diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx b/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
index 4c854efab8..768b731ce4 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export function useConvoActive() {
   }
   if (!isConvoActive(ctx)) {
     throw new Error(
-      `useConvoActive must only be rendered when the Convo is ready. Current status: ${ctx.status}`,
+      `useConvoActive must only be rendered when the Convo is ready.`,
     )
   }
   return ctx
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts b/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
index 4615acc2d9..6ce4d40bd6 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
@@ -107,82 +107,88 @@ export type ConvoItem =
       retry: () => void
     }
 
+type DeleteMessage = (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
+type SendMessage = (
+  message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message'],
+) => Promise<void>
+type FetchMessageHistory = () => Promise<void>
+
+export type ConvoStateUninitialized = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Uninitialized
+  items: []
+  convo: undefined
+  error: undefined
+  sender: undefined
+  recipients: undefined
+  isFetchingHistory: false
+  deleteMessage: undefined
+  sendMessage: undefined
+  fetchMessageHistory: undefined
+}
+export type ConvoStateInitializing = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Initializing
+  items: []
+  convo: undefined
+  error: undefined
+  sender: undefined
+  recipients: undefined
+  isFetchingHistory: boolean
+  deleteMessage: undefined
+  sendMessage: undefined
+  fetchMessageHistory: undefined
+}
+export type ConvoStateReady = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Ready
+  items: ConvoItem[]
+  convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
+  error: undefined
+  sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
+  recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
+  isFetchingHistory: boolean
+  deleteMessage: DeleteMessage
+  sendMessage: SendMessage
+  fetchMessageHistory: FetchMessageHistory
+}
+export type ConvoStateBackgrounded = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Backgrounded
+  items: ConvoItem[]
+  convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
+  error: undefined
+  sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
+  recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
+  isFetchingHistory: boolean
+  deleteMessage: DeleteMessage
+  sendMessage: SendMessage
+  fetchMessageHistory: FetchMessageHistory
+}
+export type ConvoStateSuspended = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Suspended
+  items: ConvoItem[]
+  convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
+  error: undefined
+  sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
+  recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
+  isFetchingHistory: boolean
+  deleteMessage: DeleteMessage
+  sendMessage: SendMessage
+  fetchMessageHistory: FetchMessageHistory
+}
+export type ConvoStateError = {
+  status: ConvoStatus.Error
+  items: []
+  convo: undefined
+  error: any
+  sender: undefined
+  recipients: undefined
+  isFetchingHistory: false
+  deleteMessage: undefined
+  sendMessage: undefined
+  fetchMessageHistory: undefined
+}
 export type ConvoState =
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Uninitialized
-      items: []
-      convo: undefined
-      error: undefined
-      sender: undefined
-      recipients: undefined
-      isFetchingHistory: false
-      deleteMessage: undefined
-      sendMessage: undefined
-      fetchMessageHistory: undefined
-    }
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Initializing
-      items: []
-      convo: undefined
-      error: undefined
-      sender: undefined
-      recipients: undefined
-      isFetchingHistory: boolean
-      deleteMessage: undefined
-      sendMessage: undefined
-      fetchMessageHistory: undefined
-    }
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Ready
-      items: ConvoItem[]
-      convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
-      error: undefined
-      sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
-      recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
-      isFetchingHistory: boolean
-      deleteMessage: (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
-      sendMessage: (
-        message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message'],
-      ) => void
-      fetchMessageHistory: () => void
-    }
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Suspended
-      items: ConvoItem[]
-      convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
-      error: undefined
-      sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
-      recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
-      isFetchingHistory: boolean
-      deleteMessage: (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
-      sendMessage: (
-        message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message'],
-      ) => Promise<void>
-      fetchMessageHistory: () => Promise<void>
-    }
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Backgrounded
-      items: ConvoItem[]
-      convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView
-      error: undefined
-      sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic
-      recipients: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic[]
-      isFetchingHistory: boolean
-      deleteMessage: (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
-      sendMessage: (
-        message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message'],
-      ) => Promise<void>
-      fetchMessageHistory: () => Promise<void>
-    }
-  | {
-      status: ConvoStatus.Error
-      items: []
-      convo: undefined
-      error: any
-      sender: undefined
-      recipients: undefined
-      isFetchingHistory: false
-      deleteMessage: undefined
-      sendMessage: undefined
-      fetchMessageHistory: undefined
-    }
+  | ConvoStateUninitialized
+  | ConvoStateInitializing
+  | ConvoStateReady
+  | ConvoStateBackgrounded
+  | ConvoStateSuspended
+  | ConvoStateError
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/util.ts b/src/state/messages/convo/util.ts
index d03ec878b8..ffaa4104a7 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/util.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/util.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,19 @@
-import {ConvoState, ConvoStatus} from './types'
+import {
+  ConvoState,
+  ConvoStateBackgrounded,
+  ConvoStateReady,
+  ConvoStateSuspended,
+  ConvoStatus,
+} from './types'
 
 /**
  * Checks if a `Convo` has a `status` that is "active", meaning the chat is
  * loaded and ready to be used, or its in a suspended or background state, and
  * ready for resumption.
  */
-export function isConvoActive(convo: ConvoState) {
+export function isConvoActive(
+  convo: ConvoState,
+): convo is ConvoStateReady | ConvoStateBackgrounded | ConvoStateSuspended {
   return (
     convo.status === ConvoStatus.Ready ||
     convo.status === ConvoStatus.Backgrounded ||