diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 3af0a2c..32cca39 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@ class TuneBot(commands.Bot):
         print(f"Version: {discord.__version__}")
         print(f"Invite: {self.invite_link}")
 
+        ll = self.config["lavalink"]
+        self.lavalink = lavalink.Client(self.user.id)
+        self.lavalink.add_node(
+            ll["host"], ll["port"], ll["password"], ll["region"], ll["name"]
+        )
+
     def process_colours(self, colors: Dict[str, str]) -> Dict[str, Color]:
         colour_dict: Dict[str, Color] = {}
         for name, color in colors.items():
diff --git a/cogs/music.py b/cogs/music.py
index 282cb67..436cce8 100644
--- a/cogs/music.py
+++ b/cogs/music.py
@@ -76,25 +76,11 @@ class LavalinkVoiceClient(discord.VoiceClient):
 class Music(BaseCog):
     @commands.Cog.listener()
     async def on_ready(self):
-        if not hasattr(
-            self.bot, "lavalink"
-        ):  # This ensures the client isn't overwritten during cog reloads.
-            self.bot.lavalink = lavalink.Client(self.bot.user.id)
-
-            ll = self.bot.config["lavalink"]
-            self.bot.lavalink.add_node(
-                ll["host"], ll["port"], ll["password"], ll["region"], ll["name"]
-            )
-
-        self.bot.lavalink.add_event_hook(self.track_hook)
-        await self.async_init()
-
-    async def async_init(self):
-        redis_result = await AutoJoin.get_channels(self.bot._redis_client)
-
-        while len(self.bot.lavalink.node_manager.available_nodes) == 0:
+        while not self.is_lavalink_ready():
             await asyncio.sleep(1)
 
+        self.bot.lavalink.add_event_hook(self.track_hook)
+        redis_result = await AutoJoin.get_channels(self.bot._redis_client)
         for guild_id, (voicechannel_id, textchannel_id) in redis_result.items():
             player = self.bot.lavalink.player_manager.create(guild_id)
             player.store("channel", textchannel_id)
@@ -153,7 +139,7 @@ class Music(BaseCog):
         #  This is essentially the same as `@commands.guild_only()`
         #  except it saves us repeating ourselves (and also a few lines).
 
-        if not hasattr(self.bot, "lavalink"):
+        if not self.is_lavalink_ready():
             await ctx.send("Still starting please wait a moment.")
 
         if guild_check:
diff --git a/context.py b/context.py
index 433fc9e..bee1485 100644
--- a/context.py
+++ b/context.py
@@ -8,16 +8,20 @@ from lavalink.models import DefaultPlayer
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from bot import TuneBot
+    from utils.classes import BaseCog
 
 
 class CustomContext(commands.Context):
+    bot: "TuneBot"
+    cog: "BaseCog"
+
     @property
     def redis(self) -> Redis:
         return self.bot._redis_client
 
     @property
     def player(self) -> DefaultPlayer:
-        if hasattr(self.bot, "lavalink"):
+        if self.cog.is_lavalink_ready():
             return self.bot.lavalink.player_manager.get(self.guild.id)
 
         raise CommandInvokeError("Lavalink is still starting up.")
diff --git a/utils/classes.py b/utils/classes.py
index 9cc95b2..7da2ad3 100644
--- a/utils/classes.py
+++ b/utils/classes.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 from typing import Dict
 
 from discord.ext.commands import Cog
@@ -13,3 +14,9 @@ class BaseCog(Cog):
         for command in self.walk_commands():
             if brief := slash_descriptions.get(command.qualified_name):
                 command.brief = brief
+
+    def is_lavalink_ready(self) -> bool:
+        return (
+            hasattr(self.bot, "lavalink")
+            and len(self.bot.lavalink.node_manager.available_nodes) > 0
+        )
diff --git a/utils/database.py b/utils/database.py
index b8bcc06..05ac925 100644
--- a/utils/database.py
+++ b/utils/database.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class AutoJoin:
     async def get_channels(redis: Redis) -> Dict[str, str]:
         # return all channels
         channels = await redis.hgetall(f"{redis_prefix}:autojoin")
-        return {key: value.split("-") for key, value in channels.items()}
+        return {key: value.split(":") for key, value in channels.items()}
 
     @staticmethod
     async def update_channel(
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class AutoJoin:
         await redis.hset(
             f"{redis_prefix}:autojoin",
             guild_id,
-            f"{voice_channel_id}-{text_channel_id}",
+            f"{voice_channel_id}:{text_channel_id}",
         )
 
     @staticmethod