diff --git a/aeon/dj_pipeline/__init__.py b/aeon/dj_pipeline/__init__.py
index b319f55b..72e57718 100644
--- a/aeon/dj_pipeline/__init__.py
+++ b/aeon/dj_pipeline/__init__.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def fetch_stream(query, drop_pk=True):
     df.drop(columns=cols2drop, inplace=True, errors="ignore")
     df.rename(columns={"timestamps": "time"}, inplace=True)
     df.set_index("time", inplace=True)
+    df.sort_index(inplace=True)
     return df
 
 
diff --git a/aeon/dj_pipeline/acquisition.py b/aeon/dj_pipeline/acquisition.py
index 9823435d..b20c1a0c 100644
--- a/aeon/dj_pipeline/acquisition.py
+++ b/aeon/dj_pipeline/acquisition.py
@@ -385,18 +385,13 @@ def ingest_chunks(cls, experiment_name):
                 continue
 
             chunk_start = chunk.name
+            chunk_start = max(chunk_start, epoch_start)  # first chunk of the epoch starts at epoch_start
             chunk_end = chunk_start + datetime.timedelta(hours=io_api.CHUNK_DURATION)
 
             if EpochEnd & epoch_key:
                 epoch_end = (EpochEnd & epoch_key).fetch1("epoch_end")
                 chunk_end = min(chunk_end, epoch_end)
 
-            if chunk_start in chunk_starts:
-                # handle cases where two chunks with identical start_time
-                # (starts in the same hour) but from 2 consecutive epochs
-                # using epoch_start as chunk_start in this case
-                chunk_start = epoch_start
-
             # --- insert to Chunk ---
             chunk_key = {"experiment_name": experiment_name, "chunk_start": chunk_start}
 
diff --git a/aeon/dj_pipeline/analysis/block_analysis.py b/aeon/dj_pipeline/analysis/block_analysis.py
index 517ff373..e49cf71d 100644
--- a/aeon/dj_pipeline/analysis/block_analysis.py
+++ b/aeon/dj_pipeline/analysis/block_analysis.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import json
-
 import datajoint as dj
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ def make(self, key):
         )
 
         block_query = acquisition.Environment.BlockState & chunk_restriction
-        block_df = fetch_stream(block_query).sort_index()[previous_block_start:chunk_end]
+        block_df = fetch_stream(block_query)[previous_block_start:chunk_end]
 
         block_ends = block_df[block_df.pellet_ct.diff() < 0]
 
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ def make(self, key):
                 block_entries[-1]["block_end"] = block_end
             block_entries.append({**exp_key, "block_start": block_end, "block_end": None})
 
-        Block.insert(block_entries)
+        Block.insert(block_entries, skip_duplicates=True)
         self.insert1(key)
 
 
@@ -155,10 +154,9 @@ def make(self, key):
         )
         for streams_table in streams_tables:
             if len(streams_table & chunk_keys) < len(streams_table.key_source & chunk_keys):
-                logger.info(
-                    f"{streams_table.__name__} not yet fully ingested for block: {key}. Skip BlockAnalysis (to retry later)..."
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"BlockAnalysis Not Ready - {streams_table.__name__} not yet fully ingested for block: {key}. Skipping (to retry later)..."
                 )
-                return
 
         self.insert1({**key, "block_duration": (block_end - block_start).total_seconds() / 3600})
 
@@ -323,7 +321,6 @@ def make(self, key):
         subject_names = [s["subject_name"] for s in block_subjects]
         # Construct subject position dataframe
         subjects_positions_df = pd.concat(
-
             [
                 pd.DataFrame(
                     {"subject_name": [s["subject_name"]] * len(s["position_timestamps"])}
diff --git a/aeon/dj_pipeline/populate/worker.py b/aeon/dj_pipeline/populate/worker.py
index c1a8f86c..e538c8cb 100644
--- a/aeon/dj_pipeline/populate/worker.py
+++ b/aeon/dj_pipeline/populate/worker.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def ingest_environment_visits():
 acquisition_worker(acquisition.EpochConfig)
 acquisition_worker(acquisition.Environment)
 # acquisition_worker(ingest_environment_visits)
-acquisition_worker(block_analysis.BlockDetection)
+# acquisition_worker(block_analysis.BlockDetection)
 
 # configure a worker to handle pyrat sync
 pyrat_worker = DataJointWorker(
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ def ingest_environment_visits():
     db_prefix=db_prefix,
     max_idled_cycle=50,
     sleep_duration=60,
+    autoclear_error_patterns=["%BlockAnalysis Not Ready%"],
 )
 
 for attr in vars(streams).values():
diff --git a/aeon/dj_pipeline/utils/load_metadata.py b/aeon/dj_pipeline/utils/load_metadata.py
index 56993880..f2639c22 100644
--- a/aeon/dj_pipeline/utils/load_metadata.py
+++ b/aeon/dj_pipeline/utils/load_metadata.py
@@ -201,10 +201,9 @@ def ingest_epoch_metadata(experiment_name, devices_schema, metadata_yml_filepath
 
             if not (streams.Device & device_key):
                 logger.warning(
-                    f"Device {device_name} (serial number: {device_sn}) is not yet registered in streams.Device. Skipping..."
+                    f"Device {device_name} (serial number: {device_sn}) is not yet registered in streams.Device.\nThis should not happen - check if metadata.yml and schemas dotmap are consistent. Skipping..."
                 )
                 # skip if this device (with a serial number) is not yet inserted in streams.Device
-                # this should not happen - check if metadata.yml and schemas dotmap are consistent
                 continue
 
             device_list.append(device_key)