diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index c1c616d..a04dac1 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include <sys/file.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 
-double db_layout = 2.2;
+double db_layout = 2.3;
 
 
 int db_upgrade(d_char **error);
@@ -913,50 +913,6 @@ void timeline_admire(snac *snac, char *id, char *admirer, int like)
 }
 
 
-int timeline_hide(snac *snac, char *id, int hide)
-/* hides/unhides a timeline entry */
-{
-    int ret = 0;
-    xs *fn = _timeline_find_fn(snac, id);
-    FILE *f;
-
-    if (fn != NULL && (f = fopen(fn, "r")) != NULL) {
-        xs *s1   = xs_readall(f);
-        xs *msg  = xs_json_loads(s1);
-        xs *meta = xs_dup(xs_dict_get(msg, "_snac"));
-        xs *hdn  = xs_val_new(hide ? XSTYPE_TRUE : XSTYPE_FALSE);
-        char *p, *v;
-
-        fclose(f);
-
-        /* if it's already in this hidden state, we're done */
-        if ((v = xs_dict_get(meta, "hidden")) && xs_type(v) == xs_type(hdn))
-            return ret;
-
-        meta = xs_dict_set(meta, "hidden", hdn);
-        msg  = xs_dict_set(msg,  "_snac",  meta);
-
-        if ((f = fopen(fn, "w")) != NULL) {
-            xs *j1 = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
-
-            fwrite(j1, strlen(j1), 1, f);
-            fclose(f);
-
-            snac_debug(snac, 1, xs_fmt("timeline_hide %d %s", hide, id));
-
-            /* now hide the children */
-            p = xs_dict_get(meta, "children");
-            while (xs_list_iter(&p, &v))
-                timeline_hide(snac, v, hide);
-
-            ret = 1;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return ret;
-}
-
-
 d_char *_following_fn(snac *snac, char *actor)
 {
     xs *md5 = xs_md5_hex(actor, strlen(actor));
@@ -1109,7 +1065,7 @@ int is_muted(snac *snac, char *actor)
 d_char *_hidden_fn(snac *snac, const char *id)
 {
     xs *md5 = xs_md5_hex(id, strlen(id));
-    return xs_fmt("%s/hidden/%s.json", snac->basedir, md5);
+    return xs_fmt("%s/hidden/%s", snac->basedir, md5);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index 2743be9..624b6e7 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ d_char *html_entry(snac *snac, d_char *os, char *msg, xs_set *seen, int local, i
     xs *s = xs_str_new(NULL);
 
     /* top wrap */
-    if ((v = xs_dict_get(meta, "hidden")) && xs_type(v) == XSTYPE_TRUE)
+    if (is_hidden(snac, id))
         s = xs_str_cat(s, "<div style=\"display: none\">\n");
     else
         s = xs_str_cat(s, "<div>\n");
@@ -1300,7 +1300,7 @@ int html_post_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path, d_char *payload, int p_size,
         }
         else
         if (strcmp(action, L("Hide")) == 0) {
-            timeline_hide(&snac, id, 1);
+            hide(&snac, id);
         }
         else
         if (strcmp(action, L("Follow")) == 0) {
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 565d357..6edf50c 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ d_char *timeline_get(snac *snac, char *fn);
 d_char *timeline_list(snac *snac, int max);
 int timeline_add(snac *snac, char *id, char *o_msg, char *parent, char *referrer);
 void timeline_admire(snac *snac, char *id, char *admirer, int like);
-int timeline_hide(snac *snac, char *id, int hide);
 
 d_char *local_list(snac *snac, int max);
 
diff --git a/upgrade.c b/upgrade.c
index d5e5f0c..2473803 100644
--- a/upgrade.c
+++ b/upgrade.c
@@ -74,6 +74,25 @@ int db_upgrade(d_char **error)
 
             nf = 2.2;
         }
+        else
+        if (f < 2.3) {
+            xs *users = user_list();
+            char *p, *v;
+
+            p = users;
+            while (xs_list_iter(&p, &v)) {
+                snac snac;
+
+                if (user_open(&snac, v)) {
+                    xs *dir = xs_fmt("%s/hidden", snac.basedir);
+
+                    mkdir(dir, 0755);
+                    user_free(&snac);
+                }
+            }
+
+            nf = 2.3;
+        }
 
         if (f < nf) {
             f          = nf;
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index f2543bb..bf457b2 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ int adduser(char *uid)
     }
 
     const char *dirs[] = {
-        "followers", "following", "local", "muted",
+        "followers", "following", "local", "muted", "hidden",
         "queue", "static", "timeline", "history", NULL };
     int n;