diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/activities/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/activities/MainActivity.java
index 5542fd65..1bbe0947 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/activities/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/activities/MainActivity.java
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 
+import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
+import io.reactivex.observers.DisposableCompletableObserver;
+import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;
+
 public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements SimpleCallback, SwipeRefreshLayout.OnRefreshListener {
 
     public static final String TAG = MainActivity.class.getSimpleName();
@@ -214,7 +218,23 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements SimpleCallback, S
     @Override
     public void onRefresh() {
         Log.d(TAG, "syncing started");
-        viewModel.sync();
+
+        viewModel.sync()
+                .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
+                .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
+                .subscribe(new DisposableCompletableObserver() {
+                    @Override
+                    public void onComplete() {
+                        refreshLayout.setRefreshing(false);
+                        adapter.submitList(newItems);
+                    }
+
+                    @Override
+                    public void onError(Throwable e) {
+                        refreshLayout.setRefreshing(false);
+                        Toast.makeText(getApplication(), e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
+                    }
+                });
     }
 
     public void displayAddFeedDialog(View view) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/ARepository.java b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/ARepository.java
index 79bf6bf9..2f12223b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/ARepository.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/ARepository.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public abstract class ARepository {
         this.callback = callback;
     }
 
-    public abstract void sync();
+    public abstract Completable sync();
 
     public abstract void addFeed(ParsingResult result);
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/LocalFeedRepository.java b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/LocalFeedRepository.java
index 2ad990c7..df7aee64 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/LocalFeedRepository.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/repositories/LocalFeedRepository.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.readrops.app.repositories;
 
+import android.annotation.SuppressLint;
 import android.app.Application;
 import android.arch.lifecycle.LiveData;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
@@ -50,8 +51,8 @@ public class LocalFeedRepository extends ARepository implements QueryCallback {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void sync() {
-        executor.execute(() -> {
+    public Completable sync() {
+        return Completable.create(emitter -> {
             RSSNetwork rssNet = new RSSNetwork();
             rssNet.setCallback(this);
             List<Feed> feedList = database.feedDao().getAllFeeds();
@@ -66,11 +67,11 @@ public class LocalFeedRepository extends ARepository implements QueryCallback {
 
                     rssNet.requestUrl(feed.getUrl(), headers);
                 } catch (Exception e) {
-                    failureCallBackInMainThread(e);
+                    emitter.onError(e);
                 }
             }
 
-            postCallBackSuccess();
+            emitter.onComplete();
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/viewmodels/MainViewModel.java b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/viewmodels/MainViewModel.java
index 068fcf91..2d18543e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/viewmodels/MainViewModel.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/readrops/app/viewmodels/MainViewModel.java
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import com.readrops.readropslibrary.ParsingResult;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import io.reactivex.Completable;
+
 public class MainViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
 
     private LiveData<List<ItemWithFeed>> itemsWithFeed;
@@ -33,8 +35,8 @@ public class MainViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
         repository.setCallback(simpleCallback);
     }
 
-    public void sync() {
-        repository.sync();
+    public Completable sync() {
+        return repository.sync();
     }
 
     public void addFeed(ParsingResult parsingResult) {