diff --git a/public/call.html b/public/call.html
index 5fc7c49..b22dd0d 100644
--- a/public/call.html
+++ b/public/call.html
@@ -364,30 +364,11 @@
                         },
                     });
 
-                    // get call hash from response
-                    const hash = response.data.hash;
+                    // get audio call from response
+                    const audioCall = response.data.audio_call;
 
                     // join call
-                    const maxJoinAttempts = 15;
-                    for(var i = 0; i < maxJoinAttempts; i++){
-                        try {
-
-                            // wait 1 second before attempting to join call
-                            await new Promise((resolve, reject) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
-
-                            // attempt to join call
-                            await this.joinCall(hash);
-
-                            // success, we no longer need to attempt to join
-                            return;
-
-                        } catch(e) {
-                            console.log(e);
-                        }
-                    }
-
-                    // failed to join call
-                    alert("timed out attempting to join call");
+                    await this.joinCall(audioCall.hash);
 
                 } catch(e) {
 
diff --git a/src/audio_call_manager.py b/src/audio_call_manager.py
index 2ebb713..b277099 100644
--- a/src/audio_call_manager.py
+++ b/src/audio_call_manager.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class AudioCallManager:
         return None
 
     # attempts to initiate a call to the provided destination and returns the link hash on success
-    async def initiate(self, destination_hash: bytes, timeout_seconds: int = 15) -> bytes:
+    async def initiate(self, destination_hash: bytes, timeout_seconds: int = 15) -> AudioCall:
 
         # determine when to timeout
         timeout_after_seconds = time.time() + timeout_seconds
@@ -177,9 +177,6 @@ class AudioCallManager:
         # create link
         link = RNS.Link(server_destination)
 
-        # register link state callbacks
-        link.set_link_established_callback(self.on_link_established)
-
         # wait until we have established a link, or give up after the configured timeout
         while link.status is not RNS.Link.ACTIVE and time.time() < timeout_after_seconds:
             await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
@@ -188,19 +185,17 @@ class AudioCallManager:
         if link.status is not RNS.Link.ACTIVE:
             raise CallFailedException("Could not establish link to destination.")
 
-        return link.hash
-
-    def on_link_established(self, link: RNS.Link):
-
-        # todo: this can be optional, it's only being sent by default for ui, can be removed
-        link.identify(self.identity)
-
-        # create audio call
+        # link is now established, create audio call
         audio_call = AudioCall(link, is_outbound=True)
 
         # handle new outgoing call
         self.handle_outgoing_call(audio_call)
 
+        # todo: this can be optional, it's only being sent by default for ui, can be removed
+        link.identify(self.identity)
+
+        return audio_call
+
 
 class AudioCallReceiver:
 
diff --git a/web.py b/web.py
index 787ef81..84d605f 100644
--- a/web.py
+++ b/web.py
@@ -260,9 +260,9 @@ class ReticulumWebChat:
             # initiate audio call
             try:
 
-                link_hash = await self.audio_call_manager.initiate(destination_hash, timeout_seconds)
+                audio_call = await self.audio_call_manager.initiate(destination_hash, timeout_seconds)
                 return web.json_response({
-                    "hash": link_hash.hex(),
+                    "audio_call": self.convert_audio_call_to_dict(audio_call),
                 })
 
             except Exception as e: