diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/ChatWindow.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/ChatWindow.java
index cce9e73..dd7ff5e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/ChatWindow.java
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/ChatWindow.java
@@ -48,18 +48,13 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 
 	private Client client;
 
-	private DefaultListModel<Message>	messageListModel	= new DefaultListModel<>();
-	private List<Chat>					partnerChatList		= new ArrayList<Chat>();
-	private Chat						currentChat;
+	private JList<User>	userList		= new JList<>();
+	private List<Chat>	partnerChatList	= new ArrayList<Chat>();
+	private Chat		currentChat;
 
 	public ChatWindow(Client client) {
 		this.client = client;
 
-		// Initialize chat list and current chat
-		Users chatUsers = client.getUsersListXml();
-		chatUsers.getUser().forEach(user -> partnerChatList.add(new Chat(user)));
-		if (partnerChatList.size() > 0) currentChat = partnerChatList.get(0);
-
 		setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 		setBounds(100, 100, 600, 800);
 		setTitle("Envoy");
@@ -86,6 +81,7 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 		messageList.setForeground(new Color(255, 255, 255));
 		messageList.setBackground(new Color(51, 51, 51));
 
+		DefaultListModel<Message> messageListModel = new DefaultListModel<>();
 		messageList.setModel(messageListModel);
 		messageList.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.PLAIN, 17));
 		messageList.setFixedCellHeight(60);
@@ -142,10 +138,7 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 
 		postButton.addActionListener((evt) -> {
 			if (!client.hasRecipient()) {
-				JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this,
-						"Please select a recipient!",
-						"Cannot send message",
-						JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
+				JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, "Please select a recipient!", "Cannot send message", JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE);
 				return;
 			}
 
@@ -189,7 +182,6 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 		gbc_partnerName.insets = new Insets(0, 10, 0, 10);
 		contentPane.add(textPane, gbc_partnerName);
 
-		JList<User> userList = new JList<>();
 		userList.setCellRenderer(new UserListRenderer());
 		userList.setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
 		userList.addListSelectionListener((listSelectionEvent) -> {
@@ -199,10 +191,7 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 				final User			user				= selectedUserList.getSelectedValue();
 				client.setRecipient(user);
 
-				currentChat = partnerChatList.stream()
-					.filter(chat -> chat.getRecipient().getID() == user.getID())
-					.findFirst()
-					.get();
+				currentChat = partnerChatList.stream().filter(chat -> chat.getRecipient().getID() == user.getID()).findFirst().get();
 
 				client.setRecipient(user);
 
@@ -229,32 +218,38 @@ public class ChatWindow extends JFrame {
 		contentPane.add(userList, gbc_userList);
 		contentPane.revalidate();
 
-		loadUserList(userList);
-		
-		new Timer(5000, (evt) -> {
-			Messages unreadMessages = client.getUnreadMessages(client.getSender().getID());
-			for (int i = 0; i < unreadMessages.getMessage().size(); i++)
-				for (int j = 0; j < partnerChatList.size(); j++)
-					if (partnerChatList.get(j)
-						.getRecipient()
-						.getID() == unreadMessages.getMessage().get(i).getMetaData().getSender())
-						partnerChatList.get(j).appendMessage(unreadMessages.getMessage().get(i));
-		}).start();
+		loadUsersAndChats();
+		startReceiverThread(5000);
+
 		contentPane.revalidate();
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Initializes the elements of the user list by downloading them from the
 	 * server.
-	 * 
-	 * @param userList The {@link JList} to put the elements in
 	 */
-	private void loadUserList(JList<User> userList) {
+	private void loadUsersAndChats() {
 		new Thread(() -> {
 			Users					users			= client.getUsersListXml();
 			DefaultListModel<User>	userListModel	= new DefaultListModel<>();
-			users.getUser().forEach(user -> userListModel.addElement(user));
+			users.getUser().forEach(user -> { userListModel.addElement(user); partnerChatList.add(new Chat(user)); });
 			SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> userList.setModel(userListModel));
 		}).start();
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Checks for new messages and adds them to the chat list.
+	 * 
+	 * @param timeout the amount of time that passes between two requests sent to
+	 *                the server
+	 */
+	private void startReceiverThread(int timeout) {
+		new Timer(timeout, (evt) -> {
+			Messages unreadMessages = client.getUnreadMessages(client.getSender().getID());
+			for (int i = 0; i < unreadMessages.getMessage().size(); i++)
+				for (int j = 0; j < partnerChatList.size(); j++)
+					if (partnerChatList.get(j).getRecipient().getID() == unreadMessages.getMessage().get(i).getMetaData().getSender())
+						partnerChatList.get(j).appendMessage(unreadMessages.getMessage().get(i));
+		}).start();
+	}
 }
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