diff --git a/api/Dockerfile b/api/Dockerfile
index 3b985f8..5a51966 100644
--- a/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/api/Dockerfile
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ RUN go build ./cmd/api_server/api_server.go
 FROM debian:buster AS runner
 RUN mkdir /app
 COPY --from=builder /workspace/api_server /app/api_server
-ENTRYPOINT ["/app/api_server"]
+ENTRYPOINT ["/app/api_server", "--nats=nats://address-chat-nats.internal:4222"]
diff --git a/api/cmd/api_server/api_server.go b/api/cmd/api_server/api_server.go
index 7a200e5..10df94e 100644
--- a/api/cmd/api_server/api_server.go
+++ b/api/cmd/api_server/api_server.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
@@ -62,10 +63,7 @@ func wsDriver(nc *nats.Conn, conn *websocket.Conn) {
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Fatalf("could not marshall msg: %s", err)
 				}
-				if err := nc.Publish(fmt.Sprintf("MESSAGES.%s", msg.From), data); err != nil {
-					log.Fatalf("could not publish to nats: %s", err)
-				}
-				for _, addr := range msg.To {
+				for addr := range msg.Participants() {
 					if err := nc.Publish(fmt.Sprintf("MESSAGES.%s", addr), data); err != nil {
 						log.Fatalf("could not publish to nats: %s", err)
 					}
@@ -99,6 +97,7 @@ func wsDriver(nc *nats.Conn, conn *websocket.Conn) {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("could not subscribe to MESSAGES: %s", err)
 		}
+		log.Println("subscribed to:", subj)
 		for {
 			message, err := sub.NextMsg(1 * time.Second)
 			if err == nats.ErrTimeout {
@@ -107,6 +106,11 @@ func wsDriver(nc *nats.Conn, conn *websocket.Conn) {
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Fatalf("unexpected error reading from nats: %s", err)
 			}
+			meta, err := message.Metadata()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatalf("unexpected metadata error: %s", err)
+			}
+			log.Println("received nats message:", meta)
 			var msg protocol.Message
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(message.Data, &msg); err != nil {
 				log.Fatalf("could not decode message: %s", err)
@@ -115,6 +119,9 @@ func wsDriver(nc *nats.Conn, conn *websocket.Conn) {
 				log.Println("write to websocket:", err)
 				return
 			}
+			if err := message.AckSync(); err != nil {
+				log.Println("ack:", err)
+			}
 		}
 	}()
 }
@@ -163,8 +170,8 @@ func healthCheckHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func main() {
-	nc, err := nats.Connect("nats://address-chat-nats.internal:4222")
-	// nc, err := nats.Connect(nats.DefaultURL)
+	natsUrl := flag.String("nats", nats.DefaultURL, "the url for the NATS cluster")
+	nc, err := nats.Connect(*natsUrl)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("could not connect to nats: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/api/protocol/protocol.go b/api/protocol/protocol.go
index fe33893..51ed541 100644
--- a/api/protocol/protocol.go
+++ b/api/protocol/protocol.go
@@ -22,3 +22,12 @@ type Message struct {
 	To      []string `json:"to"`
 	Content string   `json:"content"`
 }
+
+func (m Message) Participants() map[string]bool {
+	ps := make(map[string]bool)
+	ps[m.From] = true
+	for _, addr := range m.To {
+		ps[addr] = true
+	}
+	return ps
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/SignedIn.svelte b/frontend/src/SignedIn.svelte
index 0653948..039eeed 100644
--- a/frontend/src/SignedIn.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/SignedIn.svelte
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@
     readonly address: string;
     readonly name?: string;
   }
+  interface Message {
+    readonly from: string;
+    readonly to: readonly string[];
+    readonly content: string;
+  }
 
   import { ethers } from "ethers";
   import Mailbox from "./Mailbox.svelte";
@@ -18,9 +23,10 @@
     author = { ...author, name };
   });
 
-  const ws = new WebSocket("wss://address-chat-api.fly.dev/ws");
-  // const ws = new WebSocket("ws://localhost:8080/ws");
+  // const ws = new WebSocket("wss://address-chat-api.fly.dev/ws");
+  const ws = new WebSocket("ws://localhost:8080/ws");
   let authenticatedUntil: number | null = null;
+  let messages: readonly Message[] = [];
   ws.onopen = (evt) => {
     console.log("[OPEN]", evt);
     ws.send(token);
@@ -31,6 +37,8 @@
       const msg = JSON.parse(evt.data);
       if (typeof msg.authenticatedUntil === "number") {
         authenticatedUntil = msg.authenticatedUntil || null;
+      } else {
+        messages = [...messages, msg];
       }
     } catch (e) {
       console.error(e);
@@ -80,6 +88,11 @@
   }
 </script>
 
+<div>
+  {#each messages as m}
+  <p>{m.from} -> {m.to}: {m.content}</p>
+  {/each}
+</div>
 <div class="center">
   <table>
     <tbody>