diff --git a/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.cpp b/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.cpp
index ebbed58..e5bc06e 100644
--- a/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.cpp
+++ b/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ ChannelListTree::ChannelListTree()
 #ifdef WITH_VOICE
     , m_menu_voice_channel_join("_Join", true)
     , m_menu_voice_channel_disconnect("_Disconnect", true)
+    , m_menu_voice_open_chat("Open _Chat", true)
 #endif
     , m_menu_dm_copy_id("_Copy ID", true)
     , m_menu_dm_close("") // changes depending on if group or not
@@ -209,8 +210,14 @@ ChannelListTree::ChannelListTree()
         m_signal_action_disconnect_voice.emit();
     });
 
+    m_menu_voice_open_chat.signal_activate().connect([this]() {
+        const auto id = static_cast<Snowflake>((*m_model->get_iter(m_path_for_menu))[m_columns.m_id]);
+        m_signal_action_channel_item_select.emit(id);
+    });
+
     m_menu_voice_channel.append(m_menu_voice_channel_join);
     m_menu_voice_channel.append(m_menu_voice_channel_disconnect);
+    m_menu_voice_channel.append(m_menu_voice_open_chat);
     m_menu_voice_channel.show_all();
 #endif
 
@@ -1172,8 +1179,11 @@ bool ChannelListTree::SelectionFunc(const Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::TreeModel> &model, c
         }
     }
 
-    auto type = (*model->get_iter(path))[m_columns.m_type];
-    return type == RenderType::TextChannel || type == RenderType::DM || type == RenderType::Thread;
+    const auto type = (*model->get_iter(path))[m_columns.m_type];
+    const auto id = static_cast<Snowflake>((*model->get_iter(path))[m_columns.m_id]);
+    // todo maybe just keep this last check?
+    if (type == RenderType::TextChannel || type == RenderType::DM || type == RenderType::Thread || (id == m_active_channel)) return true;
+    return is_currently_selected;
 }
 
 void ChannelListTree::AddPrivateChannels() {
diff --git a/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.hpp b/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.hpp
index 4eebbdb..17acb46 100644
--- a/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.hpp
+++ b/src/components/channellist/channellisttree.hpp
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ protected:
     Gtk::Menu m_menu_voice_channel;
     Gtk::MenuItem m_menu_voice_channel_join;
     Gtk::MenuItem m_menu_voice_channel_disconnect;
+    Gtk::MenuItem m_menu_voice_open_chat;
 #endif
 
     Gtk::Menu m_menu_dm;