diff --git a/src/journal_bot/process.py b/src/journal_bot/process.py
index 7af3921..f2c44d1 100644
--- a/src/journal_bot/process.py
+++ b/src/journal_bot/process.py
@@ -11,16 +11,10 @@ def process_once(processor, queue: Queue, writer: VaultWriter, vault_path: Path,
         return 0
     ctx = collect_vault_context(vault_path, today=today)
     processed = 0
-    failed_ids: set[int] = set()
     while True:
         item = queue.claim_next()
         if item is None:
             break
-        if item.update_id in failed_ids:
-            # Already failed this run; re-queue without incrementing and stop.
-            queue.enqueue(item)
-            (queue.working / f"{item.update_id}.json").unlink(missing_ok=True)
-            break
         try:
             received_dt = datetime.fromisoformat(item.received_at)
             received_time = received_dt.strftime("%H:%M")
@@ -44,5 +38,5 @@ def process_once(processor, queue: Queue, writer: VaultWriter, vault_path: Path,
             processed += 1
         except Exception:
             queue.fail(item)
-            failed_ids.add(item.update_id)
+            break  # avoid re-claiming the same item in this run
     return processed