diff --git a/gui/src/components/chat_new_message.vue b/gui/src/components/chat_new_message.vue
index e7415cb7..e704f704 100644
--- a/gui/src/components/chat_new_message.vue
+++ b/gui/src/components/chat_new_message.vue
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ const chatModuleMessage=ref(null);
 
 function transmitNewMessage(){
 
+
+    // if no callsign is selected, assume we are using the first one..
+    if(typeof(chat.selectedCallsign) == 'undefined'){
+        chat.selectedCallsign = Object.keys(chat.callsign_list)[0];
+    }
+
+
     chat.inputText = chat.inputText.trim();
     if (chat.inputText.length==0 && chat.inputFileName == "-")
       return;
diff --git a/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js b/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
index c672ff09..4655b2df 100644
--- a/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
+++ b/gui/src/js/eventHandler.js
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ switch (data["message-db"]) {
       getSerialDevices();
       getFreedataMessages();
       processFreedataMessages();
-      chat.selectedCallsign = chatStore.callsign_list[0]
+
       return;
 
     case "arq":