diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/streaming.ts b/app/soapbox/actions/streaming.ts
index dcb190f25..9c9f9ad39 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/streaming.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/streaming.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { getSettings } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
 import messages from 'soapbox/locales/messages';
+import { queryClient } from 'soapbox/queries/client';
+import { play, soundCache } from 'soapbox/utils/sounds';
 
 import { connectStream } from '../stream';
 
@@ -89,6 +91,10 @@ const connectTimelineStream = (
         case 'filters_changed':
           dispatch(fetchFilters());
           break;
+        case 'chat_message':
+          queryClient.invalidateQueries(['chats', 'messages', JSON.parse(data.payload).chat_id]);
+          play(soundCache.chat);
+          break;
         case 'pleroma:chat_update':
           dispatch((dispatch: AppDispatch, getState: () => RootState) => {
             const chat = JSON.parse(data.payload);
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget.tsx
index a956eeb20..9f776bc61 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect } from 'react';
 
+import { connectDirectStream } from 'soapbox/actions/streaming';
 import { ChatProvider } from 'soapbox/contexts/chat-context';
+import { useAppDispatch } from 'soapbox/hooks';
 
 import ChatPane from './chat-pane/chat-pane';
 
 const ChatWidget = () => {
+  const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const disconnect = dispatch(connectDirectStream());
+
+    return (() => {
+      disconnect();
+    });
+  }, []);
+
   return (
     <ChatProvider>
       <ChatPane />
diff --git a/app/soapbox/middleware/sounds.ts b/app/soapbox/middleware/sounds.ts
index 94ba15313..61b9c2058 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/middleware/sounds.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/middleware/sounds.ts
@@ -1,65 +1,22 @@
 'use strict';
 
+import { AnyAction } from 'redux';
+
+import { play, soundCache } from 'soapbox/utils/sounds';
+
 import type { ThunkMiddleware } from 'redux-thunk';
+import type { Sounds } from 'soapbox/utils/sounds';
 
-/** Soapbox audio clip. */
-type Sound = {
-  src: string,
-  type: string,
-}
 
-/** Produce HTML5 audio from sound data. */
-const createAudio = (sources: Sound[]): HTMLAudioElement => {
-  const audio = new Audio();
-  sources.forEach(({ type, src }) => {
-    const source = document.createElement('source');
-    source.type = type;
-    source.src = src;
-    audio.appendChild(source);
-  });
-  return audio;
-};
-
-/** Play HTML5 sound. */
-const play = (audio: HTMLAudioElement): void => {
-  if (!audio.paused) {
-    audio.pause();
-    if (typeof audio.fastSeek === 'function') {
-      audio.fastSeek(0);
-    } else {
-      audio.currentTime = 0;
-    }
+interface Action extends AnyAction {
+  meta: {
+    sound: Sounds
   }
-
-  audio.play();
-};
+}
 
 /** Middleware to play sounds in response to certain Redux actions. */
 export default function soundsMiddleware(): ThunkMiddleware {
-  const soundCache: Record<string, HTMLAudioElement> = {
-    boop: createAudio([
-      {
-        src: require('../../sounds/boop.ogg'),
-        type: 'audio/ogg',
-      },
-      {
-        src: require('../../sounds/boop.mp3'),
-        type: 'audio/mpeg',
-      },
-    ]),
-    chat: createAudio([
-      {
-        src: require('../../sounds/chat.oga'),
-        type: 'audio/ogg',
-      },
-      {
-        src: require('../../sounds/chat.mp3'),
-        type: 'audio/mpeg',
-      },
-    ]),
-  };
-
-  return () => next => action => {
+  return () => next => (action: Action) => {
     if (action.meta?.sound && soundCache[action.meta.sound]) {
       play(soundCache[action.meta.sound]);
     }
diff --git a/app/soapbox/utils/sounds.ts b/app/soapbox/utils/sounds.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..40e396080
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/utils/sounds.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/** Soapbox audio clip. */
+type Sound = {
+  src: string,
+  type: string,
+}
+
+export type Sounds = 'boop' | 'chat'
+
+/** Produce HTML5 audio from sound data. */
+const createAudio = (sources: Sound[]): HTMLAudioElement => {
+  const audio = new Audio();
+  sources.forEach(({ type, src }) => {
+    const source = document.createElement('source');
+    source.type = type;
+    source.src = src;
+    audio.appendChild(source);
+  });
+  return audio;
+};
+
+/** Play HTML5 sound. */
+const play = (audio: HTMLAudioElement): void => {
+  if (!audio.paused) {
+    audio.pause();
+    if (typeof audio.fastSeek === 'function') {
+      audio.fastSeek(0);
+    } else {
+      audio.currentTime = 0;
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log('playing');
+
+  audio.play();
+};
+
+const soundCache: Record<Sounds, HTMLAudioElement> = {
+  boop: createAudio([
+    {
+      src: require('../../sounds/boop.ogg'),
+      type: 'audio/ogg',
+    },
+    {
+      src: require('../../sounds/boop.mp3'),
+      type: 'audio/mpeg',
+    },
+  ]),
+  chat: createAudio([
+    {
+      src: require('../../sounds/chat.oga'),
+      type: 'audio/ogg',
+    },
+    {
+      src: require('../../sounds/chat.mp3'),
+      type: 'audio/mpeg',
+    },
+  ]),
+};
+
+export { soundCache, play };