diff --git a/internal/notifications/notifications.go b/internal/notifications/notifications.go
index db55853..cb2e445 100644
--- a/internal/notifications/notifications.go
+++ b/internal/notifications/notifications.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/diamondburned/ningen/v3"
 )
 
-func Notify(state *ningen.State, message *gateway.MessageCreateEvent, cfg *config.Config) error {
+func Notify(state *ningen.State, message gateway.MessageCreateEvent, cfg *config.Config) error {
 	if !cfg.Notifications.Enabled || cfg.Status == discord.DoNotDisturbStatus {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/ui/chat/model.go b/internal/ui/chat/model.go
index 9a949d7..8fed081 100644
--- a/internal/ui/chat/model.go
+++ b/internal/ui/chat/model.go
@@ -255,10 +255,10 @@ func (m *Model) HandleEvent(event tview.Event) tview.Command {
 			m.onRaw(event)
 
 		case *gateway.ReadyEvent:
-			m.onReady(event)
+			return tview.Batch(m.onReady(event), m.listen())
 
 		case *gateway.MessageCreateEvent:
-			m.onMessageCreate(event)
+			return tview.Batch(m.onMessageCreate(event), m.listen())
 		case *gateway.MessageUpdateEvent:
 			m.onMessageUpdate(event)
 		case *gateway.MessageDeleteEvent:
diff --git a/internal/ui/chat/state.go b/internal/ui/chat/state.go
index 29f6952..1d1340f 100644
--- a/internal/ui/chat/state.go
+++ b/internal/ui/chat/state.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/diamondburned/arikawa/v3/utils/httputil/httpdriver"
 	"github.com/diamondburned/arikawa/v3/utils/ws"
 	"github.com/diamondburned/ningen/v3/states/read"
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v3"
 )
 
 func (m *Model) onRequest(r httpdriver.Request) error {
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ func (m *Model) onRaw(event *ws.RawEvent) {
 	)
 }
 
-func (m *Model) onReady(event *gateway.ReadyEvent) {
+func (m *Model) onReady(event *gateway.ReadyEvent) tview.Command {
 	// Rebuild indexes from scratch so reconnects and account switches do not
 	// retain pointers to detached tree nodes.
 	m.guildsTree.resetNodeIndex()
@@ -92,23 +93,37 @@ func (m *Model) onReady(event *gateway.ReadyEvent) {
 	}
 
 	m.guildsTree.SetCurrentNode(root)
-	m.app.SetFocus(m.guildsTree)
+	return tview.SetFocus(m.guildsTree)
 }
 
-func (m *Model) onMessageCreate(message *gateway.MessageCreateEvent) {
+func (m *Model) onMessageCreate(message *gateway.MessageCreateEvent) tview.Command {
 	selectedChannel := m.SelectedChannel()
 	if selectedChannel != nil && selectedChannel.ID == message.ChannelID {
 		m.removeTyper(message.Author.ID)
 		m.messagesList.addMessage(message.Message)
-	} else {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return m.notify(*message)
+}
+
+func (m *Model) notify(message gateway.MessageCreateEvent) tview.Command {
+	return func() tview.Event {
 		if err := notifications.Notify(m.state, message, m.cfg); err != nil {
 			slog.Error("failed to notify", "err", err, "channel_id", message.ChannelID, "message_id", message.ID)
+			return tcell.NewEventError(err)
 		}
+		return nil
 	}
 }
 
 func (m *Model) onMessageUpdate(message *gateway.MessageUpdateEvent) {
-	if selected := m.SelectedChannel(); selected != nil && selected.ID == message.ChannelID {
+	selectedChannel := m.SelectedChannel()
+	if selectedChannel == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	if selectedChannel.ID == message.ChannelID {
 		index := slices.IndexFunc(m.messagesList.messages, func(m discord.Message) bool {
 			return m.ID == message.ID
 		})