diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/conversation/ConversationPanel.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/conversation/ConversationPanel.kt
index 9ac6878..ee72180 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/conversation/ConversationPanel.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/conversation/ConversationPanel.kt
@@ -2,24 +2,66 @@ package com.github.fmueller.jarvis.conversation
 
 import com.github.fmueller.jarvis.conversation.ColorHelper.darker
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
+import com.intellij.ui.components.JBScrollPane
 import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil
 import org.jdesktop.swingx.VerticalLayout
+import java.awt.event.MouseAdapter
+import java.awt.event.MouseEvent
 import javax.swing.JPanel
+import javax.swing.SwingUtilities
 
-class ConversationPanel(private val project: Project) : JPanel() {
+class ConversationPanel(private val conversation: Conversation, private val project: Project) {
 
-    init {
+    private val panel = JPanel().apply {
         layout = VerticalLayout(1)
         background = UIUtil.getPanelBackground().darker(0.75)
     }
 
+    // we are exposing the scrollable container here and keep it in the panel
+    // because we need to adjust the scroll position when new messages are added
+    val scrollableContainer = JBScrollPane(panel).apply {
+        verticalScrollBarPolicy = JBScrollPane.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_AS_NEEDED
+        horizontalScrollBarPolicy = JBScrollPane.HORIZONTAL_SCROLLBAR_NEVER
+    }
+
+    init {
+        var isUserScrolling = false
+
+        scrollableContainer.verticalScrollBar.addAdjustmentListener { e ->
+            if (!isUserScrolling) {
+                e.adjustable.value = e.adjustable.maximum
+            }
+        }
+
+        scrollableContainer.addMouseListener(object : MouseAdapter() {
+            override fun mousePressed(e: MouseEvent?) {
+                isUserScrolling = true
+            }
+        })
+
+        scrollableContainer.addMouseWheelListener {
+            isUserScrolling = true
+        }
+
+        conversation.addPropertyChangeListener {
+            if (it.propertyName == "messages") {
+                SwingUtilities.invokeLater {
+                    isUserScrolling = false
+                    update(conversation)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        conversation.addMessage(Message(Role.ASSISTANT, "Hello! How can I help you?"))
+    }
+
     // TODO recalculate colors on theme change and don't set darker panel background for bright themes
-    fun update(conversation: Conversation) {
-        removeAll()
+    private fun update(conversation: Conversation) {
+        panel.removeAll()
         conversation.getMessages().forEach { message ->
-            add(MessagePanel(message, project))
+            panel.add(MessagePanel(message, project))
         }
-        revalidate()
-        repaint()
+        panel.revalidate()
+        panel.repaint()
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/toolWindow/ConversationWindowFactory.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/toolWindow/ConversationWindowFactory.kt
index 3122c18..acff8ff 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/toolWindow/ConversationWindowFactory.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/github/fmueller/jarvis/toolWindow/ConversationWindowFactory.kt
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.wm.ToolWindow
 import com.intellij.openapi.wm.ToolWindowFactory
 import com.intellij.ui.JBColor
-import com.intellij.ui.components.JBScrollPane
 import com.intellij.ui.components.JBTextArea
 import com.intellij.ui.content.ContentFactory
 import com.intellij.util.ui.JBUI
@@ -21,10 +20,12 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.GlobalScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import java.awt.*
-import java.awt.event.*
+import java.awt.event.FocusEvent
+import java.awt.event.FocusListener
+import java.awt.event.KeyAdapter
+import java.awt.event.KeyEvent
 import javax.swing.BorderFactory
 import javax.swing.JPanel
-import javax.swing.SwingUtilities
 import javax.swing.UIManager
 import javax.swing.border.AbstractBorder
 
@@ -43,44 +44,9 @@ class ConversationWindowFactory : ToolWindowFactory {
         private val project = toolWindow.project
         private val ollama = project.service<OllamaService>()
 
-        // TODO conversationPanel should have a reference to the conversation and register the property change listener
         private val conversation = Conversation()
-        private val conversationPanel = ConversationPanel(project)
-        private val scrollableConversationPanel = JBScrollPane(conversationPanel).apply {
-            verticalScrollBarPolicy = JBScrollPane.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_AS_NEEDED
-            horizontalScrollBarPolicy = JBScrollPane.HORIZONTAL_SCROLLBAR_NEVER
-        }
-
-        init {
-            var isUserScrolling = false
-
-            scrollableConversationPanel.verticalScrollBar.addAdjustmentListener { e ->
-                if (!isUserScrolling) {
-                    e.adjustable.value = e.adjustable.maximum
-                }
-            }
-
-            scrollableConversationPanel.addMouseListener(object : MouseAdapter() {
-                override fun mousePressed(e: MouseEvent?) {
-                    isUserScrolling = true
-                }
-            })
+        private val conversationPanel = ConversationPanel(conversation, project)
 
-            scrollableConversationPanel.addMouseWheelListener {
-                isUserScrolling = true
-            }
-
-            conversation.addPropertyChangeListener {
-                if (it.propertyName == "messages") {
-                    SwingUtilities.invokeLater {
-                        isUserScrolling = false
-                        conversationPanel.update(conversation)
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
-            conversation.addMessage(Message(Role.ASSISTANT, "Hello! How can I help you?"))
-        }
 
         @OptIn(DelicateCoroutinesApi::class)
         fun getContent() = BorderLayoutPanel().apply {
@@ -145,7 +111,7 @@ class ConversationWindowFactory : ToolWindowFactory {
                 }
             })
 
-            addToCenter(scrollableConversationPanel)
+            addToCenter(conversationPanel.scrollableContainer)
 
             addToBottom(BorderLayoutPanel().apply {
                 addToCenter(JPanel(BorderLayout()).apply {