diff --git a/add-group-key.js b/add-group-key.js
index 9798f84..00ad80e 100644
--- a/add-group-key.js
+++ b/add-group-key.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 module.exports = function (ssbSingleton, getGroupKeysFeed) {
+  const { replicateSubfeeds } = require('./helpers')
+
   return {
     template: `
     <div id="app">
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ module.exports = function (ssbSingleton, getGroupKeysFeed) {
             if (err) return console.error(err)
 
             getGroupKeysFeed(SSB, async (err, keysFeed) => {
-              const groupId = this.groupKey.toString('hex') + '.groupies'
+              const groupId = this.groupKey + '.groupies'
 
               const { where, type, toPromise } = SSB.db.operators
 
@@ -33,14 +35,20 @@ module.exports = function (ssbSingleton, getGroupKeysFeed) {
 
               SSB.db.publishAs(keysFeed.keys, {
                 type: 'groupkey',
-                key: this.groupKey.toString('hex'),
+                key: this.groupKey,
                 id: groupId,
                 recps: [SSB.id]
               }, (err, msg) => {
                 if (err) return console.error(err)
 
-                SSB.box2.addGroupKey(groupId, this.groupKey)
-                SSB.db.reindexEncrypted()
+                const groupKey = Buffer.from(this.groupKey, 'hex')
+                SSB.box2.addGroupKey(groupId, groupKey)
+
+                SSB.db.reindexEncrypted(() => {
+                  // live can have problems with reindex
+                  replicateSubfeeds(false)
+                })
+
                 alert('Key added!')
               })
             })
diff --git a/helpers.js b/helpers.js
index 4a203df..84585b0 100644
--- a/helpers.js
+++ b/helpers.js
@@ -48,6 +48,59 @@ module.exports = {
     )
   },
 
+  replicateSubfeeds: (isLive, cb) => {
+    const { where, type, author, live, toPullStream } = SSB.db.operators
+
+    function replicateMetaFeed(metafeed) {
+      console.log("replicating metafeed", metafeed)
+      // similar to ack self, we must ack own feeds!
+      SSB.ebt.request(metafeed, true)
+
+      pull(
+        SSB.db.query(
+          where(author(metafeed)),
+          isLive ? live({ old: true }) : null,
+          toPullStream()
+        ),
+        pull.drain((msg) => {
+          const { subfeed, feedpurpose } = msg.value.content
+          if (feedpurpose && feedpurpose !== 'main') { // special
+            console.log("replicating subfeed", subfeed)
+            // similar to ack self, we must ack own feeds!
+            SSB.ebt.request(subfeed, true)
+          }
+        })
+      )
+    }
+
+    pull(
+      SSB.db.query(
+        where(type('metafeed/announce')),
+        toPullStream()
+      ),
+      pull.drain((msg) => {
+        const { metafeed } = msg.value.content
+        replicateMetaFeed(metafeed)
+      }, () => {
+        if (isLive) {
+          pull(
+            SSB.db.query(
+              where(type('metafeed/announce')),
+              live({ old: false }),
+              toPullStream()
+            ),
+            pull.drain((msg) => {
+              const { metafeed } = msg.value.content
+              replicateMetaFeed(metafeed)
+            })
+          )
+        }
+
+        if (cb) cb()
+      })
+    )
+  },
+
   dumpDB: () => {
     const { where, author, toPullStream } = SSB.db.operators
 
@@ -56,7 +109,7 @@ module.exports = {
         toPullStream()
       ),
       pull.drain((msg) => {
-        console.log(`author ${msg.value.author}, seq: ${msg.value.sequence}, content: ${JSON.stringify(msg, null, 2)}`)
+        console.log(`author ${msg.value.author}, seq: ${msg.value.sequence}`)
         // , content: ${JSON.stringify(msg.value.content, null, 2)}
       })
     )
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 1481292..a24f35d 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ const pull = require('pull-stream')
 const hkdf = require('futoin-hkdf')
 const crypto = require('crypto')
 
-const { getGroupKeysFeed, getChatFeed, dumpDB } = require('./helpers')
+const { getGroupKeysFeed, getChatFeed,
+        replicateSubfeeds, dumpDB } = require('./helpers')
 const { monkeyPatchBox2Libs } = require('./browser-hack')
 
 function extraModules(secretStack) {
@@ -249,15 +250,6 @@ function setupApp(SSB) {
     })
   )
 
-  // auto connect to room
-  const roomKey = '@oPnjHuBpFNG+wXC1dzmdzvOO30mVNYmZB778fq3bn3Y=.ed25519'
-  const room = 'wss:between-two-worlds.dk:444~shs:oPnjHuBpFNG+wXC1dzmdzvOO30mVNYmZB778fq3bn3Y='
-
-  SSB.conn.connect(room, {
-    key: roomKey,
-    type: 'room'
-  }, () => {})
-
   // show connection errors
   pull(
     SSB.conn.hub().listen(),
@@ -275,45 +267,27 @@ function setupApp(SSB) {
     })
   )
 
-  // auto reconnect to room
-  setInterval(() => {
-    if (menu.peers.length === 0) {
+  replicateSubfeeds(true, () => {
+    // timeout to make sure we get all feeds replicated
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      // auto connect to room
+      const roomKey = '@oPnjHuBpFNG+wXC1dzmdzvOO30mVNYmZB778fq3bn3Y=.ed25519'
+      const room = 'wss:between-two-worlds.dk:444~shs:oPnjHuBpFNG+wXC1dzmdzvOO30mVNYmZB778fq3bn3Y='
+
       SSB.conn.connect(room, {
         key: roomKey,
         type: 'room'
-      })
-    }
-  }, 1000)
-
-  // find all meta feeds & children and replicate those
-  pull(
-    SSB.db.query(
-      where(type('metafeed/announce')),
-      live({ old: true }),
-      toPullStream()
-    ),
-    pull.drain((msg) => {
-      const { metafeed } = msg.value.content
-      console.log("replicating metafeed", metafeed)
-      // similar to ack self, we must ack own feeds!
-      SSB.ebt.request(metafeed, true)
-
-      // FIXME: this doesn't work on reindex!
-      pull(
-        SSB.db.query(
-          where(author(metafeed)),
-          live({ old: true }),
-          toPullStream()
-        ),
-        pull.drain((msg) => {
-          const { subfeed, feedpurpose } = msg.value.content
-          if (feedpurpose && feedpurpose !== 'main') { // special
-            console.log("replicating subfeed", subfeed)
-            // similar to ack self, we must ack own feeds!
-            SSB.ebt.request(subfeed, true)
-          }
-        })
-      )
-    })
-  )
+      }, () => {})
+
+      // auto reconnect on fail
+      setInterval(() => {
+        if (menu.peers.length === 0) {
+          SSB.conn.connect(room, {
+            key: roomKey,
+            type: 'room'
+          })
+        }
+      }, 1000)
+    }, 1500)
+  })
 }