diff --git a/client/js/chat-client.js b/client/js/chat-client.js
index 75a240d..75d5d31 100644
--- a/client/js/chat-client.js
+++ b/client/js/chat-client.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export class ChatApp extends DtpApp {
     this.log.info('constructor', 'DTP app client online');
 
     this.notificationPermission = 'default';
+    this.haveFocus = true; // hard to load the app w/o also being the focused app
 
     this.chat = {
       form: document.querySelector('#chat-input-form'),