diff --git a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/protocol_utils.py b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/protocol_utils.py
index d2006a5..34193bf 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/protocol_utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/protocol_utils.py
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ def get_issues(
         if not issue_end:
             issue_end = datetime.now(UTC)
         if issue_start:
-            datetimes = list(datetime_gen(issue_end, time_delta, issue_start, num_issues))
+            datetimes = datetime_gen(issue_end, time_delta, issue_start, num_issues)
         else:
             # check if time delta is positive, if so make negative
             if time_delta > zero_time_delta:
                 time_delta = timedelta(seconds=-1.0 * time_delta.total_seconds())
-            datetimes = list(datetime_gen(issue_end, time_delta))
+            datetimes = datetime_gen(issue_end, time_delta)
 
         # build list of filepaths on the server for each dt (ignoring ones earlier than issue_dt)
         issue_filepaths = [
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def get_issues(
         ]
 
         issues_with_valid_dts = self._get_unique_issues(issue_filepaths, num_issues, max_workers)
-        return sorted(list(issues_with_valid_dts))[:num_issues]
+        return sorted(list(issues_with_valid_dts), reverse=True)[:num_issues]
 
     def get_valids(
         self,
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ def get_valids(
     def _get_unique_issues(
         self,
         dir_paths: list[str],
-        num_issues: int,
+        num_issues: int | None,
         max_workers: int,
     ) -> list[datetime]:
         """
diff --git a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
index 1dedee0..3a09fa9 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class Queue(NamedTuple):
     """An internal data class for holding the RabbitMQ queue info"""
 
     name: str
-    route_key: str
+    route_key: str | list[str]
     durable: bool
     exclusive: bool
     auto_delete: bool
@@ -604,22 +604,17 @@ def _setup_exch_and_queue(channel: Channel, exch: Exch, queue: Queue):
         logger.debug("Declared queue: %s", queue_name)
 
     if exch.name != "":  # if using default exchange, skip binding queues (not allowed by RMQ)
-        if isinstance(queue.route_key, list):
-            for route_key in queue.route_key:
-                channel.queue_bind(queue_name, exchange=exch.name, routing_key=route_key)
-                logger.debug(
-                    "Bound queue(%s) to exchange(%s) with route_key(%s)",
-                    queue_name,
-                    exch.name,
-                    route_key,
-                )
-        else:
-            channel.queue_bind(queue_name, exchange=exch.name, routing_key=queue.route_key)
+        # force route key(s) to be list to simplify logic
+        route_key_list = (
+            queue.route_key if isinstance(queue.route_key, list) else [queue.route_key]
+        )
+        for route_key in route_key_list:
+            channel.queue_bind(queue_name, exchange=exch.name, routing_key=route_key)
             logger.debug(
                 "Bound queue(%s) to exchange(%s) with route_key(%s)",
                 queue_name,
                 exch.name,
-                queue.route_key,
+                route_key,
             )
 
 
@@ -677,8 +672,11 @@ def _publish(
                 logger.warning("Exception when removing message from private queue: %s", exc)
     except UnroutableError:
         logger.warning("Message was not delivered")
+    except ChannelWrongStateError as exc:
+        logger.warning("Message not published, cause: %s", str(exc))
+        success_flag[0] = False
     except Exception as exc:
-        logger.warning("Message not published, cause: %s", exc)
+        logger.warning("Message not published, cause: %s", str(exc))
         raise exc
     finally:
         if done_event:
diff --git a/python/idsse_common/test/test_aws_utils.py b/python/idsse_common/test/test_aws_utils.py
index 6f8322a..d4198f3 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/test/test_aws_utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/test/test_aws_utils.py
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ def test_check_for_does_not_find_valid(aws_utils: AwsUtils, mock_exec_cmd):
 def test_get_issues(aws_utils: AwsUtils, mock_exec_cmd):
     result = aws_utils.get_issues(issue_start=EXAMPLE_ISSUE, issue_end=EXAMPLE_VALID, num_issues=2)
     assert len(result) == 2
-    assert result[0] == EXAMPLE_VALID - timedelta(hours=1)
-    assert result[1] == EXAMPLE_VALID
+    assert result[0] == EXAMPLE_VALID
+    assert result[1] == EXAMPLE_VALID - timedelta(hours=1)
 
 
 def test_get_issues_with_same_start_stop(aws_utils: AwsUtils, mock_exec_cmd):