diff --git a/src/db.rs b/src/db.rs
index 2b0bfea..cf2269c 100644
--- a/src/db.rs
+++ b/src/db.rs
@@ -23,3 +23,14 @@ pub async fn room_id_from_uuid(db: &PgPool, room_uuid: Uuid) -> Result<i32, (Sta
         // FIX: hmm probably the wrong error here
         .map_err(|_| (StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED, String::from("Wrong token")))
 }
+
+pub async fn username_from_uuid(
+    db: &PgPool,
+    user_uuid: Uuid,
+) -> Result<String, (StatusCode, String)> {
+    sqlx::query_scalar("SELECT username FROM user_ WHERE uuid = $1")
+        .bind(user_uuid)
+        .fetch_one(db)
+        .await
+        .map_err(|_| (StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED, String::from("Wrong token")))
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/messages.rs b/src/routes/messages.rs
index f6eb8b5..76632ef 100644
--- a/src/routes/messages.rs
+++ b/src/routes/messages.rs
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ use axum::{
 use sqlx::PgPool;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
-use crate::db::user_id_from_uuid;
+use crate::db::{user_id_from_uuid, username_from_uuid};
 use crate::{auth::verify_jwt, db::room_id_from_uuid};
 
 #[derive(sqlx::FromRow, serde::Serialize, Debug)]
 pub struct Message {
-    pub sender: Uuid,
+    pub sender: String,
     pub message_type: String,
     pub content: String,
 }
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ async fn list_messages(
     let messages = sqlx::query_as::<_, Message>(
         r#"
     SELECT
-        u.uuid AS sender,
+        u.username AS sender,
         r.uuid AS room,
         m.type AS message_type,
         m.content
@@ -106,10 +106,12 @@ async fn create_message(
     .await
     .map_err(|_| (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, format!("Could not create message")))?;
 
+    let sender_name = username_from_uuid(&db, claims.sub).await?;
+
     Ok((
         StatusCode::CREATED,
         Json(Message {
-            sender: claims.sub,
+            sender: sender_name,
             message_type: payload.message_type,
             content: payload.content,
         }),
diff --git a/src/routes/rooms.rs b/src/routes/rooms.rs
index 00e6de6..0a540ee 100644
--- a/src/routes/rooms.rs
+++ b/src/routes/rooms.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ use axum::{
 use sqlx::PgPool;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
-use crate::auth::verify_jwt;
 use crate::db::user_id_from_uuid;
+use crate::{auth::verify_jwt, db::room_id_from_uuid};
 
 #[derive(sqlx::FromRow, serde::Serialize)]
 pub struct Room {
@@ -75,6 +75,15 @@ async fn create_room(
     .await
     .map_err(|_| (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, format!("Could not create room")))?;
 
+    let room_id = room_id_from_uuid(&db, room_uuid).await?;
+
+    sqlx::query("INSERT INTO membership_ (user_id, room) VALUES ($1, $2)")
+        .bind(user_id)
+        .bind(room_id)
+        .execute(&db)
+        .await
+        .map_err(|_| (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, format!("Could not create room")))?;
+
     Ok((
         StatusCode::CREATED,
         Json(Room {