diff --git a/nomen/notifications.py b/nomen/notifications.py
index d18d343..f49060e 100644
--- a/nomen/notifications.py
+++ b/nomen/notifications.py
@@ -22,6 +22,19 @@ class NotifierLogAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
         )
 
 
+class KeywordError(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, msg=None, dm_msg=None, *args):
+        self.msg = msg
+        self.dm_msg = dm_msg
+        super().__init__(msg, dm_msg, *args)
+
+    async def send(self, ctx):
+        if self.msg:
+            await ctx.send(self.msg + " (check DMs)")
+        if self.dm_msg:
+            await ctx.author.send(self.dm_msg)
+
+
 async def handle_notification(db_updates, ctx, message, keyword, user_id, use_embed):
     """
     Async task to dispatch a notification
@@ -158,64 +171,47 @@ class Notifications(Cog):
         """
         await ctx.send_help(self.keyword)
 
-    async def _add_keyword(self, ctx, keyword: str, regex: bool):
-        log.debug(
-            f"Adding {'regex' if regex else 'keyword'}: {keyword} of {ctx.author} ({ctx.author.id}) on {ctx.guild} ({ctx.guild.id})"
+    async def _check_conflicts(self, guild_id, user_id, keyword):
+        return await self.bot.db.fetch_unpacked(
+            "SELECT keyword FROM keywords WHERE guild_id=? AND user_id=? AND contains(?, keyword, regex)",
+            (guild_id, user_id, keyword),
         )
 
-        params = {
-            "keyword": keyword,
-            "guild_id": ctx.guild.id,
-            "user_id": ctx.author.id,
-            "regex": regex,
-        }
+    async def _check_redundants(self, guild_id, user_id, keyword, regex):
+        return await self.bot.db.fetch_unpacked(
+            "SELECT keyword FROM keywords WHERE guild_id=? AND user_id=? AND contains(keyword, ?, ?)",
+            (guild_id, user_id, keyword, regex),
+        )
 
-        existing = """
-        SELECT keyword FROM keywords
-        WHERE guild_id=:guild_id
-        AND user_id=:user_id
-        AND contains(:keyword, keyword, regex)
-        """
-        redundant = """
-        SELECT keyword FROM keywords
-        WHERE guild_id=:guild_id
-        AND user_id=:user_id
-        AND contains(keyword, :keyword, :regex)
-        """
+    async def add_keyword(self, guild_id: int, user_id: int, keyword: str, regex: bool, initial_count: int = 0):
+        log.debug(
+            f"Adding {'regex' if regex else 'keyword'}: {keyword} of {user_id} on {guild_id} with count {initial_count}"
+        )
 
         if test_keyword(keyword, regex):
             log.debug("Keyword too common")
-            await ctx.send(f"{'Regex' if regex else 'Keyword'} matches a word that is too common")
-            return
+            raise KeywordError(f"{'Regex' if regex else 'Keyword'} matches a word that is too common")
 
-        conflicts = await ctx.bot.db.fetch_unpacked(existing, params)
-
-        if conflicts:
+        if conflicts := await self._check_conflicts(guild_id, user_id, keyword):
             log.debug("Keyword conflicts with existing keyword")
-            await ctx.send(f"Any instance of `{keyword}` would be matched by existing keywords (check DMs)")
-            await ctx.author.send(
-                f"Conflicts with keyword `{keyword}`:\n" + "\n".join(f"- `{conflict}`" for conflict in conflicts)
+            raise KeywordError(
+                f"Any instance of `{keyword}` would be matched by existing keywords",
+                f"Conflicts with keyword `{keyword}`:\n" + "\n".join(f"- `{conflict}`" for conflict in conflicts),
             )
-            return
 
-        conflicts = await ctx.bot.db.fetch_unpacked(redundant, params)
-
-        if conflicts:
+        if redundants := await self._check_redundants(guild_id, user_id, keyword, regex):
             log.debug("Keyword renders existing redundant")
-            await ctx.send(f"Adding `{keyword}` will cause existing keywords to never match (check DMs)")
-            await ctx.author.send(
-                f"Keywords redundant from `{keyword}`:\n" + "\n".join(f" - `{conflict}`" for conflict in conflicts)
+            raise KeywordError(
+                f"Adding `{keyword}` will cause existing keywords to never match",
+                f"Keywords redundant from `{keyword}`:\n" + "\n".join(f" - `{conflict}`" for conflict in redundants),
             )
-            return
 
         log.debug("Keyword valid, adding")
 
-        await ctx.bot.db.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO keywords (guild_id, keyword, user_id, regex) VALUES (:guild_id, :keyword, :user_id, :regex)",
-            params,
+        await self.bot.db.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO keywords VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)", (guild_id, keyword, user_id, regex, initial_count)
         )
-        await ctx.bot.db.commit()
-        await ctx.send(f"Added `{keyword}` to your list of keywords")
+        await self.bot.db.commit()
 
     @keyword.command()
     @guild_only()
@@ -226,7 +222,12 @@ class Notifications(Cog):
         Use quotes for a keyword with spaces!
         """
 
-        await self._add_keyword(ctx, keyword, False)
+        try:
+            await self.add_keyword(ctx.guild.id, ctx.author.id, keyword, False)
+        except KeywordError as e:
+            await e.send(ctx)
+        else:
+            await ctx.send(f"Added `{keyword}` to your list of keywords")
 
     @keyword.command()
     @guild_only()
@@ -238,7 +239,12 @@ class Notifications(Cog):
         """
 
         # TODO: Add regex names to make notifications cleaner
-        await self._add_keyword(ctx, keyword, True)
+        try:
+            await self.add_keyword(ctx.guild.id, ctx.author.id, keyword, True)
+        except KeywordError as e:
+            await e.send(ctx)
+        else:
+            await ctx.send(f"Added regex `{keyword}` to your list of keywords")
 
     @keyword.command(aliases=["delete", "del"])
     @guild_only()