diff --git a/backend/src/ws.ts b/backend/src/ws.ts
index ecdf647..f3c42ef 100644
--- a/backend/src/ws.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ws.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ async function sendPushToOfflineUsers(userIds: string[], payload: object) {
 }
 
 export function setupWebSocket(app: FastifyInstance) {
-  (app as any).get('/ws', { websocket: true }, async (socket: any, req: any) => {
+  (app as any).get('/ws', { websocket: true }, (socket: any, req: any) => {
     let userId: string | null = null;
 
     try {
@@ -64,21 +64,20 @@ export function setupWebSocket(app: FastifyInstance) {
       return;
     }
 
+    const uid = userId;
+
     // Register connection
-    if (!connections.has(userId)) connections.set(userId, new Set());
-    connections.get(userId)!.add(socket);
+    if (!connections.has(uid)) connections.set(uid, new Set());
+    connections.get(uid)!.add(socket);
 
-    // Update last_seen
-    await pool.query('UPDATE users SET last_seen = NOW() WHERE id = $1', [userId]);
-
-    // Notify others that user is online
-    const { rows: memberChats } = await pool.query(
-      'SELECT DISTINCT chat_id FROM chat_members WHERE user_id = $1', [userId]
-    );
-    for (const row of memberChats) {
-      const ids = await getChatMemberIds(row.chat_id);
-      broadcast(ids.filter(id => id !== userId), { type: 'user_online', payload: { userId, online: true } });
-    }
+    // Update last_seen + notify online (fire-and-forget)
+    pool.query('UPDATE users SET last_seen = NOW() WHERE id = $1', [uid]).catch(() => {});
+    pool.query('SELECT DISTINCT chat_id FROM chat_members WHERE user_id = $1', [uid]).then(async ({ rows: memberChats }) => {
+      for (const row of memberChats) {
+        const ids = await getChatMemberIds(row.chat_id);
+        broadcast(ids.filter(id => id !== uid), { type: 'user_online', payload: { userId: uid, online: true } });
+      }
+    }).catch(() => {});
 
     socket.on('message', async (raw: any, isBinary: boolean) => {
       try {
@@ -199,20 +198,19 @@ export function setupWebSocket(app: FastifyInstance) {
     });
 
     socket.on('close', async () => {
-      if (!userId) return;
-      const set = connections.get(userId);
+      const set = connections.get(uid);
       if (set) {
         set.delete(socket);
         if (set.size === 0) {
-          connections.delete(userId);
-          await pool.query('UPDATE users SET last_seen = NOW() WHERE id = $1', [userId]);
+          connections.delete(uid);
+          await pool.query('UPDATE users SET last_seen = NOW() WHERE id = $1', [uid]);
 
           const { rows: memberChats } = await pool.query(
-            'SELECT DISTINCT chat_id FROM chat_members WHERE user_id = $1', [userId]
+            'SELECT DISTINCT chat_id FROM chat_members WHERE user_id = $1', [uid]
           );
           for (const row of memberChats) {
             const ids = await getChatMemberIds(row.chat_id);
-            broadcast(ids, { type: 'user_online', payload: { userId, online: false } });
+            broadcast(ids, { type: 'user_online', payload: { userId: uid, online: false } });
           }
         }
       }