diff --git a/src/nav.rs b/src/nav.rs
index 11536f0..d278400 100644
--- a/src/nav.rs
+++ b/src/nav.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
 use egui_nav::{Nav, NavAction};
 
 pub fn render_nav(show_postbox: bool, col: usize, app: &mut Damus, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
+    // TODO(jb55): clean up this router_mut mess by using Router<R> in egui-nav directly
     let nav_response = Nav::new(app.columns().column(col).router().routes().clone())
         .navigating(app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().navigating)
         .returning(app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().returning)
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ pub fn render_nav(show_postbox: bool, col: usize, app: &mut Damus, ui: &mut egui
     }
 
     if let Some(NavAction::Returned) = nav_response.action {
-        let r = app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().go_back();
+        let r = app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().pop();
         if let Some(Route::Timeline(TimelineRoute::Thread(id))) = r {
             thread_unsubscribe(
                 &app.ndb,
@@ -77,7 +78,6 @@ pub fn render_nav(show_postbox: bool, col: usize, app: &mut Damus, ui: &mut egui
                 id.bytes(),
             );
         }
-        app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().returning = false;
     } else if let Some(NavAction::Navigated) = nav_response.action {
         app.columns_mut().column_mut(col).router_mut().navigating = false;
     }
diff --git a/src/route.rs b/src/route.rs
index 6be6fc3..2f2f33b 100644
--- a/src/route.rs
+++ b/src/route.rs
@@ -72,10 +72,21 @@ impl<R: Clone> Router<R> {
         self.routes.push(route);
     }
 
+    /// Go back, start the returning process
     pub fn go_back(&mut self) -> Option<R> {
+        if self.returning || self.routes.len() == 1 {
+            return None;
+        }
+        self.returning = true;
+        self.routes.get(self.routes.len() - 2).cloned()
+    }
+
+    /// Pop a route, should only be called on a NavRespose::Returned reseponse
+    pub fn pop(&mut self) -> Option<R> {
         if self.routes.len() == 1 {
             return None;
         }
+        self.returning = false;
         self.routes.pop()
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/side_panel.rs b/src/ui/side_panel.rs
index c5c5c8a..8d3a02d 100644
--- a/src/ui/side_panel.rs
+++ b/src/ui/side_panel.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use egui::{Button, Layout, SidePanel, Vec2, Widget};
 
 use crate::{
+    account_manager::AccountsRoute,
     column::Column,
     route::{Route, Router},
     ui::profile_preview_controller,
@@ -89,8 +90,16 @@ impl<'a> DesktopSidePanel<'a> {
         match action {
             SidePanelAction::Panel => {} // TODO
             SidePanelAction::Account => {
-                router.route_to(Route::accounts());
-                //app.show_account_switcher = !app.show_account_switcher,
+                if router
+                    .routes()
+                    .iter()
+                    .any(|&r| r == Route::Accounts(AccountsRoute::Accounts))
+                {
+                    // return if we are already routing to accounts
+                    router.go_back();
+                } else {
+                    router.route_to(Route::accounts());
+                }
             }
             SidePanelAction::Settings => {} // TODO
             SidePanelAction::Columns => (), // TODO