diff --git a/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js b/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
--- a/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/updaters/thread-updaters.js
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
 import type { Viewer } from '../session/viewer.js';
 import { neynarClient } from '../utils/fc-cache.js';
 import { findUserIdentities } from '../utils/identity-utils.js';
+import { redisCache } from '../utils/redis-cache.js';
 import RelationshipChangeset from '../utils/relationship-changeset.js';
 
 type UpdateRoleOptions = {
@@ -942,13 +943,11 @@
     return null;
   }
 
-  const ledChannels =
-    await neynarClient?.fetchLedFarcasterChannels(farcasterID);
-
-  if (
-    !ledChannels ||
-    !ledChannels.some(channel => channel.id === communityFarcasterChannelTag)
-  ) {
+  const leadsChannel = await userLeadsChannel(
+    communityFarcasterChannelTag,
+    farcasterID,
+  );
+  if (!leadsChannel) {
     return null;
   }
 
@@ -962,6 +961,42 @@
   return null;
 }
 
+async function userLeadsChannel(
+  communityFarcasterChannelTag: string,
+  farcasterID: string,
+) {
+  const cachedChannelInfo = await redisCache.getChannelInfo(
+    communityFarcasterChannelTag,
+  );
+  if (cachedChannelInfo) {
+    return cachedChannelInfo.lead.fid === parseInt(farcasterID);
+  }
+
+  // In the background, we fetch and cache followed channels
+  ignorePromiseRejections(
+    (async () => {
+      const followedChannels =
+        await neynarClient?.fetchFollowedFarcasterChannels(farcasterID);
+      if (followedChannels) {
+        await Promise.allSettled(
+          followedChannels.map(followedChannel =>
+            redisCache.setChannelInfo(followedChannel.id, followedChannel),
+          ),
+        );
+      }
+    })(),
+  );
+
+  const channelInfo = await neynarClient?.fetchFarcasterChannelByName(
+    communityFarcasterChannelTag,
+  );
+  if (channelInfo) {
+    return channelInfo.lead.fid === parseInt(farcasterID);
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 async function toggleMessagePinForThread(
   viewer: Viewer,
   request: ToggleMessagePinRequest,
diff --git a/lib/utils/neynar-client.js b/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
--- a/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
+++ b/lib/utils/neynar-client.js
@@ -63,16 +63,9 @@
 
 class NeynarClient {
   apiKey: string;
-  ledChannelsCache: Map<
-    string,
-    { channels: NeynarChannel[], timestamp: number },
-  >;
-  cacheTTL: number;
 
-  constructor(apiKey: string, cacheTTL: number = 60000) {
+  constructor(apiKey: string) {
     this.apiKey = apiKey;
-    this.ledChannelsCache = new Map();
-    this.cacheTTL = cacheTTL; // Default TTL of 60 seconds
   }
 
   // We're using the term "friend" for a bidirectional follow
@@ -160,33 +153,6 @@
     return this.fetchFollowedFarcasterChannelsWithFilter(fid, () => true);
   }
 
-  cleanExpiredCacheEntries() {
-    const now = Date.now();
-    for (const [fid, { timestamp }] of this.ledChannelsCache.entries()) {
-      if (now - timestamp >= this.cacheTTL) {
-        this.ledChannelsCache.delete(fid);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  async fetchLedFarcasterChannels(fid: string): Promise<NeynarChannel[]> {
-    this.cleanExpiredCacheEntries();
-
-    const cachedEntry = this.ledChannelsCache.get(fid);
-    if (cachedEntry) {
-      return cachedEntry.channels;
-    }
-
-    const channels = await this.fetchFollowedFarcasterChannelsWithFilter(
-      fid,
-      channel => channel.lead.fid === parseInt(fid),
-    );
-
-    this.ledChannelsCache.set(fid, { channels, timestamp: Date.now() });
-
-    return channels;
-  }
-
   async fetchFarcasterChannelByName(
     channelName: string,
   ): Promise<?NeynarChannel> {