diff --git a/src/contexts/room-context.tsx b/src/contexts/room-context.tsx
index 4dbc3c4..aa539ad 100644
--- a/src/contexts/room-context.tsx
+++ b/src/contexts/room-context.tsx
@@ -241,19 +241,19 @@ export function RoomProvider({
     if (!activeRoomId || !client) return;
 
     const setup = async () => {
-      if (client.getStatus() !== 'open') {
-        await client.connect();
-      }
-      // Re-check: activeRoomId may have changed while we were waiting for connect.
-      // Use activeRoomIdRef to get the *current* room, not the stale closure value.
-      const roomId = activeRoomIdRef.current;
-      if (!roomId) return;
-      await client.subscribeRoom(roomId);
-      // loadMoreRef.current is null on first mount (set later in render order).
-      // Call loadMore directly to ensure initial message fetch always runs.
+      // Ensure WS is open before subscribing. connect() is idempotent — if already
+      // connecting/open, it returns immediately. While connecting, messages load from
+      // IDB (instant) and reactions batch-fetch via WS-first request().
+      await client.connect();
+      // Guard: room may have changed while we were waiting for connect.
+      if (activeRoomIdRef.current !== activeRoomId) return;
+      // subscribeRoom is WS-first with HTTP fallback; failure is non-fatal.
+      client.subscribeRoom(activeRoomId).catch(() => {});
+      // loadMore checks IDB first (no WS needed), then batch-fetches reactions
+      // via WS with HTTP fallback. Safe to call without awaiting.
       loadMore(null);
     };
-    setup();
+    setup().catch(() => {});
 
     return () => {
       client.unsubscribeRoom(activeRoomId).catch(() => {});