diff --git a/lib/hooks/relationship-hooks.js b/lib/hooks/relationship-hooks.js
--- a/lib/hooks/relationship-hooks.js
+++ b/lib/hooks/relationship-hooks.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 
   const mapUsersSupportingThickThreads = useUsersSupportThickThreads();
 
-  const waitForConnection = useWaitForConnection();
+  const waitForConnection = useWaitForConnection('tunnelbroker_and_keyserver');
 
   const [operations, setOperations] = React.useState<Array<Operation>>([]);
   const isSendingRobotextToThickThread = React.useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
diff --git a/lib/hooks/wait-for-connection.js b/lib/hooks/wait-for-connection.js
--- a/lib/hooks/wait-for-connection.js
+++ b/lib/hooks/wait-for-connection.js
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 
 const WAITING_TIMEOUT = 5 * 1000; // 5 seconds
 
-function useWaitForConnection(): () => Promise<void> {
+function useWaitForConnection(
+  type: 'tunnelbroker' | 'tunnelbroker_and_keyserver',
+): () => Promise<void> {
   const { socketState } = useTunnelbroker();
 
   const connection = useSelector(
@@ -21,11 +23,20 @@
   >([]);
 
   const isConnectedOrUnreachable = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (type === 'tunnelbroker') {
+      return socketState.connected;
+    }
+
     return (
       socketState.connected &&
       (connection?.unreachable || connection?.status === 'connected')
     );
-  }, [connection?.status, connection?.unreachable, socketState.connected]);
+  }, [
+    connection?.status,
+    connection?.unreachable,
+    socketState.connected,
+    type,
+  ]);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (isConnectedOrUnreachable) {