diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Channel.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Channel.cs
index 01560dd1fd..bbe74fcac0 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Channel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Channel.cs
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Chat
         {
             messages = messages.Except(Messages).ToArray();
 
+            if (messages.Length == 0) return;
+
             Messages.AddRange(messages);
             MessagesLoaded = true;
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
index 3c692be910..d9bb4eb12b 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
@@ -304,6 +304,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
 
                 Scheduler.Add(delegate
                 {
+                    //todo: decide how to handle default channels for a user now that they are saved server-side.
+                    // we likely don't want to re-join every startup like this.
                     //addChannel(channels.Find(c => c.Name == @"#lazer"));
                     //addChannel(channels.Find(c => c.Name == @"#osu"));
                     //addChannel(channels.Find(c => c.Name == @"#lobby"));
@@ -449,13 +451,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
 
             fetchReq.Success += updates =>
             {
-                // fuck the what.
                 if (updates?.Presence != null)
                 {
                     foreach (var channel in updates.Presence)
                     {
-                        channel.Joined.Value = true;
-                        addChannel(channel);
+                        if (careChannels.Find(c => c.Id == channel.Id) == null)
+                        {
+                            channel.Joined.Value = true;
+                            addChannel(channel);
+                        }
                     }
 
                     foreach (var group in updates.Messages.Where(m => m.TargetType == TargetType.Channel).GroupBy(m => m.TargetId))
@@ -464,13 +468,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                     lastMessageId = updates.Messages.LastOrDefault()?.Id ?? lastMessageId;
                 }
 
-                Debug.Write("success!");
                 fetchReq = null;
             };
 
             fetchReq.Failure += delegate
             {
-                Debug.Write("failure!");
                 fetchReq = null;
             };