diff --git a/ops.go b/ops.go
index dc3da4c..031a77d 100644
--- a/ops.go
+++ b/ops.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package mfs
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	gopath "path"
@@ -235,6 +236,6 @@ func FlushPath(rt *Root, pth string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	rt.repub.WaitPub()
+	rt.repub.WaitPub(context.TODO())
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/repub.go b/repub.go
index 12738fa..de1a3c5 100644
--- a/repub.go
+++ b/repub.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package mfs
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
@@ -14,15 +13,13 @@ type PubFunc func(context.Context, cid.Cid) error
 
 // Republisher manages when to publish a given entry.
 type Republisher struct {
-	TimeoutLong         time.Duration
-	TimeoutShort        time.Duration
-	valueHasBeenUpdated chan struct{}
-	pubfunc             PubFunc
-	immediatePublish    chan chan struct{}
+	TimeoutLong  time.Duration
+	TimeoutShort time.Duration
+	RetryTimeout time.Duration
+	pubfunc      PubFunc
 
-	valueLock          sync.Mutex
-	valueToPublish     cid.Cid
-	lastValuePublished cid.Cid
+	update           chan cid.Cid
+	immediatePublish chan chan struct{}
 
 	ctx    context.Context
 	cancel func()
@@ -33,47 +30,62 @@ type Republisher struct {
 func NewRepublisher(ctx context.Context, pf PubFunc, tshort, tlong time.Duration) *Republisher {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	return &Republisher{
-		TimeoutShort:        tshort,
-		TimeoutLong:         tlong,
-		valueHasBeenUpdated: make(chan struct{}, 1),
-		pubfunc:             pf,
-		immediatePublish:    make(chan chan struct{}),
-		ctx:                 ctx,
-		cancel:              cancel,
+		TimeoutShort:     tshort,
+		TimeoutLong:      tlong,
+		RetryTimeout:     tlong,
+		update:           make(chan cid.Cid, 1),
+		pubfunc:          pf,
+		immediatePublish: make(chan chan struct{}),
+		ctx:              ctx,
+		cancel:           cancel,
 	}
 }
 
 // WaitPub waits for the current value to be published (or returns early
 // if it already has).
-func (rp *Republisher) WaitPub() {
+func (rp *Republisher) WaitPub(ctx context.Context) error {
 	wait := make(chan struct{})
-	rp.immediatePublish <- wait
-	<-wait
+	select {
+	case rp.immediatePublish <- wait:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-wait:
+		return nil
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
 }
 
 func (rp *Republisher) Close() error {
-	err := rp.publish(rp.ctx)
+	// TODO(steb): Wait for `Run` to stop
+	err := rp.WaitPub(rp.ctx)
 	rp.cancel()
 	return err
 }
 
-// Update the `valueToPublish` and signal it in the `valueHasBeenUpdated`
-// channel. Multiple consecutive updates may extend the time period before
-// the next publish occurs in order to more efficiently batch updates.
+// Update the current value. The value will be published after a delay but each
+// consecutive call to Update may extend this delay up to TimeoutLong.
 func (rp *Republisher) Update(c cid.Cid) {
-	rp.valueLock.Lock()
-	rp.valueToPublish = c
-	rp.valueLock.Unlock()
-
 	select {
-	case rp.valueHasBeenUpdated <- struct{}{}:
-	default:
+	case <-rp.update:
+		select {
+		case rp.update <- c:
+		default:
+			// Don't try again. If we hit this case, there's a
+			// concurrent publish and we can safely let that
+			// concurrent publish win.
+		}
+	case rp.update <- c:
 	}
 }
 
 // Run contains the core logic of the `Republisher`. It calls the user-defined
-// `pubfunc` function whenever the `Cid` value is updated. The complexity comes
-// from the fact that `pubfunc` may be slow so we need to batch updates.
+// `pubfunc` function whenever the `Cid` value is updated to a *new* value. The
+// complexity comes from the fact that `pubfunc` may be slow so we need to batch
+// updates.
+//
 // Algorithm:
 //   1. When we receive the first update after publishing, we set a `longer` timer.
 //   2. When we receive any update, we reset the `quick` timer.
@@ -83,66 +95,103 @@ func (rp *Republisher) Update(c cid.Cid) {
 // The `longer` timer ensures that we delay publishing by at most
 // `TimeoutLong`. The `quick` timer allows us to publish sooner if
 // it looks like there are no more updates coming down the pipe.
-func (rp *Republisher) Run() {
-	for {
+//
+// Note: If a publish fails, we retry repeatedly every TimeoutRetry.
+func (rp *Republisher) Run(lastPublished cid.Cid) {
+	quick := time.NewTimer(0)
+	if !quick.Stop() {
+		<-quick.C
+	}
+	longer := time.NewTimer(0)
+	if !longer.Stop() {
+		<-longer.C
+	}
+
+	var toPublish cid.Cid
+	for rp.ctx.Err() == nil {
+		var waiter chan struct{}
+
 		select {
 		case <-rp.ctx.Done():
 			return
-		case <-rp.valueHasBeenUpdated:
-			// Fast timeout, a `publish` will be issued if there are
-			// no more updates before it expires (restarted every time
-			// the `valueHasBeenUpdated` is signaled).
-			quick := time.After(rp.TimeoutShort)
-			// Long timeout that guarantees a `publish` after it expires
-			// even if the value keeps being updated (and `quick` is
-			// restarted).
-			longer := time.After(rp.TimeoutLong)
-
-		wait:
-			var valueHasBeenPublished chan struct{}
+		case newValue := <-rp.update:
+			// Skip already published values.
+			if lastPublished.Equals(newValue) {
+				// Break to the end of the switch to cleanup any
+				// timers.
+				toPublish = cid.Undef
+				break
+			}
 
-			select {
-			case <-rp.ctx.Done():
-				return
-			case <-rp.valueHasBeenUpdated:
-				// The `valueToPublish` has been updated *again* since
-				// the last time we checked and we still haven't published
-				// it, restart the `quick` timer allowing for some more
-				// time to see if the `valueToPublish` changes again.
-				quick = time.After(rp.TimeoutShort)
-				goto wait
-
-			case <-quick:
-			case <-longer:
-			case valueHasBeenPublished = <-rp.immediatePublish:
+			// If we aren't already waiting to publish something,
+			// reset the long timeout.
+			if !toPublish.Defined() {
+				longer.Reset(rp.TimeoutLong)
 			}
 
-			err := rp.publish(rp.ctx)
-			if valueHasBeenPublished != nil {
-				// The user is waiting in `WaitPub` with this channel, signal
-				// that the `publish` has happened.
-				valueHasBeenPublished <- struct{}{}
+			// Always reset the short timeout.
+			quick.Reset(rp.TimeoutShort)
+
+			// Finally, set the new value to publish.
+			toPublish = newValue
+			continue
+		case waiter = <-rp.immediatePublish:
+			// Make sure to grab the *latest* value to publish.
+			select {
+			case toPublish = <-rp.update:
+			default:
 			}
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Errorf("republishRoot error: %s", err)
+
+			// Avoid publishing duplicate values
+			if !lastPublished.Equals(toPublish) {
+				toPublish = cid.Undef
 			}
+		case <-quick.C:
+		case <-longer.C:
 		}
-	}
-}
 
-// Wrapper function around the user-defined `pubfunc`. It publishes
-// the (last) `valueToPublish` set and registers it in `lastValuePublished`.
-func (rp *Republisher) publish(ctx context.Context) error {
-	rp.valueLock.Lock()
-	topub := rp.valueToPublish
-	rp.valueLock.Unlock()
+		// Cleanup, publish, and close waiters.
+
+		// 1. Stop any timers. Don't use the `if !t.Stop() { ... }`
+		//    idiom as these timers may not be running.
+
+		quick.Stop()
+		select {
+		case <-quick.C:
+		default:
+		}
 
-	err := rp.pubfunc(ctx, topub)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		longer.Stop()
+		select {
+		case <-longer.C:
+		default:
+		}
+
+		// 2. If we have a value to publish, publish it now.
+		if toPublish.Defined() {
+			for {
+				err := rp.pubfunc(rp.ctx, toPublish)
+				if err == nil {
+					break
+				}
+				// Keep retrying until we succeed or we abort.
+				// TODO(steb): We could try pulling new values
+				// off `update` but that's not critical (and
+				// complicates this code a bit). We'll pull off
+				// a new value on the next loop through.
+				select {
+				case <-time.After(rp.RetryTimeout):
+				case <-rp.ctx.Done():
+					return
+				}
+			}
+			lastPublished = toPublish
+			toPublish = cid.Undef
+		}
+
+		// 3. Trigger anything waiting in `WaitPub`.
+		if waiter != nil {
+			close(waiter)
+		}
 	}
-	rp.valueLock.Lock()
-	rp.lastValuePublished = topub
-	rp.valueLock.Unlock()
-	return nil
 }
diff --git a/repub_test.go b/repub_test.go
index d81ffd0..3a7eaaf 100644
--- a/repub_test.go
+++ b/repub_test.go
@@ -23,13 +23,16 @@ func TestRepublisher(t *testing.T) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	testCid1, _ := cid.Parse("QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVH")
+	testCid2, _ := cid.Parse("QmeomffUNfmQy76CQGy9NdmqEnnHU9soCexBnGU3ezPHVX")
+
 	tshort := time.Millisecond * 50
 	tlong := time.Second / 2
 
 	rp := NewRepublisher(ctx, pf, tshort, tlong)
-	go rp.Run()
+	go rp.Run(cid.Undef)
 
-	rp.Update(cid.Undef)
+	rp.Update(testCid1)
 
 	// should hit short timeout
 	select {
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ func TestRepublisher(t *testing.T) {
 
 	go func() {
 		for {
-			rp.Update(cid.Undef)
+			rp.Update(testCid2)
 			time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10)
 			select {
 			case <-cctx.Done():
@@ -65,13 +68,8 @@ func TestRepublisher(t *testing.T) {
 
 	cancel()
 
-	go func() {
-		err := rp.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	// final pub from closing
-	<-pub
+	err := rp.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/root.go b/root.go
index ef1d9bc..026a320 100644
--- a/root.go
+++ b/root.go
@@ -99,11 +99,10 @@ func NewRoot(parent context.Context, ds ipld.DAGService, node *dag.ProtoNode, pf
 	if pf != nil {
 		repub = NewRepublisher(parent, pf, time.Millisecond*300, time.Second*3)
 
-		repub.valueToPublish = node.Cid()
 		// No need to take the lock here since we just created
 		// the `Republisher` and no one has access to it yet.
 
-		go repub.Run()
+		go repub.Run(node.Cid())
 	}
 
 	root := &Root{