diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useRealtime.ts b/web/src/hooks/useRealtime.ts
index 34cc326..120a555 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useRealtime.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useRealtime.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export function useRealtime() {
 
       ws.onopen = () => {
         reconnectAttemptsRef.current = 0;
+        void useChatStore.getState().loadChats();
       };
 
       ws.onmessage = (messageEvent) => {
@@ -60,17 +61,18 @@ export function useRealtime() {
           if (!Number.isFinite(chatId) || !message?.id) {
             return;
           }
+          let wasInserted = false;
           if (clientMessageId && message.sender_id === authStore.me?.id) {
             chatStore.confirmMessageByClientId(chatId, clientMessageId, message);
           } else {
-            chatStore.prependMessage(chatId, message);
+            wasInserted = chatStore.prependMessage(chatId, message);
           }
           if (message.sender_id !== authStore.me?.id) {
             ws.send(JSON.stringify({ event: "message_delivered", payload: { chat_id: chatId, message_id: message.id } }));
             if (chatId === chatStore.activeChatId) {
               ws.send(JSON.stringify({ event: "message_read", payload: { chat_id: chatId, message_id: message.id } }));
               chatStore.clearUnread(chatId);
-            } else {
+            } else if (wasInserted) {
               chatStore.incrementUnread(chatId);
             }
           }
diff --git a/web/src/store/chatStore.ts b/web/src/store/chatStore.ts
index 49ed688..7ac738a 100644
--- a/web/src/store/chatStore.ts
+++ b/web/src/store/chatStore.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ interface ChatState {
   loadChats: (query?: string) => Promise<void>;
   setActiveChatId: (chatId: number | null) => void;
   loadMessages: (chatId: number) => Promise<void>;
-  prependMessage: (chatId: number, message: Message) => void;
+  prependMessage: (chatId: number, message: Message) => boolean;
   addOptimisticMessage: (params: {
     chatId: number;
     senderId: number;
@@ -70,11 +70,12 @@ export const useChatStore = create<ChatState>((set, get) => ({
   prependMessage: (chatId, message) => {
     const old = get().messagesByChat[chatId] ?? [];
     if (old.some((m) => m.id === message.id || (message.client_message_id && m.client_message_id === message.client_message_id))) {
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
     set((state) => ({
       messagesByChat: { ...state.messagesByChat, [chatId]: [...old, message] }
     }));
+    return true;
   },
   addOptimisticMessage: ({ chatId, senderId, type, text, clientMessageId }) => {
     const old = get().messagesByChat[chatId] ?? [];