diff --git a/backend/app.js b/backend/app.js
index 15342e5..4bc9584 100644
--- a/backend/app.js
+++ b/backend/app.js
@@ -534,13 +534,7 @@ async function loadConfig() {
         subscriptions.forEach(async sub => subscriptions_api.writeSubscriptionMetadata(sub));
         subscriptions_api.updateSubscriptionPropertyMultiple(subscriptions, {downloading: false, child_process: null});
         // runs initially, then runs every ${subscriptionCheckInterval} seconds
-        const watchSubscriptionsInterval = function() {
-            watchSubscriptions();
-            const subscriptionsCheckInterval = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval');
-            setTimeout(watchSubscriptionsInterval, subscriptionsCheckInterval*1000);
-        }
-
-        watchSubscriptionsInterval();
+        subscriptions_api.watchSubscriptionsInterval();
     }
 
     // start the server here
@@ -570,62 +564,6 @@ function loadConfigValues() {
     utils.updateLoggerLevel(logger_level);
 }
 
-function calculateSubcriptionRetrievalDelay(subscriptions_amount) {
-    // frequency is once every 5 mins by default
-    const subscriptionsCheckInterval = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval');
-    let interval_in_ms = subscriptionsCheckInterval * 1000;
-    const subinterval_in_ms = interval_in_ms/subscriptions_amount;
-    return subinterval_in_ms;
-}
-
-async function watchSubscriptions() {
-    let subscriptions = await subscriptions_api.getAllSubscriptions();
-
-    if (!subscriptions) return;
-
-    // auto pause deprecated streamingOnly mode
-    const streaming_only_subs = subscriptions.filter(sub => sub.streamingOnly);
-    subscriptions_api.updateSubscriptionPropertyMultiple(streaming_only_subs, {paused: true});
-
-    const valid_subscriptions = subscriptions.filter(sub => !sub.paused && !sub.streamingOnly);
-
-    let subscriptions_amount = valid_subscriptions.length;
-    let delay_interval = calculateSubcriptionRetrievalDelay(subscriptions_amount);
-
-    let current_delay = 0;
-
-    const multiUserMode = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_multi_user_mode');
-    for (let i = 0; i < valid_subscriptions.length; i++) {
-        let sub = valid_subscriptions[i];
-
-        // don't check the sub if the last check for the same subscription has not completed
-        if (subscription_timeouts[sub.id]) {
-            logger.verbose(`Subscription: skipped checking ${sub.name} as the last check for ${sub.name} has not completed.`);
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        if (!sub.name) {
-            logger.verbose(`Subscription: skipped check for subscription with uid ${sub.id} as name has not been retrieved yet.`);
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        logger.verbose('Watching ' + sub.name + ' with delay interval of ' + delay_interval);
-        setTimeout(async () => {
-            const multiUserModeChanged = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_multi_user_mode') !== multiUserMode;
-            if (multiUserModeChanged) {
-                logger.verbose(`Skipping subscription ${sub.name} due to multi-user mode change.`);
-                return;
-            }
-            await subscriptions_api.getVideosForSub(sub.id);
-            subscription_timeouts[sub.id] = false;
-        }, current_delay);
-        subscription_timeouts[sub.id] = true;
-        current_delay += delay_interval;
-        const subscriptionsCheckInterval = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval');
-        if (current_delay >= subscriptionsCheckInterval * 1000) current_delay = 0;
-    }
-}
-
 function getOrigin() {
     return url_domain.origin;
 }
diff --git a/backend/subscriptions.js b/backend/subscriptions.js
index 034d652..4e7f7f4 100644
--- a/backend/subscriptions.js
+++ b/backend/subscriptions.js
@@ -205,6 +205,60 @@ exports.deleteSubscriptionFile = async (sub, file, deleteForever, file_uid = nul
     }
 }
 
+let current_sub_index = 0; // To keep track of the current subscription
+exports.watchSubscriptionsInterval = async () => {
+    const subscriptions_check_interval = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval');
+    let parent_interval = setInterval(() => watchSubscriptions(), subscriptions_check_interval*1000);
+    watchSubscriptions();
+    config_api.config_updated.subscribe(change => {
+        if (!change) return;
+        if (change['key'] === 'ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval' || change['key'] === 'ytdl_multi_user_mode') {
+            current_sub_index = 0; // TODO: start after the last sub check
+            clearInterval(parent_interval);
+            const new_interval = config_api.getConfigItem('ytdl_subscriptions_check_interval');
+            parent_interval = setInterval(() => watchSubscriptions(), new_interval*1000);
+            watchSubscriptions();
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+async function watchSubscriptions() {
+    const subscription_ids = await getValidSubscriptionsToCheck();
+    checkSubscription(subscription_ids[current_sub_index]);
+    current_sub_index = (current_sub_index + 1) % subscription_ids.length;
+}
+
+async function checkSubscription(sub_id) {
+    let sub = await exports.getSubscription(sub_id);
+
+    // don't check the sub if the last check for the same subscription has not completed
+    if (sub.downloading) {
+        logger.verbose(`Subscription: skipped checking ${sub.name} as it's downloading videos.`);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!sub.name) {
+        logger.verbose(`Subscription: skipped check for subscription with uid ${sub.id} as name has not been retrieved yet.`);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    await exports.getVideosForSub(sub.id);
+    // TODO: make sure if multi user mode changes we are also cancelling this
+}
+
+async function getValidSubscriptionsToCheck() {
+    const subscriptions = await exports.getAllSubscriptions();
+
+    if (!subscriptions) return;
+
+    // auto pause deprecated streamingOnly mode
+    const streaming_only_subs = subscriptions.filter(sub => sub.streamingOnly);
+    exports.updateSubscriptionPropertyMultiple(streaming_only_subs, {paused: true});
+
+    const valid_subscription_ids = subscriptions.filter(sub => !sub.paused && !sub.streamingOnly).map(sub => sub.id);
+    return valid_subscription_ids;
+}
+
 exports.getVideosForSub = async (sub_id) => {
     const sub = await exports.getSubscription(sub_id);
     if (!sub || sub['downloading']) {