diff --git a/src/Database/Sync.elm b/src/Database/Sync.elm
index 7807a11..5a2b699 100644
--- a/src/Database/Sync.elm
+++ b/src/Database/Sync.elm
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-module Database.Sync exposing (Sync, decoder, encode, isValid, sorter)
+module Database.Sync exposing (Sync, decoder, encode, isValid, sorter, toUrl)
 
 import Json.Decode as Decode exposing (Decoder)
 import Json.Decode.Pipeline as Pipeline exposing (required)
 import Json.Encode as Encode
 import Sort exposing (Sorter)
+import Url
 
 
 type alias Sync =
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ type alias Sync =
 
 isValid : Sync -> Bool
 isValid { host, database, username, password } =
-    (host /= "")
+    (Url.fromString host /= Nothing)
         && (database /= "")
         && (username /= "")
         && (password /= "")
@@ -47,3 +48,21 @@ encode sync =
         , ( "username", Encode.string sync.username )
         , ( "password", Encode.string sync.password )
         ]
+
+
+toUrl : Sync -> Maybe String
+toUrl { host, database, username, password } =
+    Url.fromString host
+        |> Maybe.map
+            (\url ->
+                { url
+                    | host =
+                        if username /= "" || password /= "" then
+                            username ++ ":" ++ password ++ "@" ++ url.host
+
+                        else
+                            url.host
+                    , path = "/" ++ database
+                }
+            )
+        |> Maybe.map Url.toString
diff --git a/src/Main.elm b/src/Main.elm
index dc9f88f..4b17116 100644
--- a/src/Main.elm
+++ b/src/Main.elm
@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ init flags url key =
                 , draftSync = Nothing
                 }
     in
-    ( model, routingEffects )
+    ( model
+    , Batch
+        [ routingEffects
+        , Batch (List.map StartSyncing settings.syncs)
+        ]
+    )
 
 
 flagsDecoder :
@@ -150,6 +155,7 @@ type Effect
     | ReplaceUrl Route
     | Put Value
     | FocusOnEditor
+    | StartSyncing Sync
 
 
 type UpdatedRevision
@@ -541,7 +547,10 @@ update msg model =
                                 Settings.insertSync draftSync model.settings
                         in
                         ( { model | draftSync = Nothing, settings = newSettings }
-                        , Put (Settings.encode newSettings)
+                        , Batch
+                            [ Put (Settings.encode newSettings)
+                            , StartSyncing draftSync
+                            ]
                         )
 
                     else
@@ -609,10 +618,21 @@ perform model effect =
                 (\_ -> FocusedOnEditor)
                 (Dom.focus "editor")
 
+        StartSyncing sync ->
+            case Sync.toUrl sync of
+                Just url ->
+                    startSyncing url
+
+                Nothing ->
+                    Cmd.none
+
 
 port put : Value -> Cmd msg
 
 
+port startSyncing : String -> Cmd msg
+
+
 port putSuccessfully : (Value -> msg) -> Sub msg
 
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index b452252..7a9ca66 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -55,11 +55,15 @@ var db = new PouchDB("notes");
     }
   });
 
-  // set up ports
+  // saving
   app.ports.put.subscribe(item => {
-    console.log(item)
     db.put(item)
       .then(success => app.ports.putSuccessfully.send(success))
       .catch(err => console.error(err));
   });
+
+  // syncing
+  app.ports.startSyncing.subscribe(url => {
+    console.log(url)
+  })
 })();
diff --git a/tests/MainTest.elm b/tests/MainTest.elm
index 4867475..23f2743 100644
--- a/tests/MainTest.elm
+++ b/tests/MainTest.elm
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ testPerform effect =
         FocusOnEditor ->
             SCmd.none
 
+        StartSyncing _ ->
+            SCmd.none
+
 
 programTest : Test
 programTest =