diff --git a/js/pacosako_ui.js b/js/pacosako_ui.js
index cdf031c..7a1a352 100644
--- a/js/pacosako_ui.js
+++ b/js/pacosako_ui.js
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ $(function (){
    function updateTitle(opt){
       opt = $(opt);
 
-      const then = opt.data('then');
+      const then = opt.data('timestamp');
       const now = +new Date();
       let age_str = '';
       if (then > now) {
@@ -1016,13 +1016,6 @@ $(function (){
 
    const refreshSelectOptions = (function(){
       function updateSelectMeta(d, key) {
-         d = d || {};
-         debug('got meta for key ' + key, d);
-         const lightName = shortenName(String(d.lightName || 'Light'));
-         const darkName = shortenName(String(d.darkName || 'Dark'));
-         const moves = !d.moves ? '' :
-            (', ' + d.moves + (d.moves === 1 ? ' turn' : ' turns'));
-
          let opt = $('#cb_game_' + key);
 
          if (!d.lightName && !d.darkName && !d.moves && key !== $('#cb_board').data('gameId')) {
@@ -1035,29 +1028,27 @@ $(function (){
                opt.attr('id', 'cb_game_' + key);
             }
 
-            let stat = '';
-            if (d.status) {
-               stat = ', ' + d.status;
-            }
+            const lightName = shortenName(String(d.lightName || 'Light'));
+            const darkName = shortenName(String(d.darkName || 'Dark'));
+            const moves = !d.moves ? '' : `, ${d.moves} turn${d.moves === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
+            const stat = !d.status ? '' : `, ${d.status}`;
+            const timestamp = d.timestamp || +new Date();
 
             opt.data('gameId', key);
             opt.data('title', lightName + ' vs. ' + darkName + moves + stat);
-            opt.data('then', d.timestamp || +new Date());
+            opt.data('timestamp', timestamp);
             opt.addClass('cb-game-option');
-            opt.appendTo('#cb_select_game');
             updateTitle(opt);
 
-            let select = $('#cb_select_game');
-            let list = select.children('.cb-game-option').get();
+            const select = $('#cb_select_game');
+            const list = select.children('.cb-game-option').get();
+            list.push(opt[0]);
             list.sort(function(a,b) {
-               const then_a = $(a).data('then');
-               const then_b = $(b).data('then');
+               const then_a = $(a).data('timestamp');
+               const then_b = $(b).data('timestamp');
                return (then_a < then_b) ? 1 : (then_a === then_b) ? 0 : -1;
             });
-
-            for (const e of list) {
-               $(e).appendTo(select);
-            }
+            $(list).appendTo(select);
          }
 
          let selOpt = $('#cb_game_' + $('#cb_board').data('gameId'));
@@ -1072,7 +1063,6 @@ $(function (){
 
       return function() {
          $('#cb_select_game .cb-game-option').remove();
-         updateSelectMeta(null, $('#cb_board').data('gameId'));
 
          /* cancel and resubscribe to get all the cached data again */
          if (cancelMeta) {
@@ -1081,7 +1071,11 @@ $(function (){
             cancelMeta(true);
          }
 
+         /* ensure there is an entry for the current game, whatever the server says */
+         updateSelectMeta({}, $('#cb_board').data('gameId'));
+
          cancelMeta = IO.onMetaUpdate(function(data, gameId) {
+            debug('got meta for key ' + gameId, data);
             updateSelectMeta(data, gameId);
          });
       };