diff --git a/internal/timeline/get.go b/internal/timeline/get.go
index bf4c0dcd5..e8154797d 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/get.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/get.go
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ findMarkLoop:
 	// we didn't find it, so we need to make sure it's indexed and prepared and then try again
 	// this can happen when a user asks for really old posts
 	if behindIDMark == nil {
-		if err := t.IndexBehind(behindID, amount); err != nil {
+		if err := t.IndexBehind(behindID, true, amount); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("GetXBehindID: error indexing behind and including ID %s", behindID)
 		}
 		if err := t.PrepareBehind(behindID, amount); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/timeline/get_test.go b/internal/timeline/get_test.go
index a1cc4350c..0866f3bdd 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/get_test.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/get_test.go
@@ -66,13 +66,14 @@ func (suite *GetTestSuite) TearDownTest() {
 }
 
 func (suite *GetTestSuite) TestGetDefault() {
-	// get 10 from the top and don't prepare the next query
-	statuses, err := suite.timeline.Get(10, "", "", "", false)
+	// get 10 20 the top and don't prepare the next query
+	statuses, err := suite.timeline.Get(20, "", "", "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		suite.FailNow(err.Error())
 	}
 
-	suite.Len(statuses, 10)
+	// we only have 12 statuses in the test suite
+	suite.Len(statuses, 12)
 
 	// statuses should be sorted highest to lowest ID
 	var highest string
diff --git a/internal/timeline/index.go b/internal/timeline/index.go
index c8894b284..b4c34051f 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/index.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/index.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
 )
@@ -32,17 +33,17 @@ func (t *timeline) IndexBefore(statusID string, include bool, amount int) error
 	offsetStatus := statusID
 
 	if include {
+		// if we have the status with given statusID in the database, include it in the results set as well
 		s := &gtsmodel.Status{}
-		if err := t.db.GetByID(statusID, s); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("IndexBefore: error getting initial status with id %s: %s", statusID, err)
+		if err := t.db.GetByID(statusID, s); err == nil {
+			filtered = append(filtered, s)
 		}
-		filtered = append(filtered, s)
 	}
 
 	i := 0
 grabloop:
 	for ; len(filtered) < amount && i < 5; i = i + 1 { // try the grabloop 5 times only
-		statuses, err := t.db.GetHomeTimelineForAccount(t.accountID, "", offsetStatus, "", amount, false)
+		statuses, err := t.db.GetHomeTimelineForAccount(t.accountID, "", "", offsetStatus, amount, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			if _, ok := err.(db.ErrNoEntries); ok {
 				break grabloop // we just don't have enough statuses left in the db so index what we've got and then bail
@@ -71,24 +72,41 @@ grabloop:
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *timeline) IndexBehind(statusID string, amount int) error {
+func (t *timeline) IndexBehind(statusID string, include bool, amount int) error {
+	l := t.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+		"func":    "IndexBehind",
+		"include": include,
+		"amount":  amount,
+	})
+
 	filtered := []*gtsmodel.Status{}
 	offsetStatus := statusID
 
+	if include {
+		// if we have the status with given statusID in the database, include it in the results set as well
+		s := &gtsmodel.Status{}
+		if err := t.db.GetByID(statusID, s); err == nil {
+			filtered = append(filtered, s)
+		}
+	}
+
 	i := 0
 grabloop:
 	for ; len(filtered) < amount && i < 5; i = i + 1 { // try the grabloop 5 times only
+		l.Tracef("entering grabloop; i is %d; len(filtered) is %d", i, len(filtered))
 		statuses, err := t.db.GetHomeTimelineForAccount(t.accountID, offsetStatus, "", "", amount, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			if _, ok := err.(db.ErrNoEntries); ok {
 				break grabloop // we just don't have enough statuses left in the db so index what we've got and then bail
 			}
-			return fmt.Errorf("IndexBehindAndIncluding: error getting statuses from db: %s", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("IndexBehind: error getting statuses from db: %s", err)
 		}
+		l.Tracef("got %d statuses", len(statuses))
 
 		for _, s := range statuses {
 			timelineable, err := t.filter.StatusHometimelineable(s, t.account)
 			if err != nil {
+				l.Tracef("status was not hometimelineable: %s", err)
 				continue
 			}
 			if timelineable {
@@ -97,6 +115,7 @@ grabloop:
 			offsetStatus = s.ID
 		}
 	}
+	l.Trace("left grabloop")
 
 	for _, s := range filtered {
 		if _, err := t.IndexOne(s.CreatedAt, s.ID, s.BoostOfID, s.AccountID, s.BoostOfAccountID); err != nil {
@@ -104,10 +123,7 @@ grabloop:
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (t *timeline) IndexOneByID(statusID string) error {
+	l.Trace("exiting function")
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -158,15 +174,24 @@ func (t *timeline) OldestIndexedPostID() (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	e := t.postIndex.data.Back()
-
-	if e == nil {
-		// return an empty string if there's no back entry (ie., the index list hasn't been initialized yet)
-		return id, nil
-	}
-
 	entry, ok := e.Value.(*postIndexEntry)
 	if !ok {
 		return id, errors.New("OldestIndexedPostID: could not parse e as a postIndexEntry")
 	}
 	return entry.statusID, nil
 }
+
+func (t *timeline) NewestIndexedPostID() (string, error) {
+	var id string
+	if t.postIndex == nil || t.postIndex.data == nil {
+		// return an empty string if postindex hasn't been initialized yet
+		return id, nil
+	}
+
+	e := t.postIndex.data.Front()
+	entry, ok := e.Value.(*postIndexEntry)
+	if !ok {
+		return id, errors.New("NewestIndexedPostID: could not parse e as a postIndexEntry")
+	}
+	return entry.statusID, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/timeline/index_test.go b/internal/timeline/index_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e10337013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/timeline/index_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+/*
+   GoToSocial
+   Copyright (C) 2021 GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+package timeline_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/timeline"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/testrig"
+)
+
+type IndexTestSuite struct {
+	TimelineStandardTestSuite
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	suite.testAccounts = testrig.NewTestAccounts()
+	suite.testStatuses = testrig.NewTestStatuses()
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) SetupTest() {
+	suite.config = testrig.NewTestConfig()
+	suite.db = testrig.NewTestDB()
+	suite.log = testrig.NewTestLog()
+	suite.tc = testrig.NewTestTypeConverter(suite.db)
+
+	testrig.StandardDBSetup(suite.db, nil)
+
+	// let's take local_account_1 as the timeline owner, and start with an empty timeline
+	tl, err := timeline.NewTimeline(suite.testAccounts["local_account_1"].ID, suite.db, suite.tc, suite.log)
+	if err != nil {
+		suite.FailNow(err.Error())
+	}
+	suite.timeline = tl
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TearDownTest() {
+	testrig.StandardDBTeardown(suite.db)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexBeforeLowID() {
+	// index 10 before the lowest status ID possible
+	err := suite.timeline.IndexBefore("00000000000000000000000000", true, 10)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// the oldest indexed post should be the lowest one we have in our testrig
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.OldestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal("01F8MH75CBF9JFX4ZAD54N0W0R", postID)
+
+	// indexLength should only be 6 because that's all this user has hometimelineable
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(6, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexBeforeHighID() {
+	// index 10 before the highest status ID possible
+	err := suite.timeline.IndexBefore("ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ", true, 10)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// the oldest indexed post should be empty
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.OldestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Empty(postID)
+
+	// indexLength should be 0
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(0, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexBehindHighID() {
+	// index 10 behind the highest status ID possible
+	err := suite.timeline.IndexBehind("ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ", true, 10)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// the newest indexed post should be the highest one we have in our testrig
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.NewestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal("01F8MHCP5P2NWYQ416SBA0XSEV", postID)
+
+	// indexLength should only be 6 because that's all this user has hometimelineable
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(6, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexBehindLowID() {
+	// index 10 behind the lowest status ID possible
+	err := suite.timeline.IndexBehind("00000000000000000000000000", true, 10)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// the newest indexed post should be empty
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.NewestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Empty(postID)
+
+	// indexLength should be 0
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(0, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestOldestIndexedPostIDEmpty() {
+	// the oldest indexed post should be an empty string since there's nothing indexed yet
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.OldestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Empty(postID)
+
+	// indexLength should be 0
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(0, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestNewestIndexedPostIDEmpty() {
+	// the newest indexed post should be an empty string since there's nothing indexed yet
+	postID, err := suite.timeline.NewestIndexedPostID()
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Empty(postID)
+
+	// indexLength should be 0
+	indexLength := suite.timeline.PostIndexLength()
+	suite.Equal(0, indexLength)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexAlreadyIndexed() {
+	testStatus := suite.testStatuses["local_account_1_status_1"]
+
+	// index one post -- it should be indexed
+	indexed, err := suite.timeline.IndexOne(testStatus.CreatedAt, testStatus.ID, testStatus.BoostOfID, testStatus.AccountID, testStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.True(indexed)
+
+	// try to index the same post again -- it should not be indexed
+	indexed, err = suite.timeline.IndexOne(testStatus.CreatedAt, testStatus.ID, testStatus.BoostOfID, testStatus.AccountID, testStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.False(indexed)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexAndPrepareAlreadyIndexedAndPrepared() {
+	testStatus := suite.testStatuses["local_account_1_status_1"]
+
+	// index and prepare one post -- it should be indexed
+	indexed, err := suite.timeline.IndexAndPrepareOne(testStatus.CreatedAt, testStatus.ID, testStatus.BoostOfID, testStatus.AccountID, testStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.True(indexed)
+
+	// try to index and prepare the same post again -- it should not be indexed
+	indexed, err = suite.timeline.IndexAndPrepareOne(testStatus.CreatedAt, testStatus.ID, testStatus.BoostOfID, testStatus.AccountID, testStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.False(indexed)
+}
+
+func (suite *IndexTestSuite) TestIndexBoostOfAlreadyIndexed() {
+	testStatus := suite.testStatuses["local_account_1_status_1"]
+	boostOfTestStatus := &gtsmodel.Status{
+		CreatedAt:        time.Now(),
+		ID:               "01FD4TA6G2Z6M7W8NJQ3K5WXYD",
+		BoostOfID:        testStatus.ID,
+		AccountID:        "01FD4TAY1C0NGEJVE9CCCX7QKS",
+		BoostOfAccountID: testStatus.AccountID,
+	}
+
+	// index one post -- it should be indexed
+	indexed, err := suite.timeline.IndexOne(testStatus.CreatedAt, testStatus.ID, testStatus.BoostOfID, testStatus.AccountID, testStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.True(indexed)
+
+	// try to index the a boost of that post -- it should not be indexed
+	indexed, err = suite.timeline.IndexOne(boostOfTestStatus.CreatedAt, boostOfTestStatus.ID, boostOfTestStatus.BoostOfID, boostOfTestStatus.AccountID, boostOfTestStatus.BoostOfAccountID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.False(indexed)
+}
+
+func TestIndexTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
+	suite.Run(t, new(IndexTestSuite))
+}
diff --git a/internal/timeline/manager.go b/internal/timeline/manager.go
index e2a98f623..a592670a8 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/manager.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/manager.go
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ type Manager interface {
 	// PrepareXFromTop prepares limit n amount of posts, based on their indexed representations, from the top of the index.
 	PrepareXFromTop(timelineAccountID string, limit int) error
 	// Remove removes one status from the timeline of the given timelineAccountID
-	Remove(statusID string, timelineAccountID string) (int, error)
+	Remove(timelineAccountID string, statusID string) (int, error)
 	// WipeStatusFromAllTimelines removes one status from the index and prepared posts of all timelines
 	WipeStatusFromAllTimelines(statusID string) error
 	// WipeStatusesFromAccountID removes all statuses by the given accountID from the timelineAccountID's timelines.
-	WipeStatusesFromAccountID(accountID string, timelineAccountID string) error
+	WipeStatusesFromAccountID(timelineAccountID string, accountID string) error
 }
 
 // NewManager returns a new timeline manager with the given database, typeconverter, config, and log.
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (m *manager) IngestAndPrepare(status *gtsmodel.Status, timelineAccountID st
 	return t.IndexAndPrepareOne(status.CreatedAt, status.ID, status.BoostOfID, status.AccountID, status.BoostOfAccountID)
 }
 
-func (m *manager) Remove(statusID string, timelineAccountID string) (int, error) {
+func (m *manager) Remove(timelineAccountID string, statusID string) (int, error) {
 	l := m.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"func":              "Remove",
 		"timelineAccountID": timelineAccountID,
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (m *manager) WipeStatusFromAllTimelines(statusID string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (m *manager) WipeStatusesFromAccountID(accountID string, timelineAccountID string) error {
+func (m *manager) WipeStatusesFromAccountID(timelineAccountID string, accountID string) error {
 	t, err := m.getOrCreateTimeline(timelineAccountID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/internal/timeline/manager_test.go b/internal/timeline/manager_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..20f295dd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/timeline/manager_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+/*
+   GoToSocial
+   Copyright (C) 2021 GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+package timeline_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/testrig"
+)
+
+type ManagerTestSuite struct {
+	TimelineStandardTestSuite
+}
+
+func (suite *ManagerTestSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	suite.testAccounts = testrig.NewTestAccounts()
+	suite.testStatuses = testrig.NewTestStatuses()
+}
+
+func (suite *ManagerTestSuite) SetupTest() {
+	suite.config = testrig.NewTestConfig()
+	suite.db = testrig.NewTestDB()
+	suite.log = testrig.NewTestLog()
+	suite.tc = testrig.NewTestTypeConverter(suite.db)
+
+	testrig.StandardDBSetup(suite.db, nil)
+
+	manager := testrig.NewTestTimelineManager(suite.db)
+	suite.manager = manager
+}
+
+func (suite *ManagerTestSuite) TearDownTest() {
+	testrig.StandardDBTeardown(suite.db)
+}
+
+func (suite *ManagerTestSuite) TestManagerIntegration() {
+	testAccount := suite.testAccounts["local_account_1"]
+
+	// should start at 0
+	indexedLen := suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(0, indexedLen)
+
+	// oldestIndexed should be empty string since there's nothing indexed
+	oldestIndexed, err := suite.manager.GetOldestIndexedID(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Empty(oldestIndexed)
+
+	// trigger status preparation
+	err = suite.manager.PrepareXFromTop(testAccount.ID, 20)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// local_account_1 can see 6 statuses out of the testrig statuses in its home timeline
+	indexedLen = suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(6, indexedLen)
+
+	// oldest should now be set
+	oldestIndexed, err = suite.manager.GetOldestIndexedID(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal("01F8MH75CBF9JFX4ZAD54N0W0R", oldestIndexed)
+
+	// get hometimeline
+	statuses, err := suite.manager.HomeTimeline(testAccount.ID, "", "", "", 20, false)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Len(statuses, 6)
+
+	// now wipe the last status from all timelines, as though it had been deleted by the owner
+	err = suite.manager.WipeStatusFromAllTimelines("01F8MH75CBF9JFX4ZAD54N0W0R")
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// timeline should be shorter
+	indexedLen = suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(5, indexedLen)
+
+	// oldest should now be different
+	oldestIndexed, err = suite.manager.GetOldestIndexedID(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal("01F8MHAAY43M6RJ473VQFCVH37", oldestIndexed)
+
+	// delete the new oldest status specifically from this timeline, as though local_account_1 had muted or blocked it
+	removed, err := suite.manager.Remove(testAccount.ID, "01F8MHAAY43M6RJ473VQFCVH37")
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal(2, removed) // 1 status should be removed, but from both indexed and prepared, so 2 removals total
+
+	// timeline should be shorter
+	indexedLen = suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(4, indexedLen)
+
+	// oldest should now be different
+	oldestIndexed, err = suite.manager.GetOldestIndexedID(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal("01F8MHBQCBTDKN6X5VHGMMN4MA", oldestIndexed)
+
+	// now remove all entries by local_account_2 from the timeline
+	err = suite.manager.WipeStatusesFromAccountID(testAccount.ID, suite.testAccounts["local_account_2"].ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// timeline should be empty now
+	indexedLen = suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(0, indexedLen)
+
+	// ingest 1 into the timeline
+	status1 := suite.testStatuses["admin_account_status_1"]
+	ingested, err := suite.manager.Ingest(status1, testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.True(ingested)
+
+	// ingest and prepare another one into the timeline
+	status2 := suite.testStatuses["admin_account_status_2"]
+	ingested, err = suite.manager.IngestAndPrepare(status2, testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.True(ingested)
+
+	// timeline should be length 2 now
+	indexedLen = suite.manager.GetIndexedLength(testAccount.ID)
+	suite.Equal(2, indexedLen)
+
+	// try to ingest status 2 again
+	ingested, err = suite.manager.IngestAndPrepare(status2, testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.False(ingested) // should be false since it's a duplicate
+}
+
+func TestManagerTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
+	suite.Run(t, new(ManagerTestSuite))
+}
diff --git a/internal/timeline/prepare.go b/internal/timeline/prepare.go
index 0fbd8ebba..06c1f98ec 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/prepare.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/prepare.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
 )
@@ -154,8 +155,10 @@ prepareloop:
 }
 
 func (t *timeline) PrepareFromTop(amount int) error {
-	t.Lock()
-	defer t.Unlock()
+	l := t.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+		"func": "PrepareFromTop",
+		"amount": amount,
+	})
 
 	// lazily initialize prepared posts if it hasn't been done already
 	if t.preparedPosts.data == nil {
@@ -163,11 +166,17 @@ func (t *timeline) PrepareFromTop(amount int) error {
 		t.preparedPosts.data.Init()
 	}
 
-	// if the postindex is nil, nothing has been indexed yet so there's nothing to prepare
+	// if the postindex is nil, nothing has been indexed yet so index from the highest ID possible
 	if t.postIndex.data == nil {
-		return nil
+		l.Debug("postindex.data was nil, indexing behind highest possible ID")
+		if err := t.IndexBehind("ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ", false, amount); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("PrepareFromTop: error indexing behind id %s: %s", "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ", err)
+		}
 	}
 
+	l.Trace("entering prepareloop")
+	t.Lock()
+	defer t.Unlock()
 	var prepared int
 prepareloop:
 	for e := t.postIndex.data.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
@@ -193,10 +202,12 @@ prepareloop:
 		prepared = prepared + 1
 		if prepared == amount {
 			// we're done
+			l.Trace("leaving prepareloop")
 			break prepareloop
 		}
 	}
 
+	l.Trace("leaving function")
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/timeline/timeline.go b/internal/timeline/timeline.go
index 9ef32401a..6274a86ac 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/timeline.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/timeline.go
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@ type Timeline interface {
 	// OldestIndexedPostID returns the id of the rearmost (ie., the oldest) indexed post, or an error if something goes wrong.
 	// If nothing goes wrong but there's no oldest post, an empty string will be returned so make sure to check for this.
 	OldestIndexedPostID() (string, error)
+	// NewestIndexedPostID returns the id of the frontmost (ie., the newest) indexed post, or an error if something goes wrong.
+	// If nothing goes wrong but there's no newest post, an empty string will be returned so make sure to check for this.
+	NewestIndexedPostID() (string, error)
+
+	IndexBefore(statusID string, include bool, amount int) error
+	IndexBehind(statusID string, include bool, amount int) error
 
 	/*
 		PREPARATION FUNCTIONS
diff --git a/internal/timeline/timeline_test.go b/internal/timeline/timeline_test.go
index 791a550eb..4f997cb1e 100644
--- a/internal/timeline/timeline_test.go
+++ b/internal/timeline/timeline_test.go
@@ -39,4 +39,5 @@ type TimelineStandardTestSuite struct {
 	testStatuses map[string]*gtsmodel.Status
 
 	timeline timeline.Timeline
+	manager  timeline.Manager
 }