diff --git a/src/static/js/collab_client.js b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
index 127c0fb81..12185aeb2 100644
--- a/src/static/js/collab_client.js
+++ b/src/static/js/collab_client.js
@@ -498,7 +498,6 @@ const getCollabClient = (ace2editor, serverVars, initialUserInfo, options, _pad)
   editor.setBaseAttributedText(serverVars.initialAttributedText, serverVars.apool);
   editor.setUserChangeNotificationCallback(handleUserChanges);
 
-  setChannelState('CONNECTED');
   return self;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index ccf29cc57..f1bac0616 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ const pad = {
     pad.collabClient.setOnClientMessage(pad.handleClientMessage);
     pad.collabClient.setOnChannelStateChange(pad.handleChannelStateChange);
     pad.collabClient.setOnInternalAction(pad.handleCollabAction);
+    pad.collabClient.setChannelState('CONNECTED');
 
     // load initial chat-messages
     if (clientVars.chatHead !== -1) {