diff --git a/mdb/mredis/stream.go b/mdb/mredis/stream.go
index 0a7f868..0ee9fa1 100644
--- a/mdb/mredis/stream.go
+++ b/mdb/mredis/stream.go
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ func NewStream(r *Redis, opts StreamOpts) *Stream {
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *Stream) getNumPending() (int64, error) {
+	var res []interface{}
+	err := s.client.Do(radix.Cmd(&res, "XPENDING", s.opts.Key, s.opts.Group))
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, merr.Wrap(err, s.client.cmp.Context())
+	}
+	return res[0].(int64), nil
+}
+
 func (s *Stream) init() error {
 	// MKSTREAM is not documented, but will make the stream if it doesn't
 	// already exist. Only the most elite redis gurus know of it's
@@ -139,6 +148,12 @@ func (s *Stream) init() error {
 		return merr.Wrap(err, s.client.cmp.Context())
 	}
 
+	numPending, err := s.getNumPending()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&s.numPending, numPending)
+
 	// if we're here it means init succeeded, mark as such and gtfo
 	s.hasInit = true
 	return nil
diff --git a/mdb/mredis/stream_test.go b/mdb/mredis/stream_test.go
index 9135ae2..873ec5f 100644
--- a/mdb/mredis/stream_test.go
+++ b/mdb/mredis/stream_test.go
@@ -135,11 +135,10 @@ func TestStream(t *T) {
 
 		// call XPENDING to see if anything comes back, nothing should.
 		t.Log("checking for leftover pending entries")
-		var xpendingRes []interface{}
-		err := redis.Do(radix.Cmd(&xpendingRes, "XPENDING", streamKey, group))
+		numPending, err := stream.getNumPending()
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("error calling XPENDING: %v", err)
-		} else if numPending := xpendingRes[0].(int64); numPending != 0 {
+		} else if numPending > 0 {
 			t.Fatalf("XPENDING says there's %v pending msgs, there should be 0", numPending)
 		}