diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 5785d1e51..41a750bae 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@
                     <input id="chat_import_avatar_url" name="avatar_url" class="text_pole" maxlength="999" size="2" value="" autocomplete="off" style="display: none;">
                     <input id="chat_import_character_name" name="character_name" class="text_pole" maxlength="999" size="2" value="" autocomplete="off" style="display: none;">
                 </form>
-                <img id="select_chat_cross" src="img/cross.png" alt="Close">
+                <img id="select_chat_cross" src="img/cross.png" alt="Close Past Chat Popup">
             </div>
 
             <div id="select_chat_div">
diff --git a/public/script.js b/public/script.js
index bc191ff2b..7b5c71357 100644
--- a/public/script.js
+++ b/public/script.js
@@ -702,7 +702,8 @@ async function delChat(chatfile) {
         }),
     });
     if (response.ok === true) {
-
+        clearChat();
+        getChat();
     }
 }
 
@@ -2330,19 +2331,17 @@ async function getAllCharaChats() {
                         mes = "..." + mes.substring(mes.length - strlen);
                     }
                     $("#select_chat_div").append(
-                        '<div class="select_chat_block" file_name="' +
-                        data[key]["file_name"] +
-                        '"><div class=avatar><img src="characters/' +
-                        characters[this_chid]["avatar"] +
-                        '""></div><div class="select_chat_block_filename">' +
-                        data[key]["file_name"] +
-                        '</div><div class="select_chat_block_mes">' +
+                        '<div class="select_chat_block_wrapper">' +
+                        '<div class="select_chat_block" file_name="' + data[key]["file_name"] + '">' +
+                        '<div class=avatar><img src="characters/' + characters[this_chid]["avatar"] + '""></div >' +
+                        '<div class="select_chat_block_filename">' + data[key]["file_name"] + '</div>' +
+                        '<div class="select_chat_block_mes">' +
                         mes +
                         "</div>" +
-                        '<div file_name="' +
-                        data[key]["file_name"] +
-                        '" class="PastChat_cross"></div>' +
-                        "</div >"
+                        "</div >" +
+                        '<div file_name="' + data[key]["file_name"] + '" class="PastChat_cross"></div>' +
+                        '</div>'
+
 
                     );
                     if (
@@ -2351,7 +2350,7 @@ async function getAllCharaChats() {
                     ) {
                         //children().last()
                         $("#select_chat_div")
-                            .children(":nth-last-child(1)")
+                            .find(".select_chat_block:last")
                             .attr("highlight", true);
                     }
                 }
@@ -3230,7 +3229,9 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
             bg_file_for_del.parent().remove();
         }
         if (popup_type == "del_chat") {
+            $("#select_chat_cross").click();
             delChat(chat_file_for_del);
+            $("#option_select_chat").click();
         }
         if (popup_type == "del_ch") {
             console.log(
diff --git a/public/style.css b/public/style.css
index c4d752b5a..f35aa5ef7 100644
--- a/public/style.css
+++ b/public/style.css
@@ -2048,6 +2048,13 @@ input[type="range"]{
     margin-bottom: 10px;
 }
 
+.select_chat_block_wrapper{
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-columns: auto auto;
+    align-items: center;
+    grid-gap: 10px;
+}
+
 .select_chat_block {
     border-radius: 10px;
     /* margin-right: 10px; */
@@ -2092,9 +2099,9 @@ input[type="range"]{
 }
 
 .PastChat_cross{
-    position: absolute;
+/*     position: absolute;
     right: 15px;
-    margin-top: 5px;
+    margin-top: 5px; */
     width: 15px;
     height: 15px;
     cursor: pointer;
@@ -2108,6 +2115,11 @@ input[type="range"]{
     box-shadow: 0 0 0 2pt black;
 }
 
+.PastChat_cross:hover{
+    background-color: var(--fullred);
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 2pt red;
+}
+
 #advanced_book_logo {
     width: 35px;
     height: 35px;
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 46ab7a0b4..3e5c3aaf6 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -814,8 +814,11 @@ app.post("/delbackground", jsonParser, function (request, response) {
 });
 
 app.post("/delchat", jsonParser, function (request, response) {
-
-    if (!request.body) return response.sendStatus(400);
+    console.log('/delchat entered');
+    if (!request.body) {
+        console.log('no request body seen');
+        return response.sendStatus(400);
+    }
 
     if (request.body.chatfile !== sanitize(request.body.chatfile)) {
         console.error('Malicious chat name prevented');
@@ -826,10 +829,15 @@ app.post("/delchat", jsonParser, function (request, response) {
     if (!fs.existsSync(fileName)) {
         console.log('Chat file not found');
         return response.sendStatus(400);
+    } else {
+        console.log('found the chat file: ' + fileName);
+        /* fs.unlinkSync(fileName); */
+        fs.rmSync(fileName);
+        console.log('deleted chat file: ' + fileName);
+
     }
 
-    fs.rmSync(fileName);
-    console.log('deleted chat file: ' + fileName);
+
     return response.send('ok');
 });