diff --git a/pointsbot/bot.py b/pointsbot/bot.py
index 2621940..2ad96e9 100644
--- a/pointsbot/bot.py
+++ b/pointsbot/bot.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def run():
             is_mod = bool(subreddit.moderator(redditor=reddit.user.me()))
             print_level(1, f'Is mod? {is_mod}')
 
-            monitor_comments(subreddit, db)
+            monitor_comments(subreddit, db, levels)
         # Ignoring other potential exceptions for now, since we may not be able
         # to recover from them as well as from this one
         except prawcore.exceptions.RequestException as e:
@@ -47,9 +47,8 @@ def run():
             print('Lost connection to Reddit; attempting to reconnect....')
 
 
-def monitor_comments(subreddit, db):
-    """Monitor new comments in the subreddit, looking for confirmed solutions.
-    """
+def monitor_comments(subreddit, db, levels):
+    """Monitor new comments in the subreddit, looking for confirmed solutions."""
     # Passing pause_after=0 will bypass the internal exponential delay, but have
     # to check if any comments are returned with each query
     for comm in subreddit.stream.comments(skip_existing=True, pause_after=0):
@@ -83,8 +82,16 @@ def monitor_comments(subreddit, db):
 
         # Reply to the comment marking the submission as solved
         reply_body = reply.make(solver, points, level_info)
-        comm.reply(reply_body)
-        print_level(1, f'Replied to comment with: "{reply_body}"')
+        try:
+            comm.reply(reply_body)
+            print_level(1, f'Replied to comment with: "{reply_body}"')
+        except praw.exceptions.APIException as e:
+            print_level(1, 'Unable to reply to comment')
+            print_level(2, f'{e}')
+            db.remove_point(solver)
+            print_level(1, f'Removed point awarded to {solver.name}')
+            print_level(1, 'Skipping comment')
+            continue
 
         # Check if (non-mod) user flair should be updated to new level
         lvl = level_info.current
@@ -105,9 +112,9 @@ def monitor_comments(subreddit, db):
 
 
 def marks_as_solved(comment):
-    '''Return True if the comment meets the criteria for marking the submission
+    """Return True if the comment meets the criteria for marking the submission
     as solved, False otherwise.
-    '''
+    """
     op_resp_to_solver = (not comment.is_root
                          and comment.is_submitter
                          and not comment.parent().is_submitter
@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ def is_mod_comment(comment):
 
 
 def is_first_solution(solved_comment):
-    '''Return True if this solved comment is the first, False otherwise.'''
+    """Return True if this solved comment is the first, False otherwise."""
     # Retrieve any comments hidden by "more comments" by passing limit=0
     submission = solved_comment.submission
     submission.comments.replace_more(limit=0)
@@ -143,6 +150,7 @@ def is_first_solution(solved_comment):
 
 
 def find_solver(solved_comment):
+    """Determine the redditor responsible for solving the question."""
     return solved_comment.parent().author
 
 
diff --git a/pointsbot/database.py b/pointsbot/database.py
index 89050c0..c6f8e95 100644
--- a/pointsbot/database.py
+++ b/pointsbot/database.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Database:
             name TEXT UNIQUE NOT NULL,
             points INTEGER DEFAULT 0
         )
-        '''
+    '''
 
     def __init__(self, dbpath):
         self.path = dbpath
@@ -59,19 +59,55 @@ class Database:
         insert_stmt = '''
             INSERT OR IGNORE INTO redditor_points (id, name)
             VALUES (:id, :name)
-            '''
+        '''
         self.cursor.execute(insert_stmt, {'id': redditor.id, 'name': redditor.name})
         return self.cursor.rowcount
 
-    @transaction
+#   @transaction
+#   def add_point(self, redditor):
+#       points = self.get_points(redditor, add_if_none=True)
+#       params = {'id': redditor.id, 'name': redditor.name, 'points': points + 1}
+#       update_stmt = '''
+#           UPDATE redditor_points
+#           SET points = :points
+#           WHERE id = :id AND name = :name
+#           '''
+#       self.cursor.execute(update_stmt, params)
+#       return self.cursor.rowcount
+
+#   @transaction
+#   def remove_point(self, redditor):
+#       points = self.get_points(redditor, add_if_none=True)
+#       params = {'id': redditor.id, 'name': redditor.name, 'points': points - 1}
+#       update_stmt = '''
+#           UPDATE redditor_points
+#           SET points = :points
+#           WHERE id = :id AND name = :name
+#           '''
+#       self.cursor.execute(update_stmt, params)
+#       return self.cursor.rowcount
+
     def add_point(self, redditor):
+        return self._update_points(redditor, 1)
+
+    def remove_point(self, redditor):
+        return self._update_points(redditor, -1)
+
+    @transaction
+    def _update_points(self, redditor, points_modifier):
+        """points_modifier is positive to add points, negative to subtract."""
         points = self.get_points(redditor, add_if_none=True)
-        params = {'id': redditor.id, 'name': redditor.name, 'points': points + 1}
+        # params = {'id': redditor.id, 'name': redditor.name, 'points': points - 1}
+        params = {
+            'id': redditor.id,
+            'name': redditor.name,
+            'points': points + points_modifier,
+        }
         update_stmt = '''
             UPDATE redditor_points
             SET points = :points
             WHERE id = :id AND name = :name
-            '''
+        '''
         self.cursor.execute(update_stmt, params)
         return self.cursor.rowcount
 
@@ -82,7 +118,7 @@ class Database:
             SELECT points
             FROM redditor_points
             WHERE id = :id AND name = :name
-            '''
+        '''
         self.cursor.execute(select_stmt, params)
         row = self.cursor.fetchone()   # TODO check if more than one row
         if row: