diff --git a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
index ddcf658b..41b3836c 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { MarkdownRender, BlockCode } from "./MarkdownRender";
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
 import { FilesSelector, IncludedFiles } from "./components/Files";
 import { useChat } from "./context";
+import ThreadHistory from "./components/ThreadHistory";
 
 
 const filesStr = (fullFiles: File[]) => {
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ const useInstantState = <T,>(initVal: T) => {
 
 
 const Sidebar = () => {
-	const { chatMessageHistory, addMessageToHistory, setPreviousThreads } = useChat()
+	const { chatMessageHistory, addMessageToHistory, setPreviousThreads, previousThreads } = useChat()
 
 	// state of current message
 	const [selection, setSelection] = useState<Selection | null>(null) // the code the user is selecting
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ const Sidebar = () => {
 				setApiConfig(m.apiConfig)
 			}
 
-			// when get apiConfig, set
+			// incoming thread history
 			else if (m.type === 'threadHistory') {
 				setPreviousThreads(m.threads)
 			}
@@ -268,6 +269,7 @@ const Sidebar = () => {
 						}
 					</form>
 				</div>
+				{!!previousThreads.length && <ThreadHistory threads={previousThreads} />}
 			</div>
 		</div>
 
diff --git a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/context.tsx b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/context.tsx
index dabb836b..39cd0586 100644
--- a/extensions/void/src/sidebar/context.tsx
+++ b/extensions/void/src/sidebar/context.tsx
@@ -5,31 +5,45 @@ import React, {
 	useEffect,
 	useState,
 } from "react"
-import * as vscode from "vscode"
-import { ChatMessage, ChatThread, Selection } from "../shared_types"
+import { ChatMessage, ChatThread } from "../shared_types"
 import { getVSCodeAPI } from "./getVscodeApi"
 
+const createEmptyThread = () => ({
+    id: "",
+    createdAt: "",
+    messages: [],
+})
+
+const createNewThread = () => ({
+	id: new Date().getTime().toString(),
+	createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+	messages: [],
+})
+
 interface IChatProviderProps {
 	chatMessageHistory: ChatMessage[]
 	addMessageToHistory: (message: ChatMessage) => void
 	setPreviousThreads: (threads: any) => void
+	previousThreads: ChatThread[]
+	selectThread: (thread: ChatThread) => void
 }
 
 const defaults = {
 	chatMessageHistory: [],
 	addMessageToHistory: () => {},
 	setPreviousThreads: () => {},
-	thread: {
-		id: "",
-		createdAt: "",
-		messages: [],
-	},
+    // placeholder for thread until first message is sent so that createdAt date is accurate
+	thread: createEmptyThread(),
+	previousThreads: [],
+	selectThread: () => {},
 }
 
 const ChatContext = createContext<IChatProviderProps>(defaults)
 
 function ChatProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
-	const [previousThreads, setPreviousThreads] = useState<ChatThread[]>([])
+	const [previousThreads, setPreviousThreads] = useState<ChatThread[]>(
+		defaults.previousThreads
+	)
 	const [thread, setThread] = useState<ChatThread>(defaults.thread)
 
 	useEffect(() => {
@@ -45,20 +59,28 @@ function ChatProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 	const addMessageToHistory = (message: ChatMessage) => {
 		setThread((prev) => ({
 			...prev,
-			...(!thread.id && {
-				id: new Date().getTime().toString(),
-				createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-			}),
+			// if there is no thread, create a new one with current timestamp
+			...(!thread.id && createNewThread()),
 			messages: [...prev.messages, message],
 		}))
 	}
 
+	const handleReceiveThreadHistory = (threads: ChatThread[]) =>
+		setPreviousThreads(
+			threads.sort(
+				(a, b) =>
+					new Date(b.createdAt).getTime() - new Date(a.createdAt).getTime()
+			)
+		)
+
 	return (
 		<ChatContext.Provider
 			value={{
 				chatMessageHistory: thread.messages,
 				addMessageToHistory,
-				setPreviousThreads,
+				setPreviousThreads: handleReceiveThreadHistory,
+				previousThreads,
+				selectThread: setThread,
 			}}
 		>
 			{children}