlists:disabled"
 
 var (
 	filterListLock sync.RWMutex
@@ -128,12 +127,19 @@ func processListFile(ctx context.Context, filter *scopedBloom, file *updater.Fil
 		return nil
 	})
 
+	persistRecords(startSafe, records)
+
+	return g.Wait()
+}
+
+func persistRecords(startJob func(func() error), records <-chan record.Record) {
 	var cnt int
 	start := time.Now()
 
 	batch := database.NewInterface(&database.Options{Local: true, Internal: true})
-	var startBatch func()
-	processBatch := func() error {
+	var processBatch func() error
+
+	processBatch = func() error {
 		batchPut := batch.PutMany("cache")
 		for r := range records {
 			if err := batchPut(r); err != nil {
@@ -152,7 +158,7 @@ func processListFile(ctx context.Context, filter *scopedBloom, file *updater.Fil
 					return err
 				}
 
-				startBatch()
+				startJob(processBatch)
 
 				return nil
 			}
@@ -160,13 +166,8 @@ func processListFile(ctx context.Context, filter *scopedBloom, file *updater.Fil
 
 		return batchPut(nil)
 	}
-	startBatch = func() {
-		startSafe(processBatch)
-	}
 
-	startBatch()
-
-	return g.Wait()
+	startJob(processBatch)
 }
 
 func normalizeEntry(entry *listEntry) {
diff --git a/intel/filterlists/module.go b/intel/filterlists/module.go
index 14805f69..9b74c5c4 100644
--- a/intel/filterlists/module.go
+++ b/intel/filterlists/module.go
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ var (
 	module *modules.Module
 )
 
+const (
+	filterlistsDisabled              = "filterlists:disabled"
+	filterlistsStaleDataSurvived     = "filterlists:staledata"
+	filterlistsStaleDataDescr        = "Removing stale filter list records failed. Some connections may be overblocked."
+	filterlistsUpdateInProgress      = "filterlists:update-in-progress"
+	filterlistsUpdateInProgressDescr = "Performance slightly degraded during list update."
+)
+
 // booleans mainly used to decouple the module
 // during testing.
 var (
@@ -23,6 +31,8 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
+	ignoreNetEnvEvents.Set()
+
 	module = modules.Register("filterlists", prep, start, nil, "core", "netenv")
 }
 
diff --git a/intel/filterlists/updater.go b/intel/filterlists/updater.go
index a9c0322b..5a4bfffc 100644
--- a/intel/filterlists/updater.go
+++ b/intel/filterlists/updater.go
@@ -28,8 +28,10 @@ func tryListUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// if the module is in an error state resolve that right now.
+	// if the module is in an error, warning or hint state resolve that right now.
 	module.Resolve(filterlistsDisabled)
+	module.Resolve(filterlistsStaleDataSurvived)
+	module.Resolve(filterlistsUpdateInProgress)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -38,11 +40,15 @@ func performUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 		log.Debugf("intel/filterlists: upgrade already in progress")
 		return nil
 	}
+	defer updateInProgress.UnSet()
+
+	module.Hint(filterlistsUpdateInProgress, filterlistsUpdateInProgressDescr)
 
 	upgradables, err := getUpgradableFiles()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	log.Debugf("intel/filterlists: resources to update: %v", upgradables)
 
 	if len(upgradables) == 0 {
 		log.Debugf("intel/filterlists: ignoring update, latest version is already used")
@@ -55,7 +61,7 @@ func performUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// perform the actual upgrade by processing each file
 	// in the returned order.
 	for idx, file := range upgradables {
-		log.Debugf("applying update %s version %s", file.Identifier(), file.Version())
+		log.Debugf("intel/filterlists: applying update (%d) %s version %s", idx, file.Identifier(), file.Version())
 
 		if file == baseFile {
 			if idx != 0 {
@@ -101,7 +107,13 @@ func performUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// been updated now. Once we are done, start a worker
 	// for that purpose.
 	if cleanupRequired {
-		defer module.StartWorker("filterlists:cleanup", removeAllObsoleteFilterEntries)
+		if err := module.RunWorker("filterlists:cleanup", removeAllObsoleteFilterEntries); err != nil {
+			// if we failed to remove all stale cache entries
+			// we abort now WITHOUT updating the database version. This means
+			// we'll try again during the next update.
+			module.Warning(filterlistsStaleDataSurvived, filterlistsStaleDataDescr)
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to cleanup stale cache records: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// try to save the highest version of our files.
@@ -114,8 +126,9 @@ func performUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func removeAllObsoleteFilterEntries(_ context.Context) error {
+	log.Infof("intel/filterlists: cleanup task started, removing obsolete filter list entries ...")
 	for {
-		done, err := removeObsoleteFilterEntries(1000)
+		done, err := removeObsoleteFilterEntries(10000)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -127,7 +140,6 @@ func removeAllObsoleteFilterEntries(_ context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func removeObsoleteFilterEntries(batchSize int) (bool, error) {
-	log.Infof("intel/filterlists: cleanup task started, removing obsolete filter list entries ...")
 
 	iter, err := cache.Query(
 		query.New(filterListKeyPrefix).Where(
diff --git a/updates/main.go b/updates/main.go
index f2c9b78c..f8741bf7 100644
--- a/updates/main.go
+++ b/updates/main.go
@@ -157,9 +157,13 @@ func DisableUpdateSchedule() error {
 }
 
 func checkForUpdates(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if err := registry.UpdateIndexes(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("updates: failed to update indexes: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	err := registry.DownloadUpdates(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("updates: failed to update: %s", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("updates: failed to update: %w", err)
 	}
 	module.TriggerEvent(ResourceUpdateEvent, nil)
 	return nil