diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Online/TestSceneChatOverlay.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Online/TestSceneChatOverlay.cs
index 00ff6a9576..80a6698761 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Online/TestSceneChatOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Online/TestSceneChatOverlay.cs
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestHideOverlay()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
+
             AddAssert("Chat overlay is visible", () => chatOverlay.State.Value == Visibility.Visible);
             AddAssert("Selector is visible", () => chatOverlay.SelectionOverlayState == Visibility.Visible);
 
@@ -134,6 +136,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestChannelSelection()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddAssert("Selector is visible", () => chatOverlay.SelectionOverlayState == Visibility.Visible);
             AddStep("Setup get message response", () => onGetMessages = channel =>
             {
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestSearchInSelector()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Search for 'no. 2'", () => chatOverlay.ChildrenOfType<SearchTextBox>().First().Text = "no. 2");
             AddUntilStep("Only channel 2 visible", () =>
             {
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestChannelShortcutKeys()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join channels", () => channels.ForEach(channel => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel)));
             AddStep("Close channel selector", () => InputManager.Key(Key.Escape));
             AddUntilStep("Wait for close", () => chatOverlay.SelectionOverlayState == Visibility.Hidden);
@@ -199,6 +204,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestCloseChannelBehaviour()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddUntilStep("Join until dropdown has channels", () =>
             {
                 if (visibleChannels.Count() < joinedChannels.Count())
@@ -269,6 +275,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestChannelCloseButton()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join 2 channels", () =>
             {
                 channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1);
@@ -289,6 +296,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestCloseTabShortcut()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join 2 channels", () =>
             {
                 channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1);
@@ -314,6 +322,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestNewTabShortcut()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join 2 channels", () =>
             {
                 channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1);
@@ -330,6 +339,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestRestoreTabShortcut()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join 3 channels", () =>
             {
                 channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1);
@@ -375,6 +385,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         [Test]
         public void TestChatCommand()
         {
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join channel 1", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1));
             AddStep("Select channel 1", () => clickDrawable(chatOverlay.TabMap[channel1]));
 
@@ -398,6 +409,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         {
             Channel multiplayerChannel = null;
 
+            AddStep("open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
+
             AddStep("join multiplayer channel", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(multiplayerChannel = new Channel(new APIUser())
             {
                 Name = "#mp_1",
@@ -417,6 +430,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         {
             Message message = null;
 
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join channel 1", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1));
             AddStep("Select channel 1", () => clickDrawable(chatOverlay.TabMap[channel1]));
 
@@ -443,6 +457,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         {
             Message message = null;
 
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
             AddStep("Join channel 1", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1));
             AddStep("Select channel 1", () => clickDrawable(chatOverlay.TabMap[channel1]));
 
@@ -471,6 +486,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         {
             Message message = null;
 
+            AddStep("Open chat overlay", () => chatOverlay.Show());
+
             AddStep("Join channel 1", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1));
             AddStep("Select channel 1", () => clickDrawable(chatOverlay.TabMap[channel1]));
 
@@ -496,14 +513,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
         }
 
         [Test]
-        public void TestHighlightWhileChatHidden()
+        public void TestHighlightWhileChatNeverOpen()
         {
             Message message = null;
 
-            AddStep("hide chat", () => chatOverlay.Hide());
-
             AddStep("Join channel 1", () => channelManager.JoinChannel(channel1));
-            AddStep("Select channel 1", () => clickDrawable(chatOverlay.TabMap[channel1]));
 
             AddStep("Send message in channel 1", () =>
             {
@@ -520,7 +534,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
                 });
             });
 
-            AddStep("Highlight message and show chat", () =>
+            AddStep("Highlight message and open chat", () =>
             {
                 chatOverlay.HighlightMessage(message, channel1);
                 chatOverlay.Show();
@@ -571,8 +585,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Online
                     ChannelManager,
                     ChatOverlay = new TestChatOverlay { RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both, },
                 };
-
-                ChatOverlay.Show();
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
index 3764ac42fc..3d39c7ce3a 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
         private Container channelSelectionContainer;
         protected ChannelSelectionOverlay ChannelSelectionOverlay;
 
+        private readonly IBindableList<Channel> availableChannels = new BindableList<Channel>();
+        private readonly IBindableList<Channel> joinedChannels = new BindableList<Channel>();
+        private readonly Bindable<Channel> currentChannel = new Bindable<Channel>();
+
         public override bool Contains(Vector2 screenSpacePos) => chatContainer.ReceivePositionalInputAt(screenSpacePos)
                                                                  || (ChannelSelectionOverlay.State.Value == Visibility.Visible && ChannelSelectionOverlay.ReceivePositionalInputAt(screenSpacePos));
 
@@ -198,9 +202,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                 },
             };
 
+            availableChannels.BindTo(channelManager.AvailableChannels);
+            joinedChannels.BindTo(channelManager.JoinedChannels);
+            currentChannel.BindTo(channelManager.CurrentChannel);
+
             textBox.OnCommit += postMessage;
 
-            ChannelTabControl.Current.ValueChanged += current => channelManager.CurrentChannel.Value = current.NewValue;
+            ChannelTabControl.Current.ValueChanged += current => currentChannel.Value = current.NewValue;
             ChannelTabControl.ChannelSelectorActive.ValueChanged += active => ChannelSelectionOverlay.State.Value = active.NewValue ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Hidden;
             ChannelSelectionOverlay.State.ValueChanged += state =>
             {
@@ -238,18 +246,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
             Schedule(() =>
             {
                 // TODO: consider scheduling bindable callbacks to not perform when overlay is not present.
-                channelManager.JoinedChannels.BindCollectionChanged(joinedChannelsChanged, true);
-
-                channelManager.AvailableChannels.CollectionChanged += availableChannelsChanged;
-                availableChannelsChanged(null, null);
-
-                currentChannel = channelManager.CurrentChannel.GetBoundCopy();
+                joinedChannels.BindCollectionChanged(joinedChannelsChanged, true);
+                availableChannels.BindCollectionChanged(availableChannelsChanged, true);
                 currentChannel.BindValueChanged(currentChannelChanged, true);
             });
         }
 
-        private Bindable<Channel> currentChannel;
-
         private void currentChannelChanged(ValueChangedEvent<Channel> e)
         {
             if (e.NewValue == null)
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                 if (!channel.Joined.Value)
                     channel = channelManager.JoinChannel(channel);
 
-                channelManager.CurrentChannel.Value = channel;
+                currentChannel.Value = channel;
             }
 
             channel.HighlightedMessage.Value = message;
@@ -407,7 +409,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                     return true;
 
                 case PlatformAction.DocumentClose:
-                    channelManager.LeaveChannel(channelManager.CurrentChannel.Value);
+                    channelManager.LeaveChannel(currentChannel.Value);
                     return true;
             }
 
@@ -487,19 +489,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
 
         private void availableChannelsChanged(object sender, NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs args)
         {
-            ChannelSelectionOverlay.UpdateAvailableChannels(channelManager.AvailableChannels);
-        }
-
-        protected override void Dispose(bool isDisposing)
-        {
-            base.Dispose(isDisposing);
-
-            if (channelManager != null)
-            {
-                channelManager.CurrentChannel.ValueChanged -= currentChannelChanged;
-                channelManager.JoinedChannels.CollectionChanged -= joinedChannelsChanged;
-                channelManager.AvailableChannels.CollectionChanged -= availableChannelsChanged;
-            }
+            ChannelSelectionOverlay.UpdateAvailableChannels(availableChannels);
         }
 
         private void postMessage(TextBox textBox, bool newText)