diff --git a/chat/consumers.py b/chat/consumers.py
index 47b66ce..f120ee0 100644
--- a/chat/consumers.py
+++ b/chat/consumers.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
         channels = await Channel.get_accessible_channels(user, 'read')
         async for channel in channels.all():
             await self.channel_layer.group_add(f"chat-{channel.id}", self.channel_name)
+        await self.channel_layer.group_add(f"user-{user.id}", self.channel_name)
 
     async def disconnect(self, close_code) -> None:
         """
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
         channels = await Channel.get_accessible_channels(self.scope['user'], 'read')
         async for channel in channels.all():
             await self.channel_layer.group_discard(f"chat-{channel.id}", self.channel_name)
+        await self.channel_layer.group_discard(f"user-{self.scope['user'].id}", self.channel_name)
 
     async def receive_json(self, content, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -63,6 +65,8 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
                 await self.receive_message(content)
             case 'fetch_messages':
                 await self.fetch_messages(**content)
+            case 'start_private_chat':
+                await self.start_private_chat(content['user_id'])
             case unknown:
                 print("Unknown message type:", unknown)
 
@@ -76,12 +80,12 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
             'channels': [
                 {
                     'id': channel.id,
-                    'name': channel.name,
+                    'name': channel.get_visible_name(user),
                     'category': channel.category,
                     'read_access': True,
                     'write_access': await write_channels.acontains(channel),
                 }
-                async for channel in read_channels.all()
+                async for channel in read_channels.prefetch_related('invited').all()
             ]
         }
         await self.send_json(message)
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
             'id': message.id,
             'channel_id': channel.id,
             'timestamp': message.created_at.isoformat(),
+            'author_id': message.author_id,
             'author': await message.aget_author_name(),
             'content': message.content,
         })
@@ -125,6 +130,7 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
                 {
                     'id': message.id,
                     'timestamp': message.created_at.isoformat(),
+                    'author_id': message.author_id,
                     'author': await message.aget_author_name(),
                     'content': message.content,
                 }
@@ -132,7 +138,50 @@ class ChatConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
             ]))
         })
 
+    async def start_private_chat(self, user_id: int) -> None:
+        user = self.scope['user']
+        other_user = await User.objects.aget(id=user_id)
+        channel_qs = Channel.objects.filter(private=True).filter(invited=user).filter(invited=other_user)
+        if not await channel_qs.aexists():
+            channel = await Channel.objects.acreate(
+                name=f"{user.first_name} {user.last_name}, {other_user.first_name} {other_user.last_name}",
+                category=Channel.ChannelCategory.PRIVATE,
+                private=True,
+            )
+            await channel.invited.aset([user, other_user])
+            await channel.asave()
+
+            await self.channel_layer.group_add(f"chat-{channel.id}", self.channel_name)
+        else:
+            channel = await channel_qs.afirst()
+
+        await self.channel_layer.group_send(f"user-{user.id}", {
+            'type': 'chat.start_private_chat',
+            'channel': {
+                'id': channel.id,
+                'name': f"{other_user.first_name} {other_user.last_name}",
+                'category': channel.category,
+                'read_access': True,
+                'write_access': True,
+            }
+        })
+        if user != other_user:
+            await self.channel_layer.group_send(f"user-{other_user.id}", {
+                'type': 'chat.start_private_chat',
+                'channel': {
+                    'id': channel.id,
+                    'name': f"{user.first_name} {user.last_name}",
+                    'category': channel.category,
+                    'read_access': True,
+                    'write_access': True,
+                }
+            })
+
     async def chat_send_message(self, message) -> None:
         await self.send_json({'type': 'send_message', 'id': message['id'], 'channel_id': message['channel_id'],
                               'timestamp': message['timestamp'], 'author': message['author'],
                               'content': message['content']})
+
+    async def chat_start_private_chat(self, message) -> None:
+        await self.channel_layer.group_add(f"chat-{message['channel']['id']}", self.channel_name)
+        await self.send_json({'type': 'start_private_chat', 'channel': message['channel']})
diff --git a/chat/models.py b/chat/models.py
index 9b91ec0..706060d 100644
--- a/chat/models.py
+++ b/chat/models.py
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
                     "in addition to the permitted group of the channel."),
     )
 
+    def get_visible_name(self, user: User) -> str:
+        if self.private:
+            users = [f"{u.first_name} {u.last_name}" for u in self.invited.all() if u != user] \
+                    or [f"{user.first_name} {user.last_name}"]
+            return ", ".join(users)
+        return self.name
+
     def __str__(self):
         return str(format_lazy(_("Channel {name}"), name=self.name))
 
@@ -106,7 +113,7 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
         registration = await Registration.objects.prefetch_related('user').aget(user_id=user.id)
 
         if registration.is_admin:
-            return Channel.objects.all()
+            return Channel.objects.prefetch_related('invited').exclude(~Q(invited=user) & Q(private=True)).all()
 
         if registration.is_volunteer:
             registration = await VolunteerRegistration.objects \
@@ -153,7 +160,7 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
             qs |= Channel.objects.filter(Q(team=team),
                                          **{permission_type: PermissionType.TEAM_MEMBER})
 
-        qs |= Channel.objects.filter(invited=user)
+        qs |= Channel.objects.filter(invited=user).prefetch_related('invited')
 
         return qs
 
diff --git a/chat/static/chat.js b/chat/static/chat.js
index b1b7997..9295de2 100644
--- a/chat/static/chat.js
+++ b/chat/static/chat.js
@@ -95,8 +95,13 @@ function setChannels(new_channels) {
     }
 
     if (new_channels && (!selected_channel_id || !channels[selected_channel_id])) {
-        if (window.location.hash)
-            selectChannel(window.location.hash.substring(9))
+        if (window.location.hash) {
+            let channel_id = parseInt(window.location.hash.substring(9))
+            if (channels[channel_id])
+                selectChannel(channel_id)
+            else
+                selectChannel(Object.keys(channels)[0])
+        }
         else
             selectChannel(Object.keys(channels)[0])
     }