diff --git a/src/ep.json b/src/ep.json
index 0c3179a64..da2bd8ad2 100644
--- a/src/ep.json
+++ b/src/ep.json
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
       "client_hooks": {
         "aceKeyEvent": "ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/chat",
         "handleClientMessage_CHAT_MESSAGE": "ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/chat",
-        "handleClientMessage_CHAT_MESSAGES": "ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/chat"
+        "handleClientMessage_CHAT_MESSAGES": "ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/chat",
+        "postAceInit": "ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/chat"
       }
     },
     {
diff --git a/src/static/js/chat.js b/src/static/js/chat.js
index 9dd93932e..fa3c57436 100755
--- a/src/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/src/static/js/chat.js
@@ -332,3 +332,43 @@ exports.handleClientMessage_CHAT_MESSAGES = (hookName, {msg}) => {
     $('#chatloadmessagesbutton').css('display', 'block');
   }
 };
+
+exports.postAceInit = async (hookName, {clientVars, pad}) => {
+  exports.chat.init(pad);
+
+  if (padcookie.getPref('chatAlwaysVisible')) {
+    exports.chat.stickToScreen(true);
+    $('#options-stickychat').prop('checked', true);
+  }
+  if (padcookie.getPref('chatAndUsers')) {
+    exports.chat.chatAndUsers(true);
+    $('#options-chatandusers').prop('checked', true);
+  }
+
+  // Prevent sticky chat or chat and users to be checked for mobiles
+  const checkChatAndUsersVisibility = (x) => {
+    if (!x.matches) return;
+    $('#options-chatandusers:checked').click();
+    $('#options-stickychat:checked').click();
+  };
+  const mobileMatch = window.matchMedia('(max-width: 800px)');
+  mobileMatch.addListener(checkChatAndUsersVisibility);
+  setTimeout(() => { checkChatAndUsersVisibility(mobileMatch); }, 0);
+
+  if (clientVars.chatHead !== -1) {
+    const chatHead = clientVars.chatHead;
+    const start = Math.max(chatHead - 100, 0);
+    pad.collabClient.sendMessage({type: 'GET_CHAT_MESSAGES', start, end: chatHead});
+  } else {
+    $('#chatloadmessagesbutton').css('display', 'none');
+  }
+
+  if (clientVars.readonly) {
+    exports.chat.hide();
+    $('#chatinput').attr('disabled', true);
+    $('#options-chatandusers').parent().hide();
+    $('#options-stickychat').parent().hide();
+  } else if (!pad.settings.hideChat) {
+    $('#chaticon').show();
+  }
+};
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index b0c63aeac..8efab08ce 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -367,8 +367,6 @@ const pad = {
   },
   _afterHandshake() {
     pad.clientTimeOffset = Date.now() - clientVars.serverTimestamp;
-    // initialize the chat
-    chat.init(this);
     getParams();
 
     padcookie.init(); // initialize the cookies
@@ -387,16 +385,6 @@ const pad = {
       setTimeout(() => {
         padeditor.ace.focus();
       }, 0);
-      // if we have a cookie for always showing chat then show it
-      if (padcookie.getPref('chatAlwaysVisible')) {
-        chat.stickToScreen(true); // stick it to the screen
-        $('#options-stickychat').prop('checked', true); // set the checkbox to on
-      }
-      // if we have a cookie for always showing chat then show it
-      if (padcookie.getPref('chatAndUsers')) {
-        chat.chatAndUsers(true); // stick it to the screen
-        $('#options-chatandusers').prop('checked', true); // set the checkbox to on
-      }
       if (padcookie.getPref('showAuthorshipColors') === false) {
         pad.changeViewOption('showAuthorColors', false);
       }
@@ -409,17 +397,6 @@ const pad = {
       pad.changeViewOption('padFontFamily', padcookie.getPref('padFontFamily'));
       $('#viewfontmenu').val(padcookie.getPref('padFontFamily')).niceSelect('update');
 
-      // Prevent sticky chat or chat and users to be checked for mobiles
-      const checkChatAndUsersVisibility = (x) => {
-        if (x.matches) { // If media query matches
-          $('#options-chatandusers:checked').click();
-          $('#options-stickychat:checked').click();
-        }
-      };
-      const mobileMatch = window.matchMedia('(max-width: 800px)');
-      mobileMatch.addListener(checkChatAndUsersVisibility); // check if window resized
-      setTimeout(() => { checkChatAndUsersVisibility(mobileMatch); }, 0); // check now after load
-
       $('#editorcontainer').addClass('initialized');
 
       hooks.aCallAll('postAceInit', {ace: padeditor.ace, clientVars, pad});
@@ -444,23 +421,7 @@ const pad = {
     pad.collabClient.setOnChannelStateChange(pad.handleChannelStateChange);
     pad.collabClient.setOnInternalAction(pad.handleCollabAction);
 
-    // load initial chat-messages
-    if (clientVars.chatHead !== -1) {
-      const chatHead = clientVars.chatHead;
-      const start = Math.max(chatHead - 100, 0);
-      pad.collabClient.sendMessage({type: 'GET_CHAT_MESSAGES', start, end: chatHead});
-    } else {
-      // there are no messages
-      $('#chatloadmessagesbutton').css('display', 'none');
-    }
-
-    if (window.clientVars.readonly) {
-      chat.hide();
-      $('#myusernameedit').attr('disabled', true);
-      $('#chatinput').attr('disabled', true);
-      $('#options-chatandusers').parent().hide();
-      $('#options-stickychat').parent().hide();
-    } else if (!settings.hideChat) { $('#chaticon').show(); }
+    if (window.clientVars.readonly) $('#myusernameedit').attr('disabled', true);
 
     $('body').addClass(window.clientVars.readonly ? 'readonly' : 'readwrite');