diff --git a/frontend/app/src/components/home/Home.svelte b/frontend/app/src/components/home/Home.svelte
index b480e068c0..7aa87f3086 100644
--- a/frontend/app/src/components/home/Home.svelte
+++ b/frontend/app/src/components/home/Home.svelte
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@
                 : "OpenChat";
     }
 
+    $: {
+        tick().then(() => {
+            routeChange($chatsInitialised, $pathParams);
+        });
+    }
+
     onMount(() => {
         subscribeToNotifications(client, (n) => client.notificationReceived(n));
         client.addEventListener("openchat_event", clientEvent);
@@ -343,13 +349,12 @@
             if (
                 !$mobileWidth &&
                 (pathParams.kind === "selected_community_route" ||
-                    pathParams.kind === "chat_list_route")
+                    pathParams.kind === "chat_list_route") &&
+                $chatSummariesListStore.length > 0
             ) {
-                const first = $chatSummariesListStore.find((c) => !c.membership.archived);
-                if (first !== undefined) {
-                    page.redirect(routeForChatIdentifier($chatListScope.kind, first.id));
-                    return;
-                }
+                const first = $chatSummariesListStore[0];
+                page.redirect(routeForChatIdentifier($chatListScope.kind, first.id));
+                return;
             }
 
             if (pathParams.kind === "home_route") {
@@ -445,10 +450,6 @@
         }
     }
 
-    $: {
-        routeChange($chatsInitialised, $pathParams);
-    }
-
     // Note: very important (and hacky) that this is hidden in a function rather than inline in the top level reactive
     // statement because we don't want that reactive statement to execute in reponse to changes in rightPanelHistory :puke:
     function filterChatSpecificRightPanelStates() {