diff --git a/server/client.ts b/server/client.ts
index 66a408c058..d5ffe84e16 100644
--- a/server/client.ts
+++ b/server/client.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import inputs from "./plugins/inputs";
 import PublicClient from "./plugins/packages/publicClient";
 import SqliteMessageStorage from "./plugins/messageStorage/sqlite";
 import TextFileMessageStorage from "./plugins/messageStorage/text";
-import Network, {IgnoreListItem, NetworkWithIrcFramework} from "./models/network";
+import Network, {IgnoreListItem, NetworkConfig, NetworkWithIrcFramework} from "./models/network";
 import ClientManager from "./clientManager";
 import {MessageStorage, SearchQuery, SearchResponse} from "./plugins/messageStorage/types";
 
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ export type UserConfig = {
 		hostname?: string;
 		isSecure?: boolean;
 	};
+	networks?: NetworkConfig[];
 };
 
 export type Mention = {
@@ -95,9 +96,7 @@ class Client {
 	attachedClients!: {
 		[socketId: string]: {token: string; openChannel: number};
 	};
-	config!: UserConfig & {
-		networks?: Network[];
-	};
+	config!: UserConfig;
 	id!: number;
 	idMsg!: number;
 	idChan!: number;
@@ -176,8 +175,16 @@ class Client {
 				this.registerPushSubscription(session, session.pushSubscription, true);
 			}
 		});
+	}
 
-		(client.config.networks || []).forEach((network) => client.connect(network, true));
+	connect() {
+		const client = this;
+
+		if (client.networks.length !== 0) {
+			throw new Error(`${client.name} is already connected`);
+		}
+
+		(client.config.networks || []).forEach((network) => client.connectToNetwork(network, true));
 
 		// Networks are stored directly in the client object
 		// We don't need to keep it in the config object
@@ -188,7 +195,7 @@ class Client {
 
 			// Networks are created instantly, but to reduce server load on startup
 			// We randomize the IRC connections and channel log loading
-			let delay = manager.clients.length * 500;
+			let delay = client.manager.clients.length * 500;
 			client.networks.forEach((network) => {
 				setTimeout(() => {
 					network.channels.forEach((channel) => channel.loadMessages(client, network));
@@ -201,7 +208,7 @@ class Client {
 				delay += 1000 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000);
 			});
 
-			client.fileHash = manager.getDataToSave(client).newHash;
+			client.fileHash = client.manager.getDataToSave(client).newHash;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -238,12 +245,10 @@ class Client {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	connect(args: Record<string, any>, isStartup = false) {
+	networkFromConfig(args: Record<string, any>): Network {
 		const client = this;
-		let channels: Chan[] = [];
 
-		// Get channel id for lobby before creating other channels for nicer ids
-		const lobbyChannelId = client.idChan++;
+		let channels: Chan[] = [];
 
 		if (Array.isArray(args.channels)) {
 			let badName = false;
@@ -291,7 +296,7 @@ class Client {
 		}
 
 		// TODO; better typing for args
-		const network = new Network({
+		return new Network({
 			uuid: args.uuid,
 			name: String(
 				args.name || (Config.values.lockNetwork ? Config.values.defaults.name : "") || ""
@@ -319,6 +324,15 @@ class Client {
 			proxyUsername: String(args.proxyUsername || ""),
 			proxyPassword: String(args.proxyPassword || ""),
 		});
+	}
+
+	connectToNetwork(args: Record<string, any>, isStartup = false) {
+		const client = this;
+
+		// Get channel id for lobby before creating other channels for nicer ids
+		const lobbyChannelId = client.idChan++;
+
+		const network = this.networkFromConfig(args);
 
 		// Set network lobby channel id
 		network.getLobby().id = lobbyChannelId;
@@ -359,7 +373,7 @@ class Client {
 
 		if (!isStartup) {
 			client.save();
-			channels.forEach((channel) => channel.loadMessages(client, network));
+			network.channels.forEach((channel) => channel.loadMessages(client, network));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/clientManager.ts b/server/clientManager.ts
index 705fa43212..78e94d1860 100644
--- a/server/clientManager.ts
+++ b/server/clientManager.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import path from "path";
 import Auth from "./plugins/auth";
 import Client, {UserConfig} from "./client";
 import Config from "./config";
+import {NetworkConfig} from "./models/network";
 import WebPush from "./plugins/webpush";
 import log from "./log";
 import {Server} from "socket.io";
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ class ClientManager {
 			}
 		} else {
 			client = new Client(this, name, userConfig);
+			client.connect();
 			this.clients.push(client);
 		}
 
diff --git a/server/models/chan.ts b/server/models/chan.ts
index 65a4067adb..82be21522d 100644
--- a/server/models/chan.ts
+++ b/server/models/chan.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ export type FilteredChannel = Chan & {
 	totalMessages: number;
 };
 
+export type ChanConfig = {
+	name: string;
+	key?: string;
+	muted?: boolean;
+	type?: string;
+};
+
 class Chan {
 	id: number;
 	messages: Msg[];
diff --git a/server/models/network.ts b/server/models/network.ts
index a47757f59d..269a415ed5 100644
--- a/server/models/network.ts
+++ b/server/models/network.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import _ from "lodash";
 import {v4 as uuidv4} from "uuid";
 import IrcFramework, {Client as IRCClient} from "irc-framework";
-import Chan, {Channel, ChanType} from "./chan";
+import Chan, {ChanConfig, Channel, ChanType} from "./chan";
 import Msg, {MessageType} from "./msg";
 import Prefix from "./prefix";
 import Helper, {Hostmask} from "../helper";
@@ -67,6 +67,34 @@ export type NetworkWithIrcFramework = Network & {
 	};
 };
 
+export type NetworkConfig = {
+	nick: string;
+	name: string;
+	host: string;
+	port: number;
+	tls: boolean;
+	userDisconnected: boolean;
+	rejectUnauthorized: boolean;
+	password: string;
+	awayMessage: string;
+	commands: any[];
+	username: string;
+	realname: string;
+	leaveMessage: string;
+	sasl: string;
+	saslAccount: string;
+	saslPassword: string;
+	channels: ChanConfig[];
+	uuid: string;
+	proxyHost: string;
+	proxyPort: number;
+	proxyUsername: string;
+	proxyPassword: string;
+	proxyEnabled: boolean;
+	highlightRegex?: string;
+	ignoreList: any[];
+};
+
 class Network {
 	nick: string;
 	name: string;
diff --git a/server/plugins/inputs/connect.ts b/server/plugins/inputs/connect.ts
index 8ba60c20aa..85262e57c3 100644
--- a/server/plugins/inputs/connect.ts
+++ b/server/plugins/inputs/connect.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const input: PluginInputHandler = function (network, chan, cmd, args) {
 	}
 
 	const host = args[0];
-	this.connect({host, port, tls});
+	this.connectToNetwork({host, port, tls});
 
 	return true;
 };
diff --git a/server/server.ts b/server/server.ts
index e5b005ddba..5ecdea9236 100644
--- a/server/server.ts
+++ b/server/server.ts
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ function initializeClient(
 			data.commands = null;
 			data.ignoreList = null;
 
-			client.connect(data);
+			client.connectToNetwork(data);
 		}
 	});
 
@@ -948,6 +948,7 @@ function performAuthentication(this: Socket, data) {
 
 	if (Config.values.public) {
 		client = new Client(manager!);
+		client.connect();
 		manager!.clients.push(client);
 
 		socket.on("disconnect", function () {
diff --git a/test/models/network.ts b/test/models/network.ts
index 039866e85c..4cc63f00d9 100644
--- a/test/models/network.ts
+++ b/test/models/network.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe("Network", function () {
 			expect(network1.uuid).to.not.equal(network2.uuid);
 		});
 
-		it("lobby should be at the top", function () {
+		it("should keep the lobby at the top", function () {
 			const network = new Network({
 				name: "Super Nice Network",
 				channels: [
diff --git a/test/tests/customhighlights.ts b/test/tests/customhighlights.ts
index d9a8cfd43a..30f84c0193 100644
--- a/test/tests/customhighlights.ts
+++ b/test/tests/customhighlights.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ describe("Custom highlights", function () {
 			},
 		} as any
 	);
+	client.connect();
 	logInfoStub.restore();
 	expect(userLoadedLog).to.equal("User test loaded\n");