diff --git a/spacetimedb/src/reducers.rs b/spacetimedb/src/reducers.rs
index ffff3cd..f83dd63 100644
--- a/spacetimedb/src/reducers.rs
+++ b/spacetimedb/src/reducers.rs
@@ -414,8 +414,9 @@ pub fn subscribe_to_channel(ctx: &ReducerContext, channel_id: u64) {
         .channel_id()
         .find(channel_id);
     let current_max = hwm.map(|h| h.last_seq_id).unwrap_or(0);
-    let earliest = if current_max > 99 {
-        current_max - 99
+    let limit = get_recent_message_limit(&ctx.db);
+    let earliest = if current_max >= limit {
+        current_max - (limit - 1)
     } else {
         1
     };
@@ -1041,8 +1042,9 @@ pub fn create_thread_with_message(
         ctx.db.recent_message().id().update(parent_rm);
     }
 
-    if seq_id > 100 {
-        let old_seq_id = seq_id - 100;
+    let limit = get_recent_message_limit(&ctx.db);
+    if seq_id > limit {
+        let old_seq_id = seq_id - limit;
         let to_delete: Vec<_> = ctx
             .db
             .recent_message()
@@ -1146,8 +1148,9 @@ pub fn send_message(
         }
     }
 
-    if seq_id > 100 {
-        let old_seq_id = seq_id - 100;
+    let limit = get_recent_message_limit(&ctx.db);
+    if seq_id > limit {
+        let old_seq_id = seq_id - limit;
         let to_delete: Vec<_> = ctx
             .db
             .recent_message()
diff --git a/spacetimedb/src/utils.rs b/spacetimedb/src/utils.rs
index 9b47c3c..cbbd5cf 100644
--- a/spacetimedb/src/utils.rs
+++ b/spacetimedb/src/utils.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@ pub fn validate_message_length(db: &Local, text: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub fn get_recent_message_limit(db: &Local) -> u64 {
+    db.system_configuration()
+        .key()
+        .find("recent_message_limit".to_string())
+        .and_then(|c| c.value.parse::<u64>().ok())
+        .unwrap_or(50)
+}
+
 pub fn get_next_seq_id(db: &Local, channel_id: u64) -> u64 {
     let hwm = db.channel_high_water_mark().channel_id().find(channel_id);
     let next_seq_id = hwm.as_ref().map(|h| h.last_seq_id + 1).unwrap_or(1);
diff --git a/src/chat/components/MessageList.svelte b/src/chat/components/MessageList.svelte
index 0e4cf37..8b6f874 100644
--- a/src/chat/components/MessageList.svelte
+++ b/src/chat/components/MessageList.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { getContext, tick, onMount } from "svelte";
+  import { getContext, tick, onMount, untrack } from "svelte";
   import type { ChatService } from "../services/chat.svelte";
   import MessageItem from "./MessageItem.svelte";
   import Avatar from "./Avatar.svelte";
@@ -44,11 +44,17 @@
 
   function scrollToBottom(smooth = true) {
     tick().then(() => {
-      if (!scrollContainer) return;
-      scrollContainer.scrollTo({
-        top: scrollContainer.scrollHeight,
-        behavior: smooth ? "smooth" : "auto"
-      });
+      if (messagesEndRef) {
+        messagesEndRef.scrollIntoView({
+          behavior: smooth ? "smooth" : "auto",
+          block: "end"
+        });
+      } else if (scrollContainer) {
+        scrollContainer.scrollTo({
+          top: scrollContainer.scrollHeight,
+          behavior: smooth ? "smooth" : "auto"
+        });
+      }
       isAtBottom = true;
     });
   }
@@ -110,6 +116,8 @@
   $effect(() => {
     const messagesLocal = chat.channelMessages;
     const currentChannelId = chat.activeChannelId;
+    const isReady = chat.isReady;
+    const isMessagesReady = chat.isMessagesReady;
 
     if (isPrepending && scrollContainer && anchoredScrollHeight > 0) {
       const newScrollHeight = scrollContainer.scrollHeight;
@@ -125,17 +133,30 @@
     }
 
     if (messagesLocal.length > 0 && scrollContainer) {
-      const isChannelSwitch = currentChannelId !== lastChannelId;
+      const untrackedLastChannelId = untrack(() => lastChannelId);
+      // Also consider "becoming ready" as a trigger for initial scroll
+      const justBecameReady = isReady && isMessagesReady && (!untrackedLastChannelId || currentChannelId !== untrackedLastChannelId);
+
       const lastMsg = messagesLocal[messagesLocal.length - 1];
       const isNewLastMessage = lastMsg && lastMsg.id !== lastMessageId;
 
-      if (isChannelSwitch) {
+      if (justBecameReady) {
         lastChannelId = currentChannelId;
         lastMessageId = lastMsg.id;
         isPrepending = false;
+
+        // Force isAtBottom to true so ResizeObserver and content load handlers work
+        isAtBottom = true;
+
+        // Immediate jump to bottom (best effort before tick)
+        if (scrollContainer) {
+          scrollContainer.scrollTop = scrollContainer.scrollHeight;
+        }
+
         scrollToBottom(false);
         lastHeight = scrollContainer.scrollHeight;
       } else if (isNewLastMessage) {
+        lastChannelId = currentChannelId; // Update tracking on any new message
         lastMessageId = lastMsg.id;
         const myIdHex = chat.identity?.toHexString();
         const lastMsgSenderHex = lastMsg?.sender.toHexString();
@@ -153,6 +174,20 @@
   const messages = $derived(chat.channelMessages);
   let scrolledBackCount = $state(0);
 
+  // Delay skeleton to avoid flicker on fast loads
+  let showSkeleton = $state(false);
+  $effect(() => {
+    const isDataMissing = !chat.isReady || (chat.activeChannelId && !chat.isMessagesReady);
+    if (isDataMissing) {
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+        showSkeleton = true;
+      }, 100);
+      return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+    } else {
+      showSkeleton = false;
+    }
+  });
+
   /**
    * BACKLOG PROTECTION / VIRTUALIZATION LIGHT:
    * Only render the last 300 messages if the user is at the bottom.
@@ -188,7 +223,7 @@
     bind:this={scrollContainer}
     onscroll={handleScroll}
   >
-    {#if !chat.isReady || (chat.activeChannelId && !chat.isMessagesReady)}
+    {#if showSkeleton}
       <div style="padding: 16px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 24px;">
         {#each Array(8) as _}
           <div style="display: flex; gap: 16px; align-items: flex-start;">
diff --git a/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts b/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
index 236cf88..2758842 100644
--- a/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/chat/services/messaging.svelte.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { reducers, tables } from "../../module_bindings";
 import * as Types from "../../module_bindings/types";
 import { getConnection } from "../../config";
 import { untrack } from "svelte";
-import { SvelteMap } from "svelte/reactivity";
+import { SvelteMap, SvelteSet } from "svelte/reactivity";
 import type { Identity } from "spacetimedb";
 
 export class MessagingService {
@@ -35,7 +35,22 @@ export class MessagingService {
   }>();
 
   isLoadingMore = $state(false);
-  isMessagesReady = $state(false);
+  #readyChannels = new SvelteSet<bigint>();
+
+  get isMessagesReady() {
+    const cid = this.#nav.activeChannelId;
+    if (!cid) return true;
+
+    // If it's in our ready set, it's definitely ready
+    if (this.#readyChannels.has(cid)) return true;
+
+    // Fallback: If we already have messages for this channel in our bucket, consider it ready
+    // to prevent getting stuck if the 'ready' signal from SDK doesn't toggle as expected
+    const bucket = this.#channelBuckets.get(cid);
+    if (bucket && bucket.sorted.length > 0) return true;
+
+    return false;
+  }
 
   constructor(
     db: DatabaseService,
@@ -73,10 +88,24 @@ export class MessagingService {
     visibleMessagesStore.subscribe((v) => {
         serverMessages = v;
         this.#updateBuckets([...serverMessages, ...dmMessages, ...scrollbackMessages]);
+
+        // Mark any channel that has received messages as ready
+        for (const m of v) {
+            this.#readyChannels.add(m.channelId);
+        }
     });
 
     visibleMessagesReadyStore.subscribe((v) => {
-        this.isMessagesReady = v;
+        if (v) {
+            const cid = untrack(() => this.#nav.activeChannelId);
+            if (cid) {
+                this.#readyChannels.add(cid);
+            }
+            // Also mark all channels currently in our serverMessages as ready
+            for (const m of serverMessages) {
+                this.#readyChannels.add(m.channelId);
+            }
+        }
     });
 
     visibleDmMessagesStore.subscribe((v) => {
@@ -98,6 +127,10 @@ export class MessagingService {
 
       if (!conn) return;
 
+      if (channelId) {
+          this.#readyChannels.delete(channelId);
+      }
+
       untrack(() => {
         const queries: string[] = [];
 
@@ -117,6 +150,10 @@ export class MessagingService {
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_direct_messages`);
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM my_channel_subscriptions`);
 
+          // Recent messages for all joined channels/DMs
+          queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_messages`);
+          queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_dm_messages`);
+
           // WebRTC Signaling
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_voice_sdp_offers`);
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_voice_sdp_answers`);
@@ -129,8 +166,6 @@ export class MessagingService {
         // 2. View-specific queries
         if (channelId) {
           this.#subscribeToChannelReducer({ channelId });
-          queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_messages`);
-          queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_dm_messages`);
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM visible_scrollback_messages`);
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM thread WHERE channel_id = ${channelId}`);
           queries.push(`SELECT * FROM voice_state WHERE channel_id = ${channelId}`);
@@ -144,12 +179,9 @@ export class MessagingService {
   }
 
   #updateBuckets(newMessages: readonly (Types.RecentMessage | Types.VisibleMessageRow)[]) {
-    const activeChannelId = this.#nav.activeChannelId;
     const tempBuckets = new Map<bigint, Map<bigint, Types.Message & { seqId?: bigint, reactions: Types.Reaction[], imageIds: bigint[] }>>();
 
     for (const m of newMessages) {
-        if (activeChannelId && m.channelId !== activeChannelId) continue;
-
         let bucketMap = tempBuckets.get(m.channelId);
         if (!bucketMap) {
             bucketMap = new Map();