diff --git a/src/app/chat/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/chat/[id]/page.tsx
index 8af22d6..11df39b 100644
--- a/src/app/chat/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/chat/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,49 +1,26 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useRef, useState } from "react";
 import MessageBox from "@/components/MessageBox";
 import AppSidebar from "@/components/Sidebar";
-import { Message } from "@/types/types";
-import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
-import { StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
 import { useParams } from "next/navigation";
-import { useMessages } from "@/hooks/use-messages";
+import useApp from "@/hooks/use-app";
 
 export default function DMs() {
   const { id } = useParams<{ id: string }>();
-  const wsRef = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
-  const messages = useMessages((s) => s.messages);
-  const addMessage = useMessages((s) => s.addMessage);
-  const [userList, setUserList] = useState<StringMap<UserProfile>>({});
-  const [user, setUser] = useState<UserProfile | undefined>();
-  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(false);
+  const app = useApp();
 
   return (
-    <AppSidebar
-      open={sidebarOpen}
-      setOpen={setSidebarOpen}
-      addMessage={addMessage}
-      wsRef={wsRef}
-      userList={userList}
-      setUserList={setUserList}
-      chatWith={id}
-      setUser={setUser}
-      messages={messages}
-    >
+    <AppSidebar app={app}>
       <MessageBox
-        toggleSidebar={() => setSidebarOpen(true)}
-        channelName={userList[id]?.display_name || id}
-        userList={userList}
-        setUserList={setUserList}
-        messages={messages
-          .filter(
-            (m) =>
-              (m.channel_id === id && m.from === user?.id) ||
-              (m.from === id && m.channel_id === user?.id)
-          )
-          .toReversed()}
+        app={app}
+        channelName={app.profiles[id]?.display_name || id}
+        messages={app.messages.filter(
+          (m) =>
+            (m.channel_id === id && m.from === app.profile?.id) ||
+            (m.from === id && m.channel_id === app.profile?.id)
+        )}
         sendMessage={(message) => {
-          wsRef.current?.send(
+          app.node.current?.send(
             JSON.stringify({
               type: "send_message",
               params: {
diff --git a/src/app/chat/page.tsx b/src/app/chat/page.tsx
index 31af79b..546180b 100644
--- a/src/app/chat/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/chat/page.tsx
@@ -1,59 +1,20 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useRef, useState } from "react";
 import AppSidebar from "@/components/Sidebar";
-import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
-import { StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
-import ProfilePicture from "@/components/ProfilePicture";
-import { Message } from "@/types/types";
-import { useMessages } from "@/hooks/use-messages";
+import useApp from "@/hooks/use-app";
 
 export default function Chat() {
-  const wsRef = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
-  const [userList, setUserList] = useState<StringMap<UserProfile>>({});
-  const messages = useMessages((s) => s.messages);
-  const addMessage = useMessages((s) => s.addMessage);
-  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(true);
+  const app = useApp();
 
   return (
-    <AppSidebar
-      open={sidebarOpen}
-      setOpen={setSidebarOpen}
-      wsRef={wsRef}
-      userList={userList}
-      setUserList={setUserList}
-      addMessage={addMessage}
-      messages={messages}
-    >
+    <AppSidebar app={app}>
       <Card className="bg-background w-full">
         <CardHeader>
           <CardTitle>Direct Messages</CardTitle>
         </CardHeader>
-        <CardContent>
-          {/* <DMItem name="Alice" status="online" avatar="" /> */}
-        </CardContent>
+        <CardContent></CardContent>
       </Card>
     </AppSidebar>
   );
 }
-
-function DMItem({
-  name,
-  avatar,
-  status,
-}: {
-  name: string;
-  avatar: string;
-  status: string;
-}) {
-  return (
-    <Card className="p-2 flex flex-row items-center gap-2 cursor-pointer hover:bg-accent">
-      <ProfilePicture name={name} url={avatar} />
-      <div className="flex flex-col">
-        <span className="text-sm font-medium">{name}</span>
-        <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{status}</span>
-      </div>
-    </Card>
-  );
-}
diff --git a/src/app/server/[ip]/page.tsx b/src/app/server/[ip]/page.tsx
index d438230..1ad9a43 100644
--- a/src/app/server/[ip]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/server/[ip]/page.tsx
@@ -1,50 +1,47 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useParams } from "next/navigation";
 import MessageBox from "@/components/MessageBox";
 import AppSidebar from "@/components/Sidebar";
-import { Message, Server as ServerType } from "@/types/types";
-import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
-import { StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
+import { Server as ServerType } from "@/types/types";
 import auth from "@/lib/auth";
-import { useMessages } from "@/hooks/use-messages";
+import { useServerMessages } from "@/hooks/use-messages";
+import useApp from "@/hooks/use-app";
+import { useEffectOnceWhenReady } from "@/hooks/use-once";
 
 export default function Server() {
   const { ip } = useParams<{ ip: string }>();
-  const wsServerRef = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
-  const wsNodeRef = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
+  const serverRef = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
   const [server, setServer] = useState<undefined | ServerType>();
-  const [userList, setUserList] = useState<StringMap<UserProfile>>({});
-  const messages = useMessages((s) => s.messages);
-  const addMessage = useMessages((s) => s.addMessage);
-  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(false);
+  const app = useApp();
+  const { messages, addMessage } = useServerMessages();
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!ip) return;
-    auth(ip, wsServerRef, setServer, addMessage);
-  }, [ip]);
+  useEffectOnceWhenReady(
+    () => {
+      if (!ip) return;
+      const msgs = messages[ip];
+      auth(
+        ip,
+        serverRef,
+        setServer,
+        (m) => addMessage(ip, m),
+        () => {},
+        msgs ? msgs[msgs.length - 1]?.id : undefined
+      );
+    },
+    [ip, messages],
+    [undefined, (v) => v[ip]]
+  );
 
   return (
-    <AppSidebar
-      open={sidebarOpen}
-      setOpen={setSidebarOpen}
-      wsRef={wsNodeRef}
-      addMessage={() => {}}
-      userList={userList}
-      setUserList={setUserList}
-      server={server}
-    >
+    <AppSidebar app={app} server={server}>
       <MessageBox
-        toggleSidebar={() => setSidebarOpen(true)}
+        app={app}
         channelName="General"
-        userList={userList}
-        setUserList={setUserList}
-        messages={messages
-          .filter((m) => m.channel_id === "general")
-          .toReversed()}
+        messages={messages[ip]?.filter((m) => m.channel_id === "general") || []}
         sendMessage={(message) => {
-          wsServerRef.current?.send(
+          serverRef.current?.send(
             JSON.stringify({
               type: "send_message",
               params: {
diff --git a/src/components/MessageBox.tsx b/src/components/MessageBox.tsx
index 20ad876..d1cc086 100644
--- a/src/components/MessageBox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MessageBox.tsx
@@ -10,53 +10,45 @@ import {
   DropdownMenuContent,
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
 } from "./ui/dropdown-menu";
-import { ChevronLeft, ChevronLeftIcon, SmilePlusIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { ChevronLeftIcon, SmilePlusIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { format, isToday, isYesterday } from "date-fns";
 import ReactMarkdown from "react-markdown";
 import remarkGfm from "remark-gfm";
-import { NumberMap, StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
 import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
 import axios from "axios";
 import ProfilePicture from "./ProfilePicture";
+import App from "@/types/app";
 
-function MessageContainer({
-  message,
-  userList,
-  setUserList,
-}: {
-  message: Message;
-  userList: StringMap<UserProfile>;
-  setUserList: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<NumberMap<UserProfile>>>;
-}) {
+function MessageContainer({ message, app }: { message: Message; app: App }) {
   useEffect(() => {
     axios
       .get("/api/profile/", { params: { id: message.from } })
       .then((res) =>
-        setUserList((prev) => ({
+        app.setProfiles((prev) => ({
           ...prev,
           [message.from]: res.data as UserProfile,
         }))
       )
       .catch(() => {});
-  }, [message.from, setUserList]);
+  }, [message.from]);
 
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col gap-3 rounded-lg p-4 hover:bg-accent">
       <div className="flex gap-2">
         {/* <div className="w-8 h-8 rounded-full bg-gray-400" /> */}
         <ProfilePicture
-          url={userList[message.from]?.avatar_url}
+          url={app.profiles[message.from]?.avatar_url}
           name={String(
-            userList[message.from]
-              ? userList[message.from].display_name
+            app.profiles[message.from]
+              ? app.profiles[message.from].display_name
               : message.from
           )}
         />
         <div className="flex flex-col flex-1">
           <span className="font-bold flex gap-1 items-center">
-            {userList[message.from]
-              ? userList[message.from].display_name
+            {app.profiles[message.from]
+              ? app.profiles[message.from].display_name
               : message.from}
 
             <p className="text-neutral-500 text-xs">
@@ -139,43 +131,37 @@ function MessageContainer({
 }
 
 export default function MessageBox({
-  messages,
-  userList,
-  setUserList,
+  app,
   sendMessage,
   channelName,
-  toggleSidebar,
+  messages,
 }: {
-  messages: Message[];
-  userList: NumberMap<UserProfile>;
-  setUserList: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<NumberMap<UserProfile>>>;
+  app: App;
   sendMessage: (m: string) => void;
   channelName?: string;
-  toggleSidebar: () => void;
+  messages: Message[];
 }) {
   const [text, setText] = useState("");
 
   return (
-    <div className="h-full w-full flex flex-col pb-5 pl-5 gap-5">
+    <div className="h-svh w-full max-h-svh flex flex-col pb-5 pl-5 gap-5">
       {channelName && (
         <header className="h-12 py-4 flex items-center border-b text-sm font-semibold">
-          <span onClick={toggleSidebar} className="cursor-pointer flex">
+          <span
+            onClick={() => app.setSidebarOpen(true)}
+            className="cursor-pointer flex"
+          >
             <ChevronLeftIcon className="w-5 h-5" />
             {channelName}
           </span>
         </header>
       )}
-      <div className="w-full h-max flex-1 overflow-y-scroll flex gap-2 flex-col-reverse pr-5">
-        {messages.map((msg) => (
-          <MessageContainer
-            key={msg.id}
-            message={msg}
-            userList={userList}
-            setUserList={setUserList}
-          />
+      <div className="flex flex-col-reverse overflow-y-scroll">
+        {messages.toReversed().map((msg) => (
+          <MessageContainer key={msg.id} message={msg} app={app} />
         ))}
       </div>
-      <footer className="w-full flex gap-3 pr-5 mt-auto">
+      <footer className="flex gap-3 pr-5 w-full mt-auto">
         <Input
           className=""
           placeholder="Type a message..."
diff --git a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index fe90f21..bd5fefa 100644
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -26,53 +26,39 @@ import { Button } from "./ui/button";
 import { Card } from "./ui/card";
 import { ScrollArea } from "./ui/scroll-area";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
-import useUser, { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
+import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
 import ProfilePicture from "./ProfilePicture";
 import auth from "@/lib/auth";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 import { StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
 import SettingsDialog from "./settings/SettingsDialog";
 import Link from "next/link";
-import axios from "axios";
 import { get, Response } from "@/lib/request";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import App from "@/types/app";
 
 export default function AppSidebar({
   children,
   chatWith,
-  wsRef,
   onNewMessage,
-  setUser,
   server,
-  messages,
-  addMessage,
-  open,
-  setOpen,
+  app,
 }: Readonly<{
-  wsRef: React.RefObject<WebSocket | null>;
-  addMessage: (msg: Message) => void;
-  messages?: Message[];
   onNewMessage?: (msg: Message) => void;
-  userList: StringMap<UserProfile>;
-  setUserList: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<StringMap<UserProfile>>>;
   chatWith?: string;
   children?: React.ReactNode;
-  setUser?: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<UserProfile | undefined>>;
   server?: Server | undefined;
-  open: boolean;
-  setOpen: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
+  app: App;
 }>) {
   const [servers, setServers] = useState<[string, string][]>([]);
   const [newServer, setNewServer] = useState({ name: "", ip: "" });
   const router = useRouter();
-  const user = useUser();
-  const [userList, setUserList] = useState<StringMap<UserProfile>>({});
 
   const dms = Array.from(
     new Set(
-      messages
+      app.messages
         ?.flatMap((item) => [item.from, item.channel_id])
-        .filter((item) => item !== user?.id) || []
+        .filter((item) => item !== app.profile?.id) || []
     )
   );
 
@@ -82,17 +68,16 @@ export default function AppSidebar({
   }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!user?.node_address) return;
-    if (setUser) setUser(user);
+    if (!app.profile?.node_address) return;
     auth(
-      user?.node_address,
-      wsRef,
+      app.profile?.node_address,
+      app.node,
       () => {},
-      addMessage,
+      app.addMessage,
       (m) => {
-        if (m.from !== chatWith && m.from !== user.id)
+        if (m.from !== chatWith && m.from !== app.profile?.id)
           toast(
-            `New message from ${userList[m.from]?.display_name || m.from}`,
+            `New message from ${app.profiles[m.from]?.display_name || m.from}`,
             {
               description: m.contents.slice(0, 80),
               action: {
@@ -105,13 +90,13 @@ export default function AppSidebar({
 
         if (onNewMessage) onNewMessage(m);
       },
-      messages ? messages[messages.length - 1]?.id : undefined
+      app.messages ? app.messages[app.messages.length - 1]?.id : undefined
     );
-    setUserList((prev) => {
-      prev[user.id] = user;
+    app.setProfiles((prev) => {
+      if (app.profile) prev[app.profile.id] = app.profile;
       return prev;
     });
-  }, [chatWith, user]);
+  }, [chatWith, app.profile]);
 
   const handleAddServer = () => {
     if (!newServer.ip) return;
@@ -132,7 +117,7 @@ export default function AppSidebar({
       <div
         className={cn(
           "border-r transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out overflow-hidden flex",
-          open ? "w-5xl md:w-md" : "w-0 md:w-md"
+          app.sidebarOpen ? "w-5xl md:w-md" : "w-0 md:w-md"
         )}
       >
         <div className="w-16 flex flex-col items-center gap-4 py-4 bg-muted border-r">
@@ -250,12 +235,14 @@ export default function AppSidebar({
                   {dms.map((id) => (
                     <DMItem
                       name={
-                        getUser(id, userList, setUserList)?.display_name || id
+                        getUser(id, app.profiles, app.setProfiles)
+                          ?.display_name || id
                       }
                       id={id}
                       status="online"
                       avatar={
-                        getUser(id, userList, setUserList)?.avatar_url || ""
+                        getUser(id, app.profiles, app.setProfiles)
+                          ?.avatar_url || ""
                       }
                       key={id}
                     />
@@ -267,21 +254,21 @@ export default function AppSidebar({
 
           <footer className="mt-auto pb-3 pl-3 pr-3">
             <DMItem
-              name={user?.display_name || "Loading.."}
-              id={user?.id || "me"}
-              avatar={user?.avatar_url || ""}
+              name={app.profile?.display_name || "Loading.."}
+              id={app.profile?.id || "me"}
+              avatar={app.profile?.avatar_url || ""}
               status="online"
               settings
             />
           </footer>
         </div>
       </div>
-      {open ? (
+      {app.sidebarOpen ? (
         <div
-          className="w-screen h-full overflow-x-hidden"
-          onClick={() => setOpen(false)}
+          className="w-full h-full overflow-x-hidden"
+          onClick={() => app.setSidebarOpen(false)}
         >
-          <div className="overflow-x-hidden w-screen min-w-max flex-shrink-0">
+          <div className="overflow-x-hidden min-w-max flex-shrink-0">
             {children}
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-app.ts b/src/hooks/use-app.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa4af8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-app.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import App from "@/types/app";
+import { useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useMessages } from "./use-messages";
+import { StringMap } from "@/types/typeUtils";
+import useUser, { UserProfile } from "./get-user";
+
+export default function useApp(): App {
+  const node = useRef<WebSocket | null>(null);
+  const [profiles, setProfiles] = useState<StringMap<UserProfile>>({});
+  const { messages, addMessage } = useMessages();
+  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(true);
+  const profile = useUser();
+
+  return {
+    node,
+    profile,
+    profiles,
+    setProfiles,
+    messages,
+    addMessage,
+    sidebarOpen,
+    setSidebarOpen,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-messages.ts b/src/hooks/use-messages.ts
index 6d5ab5e..77b7756 100644
--- a/src/hooks/use-messages.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/use-messages.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ interface MessageStore {
   clearMessages: () => void;
 }
 
+type ServerMessageStore = {
+  messages: Record<string, Message[]>; // server_id → messages
+  setMessages: (serverId: string, msgs: Message[]) => void;
+  addMessage: (serverId: string, msg: Message) => void;
+  clearMessages: (serverId?: string) => void;
+};
+
 export const useMessages = create<MessageStore>()(
   persist(
     (set) => ({
@@ -25,3 +32,44 @@ export const useMessages = create<MessageStore>()(
     { name: "chat-messages" }
   )
 );
+
+export const useServerMessages = create<ServerMessageStore>()(
+  persist(
+    (set) => ({
+      messages: {},
+
+      setMessages: (serverId, msgs) =>
+        set((state) => ({
+          messages: { ...state.messages, [serverId]: msgs },
+        })),
+
+      addMessage: (serverId, msg) =>
+        set((state) => {
+          const serverMsgs = state.messages[serverId] || [];
+
+          // avoid duplicates
+          if (serverMsgs.some((m) => m.id === msg.id)) return state;
+
+          return {
+            messages: {
+              ...state.messages,
+              [serverId]: [...serverMsgs, msg],
+            },
+          };
+        }),
+
+      clearMessages: (serverId) =>
+        set((state) =>
+          serverId
+            ? {
+                messages: {
+                  ...state.messages,
+                  [serverId]: [],
+                },
+              }
+            : { messages: {} }
+        ),
+    }),
+    { name: "server-messages" }
+  )
+);
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-once.ts b/src/hooks/use-once.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4dcc853
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-once.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+
+export function useEffectOnceWhenReady(
+  effect: () => void,
+  deps: any[],
+  testers: (undefined | ((m: any) => boolean))[]
+) {
+  const hasRun = useRef(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const allReady = deps.every(
+      (d, i) => d !== undefined && d !== null && (!testers[i] || testers[i](d))
+    );
+    if (!allReady || hasRun.current) return;
+    hasRun.current = true;
+    effect();
+  }, deps);
+}
diff --git a/src/types/app.ts b/src/types/app.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ddf70b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/types/app.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { Dispatch, RefObject, SetStateAction } from "react";
+import { StringMap } from "./typeUtils";
+import { UserProfile } from "@/hooks/get-user";
+import { Message } from "./types";
+
+export type SetState<T> = Dispatch<SetStateAction<T>>;
+
+export default interface App {
+  node: RefObject<WebSocket | null>;
+  profile: UserProfile | null;
+
+  profiles: StringMap<UserProfile>;
+  setProfiles: SetState<StringMap<UserProfile>>;
+
+  messages: Message[];
+  addMessage: (v: Message) => void;
+
+  sidebarOpen: boolean;
+  setSidebarOpen: SetState<boolean>;
+}