diff --git a/ProtocolInterfaces/DiscordInterface/DiscordInterface.cs b/ProtocolInterfaces/DiscordInterface/DiscordInterface.cs
index 013647b..dfe19b3 100644
--- a/ProtocolInterfaces/DiscordInterface/DiscordInterface.cs
+++ b/ProtocolInterfaces/DiscordInterface/DiscordInterface.cs
@@ -237,10 +237,12 @@ public class DiscordInterface
         if (c == null)
         {
             Console.WriteLine($"couldn't find channel under protocol {PROTOCOL} with externalId {channel.Id.ToString()}");
-            c = new Channel();
+            c = new Channel()
+            {
+                Users = []
+            };
         }
 
-        c.DisplayName = channel.Name;
         c.ExternalId = channel.Id.ToString();
         c.ChannelType = (channel is IPrivateChannel) ? vassago.Models.Enumerations.ChannelType.DM : vassago.Models.Enumerations.ChannelType.Normal;
         c.Messages ??= [];
@@ -263,7 +265,11 @@ public class DiscordInterface
         switch (c.ChannelType)
         {
             case vassago.Models.Enumerations.ChannelType.DM:
-                c.DisplayName = "DM: " + (channel as IPrivateChannel).Recipients?.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Id != client.CurrentUser.Id).Username;
+                var asPriv =(channel as IPrivateChannel);
+                c.DisplayName = "DM: " + asPriv?.Recipients?.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Id != client.CurrentUser.Id).Username;
+                break;
+            default:
+                c.DisplayName = channel.Name;
                 break;
         }
 
@@ -286,12 +292,23 @@ public class DiscordInterface
             Console.Error.WriteLine($"trying to upsert channel {channel.Id}/{channel.Name}, but it's neither guildchannel nor private channel. shrug.jpg");
         }
         parentChannel.SubChannels ??= [];
-        parentChannel.SubChannels.Add(c);
+        if(!parentChannel.SubChannels.Contains(c))
+        {
+            parentChannel.SubChannels.Add(c);
+        }
 
         c.SendMessage = (t) => { return channel.SendMessageAsync(t); };
         c.SendFile = (f, t) => { return channel.SendFileAsync(f, t); };
 
-        return Rememberer.RememberChannel(c);
+        c = Rememberer.RememberChannel(c);
+
+        var selfAccountInChannel = c.Users.FirstOrDefault(a => a.ExternalId == client.CurrentUser.Id.ToString());
+        if(selfAccountInChannel == null)
+        {
+            selfAccountInChannel = UpsertAccount(client.CurrentUser, c);
+        }
+
+        return c;
     }
     internal Channel UpsertChannel(IGuild channel)
     {
@@ -316,22 +333,22 @@ public class DiscordInterface
 
         return Rememberer.RememberChannel(c);
     }
-    internal static Account UpsertAccount(IUser user, Channel inChannel)
+    internal static Account UpsertAccount(IUser discordUser, Channel inChannel)
     {
-        var acc = Rememberer.SearchAccount(ui => ui.ExternalId == user.Id.ToString() && ui.SeenInChannel.Id == inChannel.Id);
+        var acc = Rememberer.SearchAccount(ui => ui.ExternalId == discordUser.Id.ToString() && ui.SeenInChannel.Id == inChannel.Id);
         Console.WriteLine($"upserting account, retrieved {acc?.Id}.");
         if (acc != null)
         {
             Console.WriteLine($"acc's user: {acc.IsUser?.Id}");
         }
         acc ??= new Account() { 
-            IsUser = Rememberer.SearchUser(u => u.Accounts.Any(a => a.ExternalId == acc.ExternalId && a.Protocol == acc.Protocol))
+            IsUser = Rememberer.SearchUser(u => u.Accounts.Any(a => a.ExternalId == discordUser.Id.ToString() && a.Protocol == PROTOCOL))
                 ?? new User() 
         };
 
-        acc.Username = user.Username;
-        acc.ExternalId = user.Id.ToString();
-        acc.IsBot = user.IsBot || user.IsWebhook;
+        acc.Username = discordUser.Username;
+        acc.ExternalId = discordUser.Id.ToString();
+        acc.IsBot = discordUser.IsBot || discordUser.IsWebhook;
         acc.Protocol = PROTOCOL;
         acc.SeenInChannel = inChannel;
 
@@ -345,8 +362,13 @@ public class DiscordInterface
         {
             Console.WriteLine($"channel has {inChannel.Users.Count} accounts");
         }
-        inChannel.Users ??= [acc];
         Rememberer.RememberAccount(acc);
+        inChannel.Users ??= [];
+        if(!inChannel.Users.Contains(acc))
+        {
+            inChannel.Users.Add(acc);
+            Rememberer.RememberChannel(inChannel);
+        }
         return acc;
     }
 
diff --git a/Rememberer.cs b/Rememberer.cs
index 24d532e..8d8d830 100644
--- a/Rememberer.cs
+++ b/Rememberer.cs
@@ -61,6 +61,27 @@ public static class Rememberer
 
         db.SaveChanges();
     }
+    public static void ForgetAccount(Account toForget)
+    {
+        var user = toForget.IsUser;
+        var usersOnlyAccount = user.Accounts?.Count == 1;
+                
+        if(usersOnlyAccount)
+        {
+            Rememberer.ForgetUser(user);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            db.Accounts.Remove(toForget);
+            db.SaveChanges();
+        }
+    }
+    public static void ForgetChannel(Channel toForget)
+    {
+        db.Channels.Remove(toForget);
+
+        db.SaveChanges();
+    }
     public static void ForgetUser(User toForget)
     {
         db.Users.Remove(toForget);
@@ -69,11 +90,11 @@ public static class Rememberer
     }
     public static List<Account> AccountsOverview()
     {
-        return db.Accounts.ToList();
+        return [..db.Accounts];
     }
     public static List<Channel> ChannelsOverview()
     {
-        return db.Channels.Include(u => u.SubChannels).Include(c => c.ParentChannel).ToList();
+        return [..db.Channels.Include(u => u.SubChannels).Include(c => c.ParentChannel)];
     }
     public static Channel ChannelDetail(Guid Id)
     {
diff --git a/WebInterface/Controllers/HomeController.cs b/WebInterface/Controllers/HomeController.cs
index b28e16e..769adcf 100644
--- a/WebInterface/Controllers/HomeController.cs
+++ b/WebInterface/Controllers/HomeController.cs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
         Console.WriteLine($"accounts: {allAccounts?.Count ?? 0}, channels: {allChannels?.Count ?? 0}");
         var sb = new StringBuilder();
         sb.Append('[');
-        sb.Append("{text: \"channels\", nodes: [");
+        sb.Append("{text: \"channels\", expanded:true, nodes: [");
 
         var first = true;
         var topLevelChannels = Rememberer.ChannelsOverview().Where(x => x.ParentChannel == null);
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
 
         if (allChannels.Any())
         {
-            sb.Append(",{text: \"orphaned channels\", nodes: [");
+            sb.Append(",{text: \"orphaned channels\", expanded:true, nodes: [");
             first = true;
             while (true)
             {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
         }
         if (allAccounts.Any())
         {
-            sb.Append(",{text: \"channelless accounts\", nodes: [");
+            sb.Append(",{text: \"channelless accounts\", expanded:true, nodes: [");
             first = true;
             foreach (var acc in allAccounts)
             {
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
         var users = Rememberer.UsersOverview();// _db.Users.ToList();
         if(users.Any())
         {
-            sb.Append(",{text: \"users\", nodes: [");
+            sb.Append(",{text: \"users\", expanded:true, nodes: [");
             first=true;
             //refresh list; we'll be knocking them out again in serializeUser
             allAccounts = Rememberer.AccountsOverview();
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
             }
             sb.Append("]}");
         }
-        sb.Append("]");
+        sb.Append(']');
         ViewData.Add("treeString", sb.ToString());
         return View("Index");
     }
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
         allChannels.Remove(currentChannel);
         //"but adam", you say, "there's an href attribute, why make a link?" because that makes the entire bar a link, and trying to expand the node will probably click the link
         sb.Append($"{{\"text\": \"<a href=\\\"{Url.ActionLink(action: "Details", controller: "Channels", values: new {id = currentChannel.Id})}\\\">{currentChannel.DisplayName}</a>\"");
+        sb.Append(", expanded:true ");
         var theseAccounts = allAccounts.Where(a => a.SeenInChannel?.Id == currentChannel.Id).ToList();
         allAccounts.RemoveAll(a => a.SeenInChannel?.Id == currentChannel.Id);
         var first = true;
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
         }
         if (currentChannel.SubChannels != null)
         {
-            foreach (var subChannel in currentChannel.SubChannels ?? new List<Channel>())
+            foreach (var subChannel in currentChannel.SubChannels)
             {
                 if (first)
                 {
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ public class HomeController : Controller
                 }
                 serializeChannel(ref sb, ref allChannels, ref allAccounts, subChannel);
             }
-            if (theseAccounts != null)
+            if (theseAccounts != null && !first) //"first" here tells us that we have at least one subchannel
             {
                 sb.Append(',');
             }
diff --git a/WebInterface/Controllers/api/ChannelsControler.cs b/WebInterface/Controllers/api/ChannelsControler.cs
index 4a6db9f..7081646 100644
--- a/WebInterface/Controllers/api/ChannelsControler.cs
+++ b/WebInterface/Controllers/api/ChannelsControler.cs
@@ -11,26 +11,24 @@ namespace vassago.Controllers.api;
 public class ChannelsController : ControllerBase
 {
     private readonly ILogger<ChannelsController> _logger;
-    private readonly ChattingContext _db;
 
-    public ChannelsController(ILogger<ChannelsController> logger, ChattingContext db)
+    public ChannelsController(ILogger<ChannelsController> logger)
     {
         _logger = logger;
-        _db = db;
     }
 
     [HttpGet("{id}")]
     [Produces("application/json")]
     public Channel Get(Guid id)
     {
-        return _db.Find<Channel>(id);
+        return Rememberer.ChannelDetail(id);
     }
 
     [HttpPatch]
     [Produces("application/json")]
     public IActionResult Patch([FromBody] Channel channel)
     {
-        var fromDb = _db.Channels.Find(channel.Id);
+        var fromDb = Rememberer.ChannelDetail(channel.Id);
         if (fromDb == null)
 		{
 			_logger.LogError($"attempt to update channel {channel.Id}, not found");
@@ -39,21 +37,20 @@ public class ChannelsController : ControllerBase
 		//settable values: lewdness filter level, meanness filter level. maybe i could decorate them... 
 		fromDb.LewdnessFilterLevel = channel.LewdnessFilterLevel;
 		fromDb.MeannessFilterLevel = channel.MeannessFilterLevel;
-		_db.SaveChanges();
+		Rememberer.RememberChannel(fromDb);
         return Ok(fromDb);
     }
     [HttpDelete]
     [Produces("application/json")]
     public IActionResult Delete([FromBody] Channel channel)
     {
-        var fromDb = _db.Channels.Find(channel.Id);
+        var fromDb = Rememberer.ChannelDetail(channel.Id);
         if (fromDb == null)
 		{
 			_logger.LogError($"attempt to delete channel {channel.Id}, not found");
 			return NotFound();
         }
         deleteChannel(fromDb);
-        _db.SaveChanges();
         return Ok();
     }
     private void deleteChannel(Channel channel)
@@ -74,21 +71,16 @@ public class ChannelsController : ControllerBase
             }
         }
 
-        if(channel.Messages?.Count > 0)
-        {
-            _db.Remove(channel.Messages);
-        }
-
-        _db.Remove(channel);
+        Rememberer.ForgetChannel(channel);
     }
     private void deleteAccount(Account account)
     {
         var user = account.IsUser;
         var usersOnlyAccount = user.Accounts?.Count == 1;
         
-        _db.Remove(account);
+        Rememberer.ForgetAccount(account);
         
         if(usersOnlyAccount)
-            _db.Users.Remove(user);
+            Rememberer.ForgetUser(user);
     }
 }