diff --git a/data/userevent.py b/data/userevent.py
index 47e433c89..a5b7671ca 100644
--- a/data/userevent.py
+++ b/data/userevent.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import redis
 import json
 import threading
 import logging
 
+import redis
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class CannotReadUserEventsException(Exception):
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class UserEvent(object):
   as backed by Redis.
   """
   def __init__(self, redis_config, username):
-    self._redis = redis.StrictRedis(socket_connect_timeout=5, **redis_config)
+    self._redis = redis.StrictRedis(socket_connect_timeout=2, **redis_config)
     self._username = username
 
   @staticmethod
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ class UserEvent(object):
       try:
         self.publish_event_data_sync(event_id, data_obj)
         logger.debug('Published user event %s: %s', event_id, data_obj)
-      except Exception:
+      except redis.RedisError:
         logger.exception('Could not publish user event')
 
     thread = threading.Thread(target=conduct)
@@ -87,7 +88,8 @@ class UserEventListener(object):
   Defines a helper class for subscribing to realtime user events as
   backed by Redis.
   """
-  def __init__(self, redis_config, username, events=set([])):
+  def __init__(self, redis_config, username, events=None):
+    events = events or set([])
     channels = [self._user_event_key(username, e) for e in events]
 
     try:
@@ -114,8 +116,8 @@ class UserEventListener(object):
 
       try:
         data = json.loads(item['data'] or '{}')
-      except:
-        pass
+      except ValueError:
+        continue
 
       if data:
         yield event_id, data
diff --git a/endpoints/trackhelper.py b/endpoints/trackhelper.py
index f1bc708e5..0aa66cefa 100644
--- a/endpoints/trackhelper.py
+++ b/endpoints/trackhelper.py
@@ -56,16 +56,9 @@ def track_and_log(event_name, repo_obj, analytics_name=None, analytics_sample=1,
     metadata['public'] = True
     analytics_id = 'anonymous'
 
-  request_parsed = urlparse(request.url_root)
-  extra_params = {
-    'repository': '%s/%s' % (namespace_name, repo_name),
-    'user-agent': request.user_agent.string,
-    'hostname': request_parsed.hostname,
-  }
-
   # Publish the user event (if applicable)
   logger.debug('Checking publishing %s to the user events system', event_name)
-  if authenticated_user:
+  if authenticated_user and not authenticated_user.robot:
     logger.debug('Publishing %s to the user events system', event_name)
     user_event_data = {
       'action': event_name,
@@ -80,7 +73,16 @@ def track_and_log(event_name, repo_obj, analytics_name=None, analytics_sample=1,
   if random.random() < analytics_sample:
     if analytics_name is None:
       analytics_name = event_name
+
     logger.debug('Logging the %s to Mixpanel', analytics_name)
+
+    request_parsed = urlparse(request.url_root)
+    extra_params = {
+      'repository': '%s/%s' % (namespace_name, repo_name),
+      'user-agent': request.user_agent.string,
+      'hostname': request_parsed.hostname,
+    }
+
     analytics.track(analytics_id, analytics_name, extra_params)
 
   # Log the action to the database.