diff --git a/reactapp/__tests__/components/visualizations/LiveChat.test.js b/reactapp/__tests__/components/visualizations/LiveChat.test.js
index 161baeca..911df80e 100644
--- a/reactapp/__tests__/components/visualizations/LiveChat.test.js
+++ b/reactapp/__tests__/components/visualizations/LiveChat.test.js
@@ -124,6 +124,72 @@ describe("LiveChat", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("updates the log when a re-fetch delivers new history", () => {
+    const { rerender } = renderWithContexts();
+    expect(screen.getByText("Hello world!")).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    const refetched = [
+      ...chatHistory,
+      {
+        message: "Fetched later",
+        sessionId: "session-3",
+        sender: "Carol",
+        timestamp: Date.now(),
+        messageId: "msg-3",
+        edited: false,
+      },
+    ];
+    rerender(
+      <AppContext.Provider value={mockAppContext}>
+        <WebsocketContext.Provider value={mockWebsocketContext}>
+          <LiveChat requestId="req-1" chatHistory={refetched} />
+        </WebsocketContext.Provider>
+      </AppContext.Provider>,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Fetched later")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText("Hello world!")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("renders with no chat history", () => {
+    renderWithContexts({ chatHistory: undefined });
+    expect(
+      screen.getByPlaceholderText("Type a message..."),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("does not take focus on mount", () => {
+    // Focusing an input scrolls its scrollable ancestors to reveal it, which
+    // on the dashboard scrolls the page down to this widget and hides the
+    // chat history above it.
+    const focusSpy = jest.spyOn(HTMLElement.prototype, "focus");
+    renderWithContexts();
+    expect(focusSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    focusSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("focuses without scrolling when the username input opens", () => {
+    renderWithContexts();
+    const focusSpy = jest.spyOn(HTMLElement.prototype, "focus");
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Change Username"));
+    expect(focusSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ preventScroll: true });
+    focusSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("focuses the message input without scrolling after the username is set", () => {
+    renderWithContexts();
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Change Username"));
+    const usernameInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText(/enter your username/i);
+
+    const focusSpy = jest.spyOn(HTMLElement.prototype, "focus");
+    fireEvent.change(usernameInput, { target: { value: "NewUser" } });
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Set Username"));
+
+    expect(focusSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ preventScroll: true });
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText("Type a message...")).toHaveFocus();
+    focusSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it("allows username change", () => {
     renderWithContexts();
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByLabelText("Change Username"));
diff --git a/reactapp/__tests__/index.test.js b/reactapp/__tests__/index.test.js
index 5befcceb..952a6d17 100644
--- a/reactapp/__tests__/index.test.js
+++ b/reactapp/__tests__/index.test.js
@@ -48,6 +48,14 @@ describe("index.js", () => {
     expect(mockGetTethysAppRoot).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 
+  test("should disable browser scroll restoration", () => {
+    window.history.scrollRestoration = "auto";
+
+    require("../index.js");
+
+    expect(window.history.scrollRestoration).toBe("manual");
+  });
+
   test("should register DOMContentLoaded event listener", () => {
     // Test that the module loads without errors and sets up the listener
     expect(() => {
diff --git a/reactapp/__tests__/services/utilities.test.js b/reactapp/__tests__/services/utilities.test.js
index f8df6e3c..18837c50 100644
--- a/reactapp/__tests__/services/utilities.test.js
+++ b/reactapp/__tests__/services/utilities.test.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
   getTethysPortalHost,
   getPublicUrl,
   getTethysAppRoot,
+  getWebsocketUrl,
 } from "services/utilities";
 
 // Mock window.location
@@ -286,4 +287,80 @@ describe("utilities", () => {
       );
     });
   });
+
+  describe("getWebsocketUrl", () => {
+    test("should return null when the url is not configured", () => {
+      delete process.env.REDIS_WS_URL;
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(null);
+    });
+
+    test("should return null when the url is empty", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL = "   ";
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(null);
+    });
+
+    test("should use an absolute websocket url as-is", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL =
+        "ws://localhost:8000/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/";
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(
+        "ws://localhost:8000/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/",
+      );
+    });
+
+    test("should derive a wss url from an https page", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL = "visualizations/notifications/ws/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PORTAL_HOST = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PREFIX_URL = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_APP_ROOT_URL = "/apps/tethysdash/";
+      mockLocation(
+        "https://mysite.com/apps/tethysdash/dashboard/abc",
+        "https://mysite.com",
+      );
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(
+        "wss://mysite.com/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/",
+      );
+    });
+
+    test("should derive a ws url from an http page", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL = "visualizations/notifications/ws/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PORTAL_HOST = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PREFIX_URL = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_APP_ROOT_URL = "/apps/tethysdash/";
+      mockLocation("http://mysite.com/apps/tethysdash/", "http://mysite.com");
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(
+        "ws://mysite.com/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/",
+      );
+    });
+
+    test("should include the portal prefix url", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL = "visualizations/notifications/ws/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PORTAL_HOST = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PREFIX_URL = "/tethys/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_APP_ROOT_URL = "/apps/tethysdash/";
+      mockLocation(
+        "https://mysite.com/tethys/apps/tethysdash/",
+        "https://mysite.com",
+      );
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(
+        "wss://mysite.com/tethys/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/",
+      );
+    });
+
+    test("should honor a configured portal host with a trailing slash", () => {
+      process.env.REDIS_WS_URL = "/visualizations/notifications/ws/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PORTAL_HOST = "https://example.com/";
+      process.env.TETHYS_PREFIX_URL = "";
+      process.env.TETHYS_APP_ROOT_URL = "/apps/tethysdash/";
+
+      expect(getWebsocketUrl()).toBe(
+        "wss://example.com/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/",
+      );
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/reactapp/components/contexts/WebSocketContext.js b/reactapp/components/contexts/WebSocketContext.js
index 7d1db3c4..099407aa 100644
--- a/reactapp/components/contexts/WebSocketContext.js
+++ b/reactapp/components/contexts/WebSocketContext.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
 } from "react";
 import LoadingAnimation from "components/loader/LoadingAnimation";
 import PropTypes from "prop-types";
+import { getWebsocketUrl } from "services/utilities";
 
 export const WebsocketContext = createContext();
 
@@ -18,12 +19,13 @@ const WebsocketProvider = ({ children }) => {
   const [timeoutReached, setTimeoutReached] = useState(false);
   const ws = useRef(null);
 
-  const hasWebSocketUrl = Boolean(process.env.REDIS_WS_URL);
+  const websocketUrl = useMemo(() => getWebsocketUrl(), []);
+  const hasWebSocketUrl = Boolean(websocketUrl);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!hasWebSocketUrl) return;
 
-    const socket = new WebSocket(process.env.REDIS_WS_URL);
+    const socket = new WebSocket(websocketUrl);
 
     socket.onopen = () => setWebsocketReady(true);
     socket.onclose = () => setWebsocketReady(false);
diff --git a/reactapp/components/visualizations/LiveChat.js b/reactapp/components/visualizations/LiveChat.js
index e2f34f1e..0db88089 100644
--- a/reactapp/components/visualizations/LiveChat.js
+++ b/reactapp/components/visualizations/LiveChat.js
@@ -11,11 +11,20 @@ const PaddedContainer = styled.div`
   padding: 16px;
   display: flex;
   height: 100%;
+  /* The padding has to come out of the grid item's height rather than add to
+     it, or the input row below the log is pushed past the bottom of the tile. */
+  box-sizing: border-box;
   flex-direction: column;
 `;
 
 const ChatLogArea = styled.div`
   flex: 1 1 0%;
+  /* A flex item's automatic minimum size is its content size, so without this
+     the log refuses to shrink below the full height of the message list: it
+     grows instead of scrolling, pushing the input row out of the grid item and
+     down the page (and leaving the messages above the fold). min-height: 0 lets
+     it shrink so overflow-y actually scrolls inside the tile. */
+  min-height: 0;
   overflow-y: auto;
   margin-bottom: 8px;
 `;
@@ -337,7 +346,9 @@ const LiveChat = ({ requestId, chatHistory }) => {
   );
   const [input, setInput] = useState("");
   const messageInputRef = useRef(null);
-  const [chatLog, setChatLog] = useState(chatHistory);
+  const usernameInputRef = useRef(null);
+  const hasMountedRef = useRef(false);
+  const [chatLog, setChatLog] = useState(chatHistory ?? []);
   const chatLogRef = useRef(null);
   const [rateLimited, setRateLimited] = useState(false);
   const [rateLimitCountdown, setRateLimitCountdown] = useState(0);
@@ -349,6 +360,21 @@ const LiveChat = ({ requestId, chatHistory }) => {
   const sessionIdKey = `livechat_sessionid_${requestId}`;
   const sessionId = getOrCreateSessionId(sessionIdKey);
 
+  // getVisualization hands down a fresh chatHistory on every re-fetch (refresh
+  // interval, manual retry, arg change). useState reads its argument only on
+  // mount, so without this the log would stay frozen on whatever history it
+  // mounted with. Messages that arrived over the websocket after the server
+  // took its snapshot are carried over rather than dropped.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const history = chatHistory ?? [];
+    setChatLog((prev) => {
+      if (valuesEqual(prev, history)) return prev;
+      const historyIds = new Set(history.map((msg) => msg.messageId));
+      const liveOnly = prev.filter((msg) => !historyIds.has(msg.messageId));
+      return [...history, ...liveOnly];
+    });
+  }, [chatHistory]);
+
   // Listen for new successful messages for this requestId
   useEffect(() => {
     const messageData = messagesByRequestId[requestId];
@@ -544,10 +570,22 @@ const LiveChat = ({ requestId, chatHistory }) => {
     }
   };
 
-  // Autofocus message input when username is set or updated
+  // Move focus to whichever input just became active when the username is set
+  // or updated. Skipped on the initial mount, and focused with preventScroll:
+  // focusing an element scrolls its scrollable ancestors to reveal it, so an
+  // on-load focus drags the dashboard page down to this widget and hides
+  // everything above it -- including this chat's own message history.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (customUsername && !editingUsername && messageInputRef.current) {
-      messageInputRef.current.focus();
+    if (!hasMountedRef.current) {
+      hasMountedRef.current = true;
+      return;
+    }
+    const activeInput =
+      !customUsername || editingUsername
+        ? usernameInputRef.current
+        : messageInputRef.current;
+    if (activeInput) {
+      activeInput.focus({ preventScroll: true });
     }
   }, [customUsername, editingUsername]);
 
@@ -608,13 +646,13 @@ const LiveChat = ({ requestId, chatHistory }) => {
         {/* If username is not set, use input for username entry */}
         {!customUsername || editingUsername ? (
           <UsernameInput
+            ref={usernameInputRef}
             type="text"
             value={input}
             onChange={(e) => setInput(e.target.value)}
             onKeyDown={handleInputKeyDown}
             placeholder="Enter your username..."
             maxLength={32}
-            autoFocus
             disabled={false}
           />
         ) : (
diff --git a/reactapp/config/development.env b/reactapp/config/development.env
index 00dbb592..c2d1ddf7 100644
--- a/reactapp/config/development.env
+++ b/reactapp/config/development.env
@@ -10,4 +10,8 @@ TETHYS_PORTAL_HOST = ""
 TETHYS_PREFIX_URL = ""
 TETHYSDASH_SUPPORT_EMAIL = "ckrewson@aquaveo.com"
 TETHYSDASH_SUPPORT_GITHUB = "https://github.com/tethysplatform/tethysapp-tethys_dash/issues"
-REDIS_WS_URL = "ws://localhost:8000/apps/tethysdash/visualizations/notifications/ws/"
\ No newline at end of file
+# Path under the app root. The origin and ws/wss scheme are derived from the
+# page at runtime, so nothing is pinned to a host. Set an absolute ws:// or
+# wss:// url to point at a separate notification host, or leave empty to
+# disable websockets.
+REDIS_WS_URL = "visualizations/notifications/ws/"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/reactapp/config/webpack.config.js b/reactapp/config/webpack.config.js
index c0a52c83..86c42539 100644
--- a/reactapp/config/webpack.config.js
+++ b/reactapp/config/webpack.config.js
@@ -118,9 +118,16 @@ module.exports = (env, argv) => {
     devServer: {
       proxy: [
         {
-          context: ["!/static/tethysdash/frontend/**"],
+          // "!/ws" keeps webpack-dev-server's own HMR socket local. Without it
+          // the ws:true upgrade below would hand the HMR connection to Django,
+          // which has no consumer at that path, and hot reload would die.
+          context: ["!/static/tethysdash/frontend/**", "!/ws"],
           target: "http://localhost:8000", // points to django dev server
           changeOrigin: true,
+          // Proxy websocket upgrades too, so the app's notification socket can
+          // use a same-origin relative URL in dev exactly as it does in a
+          // deployed build, instead of hardcoding the django host.
+          ws: true,
           // Lets Django detect that this request was proxied through
           // webpack-dev-server so it renders the unhashed main.js URL
           // (served from memory) instead of the on-disk hashed bundle.
diff --git a/reactapp/index.js b/reactapp/index.js
index 96677622..d10aff68 100644
--- a/reactapp/index.js
+++ b/reactapp/index.js
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ import App from "App";
 
 const APP_ROOT_URL = getTethysAppRoot();
 
+// Dashboard widgets fetch their data after mount, so the page is short when it
+// first paints and only reaches full height once they resolve. The browser's
+// default scroll restoration re-applies the pre-reload offset at that point,
+// which reads as the page spontaneously scrolling away from the top a moment
+// after load. Own the scroll position instead: a refresh starts at the top.
+if ("scrollRestoration" in window.history) {
+  window.history.scrollRestoration = "manual";
+}
+
 let container = null;
 
 document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
diff --git a/reactapp/services/utilities.js b/reactapp/services/utilities.js
index e25c9ea2..724d3092 100644
--- a/reactapp/services/utilities.js
+++ b/reactapp/services/utilities.js
@@ -42,3 +42,27 @@ export function getTethysAppRoot() {
   let fp = `/${tethys_prefix_url}/${tethys_app_root_url}`;
   return fp.replace(/\/{2,}/g, "/");
 }
+
+export function getWebsocketUrl() {
+  let configured = (process.env.REDIS_WS_URL || "").trim();
+
+  // An empty value disables websocket usage entirely.
+  if (!configured) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  // An absolute websocket url is used as-is. This covers an external
+  // notification host and the django dev server, which the webpack dev
+  // server does not proxy websocket upgrades to.
+  if (/^wss?:\/\//i.test(configured)) {
+    return configured;
+  }
+
+  // Otherwise the value is a path under the app root and the origin is
+  // derived from the current page, so deployed bundles never point the
+  // visitor's browser at localhost.
+  let host = getTethysPortalHost().replace(/\/+$/, "").replace(/^http/i, "ws");
+  let path = `${getTethysAppRoot()}/${configured}`.replace(/\/{2,}/g, "/");
+
+  return host + path;
+}