diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Realtime/index.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Realtime/index.js
index 7da027cc..4e02223b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Realtime/index.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Realtime/index.js
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ let Realtime = {
       self.room.videoAdded(self.handleVideoAdded)
 
       if (Active.Map) {
-        self.room.chat.addWrapper()
         self.room.chat.render()
       }
     } // if Active.Mapper
diff --git a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Views/ChatView.js b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Views/ChatView.js
index 76b3c7d3..312be623 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Metamaps/Views/ChatView.js
+++ b/frontend/src/Metamaps/Views/ChatView.js
@@ -39,31 +39,6 @@ const ChatView = {
         sessioninvite: [4000, 5393, true]
       }
     })
-
-    // TODO move these event handlers into react
-    // this.$button.on('click', function() {
-    //   Handlers.buttonClick.call(self)
-    // })
-    // this.$videoToggle.on('click', function() {
-    //   Handlers.videoToggleClick.call(self)
-    // })
-    // this.$cursorToggle.on('click', function() {
-    //   Handlers.cursorToggleClick.call(self)
-    // })
-    // this.$soundToggle.on('click', function() {
-    //   Handlers.soundToggleClick.call(self)
-    // })
-    // this.$messageInput.on('keyup', function(event) {
-    //   Handlers.keyUp.call(self, event)
-    // })
-    // this.$messageInput.on('focus', function() {
-    //   Handlers.inputFocus.call(self)
-    // })
-    // this.$messageInput.on('blur', function() {
-    //   Handlers.inputBlur.call(self)
-    // })
-  },
-  addWrapper: () => {
     $('body').prepend('<div id="chat-box-wrapper"></div>')
   },
   render: () => {
@@ -73,7 +48,18 @@ const ChatView = {
       leaveCall: Realtime.leaveCall,
       joinCall: Realtime.joinCall,
       participants: self.participants,
-      unreadMessages: self.unreadMessages
+      messages: self.messages,
+      unreadMessages: self.unreadMessages,
+      buttonClick: self.buttonClick,
+      videoToggleClick: self.videoToggleClick,
+      cursorToggleClick: self.cursorToggleClick,
+      soundToggleClick: self.soundToggleClick,
+      inputBlur: self.inputBlur,
+      inputFocus: self.inputFocus,
+      videosShowing: self.videosShowing,
+      cursorsShowing: self.cursorsShowing,
+      alertSound: self.alertSound,
+      handleInputMessage: self.handleInputMessage
     }), document.getElementById('chat-box-wrapper'))
   },
   show: () => {
@@ -85,7 +71,7 @@ const ChatView = {
     ChatView.render()
   },
   addParticipant: participant => {
-    const p = clone(participant.attributes)
+    const p = participant.attributes ? clone(participant.attributes) : participant
     ChatView.participants.push(p)
     ChatView.render()
   },
@@ -119,14 +105,13 @@ const ChatView = {
 
     self.messages.push(m)
     // TODO what is scrollMessages?
-    if (!isInitial) this.scrollMessages(200)
+    // if (!isInitial) self.scrollMessages(200)
     self.render()
 
-    if (!wasMe && !isInitial && this.alertSound) this.sound.play('receivechat')
+    if (!wasMe && !isInitial && self.alertSound) self.sound.play('receivechat')
   },
   handleInputMessage: text => {
-    // TODO set textarea to be empty in react
-    $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.message + '-' + this.room, [{ message: text }])
+    $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.message + '-' + self.room, [{ message: text }])
   },
   leaveConversation: () => {
     // TODO refactor
@@ -147,39 +132,54 @@ const ChatView = {
   invitationAnswered: () => {
     // TODO refactor
     // this.$participants.find('.participant-' + id).removeClass('pending')
-  }
-}
+  },
+  buttonClick: () => {
+    const self = ChatView
+    if (self.isOpen) self.close()
+    else if (!self.isOpen) self.open()
+  },
+  close: () => {
+    this.isOpen = false
 
-var Handlers = {
-  buttonClick: function() {
-    if (this.isOpen) this.close()
-    else if (!this.isOpen) this.open()
+    // TODO how to do focus with react
+    // this.$messageInput.blur()
+
+    $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.closeTray)
+    ChatView.render()
+  },
+  open: () => {
+    ChatView.unreadMessages = 0
+    this.isOpen = true
+
+    // TODO how to do focus with react
+    // this.$messageInput.focus()
+    // TODO reimplement scrollMessages
+    // this.scrollMessages(0)
+
+    $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.openTray)
+    ChatView.render()
   },
   videoToggleClick: function() {
-    this.$videoToggle.toggleClass('active')
-    this.videosShowing = !this.videosShowing
-    $(document).trigger(this.videosShowing ? ChatView.events.videosOn : ChatView.events.videosOff)
+    const self = ChatView
+    self.videosShowing = !self.videosShowing
+    $(document).trigger(self.videosShowing ? ChatView.events.videosOn : ChatView.events.videosOff)
+    ChatView.render()
   },
   cursorToggleClick: function() {
-    this.$cursorToggle.toggleClass('active')
-    this.cursorsShowing = !this.cursorsShowing
-    $(document).trigger(this.cursorsShowing ? ChatView.events.cursorsOn : ChatView.events.cursorsOff)
+    const self = ChatView
+    self.cursorsShowing = !self.cursorsShowing
+    $(document).trigger(self.cursorsShowing ? ChatView.events.cursorsOn : ChatView.events.cursorsOff)
+    ChatView.render()
   },
   soundToggleClick: function() {
+    const self = ChatView
     this.alertSound = !this.alertSound
-    this.$soundToggle.toggleClass('active')
+    ChatView.render()
   },
-  keyUp: function(event) {
-    switch (event.which) {
-      case 13: // enter
-        Private.handleInputMessage.call(this)
-        break
-    }
-  },
-  inputFocus: function() {
+  inputFocus: () => {
     $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.inputFocus)
   },
-  inputBlur: function() {
+  inputBlur: () => {
     $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.inputBlur)
   }
 }
@@ -200,34 +200,10 @@ var Handlers = {
 //   this.$participants.find('.participant').removeClass('pending')
 // }
 
-
-// ChatView.prototype.addParticipant = function(participant) {
-//   this.participants.add(participant)
-// }
-
-// ChatView.prototype.removeParticipant = function(username) {
-//   var p = this.participants.find(p => p.get('username') === username)
-//   if (p) {
-//     this.participants.remove(p)
-//   }
-// }
-
 // ChatView.prototype.removeParticipants = function() {
 //   this.participants.remove(this.participants.models)
 // }
 
-// ChatView.prototype.open = function() {
-//   this.$container.css({
-//     right: '0'
-//   })
-//   this.$messageInput.focus()
-//   this.isOpen = true
-//   this.unreadMessages = 0
-//   this.$unread.hide()
-//   this.scrollMessages(0)
-//   $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.openTray)
-// }
-
 // ChatView.prototype.addMessage = function(message, isInitial, wasMe) {
 //   this.messages.add(message)
 //   Private.addMessage.call(this, message, isInitial, wasMe)
@@ -247,15 +223,6 @@ var Handlers = {
 //   this.$messages.empty()
 // }
 
-// ChatView.prototype.close = function() {
-//   this.$container.css({
-//     right: '-300px'
-//   })
-//   this.$messageInput.blur()
-//   this.isOpen = false
-//   $(document).trigger(ChatView.events.closeTray)
-// }
-
 // ChatView.prototype.remove = function() {
 //   this.$button.off()
 //   this.$container.remove()
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/MapChat/index.js b/frontend/src/components/MapChat/index.js
index f88d3bd6..30be2f82 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/MapChat/index.js
+++ b/frontend/src/components/MapChat/index.js
@@ -4,16 +4,40 @@ import Participant from './Participant'
 import Message from './Message'
 
 class MapChat extends Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props)
+
+    this.state = {
+      messageText: ''
+    }
+  }
+
+  handleChange = key => e => {
+    this.setState({
+      [key]: e.target.value
+    })
+  }
+
+  handleTextareaKeyUp = e => {
+    if (e.which === 13) {
+      e.preventDefault()
+      const text = this.state.messageText
+      this.props.handleInputMessage(text)
+      this.setState({ messageText: '' })
+    }
+  }
+
   render = () => {
     const rightOffset = this.props.isOpen ? '-300px' : '0'
+    const { videosShowing, cursorsShowing, alertSound } = this.props
     return (
       <div className="chat-box"
         style={{ right: rightOffset }}
       >
         <div className="junto-header">
           PARTICIPANTS
-          <div className="video-toggle" />
-          <div className="cursor-toggle" />
+          <div className={`video-toggle ${videosShowing ? 'active' : ''}`} />
+          <div className={`cursor-toggle ${cursorsShowing ? 'active' : ''}`} />
         </div>
         <div className="participants">
           <div className="conversation-live">
@@ -25,17 +49,31 @@ class MapChat extends Component {
 							JOIN
 						</span>
           </div>
+          {this.props.participants.map(participant => {
+            return <Participant key={participant.id} {...participant} />
+          })}
         </div>
         <div className="chat-header">
           CHAT
-          <div className="sound-toggle"></div>
+          <div className={`sound-toggle ${alertSound ? 'active' : ''}`}></div>
         </div>
         <div className="chat-button">
           <div className="tooltips">Chat</div>
           <Unread count={this.props.unreadMessages} />
         </div>
-        <div className="chat-messages"></div>
-        <textarea className="chat-input" placeholder="Send a message..." />
+        <div className="chat-messages">
+          {this.props.messages.map(message => {
+            return <Message key={message.id} {...message} />
+          })}
+        </div>
+        <textarea className="chat-input"
+          placeholder="Send a message..."
+          value={this.state.messageText}
+          onChange={this.handleChange('messageText')}
+          onKeyUp={this.handleTextareaKeyUp}
+          onFocus={this.props.inputFocus}
+          onBlur={this.props.inputBlur}
+        />
       </div>
     )
   }