diff --git a/defaultprefs.json b/defaultprefs.json
index 1f8ca45..7ec426e 100644
--- a/defaultprefs.json
+++ b/defaultprefs.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "appTitle": "SSB Browser Demo",
-  "replicationHops": 1,
+  "replicationHops": 2,
   "publicFilters": "",
   "favoriteChannels": [],
   "hiddenChannels": [],
diff --git a/ui/browser.js b/ui/browser.js
index dcfba8e..cb7a090 100644
--- a/ui/browser.js
+++ b/ui/browser.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 const localPrefs = require('../localprefs')
 const optionsForCore = {
   caps: { shs: Buffer.from(localPrefs.getCaps(), 'base64') },
+  friends: {
+    hops: localPrefs.getHops()
+  },
   hops: localPrefs.getHops(),
   core: {
     startOffline: localPrefs.getOfflineMode()
diff --git a/ui/settings.js b/ui/settings.js
index 3fb2a08..54b836d 100644
--- a/ui/settings.js
+++ b/ui/settings.js
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ module.exports = function () {
          <p>
          <label for="replicationHops">{{ $t('settings.replicateHops') }}</label><br />
          <select id="replicationHops" v-model="hops">
-         <option value="0">0 {{ $t('settings.directFollows') }}</option>
-         <option value="1">1</option>
+         <option value="1">1 {{ $t('settings.directFollows') }}</option>
          <option value="2">2</option>
          <option value="3">3</option>
          <option value="4">4</option>
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ module.exports = function () {
         locale: 'en',
         localeOptions: [],
         autorefresh: false,
-        hops: 1
+        hops: 2
       }
     },