diff --git a/extensions/void/src/extension.ts b/extensions/void/src/extension.ts
index 71c2426a..175bbf02 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/void/src/extension.ts
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 					await approvalCodeLensProvider.addNewApprovals(editor, suggestedEdits)
 				}
 				else if (m.type === 'getApiConfig') {
+					context.workspaceState.update('allThreads', {})
 
 					const apiConfig = getApiConfig()
 					console.log('Api config:', apiConfig)
diff --git a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
index 18540b99..807f1907 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -109,11 +109,7 @@ const ThreadSelector = ({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }) => {
 
 
 const Sidebar = () => {
-	const {
-		currentThread,
-		addMessageToHistory,
-		startNewThread,
-	} = useChat()
+	const { allThreads, currentThread, addMessageToHistory, startNewThread, } = useChat()
 
 	// state of current message
 	const [selection, setSelection] = useState<Selection | null>(null) // the code the user is selecting
diff --git a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/chatContext.tsx b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/chatContext.tsx
index 96bf02f8..4962c45d 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/chatContext.tsx
+++ b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/chatContext.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import React, { ReactNode, createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState, } from "react"
+import React, { ReactNode, createContext, useCallback, useContext, useEffect, useRef, useState, } from "react"
 import { ChatMessage, ChatThreads } from "../shared_types"
 import { awaitVSCodeResponse, getVSCodeAPI } from "./getVscodeApi"
 
 
 type ChatContextValue = {
-	allThreads: ChatThreads | null,
-	currentThread: ChatThreads[string] | null;
+	readonly allThreads: ChatThreads | null,
+	readonly currentThread: ChatThreads[string] | null;
 	addMessageToHistory: (message: ChatMessage) => void;
 	switchToThread: (threadId: string) => void;
 	startNewThread: () => void;
@@ -20,43 +20,69 @@ const createNewThread = () => ({
 })
 
 
+// const [stateRef, setState] = useInstantState(initVal)
+// setState instantly changes the value of stateRef instead of having to wait until the next render
+const useInstantState = <T,>(initVal: T) => {
+	const stateRef = useRef<T>(initVal)
+	const [_, setS] = useState<T>(initVal)
+	const setState = useCallback((newVal: T) => {
+		setS(newVal);
+		stateRef.current = newVal;
+	}, [])
+	return [stateRef as React.RefObject<T>, setState] as const // make s.current readonly - setState handles all changes
+}
+
+
 function ChatProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
-	const [allThreads, setAllThreads] = useState<ChatThreads>({})
-	const [currentThreadId, setCurrentThreadId] = useState<string | null>(null)
+	const [allThreads, setAllThreads] = useInstantState<ChatThreads>({})
+	const [currentThreadId, setCurrentThreadId] = useInstantState<string | null>(null)
 
 	// this loads allThreads in on mount
 	useEffect(() => {
 		getVSCodeAPI().postMessage({ type: "getAllThreads" })
 		awaitVSCodeResponse('allThreads')
 			.then(response => { setAllThreads(response.threads) })
-	}, [])
-
-
+	}, [setAllThreads])
 
 
 	return (
 		<ChatContext.Provider
 			value={{
-				allThreads,
+				allThreads: allThreads.current,
+				currentThread: currentThreadId.current === null || allThreads.current === null ? null : allThreads.current[currentThreadId.current],
 				addMessageToHistory: (message: ChatMessage) => {
-					let currentThread = currentThreadId === null ? createNewThread() : allThreads[currentThreadId]
-					setAllThreads((threads) => ({
-						...threads,
+					let currentThread: ChatThreads[string]
+					if (!(currentThreadId.current === null || allThreads.current === null)) {
+						currentThread = allThreads.current[currentThreadId.current]
+					}
+					else {
+						currentThread = createNewThread()
+						setCurrentThreadId(currentThread.id)
+					}
+
+					console.log('adding message: ', currentThreadId, currentThread.id, message.displayContent)
+					console.log('allThreads', allThreads)
+
+					setAllThreads({
+						...allThreads.current,
 						[currentThread.id]: {
 							...currentThread,
 							messages: [...currentThread.messages, message],
 						}
-					}))
+					})
+
 					getVSCodeAPI().postMessage({ type: "persistThread", thread: currentThread })
 				},
-				currentThread: currentThreadId !== null ? allThreads[currentThreadId] : null,
-				switchToThread: (threadId: string) => { setCurrentThreadId(threadId); },
+				switchToThread: (threadId: string) => {
+					setCurrentThreadId(threadId);
+				},
 				startNewThread: () => {
 					const newThread = createNewThread()
-					setAllThreads(threads => ({
-						...threads,
+					setAllThreads({
+						...allThreads.current,
 						[newThread.id]: newThread
-					}))
+					})
+					setCurrentThreadId(newThread.id)
 				},
 			}}
 		>