diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 945051e..bde23e1 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -381,76 +381,13 @@ d_char *timeline_list(snac *snac)
 }
 
 
-void _timeline_parent(snac *snac, char *parent, char *child)
-/* add child to parent's children list */
+d_char *_timeline_new_fn(snac *snac, char *id)
+/* creates a new filename */
 {
-    /* FIXME: this must be recursive, but *ONLY* for file renaming */
+    xs *ntid = tid(0);
+    xs *md5  = xs_md5_hex(id, strlen(id));
 
-    if (parent != NULL) {
-        xs *pfn = _timeline_find_fn(snac, parent);
-
-        if (pfn != NULL) {
-            FILE *f;
-
-            if ((f = fopen(pfn, "r")) != NULL) {
-                xs *ji, *msg;
-
-                ji = xs_readall(f);
-                fclose(f);
-
-                msg = xs_json_loads(ji);
-
-                if (msg != NULL) {
-                    xs *meta;
-                    xs *children;
-
-                    /* get the children list */
-                    meta     = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(msg, "_snac"));
-                    children = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(meta, "children"));
-
-                    /* add */
-                    children = xs_list_append(children, child);
-
-                    /* re-store */
-                    meta = xs_dict_set(meta, "children", children);
-                    msg  = xs_dict_set(msg,  "_snac",    meta);
-
-                    xs *jo   = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
-                    xs *ntid = tid(0);
-                    xs *md5  = xs_md5_hex(parent, strlen(parent));
-                    xs *nfn  = xs_fmt("%s/timeline/%s-%s.json", snac->basedir, ntid, md5);
-
-                    if ((f = fopen(nfn, "w")) != NULL) {
-                        fwrite(jo, strlen(jo), 1, f);
-                        fclose(f);
-
-                        snac_debug(snac, 1,
-                            xs_fmt("_timeline_parent updated %s %s", parent, nfn));
-
-                        unlink(pfn);
-
-                        /* generated by this user? link to local timeline */
-                        if (xs_startswith(parent, snac->actor)) {
-                            xs *lfn  = xs_replace(nfn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
-                            xs *olfn = xs_replace(pfn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
-
-                            link(nfn, lfn);
-                            unlink(olfn);
-
-                            snac_debug(snac, 1,
-                                xs_fmt("_timeline_parent (local) updated %s %s", parent, lfn));
-                        }
-                    }
-                    else
-                        snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("_timeline_parent error writing %s %s", parent, nfn));
-                }
-                else
-                    snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("_timeline_parent error reading %s %s", parent, pfn));
-            }
-            else
-                snac_log(snac, xs_fmt("_timeline_parent error opening %s %s", parent, pfn));
-        }
-    }
+    return xs_fmt("%s/timeline/%s-%s.json", snac->basedir, ntid, md5);
 }
 
 
@@ -466,9 +403,7 @@ void timeline_add(snac *snac, char *id, char *msg, char *parent)
     }
 
     /* build the new filename */
-    xs *ntid = tid(0);
-    xs *md5  = xs_md5_hex(id, strlen(id));
-    xs *fn   = xs_fmt("%s/timeline/%s-%s.json", snac->basedir, ntid, md5);
+    xs *fn = _timeline_new_fn(snac, id);
     xs *md;
 
     /* add metadata */
@@ -493,16 +428,113 @@ void timeline_add(snac *snac, char *id, char *msg, char *parent)
         snac_debug(snac, 1, xs_fmt("timeline_add %s %s", id, fn));
     }
 
-    /* generated by this user? link to local timeline */
-    if (xs_startswith(id, snac->actor)) {
+    /* related to this user? link to local timeline */
+    if (xs_startswith(id, snac->actor) ||
+        (parent != NULL && xs_startswith(parent, snac->actor))) {
         xs *lfn = xs_replace(fn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
         link(fn, lfn);
 
         snac_debug(snac, 1, xs_fmt("timeline_add (local) %s %s", id, lfn));
     }
 
-    /* relink the parent */
-    _timeline_parent(snac, parent, id);
+    if (parent != NULL) {
+        /* update the parent, adding this id to its children list */
+        xs *pfn   = _timeline_find_fn(snac, parent);
+        xs *p_msg = NULL;
+
+        if (pfn != NULL && (f = fopen(pfn, "r")) != NULL) {
+            xs *j;
+
+            j = xs_readall(f);
+            fclose(f);
+
+            p_msg = xs_json_loads(j);
+        }
+
+        if (p_msg == NULL)
+            return;
+
+        xs *meta     = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(p_msg, "_snac"));
+        xs *children = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(meta,  "children"));
+
+        /* add the child */
+        children = xs_list_append(children, id);
+
+        /* re-store */
+        meta  = xs_dict_set(meta,  "children", children);
+        p_msg = xs_dict_set(p_msg, "_snac",    meta);
+
+        xs *nfn = _timeline_new_fn(snac, parent);
+
+        if ((f = fopen(nfn, "w")) != NULL) {
+            xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(p_msg, 4);
+
+            fwrite(j, strlen(j), 1, f);
+            fclose(f);
+
+            unlink(pfn);
+
+            snac_debug(snac, 2, xs_fmt("updated parent %s %s", parent, nfn));
+
+            /* try to do the same with the local */
+            xs *olfn = xs_replace(pfn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
+
+            if (unlink(olfn) != -1) {
+                xs *nlfn = xs_replace(nfn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
+
+                link(nfn, nlfn);
+
+                snac_debug(snac, 2, xs_fmt("updated parent (local) %s %s", parent, nlfn));
+            }
+        }
+        else
+            return;
+
+        /* now iterate all parents up, just renaming the files */
+        xs *grampa = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(meta, "parent"));
+
+        while (grampa != NULL) {
+            xs *gofn = _timeline_find_fn(snac, grampa);
+
+            if (gofn == NULL)
+                break;
+
+            /* create the new filename */
+            xs *gnfn = _timeline_new_fn(snac, grampa);
+
+            rename(gofn, gnfn);
+
+            snac_debug(snac, 2, xs_fmt("updated grampa %s %s", grampa, gnfn));
+
+            /* try to do the same with the local */
+            xs *golfn = xs_replace(gofn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
+
+            if (unlink(golfn) != -1) {
+                xs *gnlfn = xs_replace(gnfn, "/timeline/", "/local/");
+
+                link(gnfn, gnlfn);
+
+                snac_debug(snac, 2, xs_fmt("updated grampa (local) %s %s", parent, gnlfn));
+            }
+
+            /* now open it and get its own parent */
+            if ((f = fopen(gnfn, "r")) != NULL) {
+                xs *j = xs_readall(f);
+                fclose(f);
+
+                xs *g_msg = xs_json_loads(j);
+                xs *meta  = xs_dict_get(g_msg, "_snac");
+                d_char *p = xs_dict_get(meta,  "parent");
+
+                free(grampa);
+
+                if (p != NULL)
+                    p = xs_dup(p);
+
+                grampa = p;
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }