diff --git a/src/js/Database.js b/src/js/Database.js
index 9c401d7..14b1173 100644
--- a/src/js/Database.js
+++ b/src/js/Database.js
@@ -4,23 +4,22 @@ import {getRxStorageDexie} from 'rxdb/plugins/storage-dexie';
 import GlobalState from "./GlobalState.js";
 import Utils from "./Utils.js";
 
-var database = null;
 async function initDatabase(publicKeyHex) {
 
     // close any exsiting database connection
-    if(database){
-        await database.close();
+    if(GlobalState.database){
+        await GlobalState.database.close();
     }
 
     // create a database with a unique name per identity
-    database = await createRxDatabase({
+    GlobalState.database = await createRxDatabase({
         name: `meshcore_companion_db_${publicKeyHex}`,
         storage: getRxStorageDexie(),
         allowSlowCount: true,
     });
 
     // add database schemas
-    await database.addCollections({
+    await GlobalState.database.addCollections({
         messages: {
             schema: {
                 version: 0,
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ class Message {
 
     // insert a message into the database
     static async insert(data) {
-        return await database.messages.insert({
+        return await GlobalState.database.messages.insert({
             id: v4(),
             status: data.status,
             to: Utils.bytesToHex(data.to),
@@ -142,7 +141,7 @@ class Message {
     }
 
     static async getMessageById(id) {
-        return await database.messages.findOne({
+        return await GlobalState.database.messages.findOne({
             selector: {
                 id: {
                     $eq: id,
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ class Message {
     }
 
     static async deleteMessageById(id) {
-        return await database.messages.findOne({
+        return await GlobalState.database.messages.findOne({
             selector: {
                 id: {
                     $eq: id,
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ class Message {
 
         // find one latest message by ack code
         // this will prevent updating older messages that might have the same ack code
-        const message = database.messages.findOne({
+        const message = GlobalState.database.messages.findOne({
             selector: {
                 expected_ack_crc: {
                     $eq: ackCode,
@@ -213,12 +212,12 @@ class Message {
 
     // get all messages
     static getAllMessages() {
-        return database.messages.find();
+        return GlobalState.database.messages.find();
     }
 
     // get direct messages for the provided public key
     static getContactMessages(publicKey) {
-        return database.messages.find({
+        return GlobalState.database.messages.find({
             selector: {
                 $or: [
                     // messages from us to other contact
@@ -251,7 +250,7 @@ class Message {
 
     // get unread direct messages count for the provided public key
     static getContactMessagesUnreadCount(publicKey, messagesLastReadTimestamp) {
-        return database.messages.count({
+        return GlobalState.database.messages.count({
             selector: {
                 timestamp: {
                     $gt: messagesLastReadTimestamp,
@@ -277,7 +276,7 @@ class ContactMessagesReadState {
 
     // update the read state of messages for the provided public key
     static async touch(publicKey) {
-        return await database.contact_messages_read_state.upsert({
+        return await GlobalState.database.contact_messages_read_state.upsert({
             id: Utils.bytesToHex(publicKey),
             timestamp: Date.now(),
         });
@@ -285,7 +284,7 @@ class ContactMessagesReadState {
 
     // get the read state of messages for the provided public key
     static get(publicKey) {
-        return database.contact_messages_read_state.findOne({
+        return GlobalState.database.contact_messages_read_state.findOne({
             selector: {
                 id: {
                     $eq: Utils.bytesToHex(publicKey),
@@ -300,7 +299,7 @@ class ChannelMessage {
 
     // insert a channel message into the database
     static async insert(data) {
-        return await database.channel_messages.insert({
+        return await GlobalState.database.channel_messages.insert({
             id: v4(),
             channel_idx: data.channel_idx,
             from: data.from != null ? Utils.bytesToHex(data.from) : null,
@@ -314,7 +313,7 @@ class ChannelMessage {
 
     // get channel messages for the provided channel idx
     static getChannelMessages(channelIdx) {
-        return database.channel_messages.find({
+        return GlobalState.database.channel_messages.find({
             selector: {
                 channel_idx: {
                     $eq: channelIdx,
diff --git a/src/js/GlobalState.js b/src/js/GlobalState.js
index 1140f6c..76b7c57 100644
--- a/src/js/GlobalState.js
+++ b/src/js/GlobalState.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {reactive} from "vue";
 // global state
 const globalState = reactive({
     connection: null,
+    database: null,
     selfInfo: null,
     contacts: [],
     channels: [
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 0beda50..29d26d6 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ import "./style.css";
 import App from './components/App.vue';
 import GlobalState from "./js/GlobalState.js";
 
-// helper function that force redirects to the main page if there is no device connection
-function handleRouteThatRequiresDeviceConnection() {
-    if(!GlobalState.connection){
+// helper function that force redirects to the main page if there is no database connection
+function handleRouteThatRequiresDatabase() {
+    if(!GlobalState.database){
         return {
             name: 'main',
         };
@@ -31,18 +31,20 @@ const routes = [
         path: '/contacts/:publicKey/messages',
         props: true,
         component: () => import("./components/pages/ContactMessagesPage.vue"),
+        beforeEnter: handleRouteThatRequiresDatabase,
     },
     {
         name: "channel.messages",
         path: '/channels/:channelIdx/messages',
         props: true,
         component: () => import("./components/pages/ChannelMessagesPage.vue"),
+        beforeEnter: handleRouteThatRequiresDatabase,
     },
     {
         name: "settings.radio",
         path: '/settings/radio',
         component: () => import("./components/pages/RadioSettingsPage.vue"),
-        beforeEnter: handleRouteThatRequiresDeviceConnection,
+        beforeEnter: handleRouteThatRequiresDatabase,
     },
 ];