diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
index effab40cf..b68033478 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ FriendsDialog::FriendsDialog(QWidget *parent) : MainPage(parent)
     //connect(NotifyQt::getInstance(), SIGNAL(chatMessageReceived(ChatMessage)), this, SLOT(chatMessageReceived(ChatMessage)));
     //connect(NotifyQt::getInstance(), SIGNAL(chatStatusChanged(ChatId,QString)), this, SLOT(chatStatusReceived(ChatId,QString)));
 
-    mEventHandlerId_friends = 0;
     mEventHandlerId_chat = 0;
 
     rsEvents->registerEventsHandler( [this](std::shared_ptr<const RsEvent> e)
@@ -102,6 +101,10 @@ FriendsDialog::FriendsDialog(QWidget *parent) : MainPage(parent)
         , this );
     }, mEventHandlerId_chat, RsEventType::CHAT_SERVICE );
 
+#else // def RS_DIRECT_CHAT
+    ui.tabWidget->removeTab(ui.tabWidget->indexOf(ui.groupChatTab));
+#endif // def RS_DIRECT_CHAT
+
     rsEvents->registerEventsHandler( [this](std::shared_ptr<const RsEvent> e)
     {
         RsQThreadUtils::postToObject([=]()
@@ -120,10 +123,7 @@ FriendsDialog::FriendsDialog(QWidget *parent) : MainPage(parent)
         , this );
     }, mEventHandlerId_friends, RsEventType::FRIEND_LIST );
 
-#else // def RS_DIRECT_CHAT
-	ui.tabWidget->removeTab(ui.tabWidget->indexOf(ui.groupChatTab));
-#endif // def RS_DIRECT_CHAT
-
+    mEventHandlerId_friends = 0;
 
     connect( ui.mypersonalstatusLabel, SIGNAL(clicked()), SLOT(statusmessage()));
     connect( ui.actionSet_your_Avatar, SIGNAL(triggered()), this, SLOT(getAvatar()));
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.h b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.h
index 968bc57f9..f6ec0e0a8 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.h
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.h
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ private:
 
     /** Qt Designer generated object */
     Ui::FriendsDialog ui;
-#ifdef RS_DIRECT_CHAT
     RsEventsHandlerId_t mEventHandlerId_friends ;
+#ifdef RS_DIRECT_CHAT
     RsEventsHandlerId_t mEventHandlerId_chat ;
 #endif
 };