diff --git a/group/group.go b/group/group.go
index ebcdcc5..c17e893 100644
--- a/group/group.go
+++ b/group/group.go
@@ -74,11 +74,12 @@ func (err ProtocolError) Error() string {
 }
 
 type ChatHistoryEntry struct {
-	Id    string
-	User  *string
-	Time  time.Time
-	Kind  string
-	Value interface{}
+	Id     string
+	Source string
+	User   *string
+	Time   time.Time
+	Kind   string
+	Value  interface{}
 }
 
 const (
@@ -804,7 +805,7 @@ func (g *Group) ClearChatHistory() {
 	g.history = nil
 }
 
-func (g *Group) AddToChatHistory(id string, user *string, time time.Time, kind string, value interface{}) {
+func (g *Group) AddToChatHistory(id, source string, user *string, time time.Time, kind string, value interface{}) {
 	g.mu.Lock()
 	defer g.mu.Unlock()
 
@@ -813,7 +814,7 @@ func (g *Group) AddToChatHistory(id string, user *string, time time.Time, kind s
 		g.history = g.history[:len(g.history)-1]
 	}
 	g.history = append(g.history,
-		ChatHistoryEntry{Id: id, User: user, Time: time, Kind: kind, Value: value},
+		ChatHistoryEntry{Id: id, Source: source, User: user, Time: time, Kind: kind, Value: value},
 	)
 }
 
diff --git a/group/group_test.go b/group/group_test.go
index 977fa19..0368d53 100644
--- a/group/group_test.go
+++ b/group/group_test.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestChatHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	user := "user"
 	for i := 0; i < 2*maxChatHistory; i++ {
-		g.AddToChatHistory("id", &user, time.Now(), "",
+		g.AddToChatHistory("id", "source", &user, time.Now(), "",
 			fmt.Sprintf("%v", i),
 		)
 	}
diff --git a/rtpconn/webclient.go b/rtpconn/webclient.go
index 67f5375..a606418 100644
--- a/rtpconn/webclient.go
+++ b/rtpconn/webclient.go
@@ -1197,7 +1197,8 @@ func handleAction(c *webClient, a any) error {
 			for _, m := range h {
 				err := c.write(clientMessage{
 					Type:     "chathistory",
-					Source:   m.Id,
+					Id:       m.Id,
+					Source:   m.Source,
 					Username: m.User,
 					Time:     m.Time.Format(time.RFC3339),
 					Value:    m.Value,
@@ -1575,17 +1576,25 @@ func handleClientMessage(c *webClient, m clientMessage) error {
 			return c.error(group.UserError("not authorised"))
 		}
 
-		now := time.Now()
+		id := m.Id
+		if m.Type == "chat" && m.Dest == "" && id == "" {
+			buf := make([]byte, 8)
+			crand.Read(buf)
+			id = base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(buf)
+		}
 
+		now := time.Now()
 		if m.Type == "chat" {
 			if m.Dest == "" {
 				g.AddToChatHistory(
-					m.Source, m.Username, now, m.Kind, m.Value,
+					id, m.Source, m.Username,
+					now, m.Kind, m.Value,
 				)
 			}
 		}
 		mm := clientMessage{
 			Type:       m.Type,
+			Id:         id,
 			Source:     m.Source,
 			Dest:       m.Dest,
 			Username:   m.Username,
@@ -1891,15 +1900,15 @@ func handleClientMessage(c *webClient, m clientMessage) error {
 			}
 			w, ok := d.(warner)
 			if ok {
-				w.Warn(false, "Your IP address has been " +
-					"communicated to user " +
-					c.Username() + ".")
+				w.Warn(false, "Your IP address has been "+
+					"communicated to user "+
+					c.Username()+".")
 			}
 			c.write(clientMessage{
-				Type: "usermessage",
-				Kind: "userinfo",
+				Type:       "usermessage",
+				Kind:       "userinfo",
 				Privileged: true,
-				Value: value,
+				Value:      value,
 			})
 		case "kick":
 			if !member("op", c.permissions) {
diff --git a/static/galene.js b/static/galene.js
index 7c21c40..12d1d46 100644
--- a/static/galene.js
+++ b/static/galene.js
@@ -2958,7 +2958,7 @@ let lastMessage = {};
  * @param {string} kind
  * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
  */
-function addToChatbox(peerId, dest, nick, time, privileged, history, kind, message) {
+function addToChatbox(id, peerId, dest, nick, time, privileged, history, kind, message) {
     let row = document.createElement('div');
     row.classList.add('message-row');
     let container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -2973,6 +2973,8 @@ function addToChatbox(peerId, dest, nick, time, privileged, history, kind, messa
     if(dest)
         container.classList.add('message-private');
 
+    if(id)
+        container.dataset.id = id;
     if(peerId) {
         container.dataset.peerId = peerId;
         container.dataset.username = nick;
@@ -3093,7 +3095,7 @@ function chatMessageMenu(elt) {
  * @param {string|HTMLElement} message
  */
 function localMessage(message) {
-    return addToChatbox(null, null, null, new Date(), false, false, '', message);
+    return addToChatbox(null, null, null, null, new Date(), false, false, '', message);
 }
 
 function clearChat() {
@@ -3473,7 +3475,7 @@ commands.msg = {
         if(!id)
             throw new Error(`Unknown user ${p[0]}`);
         serverConnection.chat('', id, p[1]);
-        addToChatbox(serverConnection.id, id, serverConnection.username,
+        addToChatbox(serverConnection.id, null, id, serverConnection.username,
                      new Date(), false, false, '', p[1]);
     }
 };
diff --git a/static/protocol.js b/static/protocol.js
index 7f90e4e..67fb68e 100644
--- a/static/protocol.js
+++ b/static/protocol.js
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ function ServerConnection() {
     /**
      * onchat is called whenever a new chat message is received.
      *
-     * @type {(this: ServerConnection, id: string, dest: string, username: string, time: Date, privileged: boolean, history: boolean, kind: string, message: string) => void}
+     * @type {(this: ServerConnection, id: string, source: string, dest: string, username: string, time: Date, privileged: boolean, history: boolean, kind: string, message: string) => void}
      */
     this.onchat = null;
     /**
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ ServerConnection.prototype.connect = function(url) {
         case 'chathistory':
             if(sc.onchat)
                 sc.onchat.call(
-                    sc, m.source, m.dest, m.username, parseTime(m.time),
+                    sc, m.id, m.source, m.dest, m.username, parseTime(m.time),
                     m.privileged, m.type === 'chathistory', m.kind,
                     '' + m.value,
                 );