diff --git a/src/database.py b/src/database.py
index cb385c4..6753e8f 100644
--- a/src/database.py
+++ b/src/database.py
@@ -156,13 +156,10 @@ def delete_anonymous_comment_by_id(conn: sqlite3.Connection, comment_id: str):
         return curs.rowcount
 
 
-def delete_channel_comment_by_id(conn: sqlite3.Connection, comment_id: str, channel_id: str):
+def delete_comment_by_id(conn: sqlite3.Connection, comment_id: str):
     with conn:
-        curs = conn.execute(
-            "DELETE FROM COMMENT WHERE ChannelId = ? AND CommentId = ?",
-            (channel_id, comment_id)
-        )
-        return curs.rowcount
+        curs = conn.execute("DELETE FROM COMMENT WHERE CommentId = ?", (comment_id,))
+        return bool(curs.rowcount)
 
 
 def insert_channel(conn: sqlite3.Connection, channel_name: str, channel_id: str):
diff --git a/src/handles.py b/src/handles.py
index 2fc4696..ca3677e 100644
--- a/src/handles.py
+++ b/src/handles.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # cython: language_level=3
-import json
 import logging
 
 import asyncio
@@ -7,12 +6,12 @@ from aiohttp import web
 from aiojobs.aiohttp import atomic
 from asyncio import coroutine
 
-from misc import clean_input_params, ERRORS
+from misc import clean_input_params
 from src.database import get_claim_comments
 from src.database import get_comments_by_id, get_comment_ids
 from src.database import get_channel_from_comment_id
 from src.database import obtain_connection
-from src.database import delete_channel_comment_by_id
+from src.database import delete_comment_by_id
 from src.writes import create_comment_or_error
 from src.misc import is_authentic_delete_signal
 
@@ -48,6 +47,10 @@ async def write_comment(app, comment):
     return await coroutine(create_comment_or_error)(app['writer'], **comment)
 
 
+async def delete_comment(app, comment_id):
+    return await coroutine(delete_comment_by_id)(app['writer'], comment_id)
+
+
 async def handle_create_comment(app, params):
     job = await app['comment_scheduler'].spawn(write_comment(app, params))
     return await job.wait()
@@ -58,8 +61,7 @@ async def delete_comment_if_authorized(app, comment_id, channel_name, channel_id
     if not authorized:
         return {'deleted': False}
 
-    delete_query = delete_channel_comment_by_id(app['writer'], comment_id, channel_id)
-    job = await app['comment_scheduler'].spawn(delete_query)
+    job = await app['comment_scheduler'].spawn(delete_comment(app, comment_id))
     return {'deleted': await job.wait()}
 
 
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ METHODS = {
     'get_channel_from_comment_id': handle_get_channel_from_comment_id,
     'create_comment': handle_create_comment,
     'delete_comment': handle_delete_comment,
+    'abandon_comment': handle_delete_comment,
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/misc.py b/src/misc.py
index 32ce4ea..31ffa8d 100644
--- a/src/misc.py
+++ b/src/misc.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import logging
 import re
 from json import JSONDecodeError
 
-from nacl.hash import sha256
+import hashlib
 import aiohttp
 
 import ecdsa
@@ -53,10 +53,13 @@ async def resolve_channel_claim(app: dict, channel_id: str, channel_name: str):
     async with aiohttp.request('POST', app['config']['LBRYNET'], json=resolve_body) as req:
         try:
             resp = await req.json()
-            return resp.get(lbry_url)
         except JSONDecodeError as jde:
             logger.exception(jde.msg)
-            raise Exception(jde)
+            raise Exception('JSON Decode Error in Claim Resolution')
+        finally:
+            if 'result' in resp:
+                return resp['result'].get(lbry_url)
+            raise ValueError('claim resolution yields error', {'error': resp['error']})
 
 
 def is_signature_valid(encoded_signature, signature_digest, public_key_bytes):
@@ -85,9 +88,10 @@ async def is_authentic_delete_signal(app, comment_id: str, channel_name: str, ch
     if claim:
         public_key = claim['value']['public_key']
         claim_hash = binascii.unhexlify(claim['claim_id'].encode())[::-1]
+        pieces_injest = b''.join((comment_id.encode(), claim_hash))
         return is_signature_valid(
             encoded_signature=get_encoded_signature(signature),
-            signature_digest=sha256(b''.join([comment_id.encode(), claim_hash])),
+            signature_digest=hashlib.sha256(pieces_injest).digest(),
             public_key_bytes=binascii.unhexlify(public_key.encode())
         )
     return False