diff --git a/backend/server.js b/backend/server.js
index 4005b22..c99b812 100644
--- a/backend/server.js
+++ b/backend/server.js
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ async function run() {
   console.log("Started watching changes in database");
 
   const writeMessage = (response, blob) => {
-    const message = `id: ${blob._id}\nevent: message\ndata: ${JSON.stringify(blob)}\n\n`
+    // TODO: why no id?
+    const id = blob._id || null
+    const message = `id: ${id}\nevent: message\ndata: ${JSON.stringify(blob)}\n\n`
     response.write(message)
   }