diff --git a/lib/chat/cubits/messages_cubit.dart b/lib/chat/cubits/messages_cubit.dart
index 1e04641..ee09893 100644
--- a/lib/chat/cubits/messages_cubit.dart
+++ b/lib/chat/cubits/messages_cubit.dart
@@ -10,9 +10,7 @@ import '../../account_manager/account_manager.dart';
 import '../../proto/proto.dart' as proto;
 
 class _MessageQueueEntry {
-  _MessageQueueEntry(
-      {required this.localMessages, required this.remoteMessages});
-  IList<proto.Message> localMessages;
+  _MessageQueueEntry({required this.remoteMessages});
   IList<proto.Message> remoteMessages;
 }
 
@@ -60,74 +58,10 @@ class MessagesCubit extends Cubit<MessagesState> {
     await super.close();
   }
 
-  void updateLocalMessagesState(
-      BlocBusyState<AsyncValue<IList<proto.Message>>> avmessages) {
-    // Updated local messages from online just update the state immediately
-    emit(avmessages.state);
-  }
-
-  Future<void> _updateRemoteMessagesStateAsync(_MessageQueueEntry entry) async {
-    // Updated remote messages need to be merged with the local messages state
-
-    // Ensure remoteMessages is sorted by timestamp
-    final remoteMessages =
-        entry.remoteMessages.sort((a, b) => a.timestamp.compareTo(b.timestamp));
-
-    // Existing messages will always be sorted by timestamp so merging is easy
-    var localMessages = entry.localMessages;
-    var pos = 0;
-    for (final newMessage in remoteMessages) {
-      var skip = false;
-      while (pos < localMessages.length) {
-        final m = localMessages[pos];
-
-        // If timestamp to insert is less than
-        // the current position, insert it here
-        final newTs = Timestamp.fromInt64(newMessage.timestamp);
-        final curTs = Timestamp.fromInt64(m.timestamp);
-        final cmp = newTs.compareTo(curTs);
-        if (cmp < 0) {
-          break;
-        } else if (cmp == 0) {
-          skip = true;
-          break;
-        }
-        pos++;
-      }
-      // Insert at this position
-      if (!skip) {
-        // Insert into dht backing array
-        await _localMessagesCubit!.operate((shortArray) =>
-            shortArray.tryInsertItem(pos, newMessage.writeToBuffer()));
-        // Insert into local copy as well for this operation
-        localMessages = localMessages.insert(pos, newMessage);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  void updateRemoteMessagesState(
-      BlocBusyState<AsyncValue<IList<proto.Message>>> avmessages) {
-    final remoteMessages = avmessages.state.data?.value;
-    if (remoteMessages == null) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    final localMessages = state.data?.value;
-    if (localMessages == null) {
-      // No local messages means remote messages
-      // are all we have so merging is easy
-      emit(AsyncValue.data(remoteMessages));
-      return;
-    }
-
-    _remoteMessagesQueue.add(_MessageQueueEntry(
-        localMessages: localMessages, remoteMessages: remoteMessages));
-  }
-
   // Open local messages key
   Future<void> _initLocalMessages(TypedKey localConversationRecordKey,
       TypedKey localMessagesRecordKey) async {
-    final crypto = await getMessagesCrypto();
+    final crypto = await _getMessagesCrypto();
     final writer = _activeAccountInfo.conversationWriter;
 
     _localMessagesCubit = DHTShortArrayCubit(
@@ -136,21 +70,87 @@ class MessagesCubit extends Cubit<MessagesState> {
             parent: localConversationRecordKey, crypto: crypto),
         decodeElement: proto.Message.fromBuffer);
     _localSubscription =
-        _localMessagesCubit!.stream.listen(updateLocalMessagesState);
+        _localMessagesCubit!.stream.listen(_updateLocalMessagesState);
+    _updateLocalMessagesState(_localMessagesCubit!.state);
   }
 
   // Open remote messages key
   Future<void> _initRemoteMessages(TypedKey remoteConversationRecordKey,
       TypedKey remoteMessagesRecordKey) async {
     // Open remote record key if it is specified
-    final crypto = await getMessagesCrypto();
+    final crypto = await _getMessagesCrypto();
 
     _remoteMessagesCubit = DHTShortArrayCubit(
         open: () async => DHTShortArray.openRead(remoteMessagesRecordKey,
             parent: remoteConversationRecordKey, crypto: crypto),
         decodeElement: proto.Message.fromBuffer);
     _remoteSubscription =
-        _remoteMessagesCubit!.stream.listen(updateRemoteMessagesState);
+        _remoteMessagesCubit!.stream.listen(_updateRemoteMessagesState);
+    _updateRemoteMessagesState(_remoteMessagesCubit!.state);
+  }
+
+  // Called when the local messages list gets a change
+  void _updateLocalMessagesState(
+      BlocBusyState<AsyncValue<IList<proto.Message>>> avmessages) {
+    // When local messages are updated, pass this
+    // directly to the messages cubit state
+    emit(avmessages.state);
+  }
+
+  // Called when the remote messages list gets a change
+  void _updateRemoteMessagesState(
+      BlocBusyState<AsyncValue<IList<proto.Message>>> avmessages) {
+    final remoteMessages = avmessages.state.data?.value;
+    if (remoteMessages == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    // Add remote messages updates to queue to process asynchronously
+    _remoteMessagesQueue
+        .add(_MessageQueueEntry(remoteMessages: remoteMessages));
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _updateRemoteMessagesStateAsync(_MessageQueueEntry entry) async {
+    final localMessagesCubit = _localMessagesCubit!;
+
+    // Updated remote messages need to be merged with the local messages state
+    await localMessagesCubit.operate((shortArray) async {
+      // Ensure remoteMessages is sorted by timestamp
+      final remoteMessages = entry.remoteMessages
+          .sort((a, b) => a.timestamp.compareTo(b.timestamp));
+
+      // dedup? build local timestamp set?
+
+      // Existing messages will always be sorted by timestamp so merging is easy
+      var localMessages = localMessagesCubit.state.state.data!.value;
+
+      var pos = 0;
+      for (final newMessage in remoteMessages) {
+        var skip = false;
+        while (pos < localMessages.length) {
+          final m = localMessages[pos];
+          pos++;
+
+          // If timestamp to insert is less than
+          // the current position, insert it here
+          final newTs = Timestamp.fromInt64(newMessage.timestamp);
+          final curTs = Timestamp.fromInt64(m.timestamp);
+          final cmp = newTs.compareTo(curTs);
+          if (cmp < 0) {
+            break;
+          } else if (cmp == 0) {
+            skip = true;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+        // Insert at this position
+        if (!skip) {
+          // Insert into dht backing array
+          await shortArray.tryInsertItem(pos, newMessage.writeToBuffer());
+          // Insert into local copy as well for this operation
+          localMessages = localMessages.insert(pos, newMessage);
+        }
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   // Initialize local messages
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class MessagesCubit extends Cubit<MessagesState> {
         (shortArray) => shortArray.tryAddItem(message.writeToBuffer()));
   }
 
-  Future<DHTRecordCrypto> getMessagesCrypto() async {
+  Future<DHTRecordCrypto> _getMessagesCrypto() async {
     var messagesCrypto = _messagesCrypto;
     if (messagesCrypto != null) {
       return messagesCrypto;
diff --git a/lib/settings/preferences_repository.dart b/lib/settings/preferences_repository.dart
index d7b8f48..03f73ba 100644
--- a/lib/settings/preferences_repository.dart
+++ b/lib/settings/preferences_repository.dart
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@ class PreferencesRepository {
 
   Future<void> init() async {
     final sharedPreferences = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
+    // ignore: do_not_use_environment
+    const namespace = String.fromEnvironment('NAMESPACE');
     _data = SharedPreferencesValue<Preferences>(
         sharedPreferences: sharedPreferences,
-        keyName: 'preferences',
+        keyName: namespace.isEmpty ? 'preferences' : 'preferences_$namespace',
         valueFromJson: (obj) =>
             obj != null ? Preferences.fromJson(obj) : Preferences.defaults,
         valueToJson: (val) => val.toJson());
diff --git a/lib/tools/state_logger.dart b/lib/tools/state_logger.dart
index 0f27504..60c274e 100644
--- a/lib/tools/state_logger.dart
+++ b/lib/tools/state_logger.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import 'package:loggy/loggy.dart';
 import 'loggy.dart';
 
 const Map<String, LogLevel> _blocChangeLogLevels = {
-  'ConnectionStateCubit': LogLevel.off
+  'ConnectionStateCubit': LogLevel.off,
+  'ActiveConversationMessagesBlocMapCubit': LogLevel.off
 };
 const Map<String, LogLevel> _blocCreateCloseLogLevels = {};
 const Map<String, LogLevel> _blocErrorLogLevels = {};
diff --git a/lib/veilid_processor/repository/processor_repository.dart b/lib/veilid_processor/repository/processor_repository.dart
index 0a17fc7..e021648 100644
--- a/lib/veilid_processor/repository/processor_repository.dart
+++ b/lib/veilid_processor/repository/processor_repository.dart
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ class ProcessorRepository {
   }
 
   void processUpdateValueChange(VeilidUpdateValueChange updateValueChange) {
+    log.debug('UpdateValueChange: ${updateValueChange.toJson()}');
+
     // Send value updates to DHTRecordPool
     DHTRecordPool.instance.processRemoteValueChange(updateValueChange);
   }
diff --git a/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array.dart b/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array.dart
index 3de5df5..9205fce 100644
--- a/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array.dart
+++ b/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array.dart
@@ -36,11 +36,7 @@ class DHTShortArray {
   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   // Constructors
 
-  DHTShortArray._({required DHTRecord headRecord})
-      : _headRecord = headRecord,
-        _head = _DHTShortArrayCache(),
-        _subscriptions = {},
-        _listenMutex = Mutex() {
+  DHTShortArray._({required DHTRecord headRecord}) : _headRecord = headRecord {
     late final int stride;
     switch (headRecord.schema) {
       case DHTSchemaDFLT(oCnt: final oCnt):
@@ -155,9 +151,14 @@ class DHTShortArray {
   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   // Public API
 
+  /// Returns the first record in the DHTShortArray which contains its control
+  /// information.
   DHTRecord get record => _headRecord;
+
+  /// Returns the number of elements in the DHTShortArray
   int get length => _head.index.length;
 
+  /// Free all resources for the DHTShortArray
   Future<void> close() async {
     await _watchController?.close();
     final futures = <Future<void>>[_headRecord.close()];
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     await Future.wait(futures);
   }
 
+  /// Free all resources for the DHTShortArray and delete it from the DHT
   Future<void> delete() async {
     await _watchController?.close();
 
@@ -177,6 +179,8 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     await Future.wait(futures);
   }
 
+  /// Runs a closure that guarantees the DHTShortArray
+  /// will be closed upon exit, even if an uncaught exception is thrown
   Future<T> scope<T>(Future<T> Function(DHTShortArray) scopeFunction) async {
     try {
       return await scopeFunction(this);
@@ -185,6 +189,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     }
   }
 
+  /// Runs a closure that guarantees the DHTShortArray
+  /// will be closed upon exit, and deleted if an an
+  /// uncaught exception is thrown
   Future<T> deleteScope<T>(
       Future<T> Function(DHTShortArray) scopeFunction) async {
     try {
@@ -197,6 +204,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     }
   }
 
+  /// Return the item at position 'pos' in the DHTShortArray. If 'foreRefresh'
+  /// is specified, the network will always be checked for newer values
+  /// rather than returning the existing locally stored copy of the elements.
   Future<Uint8List?> getItem(int pos, {bool forceRefresh = false}) async {
     await _refreshHead(forceRefresh: forceRefresh, onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -212,6 +222,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return record!.get(subkey: recordSubkey, forceRefresh: forceRefresh);
   }
 
+  /// Return a list of all of the items in the DHTShortArray. If 'foreRefresh'
+  /// is specified, the network will always be checked for newer values
+  /// rather than returning the existing locally stored copy of the elements.
   Future<List<Uint8List>?> getAllItems({bool forceRefresh = false}) async {
     await _refreshHead(forceRefresh: forceRefresh, onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -238,28 +251,41 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return out;
   }
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like getItem but also parses the returned element as JSON
   Future<T?> getItemJson<T>(T Function(dynamic) fromJson, int pos,
           {bool forceRefresh = false}) =>
       getItem(pos, forceRefresh: forceRefresh)
           .then((out) => jsonDecodeOptBytes(fromJson, out));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like getAllItems but also parses the returned elements as JSON
   Future<List<T>?> getAllItemsJson<T>(T Function(dynamic) fromJson,
           {bool forceRefresh = false}) =>
       getAllItems(forceRefresh: forceRefresh)
           .then((out) => out?.map(fromJson).toList());
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like getItem but also parses the returned element as a protobuf object
   Future<T?> getItemProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
           T Function(List<int>) fromBuffer, int pos,
           {bool forceRefresh = false}) =>
       getItem(pos, forceRefresh: forceRefresh)
           .then((out) => (out == null) ? null : fromBuffer(out));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like getAllItems but also parses the returned elements as protobuf objects
   Future<List<T>?> getAllItemsProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
           T Function(List<int>) fromBuffer,
           {bool forceRefresh = false}) =>
       getAllItems(forceRefresh: forceRefresh)
           .then((out) => out?.map(fromBuffer).toList());
 
+  /// Try to add an item to the end of the DHTShortArray. Return true if the
+  /// element was successfully added, and false if the state changed before
+  /// the element could be added or a newer value was found on the network.
+  /// This may throw an exception if the number elements added exceeds the
+  /// built-in limit of 'maxElements = 256' entries.
   Future<bool> tryAddItem(Uint8List value) async {
     await _refreshHead(onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -288,6 +314,12 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /// Try to insert an item as position 'pos' of the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Return true if the element was successfully inserted, and false if the
+  /// state changed before the element could be inserted or a newer value was
+  /// found on the network.
+  /// This may throw an exception if the number elements added exceeds the
+  /// built-in limit of 'maxElements = 256' entries.
   Future<bool> tryInsertItem(int pos, Uint8List value) async {
     await _refreshHead(onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -314,6 +346,10 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /// Try to swap items at position 'aPos' and 'bPos' in the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Return true if the elements were successfully swapped, and false if the
+  /// state changed before the elements could be swapped or newer values were
+  /// found on the network.
   Future<bool> trySwapItem(int aPos, int bPos) async {
     if (aPos == bPos) {
       return false;
@@ -344,6 +380,10 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /// Try to remove an item at position 'pos' in the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Return the element if it was successfully removed, and null if the
+  /// state changed before the elements could be removed or newer values were
+  /// found on the network.
   Future<Uint8List?> tryRemoveItem(int pos) async {
     await _refreshHead(onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -376,16 +416,24 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     }
   }
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like removeItem but also parses the returned element as JSON
   Future<T?> tryRemoveItemJson<T>(
     T Function(dynamic) fromJson,
     int pos,
   ) =>
       tryRemoveItem(pos).then((out) => jsonDecodeOptBytes(fromJson, out));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like removeItem but also parses the returned element as JSON
   Future<T?> tryRemoveItemProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
           T Function(List<int>) fromBuffer, int pos) =>
       getItem(pos).then((out) => (out == null) ? null : fromBuffer(out));
 
+  /// Try to remove all items in the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Return true if it was successfully cleared, and false if the
+  /// state changed before the elements could be cleared or newer values were
+  /// found on the network.
   Future<bool> tryClear() async {
     await _refreshHead(onlyUpdates: true);
 
@@ -411,6 +459,12 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /// Try to set an item at position 'pos' of the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Return true if the element was successfully set, and false if the
+  /// state changed before the element could be set or a newer value was
+  /// found on the network.
+  /// This may throw an exception if the position elements the built-in limit of
+  /// 'maxElements = 256' entries.
   Future<Uint8List?> tryWriteItem(int pos, Uint8List newValue) async {
     if (await _refreshHead(onlyUpdates: true)) {
       throw StateError('structure changed');
@@ -433,6 +487,10 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     return result;
   }
 
+  /// Set an item at position 'pos' of the DHTShortArray. Retries until the
+  /// value being written is successfully made the newest value of the element.
+  /// This may throw an exception if the position elements the built-in limit of
+  /// 'maxElements = 256' entries.
   Future<void> eventualWriteItem(int pos, Uint8List newValue) async {
     Uint8List? oldData;
     do {
@@ -443,6 +501,12 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     } while (oldData != null);
   }
 
+  /// Change an item at position 'pos' of the DHTShortArray.
+  /// Runs with the value of the old element at that position such that it can
+  /// be changed to the returned value from tha closure. Retries until the
+  /// value being written is successfully made the newest value of the element.
+  /// This may throw an exception if the position elements the built-in limit of
+  /// 'maxElements = 256' entries.
   Future<void> eventualUpdateItem(
       int pos, Future<Uint8List> Function(Uint8List? oldValue) update) async {
     var oldData = await getItem(pos);
@@ -461,6 +525,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
     } while (oldData != null);
   }
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like tryWriteItem but also encodes the input value as JSON and parses the
+  /// returned element as JSON
   Future<T?> tryWriteItemJson<T>(
     T Function(dynamic) fromJson,
     int pos,
@@ -469,6 +536,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
       tryWriteItem(pos, jsonEncodeBytes(newValue))
           .then((out) => jsonDecodeOptBytes(fromJson, out));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like tryWriteItem but also encodes the input value as a protobuf object
+  /// and parses the returned element as a protobuf object
   Future<T?> tryWriteItemProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
     T Function(List<int>) fromBuffer,
     int pos,
@@ -481,14 +551,22 @@ class DHTShortArray {
         return fromBuffer(out);
       });
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like eventualWriteItem but also encodes the input value as JSON and parses
+  /// the returned element as JSON
   Future<void> eventualWriteItemJson<T>(int pos, T newValue) =>
       eventualWriteItem(pos, jsonEncodeBytes(newValue));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like eventualWriteItem but also encodes the input value as a protobuf
+  /// object and parses the returned element as a protobuf object
   Future<void> eventualWriteItemProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
           int pos, T newValue,
           {int subkey = -1}) =>
       eventualWriteItem(pos, newValue.writeToBuffer());
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like eventualUpdateItem but also encodes the input value as JSON
   Future<void> eventualUpdateItemJson<T>(
     T Function(dynamic) fromJson,
     int pos,
@@ -496,6 +574,9 @@ class DHTShortArray {
   ) =>
       eventualUpdateItem(pos, jsonUpdate(fromJson, update));
 
+  /// Convenience function:
+  /// Like eventualUpdateItem but also encodes the input value as a protobuf
+  /// object
   Future<void> eventualUpdateItemProtobuf<T extends GeneratedMessage>(
     T Function(List<int>) fromBuffer,
     int pos,
@@ -807,15 +888,17 @@ class DHTShortArray {
 
   // Head DHT record
   final DHTRecord _headRecord;
+  // How many elements per linked record
   late final int _stride;
-
   // Cached representation refreshed from head record
-  _DHTShortArrayCache _head;
-
+  _DHTShortArrayCache _head = _DHTShortArrayCache();
   // Subscription to head and linked record internal changes
-  final Map<TypedKey, StreamSubscription<DHTRecordWatchChange>> _subscriptions;
+  final Map<TypedKey, StreamSubscription<DHTRecordWatchChange>> _subscriptions =
+      {};
   // Stream of external changes
   StreamController<void>? _watchController;
   // Watch mutex to ensure we keep the representation valid
-  final Mutex _listenMutex;
+  final Mutex _listenMutex = Mutex();
+  // Head/element mutex to ensure we keep the representation valid
+  final Mutex _headMutex = Mutex();
 }
diff --git a/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array_cubit.dart b/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array_cubit.dart
index 7937b12..8525721 100644
--- a/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array_cubit.dart
+++ b/packages/veilid_support/lib/dht_support/src/dht_short_array_cubit.dart
@@ -48,9 +48,8 @@ class DHTShortArrayCubit<T> extends Cubit<DHTShortArrayBusyState<T>>
   }
 
   Future<void> _refreshNoWait({bool forceRefresh = false}) async =>
-      busy((emit) async {
-        await _refreshInner(emit, forceRefresh: forceRefresh);
-      });
+      busy((emit) async => _operateMutex.protect(
+          () async => _refreshInner(emit, forceRefresh: forceRefresh)));
 
   Future<void> _refreshInner(void Function(AsyncValue<IList<T>>) emit,
       {bool forceRefresh = false}) async {
@@ -59,9 +58,7 @@ class DHTShortArrayCubit<T> extends Cubit<DHTShortArrayBusyState<T>>
           (await _shortArray.getAllItems(forceRefresh: forceRefresh))
               ?.map(_decodeElement)
               .toIList();
-      if (newState == null) {
-        emit(const AsyncValue.loading());
-      } else {
+      if (newState != null) {
         emit(AsyncValue.data(newState));
       }
     } on Exception catch (e) {
@@ -74,9 +71,8 @@ class DHTShortArrayCubit<T> extends Cubit<DHTShortArrayBusyState<T>>
     // Because this is async, we could get an update while we're
     // still processing the last one. Only called after init future has run
     // so we dont have to wait for that here.
-    _sspUpdate.busyUpdate<T, AsyncValue<IList<T>>>(busy, (emit) async {
-      await _refreshInner(emit);
-    });
+    _sspUpdate.busyUpdate<T, AsyncValue<IList<T>>>(busy,
+        (emit) async => _operateMutex.protect(() async => _refreshInner(emit)));
   }
 
   @override
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ class DHTShortArrayCubit<T> extends Cubit<DHTShortArrayBusyState<T>>
     await super.close();
   }
 
-  Future<R> operate<R>(Future<R> Function(DHTShortArray) closure) async {
+  Future<R?> operate<R>(Future<R?> Function(DHTShortArray) closure) async {
     await _initFuture;
     return _operateMutex.protect(() async => closure(_shortArray));
   }