diff --git a/src/whisper/core.clj b/src/whisper/core.clj
index 54c8978..d362e08 100644
--- a/src/whisper/core.clj
+++ b/src/whisper/core.clj
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@
      ;; TODO: dont magic string this
      (if (= (get x "username") "Link New User")
        (make-req sigd {"type" "link"})
-       (reset! user x)))))
+       (do (reset! user x)
+           (init-user-schema (get x "username")))))))
 
 (defn digest-group-or-contact-list
   [list db]
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
   (doseq [contact list]
     (let [id (get-id-from-contact-or-group contact)
           name (get contact "name")]
-    (store-contact db id contact)
+    (store-contact db (get @user "username") id contact)
     (add-json-contact {:id id :name name}))))
 
 (defn -main
@@ -115,8 +116,7 @@
                                                        "username" new-user})
                                  ;; TODO: load messages or something
                                  ;; maybe wait till here to paint main UI
-                                 (add-str-flag (str "Now logged in as " new-user))
-                                 ))
+                                 (add-str-flag (str "Now logged in as " new-user))))
 
                              ;; close account picker
                              (paint-user-select [] false (fn [_ _] (log/error "this cannot be called"))))))))
diff --git a/src/whisper/storage.clj b/src/whisper/storage.clj
index c15d372..6aca1e1 100644
--- a/src/whisper/storage.clj
+++ b/src/whisper/storage.clj
@@ -7,53 +7,63 @@
   "opens db at filepath and makes sure schema is in place"
   [filepath]
   (let [db (c/open-database! filepath)]
-    (if (nil? (c/get-at! db [:contacts]))
-      (c/assoc-at! db [:contacts] {}))
-    (if (nil? (c/get-at! db [:messages]))
-      (c/assoc-at! db [:messages] {}))
+    ;; TODO: schema preperations here
     db))
 
+(defn init-user-schema
+  [db username]
+  (let [user-doc (c/get-at! db [username])
+        user-contact-doc (get user-doc :contacts)
+        user-messages-doc (get user-doc :messages)]
+
+    (if (nil? user-doc)
+      (c/assoc-at! db [username] {:contacts {}
+                                  :messages {}}))
+    (if (nil? user-contact-doc)
+      (c/assoc-at! db [username :contacts] {}))
+
+    (if (nil? user-messages-doc)
+      (c/assoc-at! db [username :messages] {}))))
+
 (defn store-contact
   "adds a new contact to db"
-  [db contact-id contact-doc]
-  (let [curr-doc (c/get-at! db [:contacts contact-id])]
-    (if (nil? curr-doc)
-      (c/assoc-at! db [:contacts contact-id] contact-doc)
-      (if (not (= curr-doc contact-doc))
-        (c/assoc-at! db [:contacts contact-id] contact-doc))))
-  (if (nil? (c/get-at! db [:messages contact-id]))
-    (c/assoc-at! db [:messages contact-id] [])))
+  [db username contact-id contact-doc]
+  (let [curr-doc (c/get-at! db [username :contacts contact-id])]
+    (if (or (nil? curr-doc) (not= curr-doc contact-doc))
+      (c/assoc-at! db [username :contacts contact-id] contact-doc)))
+  (if (nil? (c/get-at! db [username :messages contact-id]))
+    (c/assoc-at! db [username :messages contact-id] [])))
 
 (defn store-message
   "adds a message to the db"
-  [db contact-id message-doc]
-  (let [curr-thread (c/get-at! db [:messages contact-id])]
+  [db username contact-id message-doc]
+  (let [curr-thread (c/get-at! db [username :messages contact-id])]
     ;; no contact? dont bother
     (if (nil? curr-thread)
       (log/info "Received message for undiscovered contact (wont store).")
-      (c/merge-at! db [:messages contact-id] [message-doc]))))
+      (c/merge-at! db [username :messages contact-id] [message-doc]))))
 
 (defn get-contacts
   "retrieve all contacts"
-  [db]
-  (c/get-at! db [:contacts]))
+  [db username]
+  (c/get-at! db [username :contacts]))
 
 (defn get-contact
   "retrieve a specific contact"
-  [db contact-id]
-  (c/get-at! db [:contacts contact-id]))
+  [db username contact-id]
+  (c/get-at! db [username :contacts contact-id]))
 
 (defn get-thread
   "get all messages to and from a specific contact/group"
-  [db contact-id]
-  (c/get-at! db [:messages contact-id]))
+  [db username contact-id]
+  (c/get-at! db [username :messages contact-id]))
 
 (defn get-thread-and-contact-if-contact
   "get all messages to and from a contact, as well as their contact info IF they are a stored contact"
-  [db contact-id]
-  (let [contact-doc (c/get-at! db [:contacts contact-id])]
+  [db username contact-id]
+  (let [contact-doc (c/get-at! db [username :contacts contact-id])]
     (if (not (nil? contact-doc))
       ;; contact exists
-      {:contact contact-doc :thread (c/get-at! db [:messages contact-id])}
+      {:contact contact-doc :thread (c/get-at! db [username :messages contact-id])}
       ;; else return nil
       nil)))
diff --git a/src/whisper/ui.clj b/src/whisper/ui.clj
index 2d4432e..2336125 100644
--- a/src/whisper/ui.clj
+++ b/src/whisper/ui.clj
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@
   (aux-renderer
    {:fx/type user-select-ui
     :showing showing
-    ;; "Make New User" is a magic token
+    ;; "Make New User" is a magic token. see handle-users in core
     ;; TODO: dont
     :users (conj users {"username" "Link New User"})
     :callback callback}))