diff --git a/deno.json b/deno.json
index c810f15..148ffc1 100644
--- a/deno.json
+++ b/deno.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "tasks": {
     "check": "deno fmt --check && deno lint && deno check src/index.ts && deno test",
-    "start": "deno run --allow-env=TOKEN,CLIENT_ID,CONFIG_PATH,NODE_V8_COVERAGE,UNDICI_NO_FG,JEST_WORKER_ID,SHARDS,SHARD_COUNT,SHARDING_MANAGER,SHARDING_MANAGER_MODE,DISCORD_TOKEN,WS_NO_BUFFER_UTIL,WS_NO_UTF_8_VALIDATE --allow-net=discord.com,gateway.discord.gg --allow-read=./config.json,/data/config.json --allow-write=.,/data src/index.ts"
+    "start": "deno run --allow-env=TOKEN,CLIENT_ID,CONFIG_PATH,NODE_V8_COVERAGE,UNDICI_NO_FG,JEST_WORKER_ID,SHARDS,SHARD_COUNT,SHARDING_MANAGER,SHARDING_MANAGER_MODE,DISCORD_TOKEN,WS_NO_BUFFER_UTIL,WS_NO_UTF_8_VALIDATE --allow-net=discord.com,gateway.discord.gg --allow-read=./config.json,./config.json.tmp,/data/config.json,/data/config.json.tmp --allow-write=.,/data src/index.ts"
   },
   "compilerOptions": {
     "lib": ["deno.window"]
diff --git a/src/award_message.ts b/src/award_message.ts
index 79d0f41..1a96ea3 100644
--- a/src/award_message.ts
+++ b/src/award_message.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-import { EmbedBuilder, MessageReaction, PartialMessageReaction } from "discord.js";
+import { EmbedBuilder, Message } from "discord.js";
 
 export default function awardEmbed(
-  reaction: MessageReaction | PartialMessageReaction,
+  message: Message,
   score: number,
 ): EmbedBuilder {
-  const message = reaction.message;
   const reactionSummary = message.reactions.cache
     .map((item) => `${item.emoji} ×${item.count}`)
     .join(" · ");
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index e821005..eaff404 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ client.once(Events.ClientReady, (readyClient) => {
     `Logged in as ${readyClient.user.tag}; serving ${readyClient.guilds.cache.size} guild(s).`,
   );
   readyClient.user.setActivity("👑 awarding funny messages");
+  void reconcileAwards().catch((error) => console.error("Failed to reconcile awards:", error));
 });
 
 client.on(Events.InteractionCreate, async (interaction) => {
@@ -185,9 +186,13 @@ async function updateAward(
   reaction: MessageReaction | PartialMessageReaction,
 ): Promise<void> {
   if (reaction.partial) await reaction.fetch();
-  if (reaction.message.partial) await reaction.message.fetch();
+  // Reaction gateway events only populate the cache entry that changed. Always fetch the
+  // message so reactions that existed before this process started are included as well.
+  const message = await reaction.message.fetch(true);
+  await updateAwardForMessage(message);
+}
 
-  const message = reaction.message;
+async function updateAwardForMessage(message: Message): Promise<void> {
   const entry = watchedEntry(message);
   if (!message.guild || !entry) return;
 
@@ -225,7 +230,7 @@ async function updateAward(
     return;
   }
 
-  const payload = { embeds: [awardEmbed(reaction, score)] };
+  const payload = { embeds: [awardEmbed(message, score)] };
   if (oldAward) {
     await oldAward.edit(payload);
     if (entry.awards[message.id] !== oldAward.id) {
@@ -239,6 +244,65 @@ async function updateAward(
   }
 }
 
+async function reconcileAwards(): Promise<void> {
+  let reconciled = 0;
+  for (const entry of entries) {
+    if (!entry.output_channel) continue;
+
+    const guild = await client.guilds.fetch(entry.server).catch(() => undefined);
+    if (!guild) continue;
+    const outputChannel = await guild.channels.fetch(entry.output_channel).catch(() => undefined);
+    if (!(outputChannel instanceof BaseGuildTextChannel)) continue;
+
+    const sourceChannels = new Map<string, string>();
+    const recentAwards = await outputChannel.messages.fetch({ limit: 100 });
+    for (const award of recentAwards.values()) {
+      if (award.author.id !== client.user?.id) continue;
+      const source = getSourceMessageLocation(award);
+      if (source) sourceChannels.set(source.messageId, source.channelId);
+    }
+
+    for (const [sourceMessageId, awardMessageId] of Object.entries(entry.awards)) {
+      if (sourceChannels.has(sourceMessageId)) continue;
+      const award = await outputChannel.messages.fetch(awardMessageId).catch(() => undefined);
+      if (!award) continue;
+      const source = getSourceMessageLocation(award);
+      if (source?.messageId === sourceMessageId) {
+        sourceChannels.set(sourceMessageId, source.channelId);
+      }
+    }
+
+    for (const [sourceMessageId, sourceChannelId] of sourceChannels) {
+      const sourceChannel = await guild.channels.fetch(sourceChannelId).catch(() => undefined);
+      if (!(sourceChannel instanceof BaseGuildTextChannel)) continue;
+
+      const sourceMessage = await sourceChannel.messages.fetch({
+        message: sourceMessageId,
+        force: true,
+      }).catch(() => undefined);
+      if (!sourceMessage) continue;
+
+      await updateAwardForMessage(sourceMessage);
+      reconciled++;
+    }
+  }
+  if (reconciled > 0) console.log(`Reconciled ${reconciled} existing award(s).`);
+}
+
+function getSourceMessageLocation(
+  award: Message,
+): { channelId: string; messageId: string } | undefined {
+  for (const embed of award.embeds) {
+    for (const field of embed.fields) {
+      const match = field.value.match(
+        /https:\/\/discord\.com\/channels\/\d+\/(\d+)\/(\d+)/,
+      );
+      if (match) return { channelId: match[1], messageId: match[2] };
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 function watchedEntry(message: Message | PartialMessage): Entry | undefined {
   const entry = entries.find((item) => item.server === message.guildId);
   if (!entry?.output_channel) return undefined;
@@ -253,7 +317,7 @@ function listAllows(type: Type, values: string[], value: string): boolean {
 
 async function getMessageScore(
   entry: Entry,
-  message: Message | PartialMessage,
+  message: Message,
 ): Promise<number> {
   const reactionCounts = new Map<string, number>();
   for (const item of message.reactions.cache.values()) {