diff --git a/src/main/java/tomato/gui/chat/ChatGUI.java b/src/main/java/tomato/gui/chat/ChatGUI.java
index 495ca0fe..3c00b35c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/tomato/gui/chat/ChatGUI.java
+++ b/src/main/java/tomato/gui/chat/ChatGUI.java
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ public ChatGUI(TomatoData data) {
         loadChatPingMessages();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Schedules a recurring thread to request server phrases to be blocked by chat. Only the scheduler.
+     */
+    private void scheduleLoadBlockedSpam() {
+        ScheduledExecutorService scheduler = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);
+
+        // immediately run and then every 30 min after
+        scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(this::loadBlockedSpam, 0, 30, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Creates a server request worker to request from server phrases to be blocked by chat. Phrases used by bots.
      */
@@ -110,9 +120,6 @@ private void loadBlockedSpam() {
             System.err.println("Error during HTTP request: " + e.getMessage());
         }
 //        System.out.println("Repopulating List\n" + blockedSpam);
-
-        ScheduledExecutorService scheduler = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);
-        scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(this::loadBlockedSpam, 30, 30, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
     }
 
     /**