diff --git a/desktop-client/main.py b/desktop-client/main.py
index 509a540..b4afe28 100644
--- a/desktop-client/main.py
+++ b/desktop-client/main.py
@@ -190,22 +190,31 @@ class VlcSyncApp(QMainWindow):
         
         self.room_widget.setup_room(self.room_code, self.username, self.local_file_name, self.local_file_path, start_time_s)
             
+        chat_history = msg.get("chatHistory", [])
+        if chat_history:
+            for chat in chat_history:
+                self.room_widget.add_chat_message(chat.get("username", "Unknown"), chat.get("message", ""), chat.get("timestamp", 0))
+        
         users = msg.get("users", [])
         if users:
             self.room_widget.update_users(users)
             
         if state:
             self.room_widget.handle_sync_event(state)
-            
-        chat_history = msg.get("chatHistory", [])
-        if chat_history:
-            for chat in chat_history:
-                self.room_widget.add_chat_message(chat.get("username", "Unknown"), chat.get("message", ""), chat.get("timestamp", 0))
+
+        self.room_widget.add_system_message("Welcome to the room! 👋")
 
     def on_room_rejoined(self, msg: dict):
         self.room_widget.set_room_code_display(self.room_code)
-        self.room_widget.add_system_message("✅ Reconnected to the room.")
         
+        chat_history = msg.get("chatHistory", [])
+        if chat_history:
+            self.room_widget.clear_chat()
+            for chat in chat_history:
+                self.room_widget.add_chat_message(chat.get("username", "Unknown"), chat.get("message", ""), chat.get("timestamp", 0))
+        
+        self.room_widget.add_system_message("✅ Reconnected to the room.")
+
         users = msg.get("users", [])
         if users:
             self.room_widget.update_users(users)
diff --git a/desktop-client/room_widget.py b/desktop-client/room_widget.py
index 9a8a83c..181f8e8 100644
--- a/desktop-client/room_widget.py
+++ b/desktop-client/room_widget.py
@@ -366,8 +366,6 @@ class RoomWidget(QWidget):
         self.chat_messages.setWidget(self.chat_content)
         self.chat_messages.toPlainText = self.toPlainText # For test compatibility
         
-        # Initial welcome message
-        self.add_system_message("Welcome to the room! 👋")
         
         chat_input_layout = QHBoxLayout()
         self.chat_input = QLineEdit()
@@ -443,7 +441,7 @@ class RoomWidget(QWidget):
         for i in reversed(range(self.chat_content_layout.count())):
             self.chat_content_layout.itemAt(i).widget().setParent(None)
         
-        self.add_system_message("Welcome to the room! 👋")
+        
         self.current_users = []
         self._is_first_user_update = True
         
@@ -906,6 +904,12 @@ class RoomWidget(QWidget):
         self.chat_content_layout.addWidget(msg)
         self._scroll_to_bottom()
 
+    def clear_chat(self):
+        for i in reversed(range(self.chat_content_layout.count())):
+            item = self.chat_content_layout.itemAt(i)
+            if item.widget():
+                item.widget().setParent(None)
+
     def send_chat(self):
         text = self.chat_input.text().strip()
         if not text:
diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 3984556..267ec36 100644
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@
         // Seamless reconnection — sync to server state
         isReconnecting = false;
         showConnectionStatus("reconnected");
+        if (msg.chatHistory) {
+          chatMessages.innerHTML = "";
+          msg.chatHistory.forEach((m) => addChatMessage(m.username, m.message, m.timestamp));
+        }
         updateUsers(msg.users);
         if (msg.state) {
           applySync(msg.state);