diff --git a/web/index.html b/web/index.html
index 457cbae..27aff02 100644
--- a/web/index.html
+++ b/web/index.html
@@ -18,11 +18,8 @@
 		<script>
 		// This is our main entry.
 		// https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/DOMContentLoaded_event
-			console.log("window.nostr", window.nostr)
 		addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (ev) => {
-			// TODO fix race condition where profile doesn't load fast enough.
-			setTimeout(damus_web_init, 500);
-			init_message_textareas();
+			damus_web_init()
 		});
 		</script>
 		<nav id="gnav" class="">
diff --git a/web/js/damus.js b/web/js/damus.js
index bb7b704..0e9cd47 100644
--- a/web/js/damus.js
+++ b/web/js/damus.js
@@ -120,6 +120,26 @@ function notice_chatroom(state, id)
 }
 
 async function damus_web_init()
+{
+	init_message_textareas();
+
+	let tries = 0;
+	function init() {
+		// only wait for 500ms max
+		const max_wait = 500
+		const interval = 20
+		if (window.nostr || tries >= (max_wait/interval)) {
+			console.info("init after", tries);
+			damus_web_init_ready();
+			return;
+		}
+		tries++;
+		setTimeout(init, interval);
+	}
+	init();
+}
+
+async function damus_web_init_ready()
 {
 	const model = init_home_model()
 	DAMUS = model