diff --git a/src/channel.cpp b/src/channel.cpp
index 6d70b7953..51b599b44 100644
--- a/src/channel.cpp
+++ b/src/channel.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #include "channel.hpp"
+#include "debug/log.hpp"
 #include "emotemanager.hpp"
 #include "ircmanager.hpp"
 #include "logging/loggingmanager.hpp"
 #include "messages/message.hpp"
 #include "windowmanager.hpp"
 
-#include <QDebug>
 #include <QJsonArray>
 #include <QJsonDocument>
 #include <QJsonObject>
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ using namespace chatterino::messages;
 
 namespace chatterino {
 
-Channel::Channel()
+Channel::Channel(const QString &_name)
+    : name(_name)
 //    , loggingChannel(logging::get(name))
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/channel.hpp b/src/channel.hpp
index d257c2779..5ad469b11 100644
--- a/src/channel.hpp
+++ b/src/channel.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class IrcManager;
 class Channel
 {
 public:
-    explicit Channel();
+    explicit Channel(const QString &_name);
 
     boost::signals2::signal<void(messages::SharedMessage &)> messageRemovedFromStart;
     boost::signals2::signal<void(messages::SharedMessage &)> messageAppended;
diff --git a/src/ircmanager.cpp b/src/ircmanager.cpp
index b59e15900..9a1bcf3d5 100644
--- a/src/ircmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/ircmanager.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ void IrcManager::handleRoomStateMessage(Communi::IrcMessage *message)
     auto iterator = tags.find("room-id");
 
     if (iterator != tags.end()) {
-        std::string roomID = iterator.value().toString().toStdString();
+        auto roomID = iterator.value().toString();
 
         auto channel = QString(message->toData()).split("#").at(1);
         channelManager.getTwitchChannel(channel)->setRoomID(roomID);
diff --git a/src/resources.cpp b/src/resources.cpp
index cedf51929..7ac6cde99 100644
--- a/src/resources.cpp
+++ b/src/resources.cpp
@@ -58,12 +58,11 @@ Resources::BadgeVersion::BadgeVersion(QJsonObject &&root, EmoteManager &emoteMan
 {
 }
 
-void Resources::loadChannelData(const std::string &roomID, bool bypassCache)
+void Resources::loadChannelData(const QString &roomID, bool bypassCache)
 {
-    qDebug() << "Load channel data for" << QString::fromStdString(roomID);
+    qDebug() << "Load channel data for" << roomID;
 
-    QString url = "https://badges.twitch.tv/v1/badges/channels/" + QString::fromStdString(roomID) +
-                  "/display?language=en";
+    QString url = "https://badges.twitch.tv/v1/badges/channels/" + roomID + "/display?language=en";
 
     util::NetworkRequest req(url);
     req.setCaller(QThread::currentThread());
diff --git a/src/resources.hpp b/src/resources.hpp
index 992110854..161f16c36 100644
--- a/src/resources.hpp
+++ b/src/resources.hpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public:
     };
 
     //       channelId
-    std::map<std::string, Channel> channels;
+    std::map<QString, Channel> channels;
 
     // Chatterino badges
     struct ChatterinoBadge {
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public:
     //       username
     std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<ChatterinoBadge>> chatterinoBadges;
 
-    void loadChannelData(const std::string &roomID, bool bypassCache = false);
+    void loadChannelData(const QString &roomID, bool bypassCache = false);
     void loadDynamicTwitchBadges();
     void loadChatterinoBadges();
 };
diff --git a/src/twitch/twitchchannel.cpp b/src/twitch/twitchchannel.cpp
index bf3ee193f..c0e038bbd 100644
--- a/src/twitch/twitchchannel.cpp
+++ b/src/twitch/twitchchannel.cpp
@@ -1,31 +1,48 @@
 #include "twitchchannel.hpp"
+#include "debug/log.hpp"
 #include "emotemanager.hpp"
+#include "util/urlfetch.hpp"
 
-#include <QDebug>
+#include <QThread>
+#include <QTimer>
 
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace twitch {
 
 TwitchChannel::TwitchChannel(EmoteManager &emoteManager, IrcManager &ircManager,
-                             const QString &channelName, bool isSpecial)
-    : emoteManager(emoteManager)
+                             const QString &channelName, bool _isSpecial)
+    : Channel(channelName)
+    , emoteManager(emoteManager)
     , ircManager(ircManager)
-    //    , name(channelName)
     , bttvChannelEmotes(new EmoteMap)
     , ffzChannelEmotes(new EmoteMap)
-    , subLink("https://www.twitch.tv/" + name + "/subscribe?ref=in_chat_subscriber_link")
-    , channelLink("https://twitch.tv/" + name)
-    , popoutPlayerLink("https://player.twitch.tv/?channel=" + name)
+    , subscriptionURL("https://www.twitch.tv/" + name + "/subscribe?ref=in_chat_subscriber_link")
+    , channelURL("https://twitch.tv/" + name)
+    , popoutPlayerURL("https://player.twitch.tv/?channel=" + name)
     , isLive(false)
-    , isSpecial(isSpecial)
+    , isSpecial(_isSpecial)
 {
-    this->name = channelName;
+    debug::Log("[TwitchChannel:{}] Opened", this->name);
 
-    qDebug() << "Open twitch channel:" << this->name;
-
-    if (!isSpecial) {
+    if (!this->isSpecial) {
         this->reloadChannelEmotes();
     }
+
+    this->liveStatusTimer = new QTimer;
+    QObject::connect(this->liveStatusTimer, &QTimer::timeout, [this]() {
+        this->refreshLiveStatus();  //
+    });
+    this->liveStatusTimer->start(60000);
+
+    this->roomIDchanged.connect([this]() {
+        this->refreshLiveStatus();  //
+    });
+}
+
+TwitchChannel::~TwitchChannel()
+{
+    this->liveStatusTimer->stop();
+    this->liveStatusTimer->deleteLater();
 }
 
 bool TwitchChannel::isEmpty() const
@@ -33,35 +50,20 @@ bool TwitchChannel::isEmpty() const
     return this->name.isEmpty();
 }
 
-const QString &TwitchChannel::getSubLink() const
-{
-    return this->subLink;
-}
-
 bool TwitchChannel::canSendMessage() const
 {
     return !this->isEmpty() && !this->isSpecial;
 }
 
-const QString &TwitchChannel::getChannelLink() const
+void TwitchChannel::setRoomID(const QString &_roomID)
 {
-    return this->channelLink;
-}
-
-const QString &TwitchChannel::getPopoutPlayerLink() const
-{
-    return this->popoutPlayerLink;
-}
-
-void TwitchChannel::setRoomID(std::string id)
-{
-    this->roomID = id;
+    this->roomID = _roomID;
     this->roomIDchanged();
 }
 
 void TwitchChannel::reloadChannelEmotes()
 {
-    printf("[TwitchChannel:%s] Reloading channel emotes\n", qPrintable(this->name));
+    debug::Log("[TwitchChannel:{}] Reloading channel emotes", this->name);
 
     this->emoteManager.reloadBTTVChannelEmotes(this->name, this->bttvChannelEmotes);
     this->emoteManager.reloadFFZChannelEmotes(this->name, this->ffzChannelEmotes);
@@ -69,12 +71,53 @@ void TwitchChannel::reloadChannelEmotes()
 
 void TwitchChannel::sendMessage(const QString &message)
 {
-    qDebug() << "TwitchChannel send message: " << message;
+    debug::Log("[TwitchChannel:{}] Send message: {}", this->name, message);
 
     // Do last message processing
     QString parsedMessage = this->emoteManager.replaceShortCodes(message);
 
     this->ircManager.sendMessage(this->name, parsedMessage);
 }
+
+void TwitchChannel::setLive(bool newLiveStatus)
+{
+    if (this->isLive == newLiveStatus) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    this->isLive = newLiveStatus;
+    this->onlineStatusChanged();
 }
+
+void TwitchChannel::refreshLiveStatus()
+{
+    if (this->roomID.isEmpty()) {
+        this->setLive(false);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    debug::Log("[TwitchChannel:{}] Refreshing live status", this->name);
+
+    QString url("https://api.twitch.tv/kraken/streams/" + this->roomID);
+
+    util::twitch::get(url, QThread::currentThread(), [this](QJsonObject obj) {
+        if (obj.value("stream").isNull()) {
+            this->setLive(false);
+        } else {
+            auto stream = obj.value("stream").toObject();
+            this->streamViewerCount = QString::number(stream.value("viewers").toDouble());
+            this->streamGame = stream.value("game").toString();
+            this->streamStatus = stream.value("channel").toObject().value("status").toString();
+            QDateTime since =
+                QDateTime::fromString(stream.value("created_at").toString(), Qt::ISODate);
+            auto diff = since.secsTo(QDateTime::currentDateTime());
+            this->streamUptime =
+                QString::number(diff / 3600) + "h " + QString::number(diff % 3600 / 60) + "m";
+
+            this->setLive(true);
+        }
+    });
 }
+
+}  // namespace twitch
+}  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/twitch/twitchchannel.hpp b/src/twitch/twitchchannel.hpp
index 2e87d7d07..0caa97f03 100644
--- a/src/twitch/twitchchannel.hpp
+++ b/src/twitch/twitchchannel.hpp
@@ -9,9 +9,12 @@ namespace twitch {
 
 class TwitchChannel : public Channel
 {
+    QTimer *liveStatusTimer;
+
 public:
     explicit TwitchChannel(EmoteManager &emoteManager, IrcManager &ircManager,
-                           const QString &channelName, bool isSpecial = false);
+                           const QString &channelName, bool _isSpecial = false);
+    ~TwitchChannel();
 
     void reloadChannelEmotes();
 
@@ -19,14 +22,15 @@ public:
     bool canSendMessage() const override;
     void sendMessage(const QString &message) override;
 
-    const QString &getSubLink() const;
-    const QString &getChannelLink() const;
-    const QString &getPopoutPlayerLink() const;
+    const QString subscriptionURL;
+    const QString channelURL;
+    const QString popoutPlayerURL;
 
-    void setRoomID(std::string id);
+    void setRoomID(const QString &_roomID);
     boost::signals2::signal<void()> roomIDchanged;
+    boost::signals2::signal<void()> onlineStatusChanged;
 
-    std::string roomID;
+    QString roomID;
     bool isLive;
     QString streamViewerCount;
     QString streamStatus;
@@ -37,13 +41,14 @@ public:
     const std::shared_ptr<EmoteMap> ffzChannelEmotes;
 
 private:
+    void setLive(bool newLiveStatus);
+    void refreshLiveStatus();
+
     EmoteManager &emoteManager;
     IrcManager &ircManager;
 
-    QString subLink;
-    QString channelLink;
-    QString popoutPlayerLink;
     bool isSpecial;
 };
-}
-}
+
+}  // namespace twitch
+}  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
index 33e116852..3966ae312 100644
--- a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
@@ -263,9 +263,9 @@ void TwitchMessageBuilder::parseRoomID()
     auto iterator = this->tags.find("room-id");
 
     if (iterator != std::end(this->tags)) {
-        this->roomID = iterator.value().toString().toStdString();
+        this->roomID = iterator.value().toString();
 
-        if (this->twitchChannel->roomID.empty()) {
+        if (this->twitchChannel->roomID.isEmpty()) {
             this->twitchChannel->roomID = this->roomID;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.hpp b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.hpp
index 55096eaea..6ddc35055 100644
--- a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.hpp
+++ b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public:
     //        const std::pair<long int, messages::LazyLoadedImage *> &b);
 
 private:
-    std::string roomID;
+    QString roomID;
 
     QColor usernameColor;
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/chatwidget.cpp b/src/widgets/chatwidget.cpp
index 85cd57f01..5a9e72076 100644
--- a/src/widgets/chatwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/chatwidget.cpp
@@ -119,10 +119,7 @@ void ChatWidget::setChannel(std::shared_ptr<Channel> _newChannel)
 
     this->channel = _newChannel;
 
-    twitch::TwitchChannel *twitchChannel = dynamic_cast<twitch::TwitchChannel *>(_newChannel.get());
-    if (twitchChannel != nullptr) {
-        twitchChannel->roomIDchanged.connect([this]() { this->header.checkLive(); });
-    }
+    this->channelChanged();
 }
 
 void ChatWidget::channelNameUpdated(const std::string &newChannelName)
@@ -224,9 +221,6 @@ void ChatWidget::doCloseSplit()
 {
     NotebookPage *page = static_cast<NotebookPage *>(this->parentWidget());
     page->removeFromLayout(this);
-    QTimer *timer = this->header.findChild<QTimer *>();
-    timer->stop();
-    timer->deleteLater();
 }
 
 void ChatWidget::doChangeChannel()
diff --git a/src/widgets/chatwidget.hpp b/src/widgets/chatwidget.hpp
index a355d4c9a..1e937ce51 100644
--- a/src/widgets/chatwidget.hpp
+++ b/src/widgets/chatwidget.hpp
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ public:
     void layoutMessages();
     void updateGifEmotes();
 
+    boost::signals2::signal<void()> channelChanged;
+
 protected:
     virtual void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *) override;
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.cpp b/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.cpp
index e7cc15726..07f6de5fb 100644
--- a/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,26 @@ ChatWidgetHeader::ChatWidgetHeader(ChatWidget *_chatWidget)
     this->rightLabel.getLabel().setTextFormat(Qt::RichText);
     this->rightLabel.getLabel().setText("ayy");
 
-    QTimer *timer = new QTimer(this);
-    connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ChatWidgetHeader::checkLive);
-    timer->start(60000);
+    this->initializeChannelSignals();
+
+    this->chatWidget->channelChanged.connect([this]() {
+        this->initializeChannelSignals();  //
+    });
+}
+
+void ChatWidgetHeader::initializeChannelSignals()
+{
+    // Disconnect any previous signal first
+    this->onlineStatusChangedConnection.disconnect();
+
+    auto channel = this->chatWidget->getChannel();
+    twitch::TwitchChannel *twitchChannel = dynamic_cast<twitch::TwitchChannel *>(channel.get());
+
+    if (twitchChannel) {
+        twitchChannel->onlineStatusChanged.connect([this]() {
+            this->updateChannelText();  //
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 void ChatWidgetHeader::resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event)
@@ -202,43 +219,5 @@ void ChatWidgetHeader::menuShowChangelog()
 {
 }
 
-// TODO: this needs to be moved out of here
-void ChatWidgetHeader::checkLive()
-{
-    twitch::TwitchChannel *channel =
-        dynamic_cast<twitch::TwitchChannel *>(this->chatWidget->getChannel().get());
-
-    if (channel == nullptr) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    auto id = QString::fromStdString(channel->roomID);
-
-    if (id.isEmpty()) {
-        channel->isLive = false;
-        this->updateChannelText();
-        return;
-    }
-
-    util::twitch::get("https://api.twitch.tv/kraken/streams/" + id, this, [=](QJsonObject obj) {
-        if (obj.value("stream").isNull()) {
-            channel->isLive = false;
-            this->updateChannelText();
-        } else {
-            channel->isLive = true;
-            auto stream = obj.value("stream").toObject();
-            channel->streamViewerCount = QString::number(stream.value("viewers").toDouble());
-            channel->streamGame = stream.value("game").toString();
-            channel->streamStatus = stream.value("channel").toObject().value("status").toString();
-            QDateTime since =
-                QDateTime::fromString(stream.value("created_at").toString(), Qt::ISODate);
-            auto diff = since.secsTo(QDateTime::currentDateTime());
-            channel->streamUptime =
-                QString::number(diff / 3600) + "h " + QString::number(diff % 3600 / 60) + "m";
-            this->updateChannelText();
-        }
-    });
-}
-
 }  // namespace widgets
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.hpp b/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.hpp
index 3e4188342..a067e3b91 100644
--- a/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.hpp
+++ b/src/widgets/chatwidgetheader.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <QPaintEvent>
 #include <QPoint>
 #include <QWidget>
+#include <boost/signals2/connection.hpp>
 
 namespace chatterino {
 
@@ -29,7 +30,6 @@ public:
     explicit ChatWidgetHeader(ChatWidget *_chatWidget);
     // Update channel text from chat widget
     void updateChannelText();
-    void checkLive();
 
 protected:
     virtual void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *) override;
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ private:
     QPoint dragStart;
     bool dragging = false;
 
+    boost::signals2::connection onlineStatusChangedConnection;
+
     QHBoxLayout hbox;
 
     // top left
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ private:
 
     virtual void refreshTheme() override;
 
+    void initializeChannelSignals();
+
 public slots:
     void menuMoveSplit();
     void menuReloadChannelEmotes();
diff --git a/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp b/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
index c137e5e55..c812f0e1f 100644
--- a/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ void EmotePopup::loadChannel(std::shared_ptr<Channel> _channel)
         return;
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<Channel> emoteChannel(new Channel);
+    std::shared_ptr<Channel> emoteChannel(new Channel(""));
 
     auto addEmotes = [&](EmoteMap &map, const QString &title, const QString &emoteDesc) {
         // TITLE