diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 4acf028..c30e1cd 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -237,58 +237,52 @@ exports.init = function initDB(peer, config) {
     if (!opts.content) return cb(new Error('create() requires a `content`'))
     if (!opts.type) return cb(new Error('create() requires a `type`'))
 
-    const feedRootHash = getFeedRoot(FeedV1.stripAuthor(keys.id), opts.type)
-    if (!feedRootHash) {
-      const feedRoot = FeedV1.createRoot(keys, opts.type)
-      add(feedRoot, FeedV1.getMsgHash(feedRoot), (err) => {
-        // prettier-ignore
-        if (err) return cb(new Error('create() failed to create root', {cause: err}));
-        create(opts, cb)
-      })
-      return
-    }
-
-    // Fill-in tangle opts:
-    const tangleTemplates = opts.tangles ?? []
-    tangleTemplates.push(feedRootHash)
-    const tangles = populateTangles(tangleTemplates)
-    const fullOpts = { ...opts, tangles, keys }
-
-    // If opts ask for encryption, encrypt and put ciphertext in opts.content
-    const recps = fullOpts.content.recps
-    if (Array.isArray(recps) && recps.length > 0) {
-      const plaintext = FeedV1.toPlaintextBuffer(fullOpts)
-      const encryptOpts = { ...fullOpts, recps }
-      let ciphertextBuf
-      try {
-        ciphertextBuf = encryptionFormat.encrypt(plaintext, encryptOpts)
-      } catch (err) {
-        // prettier-ignore
-        return cb(new Error('create() failed to encrypt content', {cause: err}));
-      }
-      if (!ciphertextBuf) {
-        // prettier-ignore
-        return cb(new Error('create() failed to encrypt with ' + encryptionFormat.name))
-      }
-      const ciphertextBase64 = ciphertextBuf.toString('base64')
-      fullOpts.content = ciphertextBase64 + '.' + encryptionFormat.name
-    }
-
-    // Create the actual message:
-    let msg
-    try {
-      msg = FeedV1.create(fullOpts)
-    } catch (err) {
-      return cb(new Error('create() failed', { cause: err }))
-    }
-    const msgHash = FeedV1.getMsgHash(msg)
-
-    // Encode the native message and append it to the log:
-    logAppend(msgHash, msg, (err, rec) => {
+    initializeFeed(opts, (err, feedRootHash) => {
       // prettier-ignore
-      if (err) return cb(new Error('create() failed to append the log', { cause: err }))
-      onRecordAdded.set(rec)
-      cb(null, rec)
+      if (err) return cb(new Error('create() failed to initialize feed', { cause: err }));
+
+      // Fill-in tangle opts:
+      const tangleTemplates = opts.tangles ?? []
+      tangleTemplates.push(feedRootHash)
+      const tangles = populateTangles(tangleTemplates)
+      const fullOpts = { ...opts, tangles, keys }
+
+      // If opts ask for encryption, encrypt and put ciphertext in opts.content
+      const recps = fullOpts.content.recps
+      if (Array.isArray(recps) && recps.length > 0) {
+        const plaintext = FeedV1.toPlaintextBuffer(fullOpts)
+        const encryptOpts = { ...fullOpts, recps }
+        let ciphertextBuf
+        try {
+          ciphertextBuf = encryptionFormat.encrypt(plaintext, encryptOpts)
+        } catch (err) {
+          // prettier-ignore
+          return cb(new Error('create() failed to encrypt content', {cause: err}));
+        }
+        if (!ciphertextBuf) {
+          // prettier-ignore
+          return cb(new Error('create() failed to encrypt with ' + encryptionFormat.name))
+        }
+        const ciphertextBase64 = ciphertextBuf.toString('base64')
+        fullOpts.content = ciphertextBase64 + '.' + encryptionFormat.name
+      }
+
+      // Create the actual message:
+      let msg
+      try {
+        msg = FeedV1.create(fullOpts)
+      } catch (err) {
+        return cb(new Error('create() failed', { cause: err }))
+      }
+      const msgHash = FeedV1.getMsgHash(msg)
+
+      // Encode the native message and append it to the log:
+      logAppend(msgHash, msg, (err, rec) => {
+        // prettier-ignore
+        if (err) return cb(new Error('create() failed to append the log', { cause: err }))
+        onRecordAdded.set(rec)
+        cb(null, rec)
+      })
     })
   }