diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channel-sidebar.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channel-sidebar.js
index a845abd90..aa1d72515 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channel-sidebar.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channel-sidebar.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export class ChannelsSidebar extends Component {
     const { props, state } = this;
 
     let privateChannel =
-      Object.keys(props.paths)
+      Object.keys(props.groups)
       .filter((path) => {
         return (path === "/~/default")
       })
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export class ChannelsSidebar extends Component {
           <ChannelsItem
             key={path}
             link={path}
-            members={props.paths[path]}
+            memberList={props.groups[path]}
             selected={selected}
             linkCount={linkCount}
             unseenCount={unseenCount}
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export class ChannelsSidebar extends Component {
       })
 
     let channelItems =
-      Object.keys(props.paths)
+      Object.keys(props.groups)
       .filter((path) => {
         return (!path.startsWith("/~/"))
       })
@@ -45,14 +45,18 @@ export class ChannelsSidebar extends Component {
 
         let selected = (props.selected === path);
         let linkCount = !!props.links[path] ? props.links[path].totalItems : 0;
+        const unseenCount = !!props.links[path]
+          ? props.links[path].unseenCount
+          : linkCount
 
         return (
           <ChannelsItem
             key={path}
             link={path}
-            members={props.paths[path]}
+            memberList={props.groups[path]}
             selected={selected}
             linkCount={linkCount}
+            unseenCount={unseenCount}
             name={name}/>
         )
       });
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channels-item.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channels-item.js
index 4f230b3d4..9d90b143e 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channels-item.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/channels-item.js
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ export class ChannelsItem extends Component {
     let selectedClass = (props.selected) 
     ? "bg-gray5 bg-gray1-d b--gray4 b--gray2-d" 
     : "b--transparent";
-    
-    let memberCount = Object.keys(props.members).length;
+
+    let memberCount = props.memberList
+      ? props.memberList.size
+      : 0;
     const unseenCount = props.unseenCount > 0
       ? <span className="green2">{" " + props.unseenCount + " unread"}</span>
       : null;
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comment-item.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comment-item.js
index d2d8fa61c..65c5b4ee3 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comment-item.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comment-item.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export class CommentItem extends Component {
           />
           <p className="gray2 f9 flex items-center ml2">
             <span className={"black white-d " + props.nameClass}>
-            {((props.nickname) ? props.nickname : props.ship)}
+            {props.nickname ? props.nickname : '~'+props.ship}
             </span>
             <span className="ml2">
               {this.state.timeSinceComment}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comments.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comments.js
index bd80497e8..c76a706b3 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comments.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/lib/comments.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React, { Component } from 'react'
 import { CommentItem } from './comment-item';
 import { CommentsPagination } from './comments-pagination';
 
-import { uxToHex } from '../../lib/util';
+import { getContactDetails } from '../../lib/util';
 import { api } from '../../api';
 
 export class Comments extends Component {
@@ -48,20 +48,14 @@ export class Comments extends Component {
       let commentObj = commentsPage[entry]
       let { ship, time, udon } = commentObj;
 
-      let members = !!props.members
-      ? props.members
-      : {};
+      let contacts = !!props.contacts
+        ? props.contacts
+        : {};
 
-      let nickname = !!members[ship]
-      ? members[ship].nickname
-      : "";
+      const {nickname, color} = getContactDetails(contacts[ship]);
 
       let nameClass = nickname ? "inter" : "mono";
 
-      let color = !!members[ship]
-      ? uxToHex(members[ship].color)
-      : "000000";
-
       return(
         <CommentItem
           key={time}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/link.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/link.js
index f127c912b..6ad9002d6 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/link.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/link.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { SidebarSwitcher } from '/components/lib/icons/icon-sidebar-switch.js';
 import { api } from '../api';
 import { Route, Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Comments } from './lib/comments';
+import { getContactDetails } from '../lib/util';
 
 export class LinkDetail extends Component {
   constructor(props) {
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ export class LinkDetail extends Component {
 
     let comments = commentCount + " comment" + (commentCount === 1 ? "" : "s");
 
-    let nickname = !!props.members[ship] ? props.members[ship].nickname : "";
+    const { nickname } = getContactDetails(props.contacts[ship]);
 
     let activeClasses = this.state.comment
       ? "black b--black pointer"
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ export class LinkDetail extends Component {
               key={props.groupPath + props.commentPage}
               comments={props.comments}
               commentPage={props.commentPage}
-              members={props.members}
+              contacts={props.contacts}
               popout={props.popout}
               url={props.url}
               linkPage={props.page}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/links-list.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/links-list.js
index dfaa09457..21932b81d 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/links-list.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/links-list.js
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ import { LinkItem } from '/components/lib/link-item.js';
 import { LinkSubmit } from '/components/lib/link-submit.js';
 import { Pagination } from '/components/lib/pagination.js';
 
-//TODO look at uxToHex wonky functionality
-import { uxToHex } from '../lib/util';
+import { getContactDetails } from '../lib/util';
 
 //TODO Avatar support once it's in
 export class Links extends Component {
@@ -62,23 +61,7 @@ export class Links extends Component {
         ? props.comments[url].totalItems
         : linksObj[linkIndex].commentCount || 0;
 
-      if (!props.members[ship]) {
-        members[ship] = {'nickname': '', 'avatar': 'TODO', 'color': '0x0'};
-      } else {
-        members = props.members;
-      }
-
-      let color = uxToHex('0x0');
-      let nickname = "";
-
-      // restore this to props.members
-      if (members[ship].nickname) {
-        nickname = members[ship].nickname;
-      }
-
-      if (members[ship].color !== "") {
-        color = uxToHex(members[ship].color);
-      }
+      const {nickname, color} = getContactDetails(props.contacts[ship]);
 
       return (
         <LinkItem
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/root.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/root.js
index a1b424eb5..7ad790833 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/root.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/root.js
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ export class Root extends Component {
   render() {
     const { props, state } = this;
 
-    let paths = !!state.contacts ? state.contacts : {};
+    let contacts = !!state.contacts ? state.contacts : {};
+    const groups = !!state.groups ? state.groups : {};
 
     let links = !!state.links ? state.links : {};
     let comments = !!state.comments ? state.comments : {};
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
             return (
               <Skeleton
                 active="channels"
-                paths={paths}
+                groups={groups}
                 rightPanelHide={true}
                 sidebarShown={true}
                 links={links}>
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
 
               let groupPath =
               `/${props.match.params.ship}/${props.match.params.channel}`;
-              let groupMembers = paths[groupPath] || {};
+              let contactDetails = contacts[groupPath] || {};
 
               let page = props.match.params.page || 0;
 
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
               return (
                 <Skeleton
                   spinner={state.spinner}
-                  paths={paths}
+                  groups={groups}
                   active="links"
                   selected={groupPath}
                   sidebarShown={state.sidebarShown}
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
                   links={links}>
                   <Links
                   {...props}
-                  members={groupMembers}
+                  contacts={contactDetails}
                   links={channelLinks}
                   comments={channelComments}
                   seen={channelSeen}
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
 
               let popout = props.match.url.includes("/popout/");
 
-              let groupMembers = paths[groupPath] || {};
+              let contactDetails = contacts[groupPath] || {};
 
               let index = props.match.params.index || 0;
               let page = props.match.params.page || 0;
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
               return (
                 <Skeleton
                   spinner={state.spinner}
-                  paths={paths}
+                  groups={groups}
                   active="links"
                   selected={groupPath}
                   sidebarShown={state.sidebarShown}
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ export class Root extends Component {
                   page={page}
                   url={url}
                   linkIndex={index}
-                  members={groupMembers}
+                  contacts={contactDetails}
                   groupPath={groupPath}
                   popout={popout}
                   sidebarShown={state.sidebarShown}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/skeleton.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/skeleton.js
index e2eae620b..99a081058 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/skeleton.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/components/skeleton.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export class Skeleton extends Component {
         <div className={`cf w-100 h-100 flex ` + popoutBorder}>
         <ChannelsSidebar
             popout={popout}
-            paths={this.props.paths} 
+            groups={this.props.groups}
             active={this.props.active}
             selected={this.props.selected}
             sidebarShown={this.props.sidebarShown}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/lib/util.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/lib/util.js
index 5ca04c8d1..a6420d6f2 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/lib/util.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/lib/util.js
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ export function uuid() {
   return str.slice(0,-1);
 }
 
+export function getContactDetails(contact) {
+  contact = contact || {
+    'nickname': '',
+    'avatar': 'TODO',
+    'color': '0x0'
+  };
+  const nickname = contact.nickname || '';
+  const color = uxToHex(contact.color || '0x0');
+  return {nickname, color};
+}
+
 // encodes string into base64url,
 // by encoding into base64 and replacing non-url-safe characters.
 //
@@ -117,6 +128,8 @@ export function deSig(ship) {
   return ship.replace('~', '');
 }
 
+//TODO look at uxToHex wonky functionality
+//TODO what does "wonky functionality" refer to?
 export function uxToHex(ux) {
   let value = ux.substr(2).replace('.', '').padStart(6, '0');
   return value;
diff --git a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/reducers/link-update.js b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/reducers/link-update.js
index d183e8457..3c90cc31c 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/link/src/js/reducers/link-update.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/link/src/js/reducers/link-update.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export class LinkUpdateReducer {
         data.pages, state.links[path]
       );
       state.links[path].unseenCount =
-        state.links[path].unseenCount + data.pages.length;
+        (state.links[path].unseenCount || 0) + data.pages.length;
     }
   }
 
@@ -160,7 +160,14 @@ export class LinkUpdateReducer {
 
 //
 
-  _addNewItems(items, pages = {local: {}}, page = 0) {
+  _addNewItems(items, pages, page = 0) {
+    if (!pages) {
+      pages = {
+        local: {},
+        totalPages: 0,
+        totalItems: 0
+      };
+    }
     const i = page;
     if (!pages[i]) {
       pages[i] = [];