diff --git a/core/chat/client.go b/core/chat/client.go
index 91f8265f3..2ec56c723 100644
--- a/core/chat/client.go
+++ b/core/chat/client.go
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gabek/owncast/models"
 	"github.com/gabek/owncast/utils"
+
+	"github.com/teris-io/shortid"
 )
 
 const channelBufSize = 100
@@ -102,6 +104,12 @@ func (c *Client) listenRead() {
 		// read data from websocket connection
 		default:
 			var msg models.ChatMessage
+			id, err := shortid.Generate()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Panicln(err)
+			}
+
+			msg.ID = id
 
 			if err := websocket.JSON.Receive(c.ws, &msg); err == io.EOF {
 				c.doneCh <- true
diff --git a/core/chat/server.go b/core/chat/server.go
index 40d395f95..366f4a1db 100644
--- a/core/chat/server.go
+++ b/core/chat/server.go
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ func (s *server) sendAll(msg models.ChatMessage) {
 }
 
 func (s *server) ping() {
-	// fmt.Println("Start pinging....", len(s.clients))
-
 	ping := models.PingMessage{MessageType: "PING"}
 	for _, c := range s.Clients {
 		c.pingch <- ping
diff --git a/core/chatListener.go b/core/chatListener.go
index 576d52427..e9328c932 100644
--- a/core/chatListener.go
+++ b/core/chatListener.go
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ package core
 import (
 	"errors"
 
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
 	"github.com/gabek/owncast/core/chat"
 	"github.com/gabek/owncast/models"
 )
@@ -24,7 +22,6 @@ func (cl ChatListenerImpl) ClientRemoved(clientID string) {
 
 //MessageSent is for when a message is sent
 func (cl ChatListenerImpl) MessageSent(message models.ChatMessage) {
-	log.Printf("Message sent to all: %s", message.String())
 }
 
 //SendMessageToChat sends a message to the chat server
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index a58931127..3d526edeb 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr v0.2.2
 	github.com/radovskyb/watcher v1.0.7
 	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.6.0
+	github.com/teris-io/shortid v0.0.0-20171029131806-771a37caa5cf
 	github.com/yutopp/go-flv v0.2.0
 	github.com/yutopp/go-rtmp v0.0.0-20191212152852-4e41609a99bb
 	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200602114024-627f9648deb9
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index c0f980afb..a5305f46c 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -920,6 +920,8 @@ github.com/stretchr/testify v1.5.1/go.mod h1:5W2xD1RspED5o8YsWQXVCued0rvSQ+mT+I5
 github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.0 h1:fBdIW9lB4Iz0n9khmH8w27SJ3QEJ7+IgjPEwGSZiFdE=
 github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.0/go.mod h1:ZVVdQEZoIme9iO1Ch2Jdy24qqXrMMOU6lpPAyBWyWuQ=
 github.com/tarm/serial v0.0.0-20180830185346-98f6abe2eb07/go.mod h1:kDXzergiv9cbyO7IOYJZWg1U88JhDg3PB6klq9Hg2pA=
+github.com/teris-io/shortid v0.0.0-20171029131806-771a37caa5cf h1:Z2X3Os7oRzpdJ75iPqWZc0HeJWFYNCvKsfpQwFpRNTA=
+github.com/teris-io/shortid v0.0.0-20171029131806-771a37caa5cf/go.mod h1:M8agBzgqHIhgj7wEn9/0hJUZcrvt9VY+Ln+S1I5Mha0=
 github.com/texttheater/golang-levenshtein v0.0.0-20180516184445-d188e65d659e/go.mod h1:XDKHRm5ThF8YJjx001LtgelzsoaEcvnA7lVWz9EeX3g=
 github.com/tv42/httpunix v0.0.0-20191220191345-2ba4b9c3382c h1:u6SKchux2yDvFQnDHS3lPnIRmfVJ5Sxy3ao2SIdysLQ=
 github.com/tv42/httpunix v0.0.0-20191220191345-2ba4b9c3382c/go.mod h1:hzIxponao9Kjc7aWznkXaL4U4TWaDSs8zcsY4Ka08nM=
diff --git a/models/chatMessage.go b/models/chatMessage.go
index 3f2a4f1bd..4a442f311 100644
--- a/models/chatMessage.go
+++ b/models/chatMessage.go
@@ -11,12 +11,6 @@ type ChatMessage struct {
 	MessageType string `json:"type"`
 }
 
-//String converts the chat message to string
-//TODO: is this required? or can we remove it
-func (s ChatMessage) String() string {
-	return s.Author + " says " + s.Body
-}
-
 //Valid checks to ensure the message is valid
 func (s ChatMessage) Valid() bool {
 	return s.Author != "" && s.Body != "" && s.ID != ""
diff --git a/webroot/js/message.js b/webroot/js/message.js
index e8f5d7a96..b8f37f1f7 100644
--- a/webroot/js/message.js
+++ b/webroot/js/message.js
@@ -207,7 +207,6 @@ class Messaging {
 		var message = new Message({
 			body: content,
 			author: this.username,
-			id: uuidv4(),
 		});
 		const messageJSON = JSON.stringify(message);
 		if (window && window.ws) {
diff --git a/webroot/js/utils.js b/webroot/js/utils.js
index 6ef317bf8..4cd966c5b 100644
--- a/webroot/js/utils.js
+++ b/webroot/js/utils.js
@@ -35,13 +35,6 @@ function jumpToBottom(element) {
   }, 50, element);
 }
 
-function uuidv4() {
-  return 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-yxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'.replace(/[xy]/g, function (c) {
-    const r = Math.random() * 16 | 0, v = c == 'x' ? r : (r & 0x3 | 0x8);
-    return v.toString(16);
-  });
-}
-
 // convert newlines to <br>s
 function addNewlines(str) {
   return str.replace(/(?:\r\n|\r|\n)/g, '<br />');