diff --git a/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/MainActivity.java
index a6abf1c7..cb523fce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/MainActivity.java
@@ -2644,7 +2644,6 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements SdkStatusListener
         LbryAnalytics.logEvent(LbryAnalytics.EVENT_LBRY_NOTIFICATION_OPEN, bundle);
     }
 
-
     private void registerServiceActionsReceiver() {
         IntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();
         intentFilter.addAction(DownloadManager.ACTION_DOWNLOAD_EVENT);
@@ -2806,9 +2805,7 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements SdkStatusListener
                     JSONObject startupStatus = status.getJSONObject("startup_status");
                     sdkReady = startupStatus.getBoolean("file_manager") && startupStatus.getBoolean("wallet");
                 }
-            } catch (ConnectException ex) {
-                // pass
-            } catch (JSONException ex) {
+            } catch (ConnectException | JSONException ex) {
                 // pass
             }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/tasks/MergeSubscriptionsTask.java b/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/tasks/MergeSubscriptionsTask.java
index 58e0db29..ff48f5d8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/tasks/MergeSubscriptionsTask.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/io/lbry/browser/tasks/MergeSubscriptionsTask.java
@@ -106,27 +106,6 @@ public class MergeSubscriptionsTask extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, List<Subscript
                 }
             }
 
-            for (int i = 0; i < combined.size(); i++) {
-                Subscription local = combined.get(i);
-                if (!finalRemoteSubs.contains(local)) {
-                    // add to remote subscriptions
-                    try {
-                        LbryUri uri = LbryUri.parse(local.getUrl());
-                        Map<String, String> options = new HashMap<>();
-                        String channelClaimId = uri.getChannelClaimId();
-                        String channelName = Helper.normalizeChannelName(local.getChannelName());
-                        if (!Helper.isNullOrEmpty(channelClaimId) && !Helper.isNullOrEmpty(channelName)) {
-                            options.put("claim_id", channelClaimId);
-                            options.put("channel_name", channelName);
-                            Lbryio.parseResponse(Lbryio.call("subscription", "new", options, context));
-                        }
-                    } catch (LbryUriException | LbryioRequestException | LbryioResponseException ex) {
-                        // pass
-                        Log.e(TAG, String.format("subscription/new failed: %s", ex.getMessage()), ex);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
             if (!replaceLocal) {
                 for (int i = 0; i < localSubs.size(); i++) {
                     Subscription local = localSubs.get(i);