diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b1de944..5e0896a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='sysrev',
-    version='1.3.2',
+    version='1.3.4',
     description='get sysrev project data and use the sysrev api',
     long_description=long_description,
     long_description_content_type='text/markdown',  # Specify the content type here
diff --git a/sysrev/client.py b/sysrev/client.py
index 22a5f40..ceda05f 100644
--- a/sysrev/client.py
+++ b/sysrev/client.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def transform_label(self, label_type, label_value):
 
 class Synchronizer:
     
-    def create_sqlite_db():
+    def create_sqlite_db(self):
         pathlib.Path(".sr").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
         conn = sqlite3.connect('.sr/sr.sqlite')
         c = conn.cursor()
@@ -93,7 +93,12 @@ def create_sqlite_db():
         conn.commit()
         conn.close()
 
+    # TODO - this could be made more efficient by checking sqlite state and updating the sysrev api
     def sync(self, client, project_id):
+        # check that db exists
+        if not pathlib.Path('.sr/sr.sqlite').exists():
+            self.create_sqlite_db()
+            
         project_info = client.get_project_info(project_id)
         
         labels = client.get_labels(project_id)