diff --git a/src/actions/fetch.js b/src/actions/fetch.js
index 7afdcc7..b12274e 100644
--- a/src/actions/fetch.js
+++ b/src/actions/fetch.js
@@ -118,3 +118,32 @@ export async function requestBlockDm(block: boolean) {
     return 'Connection Error';
   }
 }
+
+/*
+ * leaving Chat Channel (i.e. DM channel)
+ * channelId 8nteger id of channel
+ * return error string or null if successful
+ */
+export async function requestLeaveChan(channelId: boolean) {
+  const response = await fetchWithTimeout('api/leavechan', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    credentials: 'include',
+    headers: {
+      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+    },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ channelId }),
+  });
+
+  try {
+    const res = await response.json();
+    if (res.errors) {
+      return res.errors[0];
+    }
+    if (response.ok && res.status === 'ok') {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return 'Unknown Error';
+  } catch {
+    return 'Connection Error';
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/actions/index.js b/src/actions/index.js
index 6022355..4b1c727 100644
--- a/src/actions/index.js
+++ b/src/actions/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   requestStartDm,
   requestBlock,
   requestBlockDm,
+  requestLeaveChan,
 } from './fetch';
 
 export function sweetAlert(
@@ -760,10 +761,10 @@ export function showChatModal(forceModal: boolean = false): Action {
   return showModal('CHAT');
 }
 
-export function setChatChannel(channelId: number): Action {
+export function setChatChannel(cid: number): Action {
   return {
     type: 'SET_CHAT_CHANNEL',
-    channelId,
+    cid,
   };
 }
 
@@ -797,6 +798,13 @@ export function blockingDm(blockDm: boolean): Action {
   };
 }
 
+export function removeChatChannel(cid: number): Action {
+  return {
+    type: 'REMOVE_CHAT_CHANNEL',
+    cid,
+  };
+}
+
 /*
  * query: Object with either userId: number or userName: string
  */
@@ -812,10 +820,10 @@ export function startDm(query): PromiseAction {
         'OK',
       ));
     } else {
-      const channelId = res[0];
-      if (channelId) {
+      const cid = res[0];
+      if (cid) {
         dispatch(addChatChannel(res));
-        dispatch(setChatChannel(channelId));
+        dispatch(setChatChannel(cid));
       }
     }
     dispatch(setApiFetching(false));
@@ -866,6 +874,26 @@ export function setBlockingDm(
   };
 }
 
+export function setLeaveChannel(
+  cid: number,
+) {
+  return async (dispatch) => {
+    dispatch(setApiFetching(true));
+    const res = await requestLeaveChan(cid);
+    if (res) {
+      dispatch(sweetAlert(
+        'Leaving Channel Error',
+        res,
+        'error',
+        'OK',
+      ));
+    } else {
+      dispatch(removeChatChannel(cid));
+    }
+    dispatch(setApiFetching(false));
+  };
+}
+
 export function hideModal(): Action {
   return {
     type: 'HIDE_MODAL',
diff --git a/src/actions/types.js b/src/actions/types.js
index 982f819..1c4bf4d 100644
--- a/src/actions/types.js
+++ b/src/actions/types.js
@@ -69,8 +69,9 @@ export type Action =
     isPing: boolean,
   }
   | { type: 'RECEIVE_CHAT_HISTORY', cid: number, history: Array }
-  | { type: 'SET_CHAT_CHANNEL', channelId: number }
+  | { type: 'SET_CHAT_CHANNEL', cid: number }
   | { type: 'ADD_CHAT_CHANNEL', channel: Array }
+  | { type: 'REMOVE_CHAT_CHANNEL', cid: number }
   | { type: 'SET_CHAT_FETCHING', fetching: boolean }
   | { type: 'SET_CHAT_INPUT_MSG', message: string }
   | { type: 'ADD_CHAT_INPUT_MSG', message: string }
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelContextMenu.jsx b/src/components/ChannelContextMenu.jsx
index 30a9c66..d2e1b81 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelContextMenu.jsx
+++ b/src/components/ChannelContextMenu.jsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 
 import {
   hideContextMenu,
+  setLeaveChannel,
 } from '../actions';
 import type { State } from '../reducers';
 
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ const UserContextMenu = ({
   yPos,
   cid,
   channels,
+  leave,
   close,
 }) => {
   const wrapperRef = useRef(null);
@@ -29,13 +31,14 @@ const UserContextMenu = ({
         close();
       }
     };
+    const handleWindowResize = () => close();
     document.addEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
     document.addEventListener('touchstart', handleClickOutside);
-    window.addEventListener('resize', handleClickOutside);
+    window.addEventListener('resize', handleWindowResize);
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
       document.removeEventListener('touchstart', handleClickOutside);
-      window.removeEventListener('resize', handleClickOutside);
+      window.removeEventListener('resize', handleWindowResize);
     };
   }, [wrapperRef]);
 
@@ -62,16 +65,19 @@ const UserContextMenu = ({
         top: yPos,
       }}
     >
-      <div
-        style={{ borderBottom: 'thin solid' }}
-      >
+      <div>
         ✔✘ Mute
       </div>
       {(channelArray[2] !== 0)
         && (
         <div
           role="button"
+          onClick={() => {
+            leave(cid);
+            close();
+          }}
           tabIndex={0}
+          style={{ borderTop: 'thin solid' }}
         >
           Close
         </div>
@@ -105,6 +111,9 @@ function mapDispatchToProps(dispatch) {
     close() {
       dispatch(hideContextMenu());
     },
+    leave(cid) {
+      dispatch(setLeaveChannel(cid));
+    },
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelDropDown.jsx b/src/components/ChannelDropDown.jsx
index 7ffe68c..a53a746 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelDropDown.jsx
+++ b/src/components/ChannelDropDown.jsx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 const ChannelDropDown = ({
   channels,
   chatChannel,
+  chatRead,
   setChannel,
 }) => {
   const [show, setShow] = useState(false);
@@ -75,66 +76,79 @@ const ChannelDropDown = ({
       >
         {chatChannelName}
       </div>
-      <div
-        ref={wrapperRef}
-        style={{
-          position: 'absolute',
-          bottom: offset + 5,
-          right: 9,
-          display: (show) ? 'initial' : 'none',
-        }}
-        className="channeldd"
-      >
-        <div>
-          <span
-            onClick={() => setType(0)}
-          >
-            <MdChat />
-          </span>
-          |
-          <span
-            onClick={() => setType(1)}
-          >
-            <FaUserFriends />
-          </span>
-        </div>
+      {(show)
+        && (
         <div
-          className="channeldds"
+          ref={wrapperRef}
+          style={{
+            position: 'absolute',
+            bottom: offset + 5,
+            right: 9,
+          }}
+          className="channeldd"
         >
-          {
-            channels.filter((ch) => {
-              const chType = ch[2];
-              if (type === 1 && chType === 1) {
-                return true;
-              }
-              if (type === 0 && chType !== 1) {
-                return true;
-              }
-              return false;
-            }).map((ch) => (
-              <div
-                onClick={() => setChannel(ch[0])}
-                style={(ch[0] === chatChannel) ? {
-                  fontWeight: 'bold',
-                  fontSize: 17,
-                } : null}
-              >
-                {ch[1]}
-              </div>
-            ))
-          }
+          <div>
+            <span
+              onClick={() => setType(0)}
+            >
+              <MdChat />
+            </span>
+            |
+            <span
+              onClick={() => setType(1)}
+            >
+              <FaUserFriends />
+            </span>
+          </div>
+          <div
+            className="channeldds"
+          >
+            {
+              channels.filter((ch) => {
+                const chType = ch[2];
+                if (type === 1 && chType === 1) {
+                  return true;
+                }
+                if (type === 0 && chType !== 1) {
+                  return true;
+                }
+                return false;
+              }).map((ch) => (
+                <div
+                  onClick={() => setChannel(ch[0])}
+                  style={(ch[0] === chatChannel) ? {
+                    fontWeight: 'bold',
+                    fontSize: 17,
+                  } : null}
+                  className={
+                    `chn${
+                      (ch[0] === chatChannel) ? ' selected' : ''
+                    }${
+                      (chatRead[ch[0]] < ch[3]) ? ' unread' : ''
+                    }`
+                  }
+                >
+                  {ch[1]}
+                </div>
+              ))
+            }
+          </div>
         </div>
-      </div>
+        )}
     </div>
   );
 };
 
 function mapStateToProps(state: State) {
-  const { chatChannel } = state.gui;
+  const {
+    chatChannel,
+    chatRead,
+  } = state.gui;
   const { channels } = state.chat;
   return {
     channels,
     chatChannel,
+    chatRead,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/UserContextMenu.jsx b/src/components/UserContextMenu.jsx
index f89fc7d..76a8af1 100644
--- a/src/components/UserContextMenu.jsx
+++ b/src/components/UserContextMenu.jsx
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ const UserContextMenu = ({
         close();
       }
     };
+    const handleWindowResize = () => close();
     document.addEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
     document.addEventListener('touchstart', handleClickOutside);
-    window.addEventListener('resize', handleClickOutside);
+    window.addEventListener('resize', handleWindowResize);
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
       document.removeEventListener('touchstart', handleClickOutside);
-      window.removeEventListener('resize', handleClickOutside);
+      window.removeEventListener('resize', handleWindowResize);
     };
   }, [wrapperRef]);
 
diff --git a/src/core/ChatProvider.js b/src/core/ChatProvider.js
index b3d4337..52a303d 100644
--- a/src/core/ChatProvider.js
+++ b/src/core/ChatProvider.js
@@ -54,18 +54,12 @@ export class ChatProvider {
       const { name } = CHAT_CHANNELS[i];
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
       const channel = await Channel.findOrCreate({
-        attributes: [
-          'id',
-          'type',
-          'lastMessage',
-        ],
         where: { name },
         defaults: {
           name,
         },
-        raw: true,
       });
-      const { id, type, lastMessage } = channel[0];
+      const { id, type, lastTs } = channel[0];
       if (name === 'int') {
         this.intChannelId = id;
       }
@@ -76,7 +70,7 @@ export class ChatProvider {
         id,
         name,
         type,
-        lastMessage,
+        lastTs,
       ]);
       this.defaultChannelIds.push(id);
     }
diff --git a/src/data/models/Channel.js b/src/data/models/Channel.js
index e1104a0..39803b5 100644
--- a/src/data/models/Channel.js
+++ b/src/data/models/Channel.js
@@ -43,6 +43,17 @@ const Channel = Model.define('Channel', {
   },
 }, {
   updatedAt: false,
+
+  getterMethods: {
+    lastTs(): number {
+      return new Date(this.lastMessage).valueOf();
+    },
+  },
+  setterMethods: {
+    lastTs(ts: number) {
+      this.setDataValue('lastMessage', new Date(ts).toISOString());
+    },
+  },
 });
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/data/models/User.js b/src/data/models/User.js
index 8531f8d..d482be1 100644
--- a/src/data/models/User.js
+++ b/src/data/models/User.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class User {
         const {
           id,
           type,
-          lastMessage,
+          lastTs,
           dmu1,
           dmu2,
         } = reguser.channel[i];
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class User {
           id,
           name,
           type,
-          lastMessage,
+          lastTs,
         ]);
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/reducers/chat.js b/src/reducers/chat.js
index 8fe3230..19262db 100644
--- a/src/reducers/chat.js
+++ b/src/reducers/chat.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export type ChatState = {
   inputMessage: string,
   // [[cid, name, type, lastMessage], [cid2, name2, type2, lastMessage2],...]
   channels: Array,
-  // [[userId, userName], [userId2, userName2],...]
+  // [[uId, userName], [userId2, userName2],...]
   blocked: Array,
   // { cid: [message1,message2,message3,...]}
   messages: Object,
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ export default function chat(
 
     case 'ADD_CHAT_CHANNEL': {
       const { channel } = action;
-      const channelId = channel[0];
+      const cid = channel[0];
       const channels = state.channels
-        .filter((ch) => (ch[0] !== channelId));
+        .filter((ch) => (ch[0] !== cid));
       channels.push(channel);
       return {
         ...state,
@@ -66,6 +66,18 @@ export default function chat(
       };
     }
 
+    case 'REMOVE_CHAT_CHANNEL': {
+      const { cid } = action;
+      const channels = state.channels.filter(
+        // eslint-disable-next-line eqeqeq
+        (chan) => (chan[0] != cid),
+      );
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        channels,
+      };
+    }
+
     case 'SET_CHAT_INPUT_MSG': {
       const { message } = action;
       return {
diff --git a/src/reducers/gui.js b/src/reducers/gui.js
index 579d700..cf80355 100644
--- a/src/reducers/gui.js
+++ b/src/reducers/gui.js
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ export type GUIState = {
   paletteOpen: boolean,
   menuOpen: boolean,
   chatChannel: number,
+  // timestamps of last read post per channel
+  // { 1: Date.now() }
+  chatRead: {},
   style: string,
 };
 
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ const initialState: GUIState = {
   paletteOpen: true,
   menuOpen: false,
   chatChannel: 1,
+  chatRead: {},
   style: 'default',
 };
 
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ export default function gui(
     case 'SET_CHAT_CHANNEL': {
       return {
         ...state,
-        chatChannel: action.channelId,
+        chatChannel: action.cid,
       };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/index.js b/src/routes/api/index.js
index 42fa401..91ab4d6 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/index.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/index.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import ranking from './ranking';
 import history from './history';
 import chatHistory from './chathistory';
 import startDm from './startdm';
+import leaveChan from './leavechan';
 import block from './block';
 import blockdm from './blockdm';
 
@@ -85,6 +86,8 @@ router.get('/chathistory', chatHistory);
 
 router.post('/startdm', startDm);
 
+router.post('/leavechan', leaveChan);
+
 router.post('/block', block);
 
 router.post('/blockdm', blockdm);
diff --git a/src/routes/api/leavechan.js b/src/routes/api/leavechan.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..686933e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/api/leavechan.js
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/*
+ *
+ * starts a DM session
+ *
+ * @flow
+ */
+
+import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
+
+import logger from '../../core/logger';
+
+async function leaveChan(req: Request, res: Response) {
+  const channelId = parseInt(req.body.channelId, 10);
+  const { user } = req;
+
+  const errors = [];
+  if (channelId && Number.isNaN(channelId)) {
+    errors.push('Invalid channelId');
+  }
+  if (!user || !user.regUser) {
+    errors.push('You are not logged in');
+  }
+  if (errors.length) {
+    res.status(400);
+    res.json({
+      errors,
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const userChannels = user.regUser.channel;
+  let channel = null;
+  for (let i = 0; i < userChannels.length; i += 1) {
+    if (userChannels[i].id === channelId) {
+      channel = userChannels[i];
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!channel) {
+    res.status(401);
+    res.json({
+      errors: ['You are not in this channel'],
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /*
+   * Just supporting DMs by now, because
+   * Channels do not get deleted when all Users left.
+   * Group Channels need this.
+   * Faction and Default channels should be impossible to leave
+   */
+  if (channel.type !== 1) {
+    res.status(401);
+    res.json({
+      errors: ['Can not leave this channel'],
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  logger.info(
+    `Removing user ${user.getName()} from channel ${channel.name || channelId}`,
+  );
+  user.regUser.removeChannel(channel);
+
+  // TODO: inform websocket to remove channelId from user
+  res.json({
+    status: 'ok',
+  });
+}
+
+export default leaveChan;
diff --git a/src/web.js b/src/web.js
index 5b18aad..9baaec0 100644
--- a/src/web.js
+++ b/src/web.js
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ app.get('/', async (req, res) => {
 // ip config
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // use this if models changed:
-const promise = models.sync({ alter: { drop: false } })
+const promise = models.sync({ alter: { drop: true } })
 // const promise = models.sync()
   .catch((err) => logger.error(err.stack));
 promise.then(() => {