diff --git a/brutaldon/threadtree.py b/brutaldon/threadtree.py
index fe49144..a9cc416 100644
--- a/brutaldon/threadtree.py
+++ b/brutaldon/threadtree.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 from pprint import pprint
 
-def maketree(mastodon, descendants):
+def maketree(mastodon, root, descendants):
     lookup = dict((descendant.id, descendant) for descendant in descendants)
+    lookup[root.id] = root
     replies = {}
-    roots = set()
+    roots = set([root.id])
     def lookup_or_fetch(id):
         if not id in lookup:
             lookup[id] = mastodon.status(id)
@@ -64,8 +65,8 @@ def unmaketree(tree):
             yield from unmaketree(children)
             yield OUT
 
-def build(mastodon, descendants):
-    tree, leftover = maketree(mastodon, descendants)
+def build(mastodon, root, descendants):
+    tree, leftover = maketree(mastodon, root, descendants)
     yield IN
     yield from unmaketree(tree)
     yield OUT
diff --git a/brutaldon/views.py b/brutaldon/views.py
index c25b7e2..765f29e 100644
--- a/brutaldon/views.py
+++ b/brutaldon/views.py
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ def thread(request, id):
     # descendants = [
     #     x for x in context.descendants if not toot_matches_filters(x, filters)
     # ]
-    toots = tuple(threadtree.build(mastodon, context.descendants))
+    toots = tuple(threadtree.build(mastodon, root, context.descendants))
     return render(
         request,
         "main/thread.html",