diff --git a/tools/chatgui/transport/chat_core.c b/tools/chatgui/transport/chat_core.c
index 5ad83d36..fea51051 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/transport/chat_core.c
+++ b/tools/chatgui/transport/chat_core.c
@@ -1051,6 +1051,9 @@ void chat_core_connect_auto(uint64_t node_id,
         sc_init_ctx(&conn->crypto_ctx, &g_cc.inst->my_keys);
         sc_set_peer_public_key(&conn->crypto_ctx, pubkey, 0);
         conn->peer_node_id = node_id;
+        conn->next = g_cc.inst->connections;
+        g_cc.inst->connections = conn;
+        g_cc.inst->connections_count++;
 
         struct ca_ctx* pctx = u_calloc(1, sizeof(struct ca_ctx));
         if (!pctx) { etcp_connection_close(conn); pst->conns[i] = NULL; pst->timers[i] = NULL; pst->pending_count--; continue; }