diff --git a/internal/media/processingemoji.go b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
index 292712427..741854b9b 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingemoji.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-store/kv"
@@ -53,9 +54,7 @@ type ProcessingEmoji struct {
 	/*
 		below fields represent the processing state of the static of the emoji
 	*/
-
-	staticState   processState
-	fullSizeState processState
+	staticState int32
 
 	/*
 		below pointers to database and storage are maintained so that
@@ -104,17 +103,18 @@ func (p *ProcessingEmoji) LoadEmoji(ctx context.Context) (*gtsmodel.Emoji, error
 // Finished returns true if processing has finished for both the thumbnail
 // and full fized version of this piece of media.
 func (p *ProcessingEmoji) Finished() bool {
-	return p.staticState == complete && p.fullSizeState == complete
+	return atomic.LoadInt32(&p.staticState) == int32(complete)
 }
 
 func (p *ProcessingEmoji) loadStatic(ctx context.Context) error {
-	switch p.staticState {
+	staticState := atomic.LoadInt32(&p.staticState)
+	switch processState(staticState) {
 	case received:
 		// stream the original file out of storage...
 		stored, err := p.storage.GetStream(p.emoji.ImagePath)
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadStatic: error fetching file from storage: %s", err)
-			p.staticState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
@@ -122,27 +122,27 @@ func (p *ProcessingEmoji) loadStatic(ctx context.Context) error {
 		static, err := deriveStaticEmoji(stored, p.emoji.ImageContentType)
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadStatic: error deriving static: %s", err)
-			p.staticState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		if err := stored.Close(); err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadStatic: error closing stored full size: %s", err)
-			p.staticState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		// put the static in storage
 		if err := p.storage.Put(p.emoji.ImageStaticPath, static.small); err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadStatic: error storing static: %s", err)
-			p.staticState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		p.emoji.ImageStaticFileSize = len(static.small)
 
 		// we're done processing the static version of the emoji!
-		p.staticState = complete
+		atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(complete))
 		fallthrough
 	case complete:
 		return nil
@@ -281,8 +281,7 @@ func (m *manager) preProcessEmoji(ctx context.Context, data DataFunc, shortcode
 		instanceAccountID: instanceAccount.ID,
 		emoji:             emoji,
 		data:              data,
-		staticState:       received,
-		fullSizeState:     received,
+		staticState:       int32(received),
 		database:          m.db,
 		storage:           m.storage,
 	}
diff --git a/internal/media/processingmedia.go b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
index 0bbe35aee..0f47ee4e6 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingmedia.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-store/kv"
@@ -49,8 +50,8 @@ type ProcessingMedia struct {
 	data       DataFunc
 	read       bool // bool indicating that data function has been triggered already
 
-	thumbstate    processState // the processing state of the media thumbnail
-	fullSizeState processState // the processing state of the full-sized media
+	thumbState    int32 // the processing state of the media thumbnail
+	fullSizeState int32 // the processing state of the full-sized media
 
 	/*
 		below pointers to database and storage are maintained so that
@@ -103,11 +104,12 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) LoadAttachment(ctx context.Context) (*gtsmodel.MediaAt
 // Finished returns true if processing has finished for both the thumbnail
 // and full fized version of this piece of media.
 func (p *ProcessingMedia) Finished() bool {
-	return p.thumbstate == complete && p.fullSizeState == complete
+	return atomic.LoadInt32(&p.thumbState) == int32(complete) && atomic.LoadInt32(&p.fullSizeState) == int32(complete)
 }
 
 func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
-	switch p.thumbstate {
+	thumbState := atomic.LoadInt32(&p.thumbState)
+	switch processState(thumbState) {
 	case received:
 		// we haven't processed a thumbnail for this media yet so do it now
 
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
 		stored, err := p.storage.GetStream(p.attachment.File.Path)
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: error fetching file from storage: %s", err)
-			p.thumbstate = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
@@ -130,20 +132,20 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
 		thumb, err := deriveThumbnail(stored, p.attachment.File.ContentType, createBlurhash)
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: error deriving thumbnail: %s", err)
-			p.thumbstate = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		if err := stored.Close(); err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: error closing stored full size: %s", err)
-			p.thumbstate = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		// put the thumbnail in storage
 		if err := p.storage.Put(p.attachment.Thumbnail.Path, thumb.small); err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: error storing thumbnail: %s", err)
-			p.thumbstate = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
 		p.attachment.Thumbnail.FileSize = len(thumb.small)
 
 		// we're done processing the thumbnail!
-		p.thumbstate = complete
+		atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(complete))
 		fallthrough
 	case complete:
 		return nil
@@ -168,11 +170,12 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return p.err
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: thumbnail processing status %d unknown", p.thumbstate)
+	return fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: thumbnail processing status %d unknown", p.thumbState)
 }
 
 func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadFullSize(ctx context.Context) error {
-	switch p.fullSizeState {
+	fullSizeState := atomic.LoadInt32(&p.fullSizeState)
+	switch processState(fullSizeState) {
 	case received:
 		var err error
 		var decoded *imageMeta
@@ -181,7 +184,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadFullSize(ctx context.Context) error {
 		stored, err := p.storage.GetStream(p.attachment.File.Path)
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadFullSize: error fetching file from storage: %s", err)
-			p.fullSizeState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.fullSizeState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
@@ -198,13 +201,13 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadFullSize(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		if err != nil {
 			p.err = err
-			p.fullSizeState = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.fullSizeState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
 		if err := stored.Close(); err != nil {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadFullSize: error closing stored full size: %s", err)
-			p.thumbstate = errored
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.fullSizeState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
 		}
 
@@ -219,7 +222,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadFullSize(ctx context.Context) error {
 		p.attachment.Processing = gtsmodel.ProcessingStatusProcessed
 
 		// we're done processing the full-size image
-		p.fullSizeState = complete
+		atomic.StoreInt32(&p.fullSizeState, int32(complete))
 		fallthrough
 	case complete:
 		return nil
@@ -400,8 +403,8 @@ func (m *manager) preProcessMedia(ctx context.Context, data DataFunc, accountID
 	processingMedia := &ProcessingMedia{
 		attachment:    attachment,
 		data:          data,
-		thumbstate:    received,
-		fullSizeState: received,
+		thumbState:    int32(received),
+		fullSizeState: int32(received),
 		database:      m.db,
 		storage:       m.storage,
 	}
diff --git a/internal/media/types.go b/internal/media/types.go
index b9c79d464..a6b38b467 100644
--- a/internal/media/types.go
+++ b/internal/media/types.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 	mimeImagePng = mimeImage + "/" + mimePng
 )
 
-type processState int
+type processState int32
 
 const (
 	received processState = iota // processing order has been received but not done yet