diff --git a/static/js/chat.js b/static/js/chat.js
index 0ff8b398..9b28c333 100644
--- a/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/static/js/chat.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 var padutils = require('/pad_utils').padutils;
 var browser = require('/ace2_common').browser;
+var padcookie = require('/pad_cookie').padcookie;
 
 var chat = (function()
 {
@@ -69,16 +70,17 @@ var chat = (function()
       chatMentions = 0;
       document.title = title;
     },
-    stickToScreen: function() // Make chat stick to right hand side of screen
+    stickToScreen: function(fromInitialCall) // Make chat stick to right hand side of screen
     {
-      console.log(isStuck);
       chat.show();
-      if(!isStuck) { // Stick it to
+      if(!isStuck || fromInitialCall) { // Stick it to
+        padcookie.setPref("chatAlwaysVisible", true);
         $('#chatbox').css({"right":"0px", "top":"36px", "border-radius":"0px", "height":"auto", "border-right":"none", "border-left":"1px solid #ccc", "border-top":"none", "background-color":"#f1f1f1", "width":"185px"});
         $('#chattext').css({"top":"0px"});
         $('#editorcontainer').css({"right":"192px", "width":"auto"});
         isStuck = true;
       } else { // Unstick it
+        padcookie.setPref("chatAlwaysVisible", false);
         $('#chatbox').css({"right":"20px", "top":"auto", "border-top-left-radius":"5px", "border-top-right-radius":"5px", "border-right":"1px solid #999", "height":"200px", "border-top":"1px solid #999", "background-color":"#f7f7f7"});
         $('#chattext').css({"top":"25px"});
         $('#editorcontainer').css({"right":"0px", "width":"100%"});
diff --git a/static/js/pad2.js b/static/js/pad2.js
index 93fb2356..2c7d7e0e 100644
--- a/static/js/pad2.js
+++ b/static/js/pad2.js
@@ -358,7 +358,6 @@ function handshake()
       }
     }
   });
-
   // Bind the colorpicker
   var fb = $('#colorpicker').farbtastic({ callback: '#mycolorpickerpreview', width: 220});
 }
@@ -450,7 +449,7 @@ var pad = {
     padcookie.init(clientVars.cookiePrefsToSet);
   
     $("#widthprefcheck").click(pad.toggleWidthPref);
-    $("#sidebarcheck").click(pad.toggleSidebar);
+    // $("#sidebarcheck").click(pad.togglewSidebar);
 
     pad.myUserInfo = {
       userId: clientVars.userId,
@@ -775,15 +774,17 @@ var pad = {
 
     padsavedrevs.handleIsFullyConnected(isConnected);
 
-    pad.determineSidebarVisibility(isConnected && !isInitialConnect);
+    // pad.determineSidebarVisibility(isConnected && !isInitialConnect);
+    pad.determineChatVisibility(isConnected && !isInitialConnect);
+
   },
-  determineSidebarVisibility: function(asNowConnectedFeedback)
+/*  determineSidebarVisibility: function(asNowConnectedFeedback)
   {
     if (pad.isFullyConnected())
     {
       var setSidebarVisibility = padutils.getCancellableAction("set-sidebar-visibility", function()
       {
-        $("body").toggleClass('hidesidebar', !! padcookie.getPref('hideSidebar'));
+        // $("body").toggleClass('hidesidebar', !! padcookie.getPref('hideSidebar'));
       });
       window.setTimeout(setSidebarVisibility, asNowConnectedFeedback ? 3000 : 0);
     }
@@ -793,6 +794,17 @@ var pad = {
       $("body").removeClass('hidesidebar');
     }
   },
+*/
+  determineChatVisibility: function(asNowConnectedFeedback){
+    var chatVisCookie = padcookie.getPref('chatAlwaysVisible');
+    if(chatVisCookie){ // if the cookie is set for chat always visible
+      chat.stickToScreen(true); // stick it to the screen
+      $('#options-stickychat').prop("checked", true); // set the checkbox to on
+    }
+    else{
+      $('#options-stickychat').prop("checked", false); // set the checkbox for off
+    }
+  },
   handleCollabAction: function(action)
   {
     if (action == "commitPerformed")
@@ -841,6 +853,7 @@ var pad = {
     $("#widthprefcheck").toggleClass('widthprefchecked', !! newValue).toggleClass('widthprefunchecked', !newValue);
     pad.handleWidthChange();
   },
+/*
   toggleSidebar: function()
   {
     var newValue = !padcookie.getPref('hideSidebar');
@@ -848,6 +861,7 @@ var pad = {
     $("#sidebarcheck").toggleClass('sidebarchecked', !newValue).toggleClass('sidebarunchecked', !! newValue);
     pad.determineSidebarVisibility();
   },
+*/
   handleWidthChange: function()
   {
     var isFullWidth = padcookie.getPref('fullWidth');