diff --git a/src/lib/websocket/websocketService.ts b/src/lib/websocket/websocketService.ts
index ec1b386..bc48e24 100644
--- a/src/lib/websocket/websocketService.ts
+++ b/src/lib/websocket/websocketService.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class WebSocketService {
   private reconnectDelay = 2000; // Start with 2 seconds
   private connectionState: ConnectionState = ConnectionState.DISCONNECTED;
   private baseUrl: string = '';
+  private authListenersRegistered = false;
 
   /**
    * Initialize the WebSocket service with the base URL
@@ -36,6 +37,11 @@ class WebSocketService {
     // Convert http/https to ws/wss
     this.baseUrl = baseUrl.replace(/^http/, 'ws');
 
+    if (this.authListenersRegistered) {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.authListenersRegistered = true;
+
     // Listen for auth events to reconnect when token changes
     eventService.subscribe(AuthEventType.AUTH_TOKEN_REFRESHED, () => {
       if (this.connectionState === ConnectionState.CONNECTED) {
diff --git a/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.test.tsx b/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cc2130
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+import { render, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { MemoryRouter, Routes, Route, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { WebSocketProvider } from './WebSocketProvider';
+import { eventService } from '@/lib/events/eventService';
+import { WebSocketEventType } from '@/lib/websocket/websocketService';
+import type { TextMessage } from '@/lib/models';
+
+const mockConfig = { apis: { meshBot: { baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:8000' } } };
+
+const { connect, disconnect, initialize } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  connect: vi.fn(),
+  disconnect: vi.fn(),
+  initialize: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/providers/ConfigProvider', () => ({
+  useConfig: () => mockConfig,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/websocket/websocketService', () => ({
+  websocketService: {
+    initialize,
+    connect,
+    disconnect,
+  },
+  WebSocketEventType: {
+    CONNECTED: 'websocket:connected',
+    DISCONNECTED: 'websocket:disconnected',
+    MESSAGE_RECEIVED: 'websocket:message_received',
+    ERROR: 'websocket:error',
+  },
+  ConnectionState: {
+    CONNECTING: 'connecting',
+    CONNECTED: 'connected',
+    DISCONNECTED: 'disconnected',
+    ERROR: 'error',
+  },
+}));
+
+const { toastMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  toastMock: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@/hooks/use-toast', () => ({
+  toast: (...args: unknown[]) => toastMock(...args),
+  useToast: () => ({ toast: toastMock }),
+}));
+
+function NavigationHarness({ onNavigate }: { onNavigate: (navigate: ReturnType<typeof useNavigate>) => void }) {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  onNavigate(navigate);
+  return null;
+}
+
+function renderWithRoutes(initialPath: string) {
+  let navigateFn: ReturnType<typeof useNavigate> | null = null;
+
+  const utils = render(
+    <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[initialPath]}>
+      <WebSocketProvider>
+        <Routes>
+          <Route path="/" element={<NavigationHarness onNavigate={(n) => (navigateFn = n)} />} />
+          <Route path="/nodes" element={<NavigationHarness onNavigate={(n) => (navigateFn = n)} />} />
+          <Route path="/messages" element={<NavigationHarness onNavigate={(n) => (navigateFn = n)} />} />
+          <Route path="/meshcore/messages" element={<NavigationHarness onNavigate={(n) => (navigateFn = n)} />} />
+        </Routes>
+      </WebSocketProvider>
+    </MemoryRouter>
+  );
+
+  return {
+    ...utils,
+    navigate: (path: string) => {
+      if (!navigateFn) throw new Error('navigate not ready');
+      act(() => navigateFn!(path));
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+const sampleMessage = {
+  id: 1,
+  message_text: 'hello',
+  protocol: 'meshtastic',
+  channel: 1,
+  sender: { node_id_str: '!aabbccdd', short_name: 'AB' },
+} as unknown as TextMessage;
+
+describe('WebSocketProvider', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('connects once on mount and does not disconnect on route changes', () => {
+    const { navigate } = renderWithRoutes('/');
+
+    expect(initialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(initialize).toHaveBeenCalledWith('http://127.0.0.1:8000');
+    expect(connect).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(disconnect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    navigate('/nodes');
+    navigate('/messages');
+    navigate('/meshcore/messages');
+    navigate('/');
+
+    expect(connect).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(disconnect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(initialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('shows toast for messages when not on the matching messages page', () => {
+    renderWithRoutes('/');
+
+    act(() => {
+      eventService.emit(WebSocketEventType.MESSAGE_RECEIVED, sampleMessage);
+    });
+
+    expect(toastMock).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('suppresses toast when on the matching messages page', () => {
+    renderWithRoutes('/messages');
+
+    act(() => {
+      eventService.emit(WebSocketEventType.MESSAGE_RECEIVED, sampleMessage);
+    });
+
+    expect(toastMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx b/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx
index 01aa644..5a9ebbe 100644
--- a/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import React, { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
+import React, { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useRef, useState, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { useConfig } from './ConfigProvider';
 import { useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { useToast } from '@/hooks/use-toast';
+import { toast } from '@/hooks/use-toast';
 import { websocketService, WebSocketEventType, ConnectionState } from '@/lib/websocket/websocketService';
 import { TextMessage } from '@/lib/models';
 import { eventService } from '@/lib/events/eventService';
@@ -36,11 +36,15 @@ export function useWebSocket() {
 export function WebSocketProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   const config = useConfig();
   const location = useLocation();
-  const { toast } = useToast();
+  const pathnameRef = useRef(location.pathname);
 
   const [connectionState, setConnectionState] = useState<ConnectionState>(ConnectionState.DISCONNECTED);
   const [unreadMessages, setUnreadMessages] = useState<TextMessage[]>([]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    pathnameRef.current = location.pathname;
+  }, [location.pathname]);
+
   const markAsReadForProtocol = useCallback((protocol: MessageProtocolSlug) => {
     setUnreadMessages((prev) => prev.filter((m) => messageProtocol(m) !== protocol));
   }, []);
@@ -77,7 +81,7 @@ export function WebSocketProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 
     const messageHandler = (message: TextMessage) => {
       const proto = messageProtocol(message);
-      if (isOnMessagesPage(location.pathname, proto)) {
+      if (isOnMessagesPage(pathnameRef.current, proto)) {
         return;
       }
 
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@ export function WebSocketProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
       eventService.unsubscribe(WebSocketEventType.MESSAGE_RECEIVED, messageHandler);
       websocketService.disconnect();
     };
-  }, [config.apis.meshBot.baseUrl, toast, location.pathname]);
+  }, [config.apis.meshBot.baseUrl]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isOnMessagesPage(location.pathname, 'meshtastic')) {