diff --git a/web/js/damus.js b/web/js/damus.js
index 0543808..f48e35d 100644
--- a/web/js/damus.js
+++ b/web/js/damus.js
@@ -57,14 +57,16 @@ async function damus_web_init_ready() {
 	if (err) {
 		window.alert("Unable to load contacts.");
 	}
-
 	await model_load_events(model, (ev)=> {
 		model_process_event(model, ev);
 	});
 
+	log_debug("loaded events", Object.keys(model.all_events).length);
+	view_timeline_update(model);
 	view_timeline_apply_mode(model, VM_FRIENDS);
+	view_show_spinner(true);
 	document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
-		update_title(model)
+		update_title(model);
 	});
 	on_timer_timestamps();
 	on_timer_invalidations();
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ async function on_pool_eose(relay, sub_id) {
 			if (!model.inited) {
 				model.inited = true;
 			}
+			view_show_spinner(false);
 			break;
 		case ids.profiles:
 			model.pool.unsubscribe(ids.profiles, relay);
diff --git a/web/js/ui/state.js b/web/js/ui/state.js
index 2bd1151..3ebd286 100644
--- a/web/js/ui/state.js
+++ b/web/js/ui/state.js
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ function view_timeline_apply_mode(model, mode, opts={}) {
 		count++;
 	}
 	if (count > 0) {
-		find_node("#view .loading-events").classList.add("hide");
 		el.append(fragment);
 		view_set_show_count(0);
 		view_timeline_update_timestamps();
@@ -69,6 +68,10 @@ function view_timeline_apply_mode(model, mode, opts={}) {
 	return mode;
 }
 
+function view_show_spinner(show=true) {
+	find_node("#view .loading-events").classList.toggle("hide", !show);
+}
+
 /* view_timeline_update iterates through invalidated event ids and either adds
  * or removes them from the timeline.
  */
@@ -114,7 +117,7 @@ function view_timeline_update(model) {
 		// If we have things to show and we have initted and we don't have
 		// anything update the current view
 		if (!latest_ev && model.inited) {
-			view_timeline_show_new(model);	
+			view_timeline_show_new(model);
 		}
 		view_set_show_count(count, true, !model.inited);	
 	}
@@ -156,7 +159,6 @@ function view_timeline_show_new(model) {
 		count++;
 	}
 	if (count > 0) {
-		find_node("#view .loading-events").classList.add("hide");
 		el.prepend(fragment);
 	}
 	view_set_show_count(-count, true);