diff --git a/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreen.kt
index 4ab9d106..aa63de76 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreen.kt
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.PaddingValues
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Spacer
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.WindowInsets
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxWidth
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.heightIn
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.ime
@@ -514,7 +515,7 @@ fun ChannelScreen(
             targetState = viewModel.ageGateUnlocked,
             label = "ageGateUnlocked"
         ) { ageGateUnlocked ->
-            if (!ageGateUnlocked) {
+            if (ageGateUnlocked == false) {
                 ChannelScreenAgeGate(
                     onAccept = {
                         viewModel.ageGateUnlocked = true
@@ -523,7 +524,11 @@ fun ChannelScreen(
                         onToggleDrawer()
                     }
                 )
-            } else {
+            } else if (ageGateUnlocked == null) {
+                Box(Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+                    CircularProgressIndicator(modifier = Modifier.size(48.dp))
+                }
+            } else if (ageGateUnlocked == true) {
                 Column(
                     modifier = Modifier
                         .padding(pv)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreenViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreenViewModel.kt
index 6fb064b1..2f2f35f5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreenViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/chat/revolt/screens/chat/views/channel/ChannelScreenViewModel.kt
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class ChannelScreenViewModel @Inject constructor(
 
     var editingMessage by mutableStateOf<String?>(null)
 
-    var ageGateUnlocked by mutableStateOf(false)
+    var ageGateUnlocked by mutableStateOf<Boolean?>(null)
 
     init {
         viewModelScope.launch {
@@ -405,7 +405,11 @@ class ChannelScreenViewModel @Inject constructor(
                         }
                     }
 
-                    if (!didInitialChannelFetch) didInitialChannelFetch = true
+                    val ackNewest: Boolean
+                    if (!didInitialChannelFetch) {
+                        didInitialChannelFetch = true
+                        ackNewest = true
+                    } else ackNewest = false
 
                     val newItems = messages.filter {
                         if (ignoreExisting) {
@@ -438,6 +442,19 @@ class ChannelScreenViewModel @Inject constructor(
                     }
 
                     updateItems(newItemsWithPosition)
+
+                    // If ackNewest is true, we ack the newest (first, as initial fetch is newest to oldest) message.
+                    if (ackNewest) {
+                        ackMessage(newItemsWithPosition.first {
+                            it is ChannelScreenItem.RegularMessage || it is ChannelScreenItem.SystemMessage
+                        }.let {
+                            when (it) {
+                                is ChannelScreenItem.RegularMessage -> it.message.id
+                                is ChannelScreenItem.SystemMessage -> it.message.id
+                                else -> null
+                            }
+                        } ?: return@launch)
+                    }
                 } catch (e: Exception) {
                     Log.e("ChannelScreenViewModel", "Failed to fetch messages", e)
                 }