diff --git a/public/elements/tind-refs.jsx b/public/elements/tind-refs.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd1faa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/elements/tind-refs.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import {
+  Accordion,
+  AccordionContent,
+  AccordionItem,
+  AccordionTrigger,
+} from "@/components/ui/accordion"
+
+export default function TindRefs () {
+  return (
+    <Accordion type="single" collapsible className="w-full">
+      <AccordionItem value="ref-1">
+        <AccordionTrigger>Metadata</AccordionTrigger>
+        <AccordionContent>
+          <p className="mb-2" style={{ whiteSpace: 'pre-line' }}>
+            {props.tind_message || 'no references supplied'}
+          </p>
+        </AccordionContent>
+      </AccordionItem>
+    </Accordion>
+  )
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/willa/web/app.py b/willa/web/app.py
index 3595813..d304cb1 100644
--- a/willa/web/app.py
+++ b/willa/web/app.py
@@ -38,6 +38,18 @@ async def ocs() -> None:
 async def on_chat_resume(thread: ThreadDict) -> None:
     """Resume chat session for data persistence."""
     await cl.context.emitter.set_commands(COMMANDS)
+
+    # recreate custom elements from metadata
+    # results in a duplicate message in data layer!!
+    # for msg in thread['steps']:
+    #     if 'tind_message' in msg['metadata']:
+    #         tind_refs = cl.CustomElement(name='tind-refs', props=msg['metadata'])
+    #         await cl.Message(
+    #             author='TIND',
+    #             content='References:',
+    #             elements=[tind_refs],
+    #             metadata=msg['metadata']
+    #             ).send()
 # pylint: enable="unused-argument"
 
 
@@ -89,8 +101,22 @@ async def chat(message: cl.Message) -> None:
             await cl.Message(content=reply['ai_message']).send()
 
         if 'tind_message' in reply:
-            await cl.Message(author='TIND',
-                             content=reply['tind_message']).send()
+            tind_refs = cl.CustomElement(
+                name='tind-refs',
+                props={'tind_message': reply['tind_message']}
+                )
+            msg = cl.Message(
+                author='TIND',
+                content='References:',
+                elements=[tind_refs],
+                metadata={'tind_message': reply['tind_message']}
+                )
+            await msg.send()
+
+            # print(f"Message ID: {msg.id}")
+            # print(f"Elements: {msg.elements}")
+            # print(f"Thread ID: {message.thread_id}")
+            # print(f"msg: {msg}")
 
         if 'no_results' in reply:
             await cl.Message(author='System', type='system_message',