diff --git a/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js b/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
--- a/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
+++ b/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
+import _isEqual from 'lodash/fp/isEqual.js';
 import * as React from 'react';
 import uuid from 'uuid';
 
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 import { peerToPeerMessageHandler } from '../handlers/peer-to-peer-message-handler.js';
 import { IdentityClientContext } from '../shared/identity-client-context.js';
 import { tunnelbrokerHeartbeatTimeout } from '../shared/timeouts.js';
+import { isWebPlatform } from '../types/device-types.js';
 import type { MessageReceiveConfirmation } from '../types/tunnelbroker/message-receive-confirmation-types.js';
 import type { MessageSentStatus } from '../types/tunnelbroker/message-to-device-request-status-types.js';
 import type { MessageToDeviceRequest } from '../types/tunnelbroker/message-to-device-request-types.js';
@@ -23,10 +25,14 @@
 } from '../types/tunnelbroker/peer-to-peer-message-types.js';
 import type {
   AnonymousInitializationMessage,
-  TunnelbrokerInitializationMessage,
   ConnectionInitializationMessage,
+  TunnelbrokerInitializationMessage,
+  TunnelbrokerDeviceTypes,
 } from '../types/tunnelbroker/session-types.js';
 import type { Heartbeat } from '../types/websocket/heartbeat-types.js';
+import { getConfig } from '../utils/config.js';
+import { getContentSigningKey } from '../utils/crypto-utils.js';
+import { useSelector } from '../utils/redux-utils.js';
 
 export type ClientMessageToDevice = {
   +deviceID: string,
@@ -59,55 +65,72 @@
   +children: React.Node,
   +shouldBeClosed?: boolean,
   +onClose?: () => mixed,
-  +initMessage: ?ConnectionInitializationMessage,
   +secondaryTunnelbrokerConnection?: SecondaryTunnelbrokerConnection,
 };
 
+function getTunnelbrokerDeviceType(): TunnelbrokerDeviceTypes {
+  return isWebPlatform(getConfig().platformDetails.platform) ? 'web' : 'mobile';
+}
+
 function createAnonymousInitMessage(
   deviceID: string,
 ): AnonymousInitializationMessage {
   return ({
     type: 'AnonymousInitializationMessage',
     deviceID,
-    deviceType: 'mobile',
+    deviceType: getTunnelbrokerDeviceType(),
   }: AnonymousInitializationMessage);
 }
 
 function TunnelbrokerProvider(props: Props): React.Node {
-  const {
-    children,
-    shouldBeClosed,
-    onClose,
-    initMessage: initMessageProp,
-    secondaryTunnelbrokerConnection,
-  } = props;
-  const [connected, setConnected] = React.useState(false);
-  const listeners = React.useRef<Set<TunnelbrokerSocketListener>>(new Set());
-  const socket = React.useRef<?WebSocket>(null);
-  const promises = React.useRef<Promises>({});
-  const heartbeatTimeoutID = React.useRef<?TimeoutID>();
+  const { children, shouldBeClosed, onClose, secondaryTunnelbrokerConnection } =
+    props;
+
+  const accessToken = useSelector(state => state.commServicesAccessToken);
+  const userID = useSelector(state => state.currentUserInfo?.id);
+
   const [unauthorizedDeviceID, setUnauthorizedDeviceID] =
     React.useState<?string>(null);
   const isAuthorized = !unauthorizedDeviceID;
 
-  const identityContext = React.useContext(IdentityClientContext);
-  invariant(identityContext, 'Identity context should be set');
-  const { identityClient } = identityContext;
-
-  const initMessage = React.useMemo(() => {
+  const createInitMessage = React.useCallback(async () => {
     if (shouldBeClosed) {
       return null;
     }
-    if (!unauthorizedDeviceID) {
-      return initMessageProp;
+
+    if (unauthorizedDeviceID) {
+      return createAnonymousInitMessage(unauthorizedDeviceID);
+    }
+
+    if (!accessToken || !userID) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    const deviceID = await getContentSigningKey();
+    if (!deviceID) {
+      return null;
     }
-    return createAnonymousInitMessage(unauthorizedDeviceID);
-  }, [shouldBeClosed, unauthorizedDeviceID, initMessageProp]);
+    return ({
+      type: 'ConnectionInitializationMessage',
+      deviceID,
+      accessToken,
+      userID,
+      deviceType: getTunnelbrokerDeviceType(),
+    }: ConnectionInitializationMessage);
+  }, [accessToken, shouldBeClosed, unauthorizedDeviceID, userID]);
 
   const previousInitMessage =
-    React.useRef<?TunnelbrokerInitializationMessage>(initMessage);
-  const initMessageChanged = initMessage !== previousInitMessage.current;
-  previousInitMessage.current = initMessage;
+    React.useRef<?TunnelbrokerInitializationMessage>(null);
+
+  const [connected, setConnected] = React.useState(false);
+  const listeners = React.useRef<Set<TunnelbrokerSocketListener>>(new Set());
+  const socket = React.useRef<?WebSocket>(null);
+  const promises = React.useRef<Promises>({});
+  const heartbeatTimeoutID = React.useRef<?TimeoutID>();
+
+  const identityContext = React.useContext(IdentityClientContext);
+  invariant(identityContext, 'Identity context should be set');
+  const { identityClient } = identityContext;
 
   const stopHeartbeatTimeout = React.useCallback(() => {
     if (heartbeatTimeoutID.current) {
@@ -129,6 +152,7 @@
     socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN ||
     socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING;
 
+  const connectionChangePromise = React.useRef<?Promise<void>>(null);
   // The Tunnelbroker connection can have 4 states:
   // - DISCONNECTED: isSocketActive = false, connected = false
   //   Should be in this state when initMessage is null
@@ -138,144 +162,161 @@
   // - DISCONNECTING: isSocketActive = false, connected = true
   //   This lasts between socket.close() and socket.onclose()
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    // when initMessage changes, we need to close the socket and open a new one
-    if (
-      (!initMessage || initMessageChanged) &&
-      isSocketActive &&
-      socket.current
-    ) {
-      socket.current?.close();
-      return;
-    }
-
-    // when we're already connected (or pending disconnection),
-    // or there's no init message to start with, we don't need to do anything
-    if (connected || !initMessage || socket.current) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const tunnelbrokerSocket = new WebSocket(tunnnelbrokerURL);
-
-    tunnelbrokerSocket.onopen = () => {
-      tunnelbrokerSocket.send(JSON.stringify(initMessage));
-    };
-
-    tunnelbrokerSocket.onclose = () => {
-      // this triggers the effect hook again and reconnect
-      setConnected(false);
-      onClose?.();
-      socket.current = null;
-      console.log('Connection to Tunnelbroker closed');
-    };
-    tunnelbrokerSocket.onerror = e => {
-      console.log('Tunnelbroker socket error:', e.message);
-    };
-    tunnelbrokerSocket.onmessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
-      if (typeof event.data !== 'string') {
-        console.log('socket received a non-string message');
-        return;
-      }
-      let rawMessage;
+    connectionChangePromise.current = (async () => {
+      await connectionChangePromise.current;
       try {
-        rawMessage = JSON.parse(event.data);
-      } catch (e) {
-        console.log('error while parsing Tunnelbroker message:', e.message);
-        return;
-      }
+        const initMessage = await createInitMessage();
+        const initMessageChanged = !_isEqual(
+          previousInitMessage.current,
+          initMessage,
+        );
+        previousInitMessage.current = initMessage;
+
+        // when initMessage changes, we need to close the socket
+        // and open a new one
+        if (
+          (!initMessage || initMessageChanged) &&
+          isSocketActive &&
+          socket.current
+        ) {
+          socket.current?.close();
+          return;
+        }
 
-      if (!tunnelbrokerMessageValidator.is(rawMessage)) {
-        console.log('invalid TunnelbrokerMessage');
-        return;
-      }
-      const message: TunnelbrokerMessage = rawMessage;
+        // when we're already connected (or pending disconnection),
+        // or there's no init message to start with, we don't need
+        // to do anything
+        if (connected || !initMessage || socket.current) {
+          return;
+        }
 
-      resetHeartbeatTimeout();
+        const tunnelbrokerSocket = new WebSocket(tunnnelbrokerURL);
 
-      for (const listener of listeners.current) {
-        listener(message);
-      }
+        tunnelbrokerSocket.onopen = () => {
+          tunnelbrokerSocket.send(JSON.stringify(initMessage));
+        };
 
-      if (
-        message.type ===
-        tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.CONNECTION_INITIALIZATION_RESPONSE
-      ) {
-        if (message.status.type === 'Success' && !connected) {
-          setConnected(true);
-          console.log(
-            'session with Tunnelbroker created. isAuthorized:',
-            isAuthorized,
-          );
-        } else if (message.status.type === 'Success' && connected) {
-          console.log(
-            'received ConnectionInitializationResponse with status: Success for already connected socket',
-          );
-        } else {
+        tunnelbrokerSocket.onclose = () => {
+          // this triggers the effect hook again and reconnect
           setConnected(false);
-          console.log(
-            'creating session with Tunnelbroker error:',
-            message.status.data,
-          );
-        }
-      } else if (message.type === tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_TO_DEVICE) {
-        const confirmation: MessageReceiveConfirmation = {
-          type: tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_RECEIVE_CONFIRMATION,
-          messageIDs: [message.messageID],
+          onClose?.();
+          socket.current = null;
+          console.log('Connection to Tunnelbroker closed');
         };
-        socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
-
-        let rawPeerToPeerMessage;
-        try {
-          rawPeerToPeerMessage = JSON.parse(message.payload);
-        } catch (e) {
-          console.log(
-            'error while parsing Tunnelbroker peer-to-peer message:',
-            e.message,
-          );
-          return;
-        }
+        tunnelbrokerSocket.onerror = e => {
+          console.log('Tunnelbroker socket error:', e.message);
+        };
+        tunnelbrokerSocket.onmessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
+          if (typeof event.data !== 'string') {
+            console.log('socket received a non-string message');
+            return;
+          }
+          let rawMessage;
+          try {
+            rawMessage = JSON.parse(event.data);
+          } catch (e) {
+            console.log('error while parsing Tunnelbroker message:', e.message);
+            return;
+          }
 
-        if (!peerToPeerMessageValidator.is(rawPeerToPeerMessage)) {
-          console.log('invalid Tunnelbroker PeerToPeerMessage');
-          return;
-        }
-        const peerToPeerMessage: PeerToPeerMessage = rawPeerToPeerMessage;
-        void peerToPeerMessageHandler(peerToPeerMessage, identityClient);
-      } else if (
-        message.type ===
-        tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_TO_DEVICE_REQUEST_STATUS
-      ) {
-        for (const status: MessageSentStatus of message.clientMessageIDs) {
-          if (status.type === 'Success') {
-            promises.current[status.data]?.resolve();
-            delete promises.current[status.data];
-          } else if (status.type === 'Error') {
-            promises.current[status.data.id]?.reject(status.data.error);
-            delete promises.current[status.data.id];
-          } else if (status.type === 'SerializationError') {
-            console.log('SerializationError for message: ', status.data);
-          } else if (status.type === 'InvalidRequest') {
-            console.log('Tunnelbroker recorded InvalidRequest');
+          if (!tunnelbrokerMessageValidator.is(rawMessage)) {
+            console.log('invalid TunnelbrokerMessage');
+            return;
+          }
+          const message: TunnelbrokerMessage = rawMessage;
+
+          resetHeartbeatTimeout();
+
+          for (const listener of listeners.current) {
+            listener(message);
+          }
+
+          if (
+            message.type ===
+            tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.CONNECTION_INITIALIZATION_RESPONSE
+          ) {
+            if (message.status.type === 'Success' && !connected) {
+              setConnected(true);
+              console.log(
+                'session with Tunnelbroker created. isAuthorized:',
+                isAuthorized,
+              );
+            } else if (message.status.type === 'Success' && connected) {
+              console.log(
+                'received ConnectionInitializationResponse with status: Success for already connected socket',
+              );
+            } else {
+              setConnected(false);
+              console.log(
+                'creating session with Tunnelbroker error:',
+                message.status.data,
+              );
+            }
+          } else if (
+            message.type === tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_TO_DEVICE
+          ) {
+            const confirmation: MessageReceiveConfirmation = {
+              type: tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_RECEIVE_CONFIRMATION,
+              messageIDs: [message.messageID],
+            };
+            socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
+
+            let rawPeerToPeerMessage;
+            try {
+              rawPeerToPeerMessage = JSON.parse(message.payload);
+            } catch (e) {
+              console.log(
+                'error while parsing Tunnelbroker peer-to-peer message:',
+                e.message,
+              );
+              return;
+            }
+
+            if (!peerToPeerMessageValidator.is(rawPeerToPeerMessage)) {
+              console.log('invalid Tunnelbroker PeerToPeerMessage');
+              return;
+            }
+            const peerToPeerMessage: PeerToPeerMessage = rawPeerToPeerMessage;
+            void peerToPeerMessageHandler(peerToPeerMessage, identityClient);
+          } else if (
+            message.type ===
+            tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_TO_DEVICE_REQUEST_STATUS
+          ) {
+            for (const status: MessageSentStatus of message.clientMessageIDs) {
+              if (status.type === 'Success') {
+                promises.current[status.data]?.resolve();
+                delete promises.current[status.data];
+              } else if (status.type === 'Error') {
+                promises.current[status.data.id]?.reject(status.data.error);
+                delete promises.current[status.data.id];
+              } else if (status.type === 'SerializationError') {
+                console.log('SerializationError for message: ', status.data);
+              } else if (status.type === 'InvalidRequest') {
+                console.log('Tunnelbroker recorded InvalidRequest');
+              }
+            }
+          } else if (message.type === tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.HEARTBEAT) {
+            const heartbeat: Heartbeat = {
+              type: tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.HEARTBEAT,
+            };
+            socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(heartbeat));
           }
-        }
-      } else if (message.type === tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.HEARTBEAT) {
-        const heartbeat: Heartbeat = {
-          type: tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.HEARTBEAT,
         };
-        socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(heartbeat));
-      }
-    };
 
-    socket.current = tunnelbrokerSocket;
+        socket.current = tunnelbrokerSocket;
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.log('Tunnelbroker connection error:', err);
+      }
+    })();
   }, [
     connected,
-    initMessage,
-    initMessageChanged,
     isSocketActive,
     isAuthorized,
     resetHeartbeatTimeout,
     stopHeartbeatTimeout,
     identityClient,
     onClose,
+    createInitMessage,
   ]);
 
   const sendMessageToDeviceRequest: (
diff --git a/native/root.react.js b/native/root.react.js
--- a/native/root.react.js
+++ b/native/root.react.js
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@
 import ThemeHandler from './themes/theme-handler.react.js';
 import { provider } from './utils/ethers-utils.js';
 import { neynarKey } from './utils/neynar-utils.js';
-import { useTunnelbrokerInitMessage } from './utils/tunnelbroker-utils.js';
 
 // Add custom items to expo-dev-menu
 import './dev-menu.js';
@@ -265,8 +264,6 @@
     return undefined;
   })();
 
-  const tunnelbrokerInitMessage = useTunnelbrokerInitMessage();
-
   const gated: React.Node = (
     <>
       <LifecycleHandler />
@@ -306,7 +303,7 @@
     <GestureHandlerRootView style={styles.app}>
       <StaffContextProvider>
         <IdentityServiceContextProvider>
-          <TunnelbrokerProvider initMessage={tunnelbrokerInitMessage}>
+          <TunnelbrokerProvider>
             <IdentitySearchProvider>
               <FeatureFlagsProvider>
                 <NavContext.Provider value={navContext}>
diff --git a/native/utils/tunnelbroker-utils.js b/native/utils/tunnelbroker-utils.js
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/native/utils/tunnelbroker-utils.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-// @flow
-
-import * as React from 'react';
-
-import type { ConnectionInitializationMessage } from 'lib/types/tunnelbroker/session-types.js';
-
-import { commCoreModule } from '../native-modules.js';
-import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils.js';
-
-function useTunnelbrokerInitMessage(): ?ConnectionInitializationMessage {
-  const [deviceID, setDeviceID] = React.useState<?string>();
-  const [userID, setUserID] = React.useState<?string>();
-  const accessToken = useSelector(state => state.commServicesAccessToken);
-
-  React.useEffect(() => {
-    void (async () => {
-      const { userID: identityUserID, deviceID: contentSigningKey } =
-        await commCoreModule.getCommServicesAuthMetadata();
-      setDeviceID(contentSigningKey);
-      setUserID(identityUserID);
-    })();
-  }, [accessToken]);
-
-  return React.useMemo(() => {
-    if (!deviceID || !accessToken || !userID) {
-      return null;
-    }
-    return ({
-      type: 'ConnectionInitializationMessage',
-      deviceID,
-      accessToken,
-      userID,
-      deviceType: 'mobile',
-    }: ConnectionInitializationMessage);
-  }, [accessToken, deviceID, userID]);
-}
-
-export { useTunnelbrokerInitMessage };
diff --git a/web/app.react.js b/web/app.react.js
--- a/web/app.react.js
+++ b/web/app.react.js
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@
 import VisibilityHandler from './redux/visibility-handler.react.js';
 import history from './router-history.js';
 import { MessageSearchStateProvider } from './search/message-search-state-provider.react.js';
-import { createTunnelbrokerInitMessage } from './selectors/tunnelbroker-selectors.js';
 import AccountSettings from './settings/account-settings.react.js';
 import DangerZone from './settings/danger-zone.react.js';
 import KeyserverSelectionList from './settings/keyserver-selection-list.react.js';
@@ -520,8 +519,6 @@
       [modalContext.modals],
     );
 
-    const tunnelbrokerInitMessage = useSelector(createTunnelbrokerInitMessage);
-
     const { lockStatus, releaseLockOrAbortRequest } = useWebLock(
       TUNNELBROKER_LOCK_NAME,
     );
@@ -532,7 +529,6 @@
     return (
       <AppThemeWrapper>
         <TunnelbrokerProvider
-          initMessage={tunnelbrokerInitMessage}
           shouldBeClosed={lockStatus !== 'acquired'}
           onClose={releaseLockOrAbortRequest}
           secondaryTunnelbrokerConnection={secondaryTunnelbrokerConnection}
diff --git a/web/selectors/tunnelbroker-selectors.js b/web/selectors/tunnelbroker-selectors.js
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/web/selectors/tunnelbroker-selectors.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-// @flow
-
-import { createSelector } from 'reselect';
-
-import type { ConnectionInitializationMessage } from 'lib/types/tunnelbroker/session-types.js';
-
-import type { AppState } from '../redux/redux-setup.js';
-
-export const createTunnelbrokerInitMessage: AppState => ?ConnectionInitializationMessage =
-  createSelector(
-    (state: AppState) => state.cryptoStore?.primaryIdentityKeys?.ed25519,
-    (state: AppState) => state.commServicesAccessToken,
-    (state: AppState) => state.currentUserInfo?.id,
-    (
-      deviceID: ?string,
-      accessToken: ?string,
-      userID: ?string,
-    ): ?ConnectionInitializationMessage => {
-      if (!deviceID || !accessToken || !userID) {
-        return null;
-      }
-      return ({
-        type: 'ConnectionInitializationMessage',
-        deviceID,
-        accessToken,
-        userID,
-        deviceType: 'web',
-      }: ConnectionInitializationMessage);
-    },
-  );