diff --git a/src/ext/UWServer.ts b/src/ext/UWServer.ts
index f11b933..a91c6c4 100644
--- a/src/ext/UWServer.ts
+++ b/src/ext/UWServer.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ export default class UWServer {
 
       this.settings = new Settings({logger: this.logger});
       await this.settings.init();
+
       this.eventBus = new EventBus();
 
       for (const action in this.eventBusCommands) {
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ export default class UWServer {
       }
 
       this.comms = new CommsServer(this);
+      this.eventBus.setComms(this.comms);
 
       browser.tabs.onActivated.addListener((m) => {this.onTabSwitched(m)});
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/src/ext/lib/EventBus.ts b/src/ext/lib/EventBus.ts
index be37c27..40c5810 100644
--- a/src/ext/lib/EventBus.ts
+++ b/src/ext/lib/EventBus.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import CommsClient from './comms/CommsClient';
+import CommsClient, { CommsOrigin } from './comms/CommsClient';
 import CommsServer from './comms/CommsServer';
 
 export interface EventBusCommand {
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export interface EventBusContext {
   stopPropagation?: boolean,
 
   // Context stuff added by Comms
-  fromComms?: boolean,
+  origin?: CommsOrigin,
   comms?: {
     sender?: any,
     port?: any,
@@ -86,8 +86,10 @@ export default class EventBus {
       }
     }
 
-    if (this.comms && !context?.fromComms) {
-      this.comms.sendMessage({command, config}, context);
+    // preventing messages from flowing back to their original senders is
+    // CommsServer's job. EventBus does not have enough data for this decision.
+    if (this.comms) {
+      this.comms.sendMessage({command, config, context}, context);
     }
 
     if (context?.stopPropagation) {
diff --git a/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsClient.ts b/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsClient.ts
index cc173f6..18b3f59 100644
--- a/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsClient.ts
+++ b/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsClient.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import BrowserDetect from '../../conf/BrowserDetect';
 import Logger from '../Logger';
 import { browser } from 'webextension-polyfill-ts';
 import Settings from '../Settings';
-import EventBus from '../EventBus';
+import EventBus, { EventBusContext } from '../EventBus';
 
 if (process.env.CHANNEL !== 'stable'){
   console.info("Loading CommsClient");
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ if (process.env.CHANNEL !== 'stable'){
  *            | (Connect to popup)                 X                POPUP EVENT BUS
  *            |                                    A           (accessible within popup)  /todo
  *            x eventBus.sendToTunnel()            |                      |
- *                <iframe tunnel>                  \----------------> ??? X
+ *                <iframe tunnel>                  \--------> CommsClient X
  *                     A                                                  |
  *                     |                                                  X App.vue
  *                     V
@@ -63,9 +63,15 @@ if (process.env.CHANNEL !== 'stable'){
  * (accessible within player UI)
  */
 
+export enum CommsOrigin {
+  ContentScript = 1,
+  Popup = 2,
+  Server = 3
+}
 
 class CommsClient {
   commsId: string;
+  origin: CommsOrigin;
 
   logger: Logger;
   settings: any;   // sus?
@@ -81,6 +87,12 @@ class CommsClient {
       this.logger = logger;
       this.eventBus = eventBus;
 
+      if (name === 'popup-port') {
+        this.origin = CommsOrigin.Popup;
+      } else {
+        this.origin = CommsOrigin.ContentScript;
+      }
+
       this.port = browser.runtime.connect(null, {name: name});
 
       this.logger.onLogEnd(
@@ -111,13 +123,18 @@ class CommsClient {
   }
   //#endregion
 
-  async sendMessage(message, context?){
+  async sendMessage(message, context?: EventBusContext){
     message = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(message)); // vue quirk. We should really use vue store instead
+
+    // content script client and popup client differ in this one thing
+    if (this.origin === CommsOrigin.Popup) {
+      return this.port.postMessage(message, context);
+    }
     return browser.runtime.sendMessage(null, message, null);
   }
 
   processReceivedMessage(message){
-    this.eventBus.send(message.command, message.config, {fromComms: true});
+    this.eventBus.send(message.command, message.config, {origin: CommsOrigin.Server});
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsServer.ts b/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsServer.ts
index d1df910..e848ad4 100644
--- a/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsServer.ts
+++ b/src/ext/lib/comms/CommsServer.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import Settings from '../Settings';
 import { browser } from 'webextension-polyfill-ts';
 import ExtensionMode from '../../../common/enums/ExtensionMode.enum';
 import EventBus from '../EventBus';
+import { CommsOrigin } from './CommsClient';
 
 
 class CommsServer {
@@ -76,17 +77,29 @@ class CommsServer {
   //#endregion
 
   sendMessage(message, context?) {
-    if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'all') {
-      return this.sendToAll(message);
+    // stop messages from returning where they came from, and prevent
+    // cross-pollination between content scripts running in different
+    // tabs.
+
+    console.log('sendmessage of comms server. Received message:', message, 'and context:', context);
+
+    if (context?.origin !== CommsOrigin.ContentScript) {
+      console.log('origin is NOT content script. This means forwarding to content scripts is okay!');
+      if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'all') {
+        return this.sendToAll(message);
+      }
+      if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'active') {
+        console.log('forwarding message to active tab:', message);
+        return this.sendToActive(message);
+      }
+      if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'contentScript') {
+        return this.sendToFrame(message, context.tab, context.frame, context.port);
+      }
     }
-    if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'active') {
-      return this.sendToActive(message);
-    }
-    if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'contentScript') {
-      return this.sendToFrame(message, context.tab, context.frame, context.port);
-    }
-    if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'popup') {
-      return this.sendToPopup(message);
+    if (context?.origin !== CommsOrigin.Popup) {
+      if (context?.comms.forwardTo === 'popup') {
+        return this.sendToPopup(message);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -169,7 +182,7 @@ class CommsServer {
   }
 
   private async processReceivedMessage(message, port){
-    this.logger.log('info', 'comms', "[CommsServer.js::processReceivedMessage] Received message from popup/content script!", message, "port", port);
+    console.log('processing received message!', {message, portName: port.name, port})
 
     // this triggers events
     this.eventBus.send(
@@ -177,8 +190,14 @@ class CommsServer {
       message.config,
       {
         ...message.context,
-        comms: {port},
-        fromComms: true
+        comms: {
+          ...message.context?.comms,
+          port
+        },
+
+        // origin is required to stop cross-pollination between content scripts, while still
+        // preserving the ability to send messages directly between popup and content scripts
+        origin: port.name === 'popup-port' ? CommsOrigin.Popup : CommsOrigin.ContentScript
       }
     );
   }
@@ -186,7 +205,17 @@ class CommsServer {
   private processReceivedMessage_nonpersistent(message, sender){
     this.logger.log('info', 'comms', "%c[CommsServer.js::processMessage_nonpersistent] Received message from background script!", "background-color: #11D; color: #aad", message, sender);
 
-    this.eventBus.send(message.command, message.config, {comms: {sender}, fromComms: true});
+    this.eventBus.send(
+      message.command,
+      message.config, {
+        ...message.context,
+        comms: {
+          ...message.context?.comms,
+          sender
+        },
+        origin: CommsOrigin.Server
+      }
+    );
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/popup/App.vue b/src/popup/App.vue
index a0a17d2..d399d2f 100644
--- a/src/popup/App.vue
+++ b/src/popup/App.vue
@@ -10,55 +10,52 @@
   -->
   <div v-if="settingsInitialized"
        class="popup flex flex-column no-overflow"
-       :class="{'popup-chrome': ! BrowserDetect.firefox}"
+       :class="{'popup-chrome': ! BrowserDetect?.firefox}"
   >
     <div class="flex-row flex-nogrow flex-noshrink relative"
          :class="{'header': !narrowPopup, 'header-small': narrowPopup}"
     >
       <span class="smallcaps">Ultrawidify</span>: <small>Quick settings</small>
-      <div class="absolute channel-info" v-if="BrowserDetect.processEnvChannel !== 'stable'">
-        Build channel: {{BrowserDetect.processEnvChannel}}
+      <div class="absolute channel-info" v-if="BrowserDetect?.processEnvChannel !== 'stable'">
+        Build channel: {{BrowserDetect?.processEnvChannel}}
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class="flex flex-row body no-overflow flex-grow">
+
+      <pre>
+        ---- site:
+        {{site}}
+
+        ----
+      </pre>
+
     </div>
   </div>
-  <pre>
-    ---- site:
-    {{site}}
 
-    ----
-  </pre>
 </template>
 
 <script>
-import WhatsNewPanel from './panels/WhatsNewPanel.vue';
-import SiteDetailsPanel from './panels/SiteDetailsPanel.vue';
-import Donate from '../common/misc/Donate.vue';
 import Debug from '../ext/conf/Debug';
 import BrowserDetect from '../ext/conf/BrowserDetect';
 import Comms from '../ext/lib/comms/Comms';
-import VideoPanel from './panels/VideoPanel';
-import PerformancePanel from './panels/PerformancePanel';
+import CommsClient from '../ext/lib/comms/CommsClient';
 import Settings from '../ext/lib/Settings';
-import ExecAction from './js/ExecAction';
-import DefaultSettingsPanel from './panels/DefaultSettingsPanel';
-import AboutPanel from './panels/AboutPanel';
-import ExtensionMode from '../common/enums/ExtensionMode.enum';
 import Logger from '../ext/lib/Logger';
+import EventBus from '../ext/lib/EventBus';
 import {ChromeShittinessMitigations as CSM} from '../common/js/ChromeShittinessMitigations';
 import { browser } from 'webextension-polyfill-ts';
 
 export default {
   data () {
     return {
-      comms: new Comms(),
+      comms: undefined,
+      eventBus: new EventBus(),
       settings: {},
       settingsInitialized: false,
       narrowPopup: null,
       sideMenuVisible: null,
       logger: undefined,
-      site: undefined
+      site: undefined,
     }
   },
   async created() {
@@ -71,9 +68,31 @@ export default {
     await this.settings.init();
     this.settingsInitialized = true;
 
-    const port = browser.runtime.connect({name: 'popup-port'});
-    port.onMessage.addListener( (m,p) => this.processReceivedMessage(m,p));
-    CSM.setProperty('port', port);
+    // const port = browser.runtime.connect({name: 'popup-port'});
+    // port.onMessage.addListener( (m,p) => this.processReceivedMessage(m,p));
+    // CSM.setProperty('port', port);
+
+    this.eventBus = new EventBus();
+    this.eventBus.subscribe(
+      'set-current-site',
+      {
+        function: (config, context) => {
+          if (this.site) {
+            if (!this.site.host) {
+              // dunno why this fix is needed, but sometimes it is
+              this.site.host = config.site.host;
+            }
+          }
+          this.site = config.site;
+          this.selectedSite = this.selectedSite || config.site.host;
+
+          this.loadFrames(this.site);
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    this.comms = new CommsClient('popup-port', this.logger, this.eventBus);
+    this.eventBus.setComms(this.comms);
 
 
     // ensure we'll clean player markings on popup close
@@ -94,8 +113,7 @@ export default {
     while (true) {
       try {
         console.log('trying to get site ...');
-        this.getSite();
-        console.log('site gottne');
+        this.requestSite();
       } catch (e) {
         console.warn('failed to load site:', e);
       }
@@ -129,13 +147,24 @@ export default {
     toObject(obj) {
       return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(obj));
     },
-    getSite() {
+    requestSite() {
       try {
         this.logger.log('info','popup', '[popup::getSite] Requesting current site ...')
-        CSM.port.postMessage({cmd: 'get-current-site'});
+        console.info('requesting current site')
+        // CSM.port.postMessage({command: 'get-current-site'});
+        this.eventBus.send(
+          'get-current-site',
+          undefined,
+          {
+            comms: {forwardTo: 'active'}
+          }
+        );
       } catch (e) {
         this.logger.log('error','popup','[popup::getSite] sending get-current-site failed for some reason. Reason:', e);
       }
+    },
+    setSite(data) {
+
     },
     getRandomColor() {
       return `rgb(${Math.floor(Math.random() * 128)}, ${Math.floor(Math.random() * 128)}, ${Math.floor(Math.random() * 128)})`;
@@ -143,8 +172,9 @@ export default {
 
     processReceivedMessage(message, port) {
       this.logger.log('info', 'popup', '[popup::processReceivedMessage] received message:', message)
+      console.info('[popup::processReceivedMessage] got message:', message);
 
-      if (message.cmd === 'set-current-site'){
+      if (message.command === 'set-current-site'){
         if (this.site) {
           if (!this.site.host) {
             // dunno why this fix is needed, but sometimes it is
diff --git a/src/popup/popup.js b/src/popup/popup.js
index bf4767f..5255dea 100644
--- a/src/popup/popup.js
+++ b/src/popup/popup.js
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ import App from './App';
 import mdiVue from 'mdi-vue/v3';
 import * as mdijs from '@mdi/js';
 
-createApp(App).mount('#app').use(mdiVue, {icons: mdijs});
+createApp(App).mount('#app') //.use(mdiVue, {icons: mdijs});