diff --git a/client/chat.js b/client/chat.js
index 29001cf..094fd60 100644
--- a/client/chat.js
+++ b/client/chat.js
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ async function message(e) {
   e.preventDefault();
   const msg = document.getElementById("msg").value;
   if (!msg) return;
-  window.socket.emit("send_message", { name: window.name, message: msg });
+  window.socket.emit("send_message", {
+    name: window.name,
+    message: msg,
+    thread: window.currentThreadId,
+  });
   document.getElementById("msg").value = "";
   const el = document.createElement("div");
   el.classList.add("message");
@@ -50,6 +54,29 @@ function swap() {
   document.getElementById("chat").classList.remove("hidden");
 }
 
+function startThreadPicker() {
+  document.getElementById("chat").classList.add("hidden");
+  document.getElementById("threads").classList.remove("hidden");
+  window.socket.emit("list_threads");
+}
+
+function chooseThread(thread) {
+  window.currentThreadId = thread.id;
+  window.earliestMessage = null;
+  document.getElementById("loadmore").classList.remove("hidden");
+  document.getElementById("chat").classList.remove("hidden");
+  document.getElementById("messages").innerHTML = "";
+  document.getElementById("threadname").innerHTML = thread.name;
+  document.getElementById("threads").classList.add("hidden");
+}
+
+function createThread(e) {
+  e.preventDefault();
+  window.socket.emit("create_thread", {
+    name: document.getElementById("newthreadname").value,
+  });
+}
+
 async function loadKeys(keys) {
   const priv = await openpgp.readKey({ armoredKey: keys.privateKey });
   const pub = await openpgp.readKey({ armoredKey: keys.publicKey });
@@ -60,14 +87,18 @@ async function loadKeys(keys) {
 async function loadMessages() {
   window.socket.emit(
     "get_history",
-    window.earliestMessage ? { before: window.earliestMessage } : {}
+    window.earliestMessage
+      ? { before: window.earliestMessage, thread: window.currentThreadId }
+      : { thread: window.currentThreadId }
   );
 }
 
 window.onload = () => {
+  window.currentThreadId = 1;
   window.socket = io();
   window.socket.on("create_user", auth);
   window.socket.on("new_message", (msg) => {
+    if (msg.thread !== window.currentThreadId) return;
     const el = document.createElement("div");
     el.classList.add("message");
     el.innerHTML = `<strong>${msg.name}: </strong>${msg.message}`;
@@ -89,7 +120,29 @@ window.onload = () => {
     }
     if (!msg.more) document.getElementById("loadmore").classList.add("hidden");
   });
-  window.socket.on("authenticate", swap);
+  window.socket.on("authenticate", (msg) => {
+    if (msg.success) swap();
+  });
+  window.socket.on("list_threads", (msg) => {
+    document.getElementById("threadlist").innerHTML = "";
+    for (let thread of msg.threads) {
+      const el = document.createElement("div");
+      el.classList.add("thread");
+      el.innerHTML = thread.name;
+      const btn = document.createElement("button");
+      btn.innerHTML = "choose";
+      btn.onclick = () => chooseThread(thread);
+      el.appendChild(btn);
+      document.getElementById("threadlist").appendChild(el);
+    }
+  });
+  window.socket.on("create_thread", (msg) => {
+    chooseThread({
+      name: document.getElementById("newthreadname").value,
+      id: msg.id,
+    });
+    document.getElementById("newthreadname").value = "";
+  });
   const keys = localStorage.getItem("keys");
   if (keys) {
     window.name = localStorage.getItem("name");
@@ -98,4 +151,6 @@ window.onload = () => {
   document.getElementById("registerform").onsubmit = register;
   document.getElementById("msginput").onsubmit = message;
   document.getElementById("loadmore").onclick = loadMessages;
+  document.getElementById("change").onclick = startThreadPicker;
+  document.getElementById("createthread").onsubmit = createThread;
 };
diff --git a/client/index.html b/client/index.html
index ea30c88..36f214b 100644
--- a/client/index.html
+++ b/client/index.html
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
       #loadmore {
         margin-bottom: 10px;
       }
+      .channel {
+        font-weight: normal;
+      }
     </style>
   </head>
   <body>
@@ -46,6 +49,10 @@
     </div>
     <div id="chat" class="hidden">
       <h1>vybe</h1>
+      <h3 class="thread">
+        current thread: <strong id="threadname">meow</strong>
+        <button id="change">change thread</button>
+      </h3>
       <h3>messages will appear below as they are sent</h3>
       <button id="loadmore">load more messages</button>
       <div id="messages"></div>
@@ -54,6 +61,17 @@
         <button type="submit" class="hidden" id="sendmsg"></button>
       </form>
     </div>
+    <div id="threads" class="hidden">
+      <h1>threads</h1>
+      <h3>create thread</h3>
+      <form id="createthread">
+        <label for="newthreadname">thread name</label>
+        <input type="text" id="newthreadname" />
+        <button id="submitthread" type="submit">create</button>
+      </form>
+      <h3>choose existing thread</h3>
+      <div id="threadlist">loading...</div>
+    </div>
     <script src="/openpgp.min.js"></script>
     <script src="/chat.js"></script>
     <script src="https://cdn.socket.io/4.5.4/socket.io.min.js"></script>
diff --git a/src/create_thread.js b/src/create_thread.js
index 3899458..05dc846 100644
--- a/src/create_thread.js
+++ b/src/create_thread.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const db = require("../db");
+const authwrap = require("./authwrap");
 
 const create_thread = async (msg, respond) => {
   // validate inputs
@@ -20,4 +21,4 @@ const create_thread = async (msg, respond) => {
   });
 };
 
-module.exports = create_thread;
+module.exports = authwrap(create_thread);