diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/LiveNowSidebar.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/LiveNowSidebar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ec2afe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/LiveNowSidebar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react"
+import { Link } from "@tanstack/react-router"
+import { Radio, X } from "lucide-react"
+
+const DISMISS_KEY = "linsa_live_dismissed"
+const DISMISS_DURATION_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000 // 30 minutes
+
+interface LiveNowSidebarProps {
+  /** Don't show on the nikiv page itself */
+  currentUsername?: string
+}
+
+export function LiveNowSidebar({ currentUsername }: LiveNowSidebarProps) {
+  const [isLive, setIsLive] = useState(false)
+  const [isDismissed, setIsDismissed] = useState(true) // Start hidden to avoid flash
+
+  // Check if dismissed
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const stored = localStorage.getItem(DISMISS_KEY)
+    if (stored) {
+      const dismissedAt = parseInt(stored, 10)
+      if (Date.now() - dismissedAt < DISMISS_DURATION_MS) {
+        setIsDismissed(true)
+        return
+      }
+    }
+    setIsDismissed(false)
+  }, [])
+
+  // Check live status
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const checkLiveStatus = async () => {
+      try {
+        const response = await fetch("/api/check-hls")
+        if (response.ok) {
+          const data = await response.json()
+          setIsLive(Boolean(data.isLive))
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Ignore errors
+      }
+    }
+
+    checkLiveStatus()
+    const interval = setInterval(checkLiveStatus, 30000)
+    return () => clearInterval(interval)
+  }, [])
+
+  const handleDismiss = (e: React.MouseEvent) => {
+    e.preventDefault()
+    e.stopPropagation()
+    localStorage.setItem(DISMISS_KEY, Date.now().toString())
+    setIsDismissed(true)
+  }
+
+  // Don't show if not live, dismissed, or already on nikiv's page
+  if (!isLive || isDismissed || currentUsername === "nikiv") {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed right-6 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 z-20 hidden md:block">
+      <Link
+        to="/nikiv"
+        className="block p-4 bg-black/80 backdrop-blur-xl border border-white/10 rounded-2xl hover:border-red-500/50 transition-all group relative"
+      >
+        {/* Dismiss button */}
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={handleDismiss}
+          className="absolute -top-2 -right-2 p-1 bg-black/80 border border-white/10 rounded-full text-white/50 hover:text-white hover:border-white/30 transition-colors"
+          aria-label="Dismiss"
+        >
+          <X className="w-3 h-3" />
+        </button>
+
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mb-3">
+          <div className="relative">
+            <Radio className="w-4 h-4 text-red-500" />
+            <span className="absolute -top-1 -right-1 w-2 h-2 bg-red-500 rounded-full animate-pulse" />
+          </div>
+          <span className="text-xs font-medium text-red-400 uppercase tracking-wide">Live Now</span>
+        </div>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+          <img
+            src="https://nikiv.dev/nikiv.jpg"
+            alt="nikiv"
+            className="w-12 h-12 rounded-full border-2 border-red-500/50 group-hover:border-red-500 transition-colors"
+          />
+          <div>
+            <p className="font-semibold text-white">nikiv</p>
+            <p className="text-xs text-white/60">Streaming now</p>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </Link>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/packages/web/src/routes/$username.tsx b/packages/web/src/routes/$username.tsx
index 603e29a4..e8abfbe3 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/routes/$username.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/routes/$username.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { getStreamByUsername, type StreamPageData } from "@/lib/stream/db"
 import { VideoPlayer } from "@/components/VideoPlayer"
 import { CloudflareStreamPlayer } from "@/components/CloudflareStreamPlayer"
 import { WebRTCPlayer } from "@/components/WebRTCPlayer"
+import { LiveNowSidebar } from "@/components/LiveNowSidebar"
 import { resolveStreamPlayback } from "@/lib/stream/playback"
 import { JazzProvider } from "@/lib/jazz/provider"
 import { ViewerCount } from "@/components/ViewerCount"
@@ -140,56 +141,34 @@ function StreamPage() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     let isActive = true
-    const setReadySafe = (ready: boolean) => {
-      if (isActive) {
-        setStreamReady(ready)
-      }
-    }
-    const setDataSafe = (next: StreamPageData | null) => {
-      if (isActive) {
-        setData(next)
-      }
-    }
-    const setLoadingSafe = (next: boolean) => {
-      if (isActive) {
-        setLoading(next)
-      }
-    }
-    const setErrorSafe = (next: string | null) => {
-      if (isActive) {
-        setError(next)
-      }
-    }
-    const setWebRtcFailedSafe = (next: boolean) => {
-      if (isActive) {
-        setWebRtcFailed(next)
-      }
-    }
-
-    setReadySafe(false)
-    setWebRtcFailedSafe(false)
 
     // Special handling for nikiv - hardcoded stream
     if (username === "nikiv") {
-      setDataSafe(NIKIV_DATA)
-      setLoadingSafe(false)
-
+      setData(NIKIV_DATA)
+      setLoading(false)
       return () => {
         isActive = false
       }
     }
 
     const loadData = async () => {
-      setLoadingSafe(true)
-      setErrorSafe(null)
+      if (!isActive) return
+      setLoading(true)
+      setError(null)
       try {
         const result = await getStreamByUsername(username)
-        setDataSafe(result)
+        if (isActive) {
+          setData(result)
+        }
       } catch (err) {
-        setErrorSafe("Failed to load stream")
-        console.error(err)
+        if (isActive) {
+          setError("Failed to load stream")
+          console.error(err)
+        }
       } finally {
-        setLoadingSafe(false)
+        if (isActive) {
+          setLoading(false)
+        }
       }
     }
     loadData()
@@ -537,6 +516,7 @@ function StreamPage() {
 
   return (
     <JazzProvider>
+      <LiveNowSidebar currentUsername={username} />
       <div className="h-screen w-screen bg-black flex flex-col md:flex-row">
         {/* Main content area */}
         <div className="flex-1 relative min-h-0">
diff --git a/packages/web/src/routes/index.tsx b/packages/web/src/routes/index.tsx
index 2366e3a9..03e64b84 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/routes/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/routes/index.tsx
@@ -1,72 +1,21 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, type FormEvent } from "react"
 import { createFileRoute, Link } from "@tanstack/react-router"
 import { ShaderBackground } from "@/components/ShaderBackground"
+import { LiveNowSidebar } from "@/components/LiveNowSidebar"
 import { authClient } from "@/lib/auth-client"
 import { useAccount } from "jazz-tools/react"
 import { ViewerAccount, type SavedUrl } from "@/lib/jazz/schema"
 import { JazzProvider } from "@/lib/jazz/provider"
-import { Link2, Plus, Trash2, ExternalLink, Video, Settings, LogOut, Radio } from "lucide-react"
+import { Link2, Plus, Trash2, ExternalLink, Video, Settings, LogOut } from "lucide-react"
 
 // Feature flag: only this email can access stream features
 const STREAM_ENABLED_EMAIL = "nikita@nikiv.dev"
 
-function LiveNowSidebar({ isLive }: { isLive: boolean }) {
-  if (!isLive) return null
-
-  return (
-    <div className="fixed right-6 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 z-20">
-      <Link
-        to="/nikiv"
-        className="block p-4 bg-black/80 backdrop-blur-xl border border-white/10 rounded-2xl hover:border-red-500/50 transition-all group"
-      >
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mb-3">
-          <div className="relative">
-            <Radio className="w-4 h-4 text-red-500" />
-            <span className="absolute -top-1 -right-1 w-2 h-2 bg-red-500 rounded-full animate-pulse" />
-          </div>
-          <span className="text-xs font-medium text-red-400 uppercase tracking-wide">Live Now</span>
-        </div>
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-          <img
-            src="https://nikiv.dev/nikiv.jpg"
-            alt="nikiv"
-            className="w-12 h-12 rounded-full border-2 border-red-500/50 group-hover:border-red-500 transition-colors"
-          />
-          <div>
-            <p className="font-semibold text-white">nikiv</p>
-            <p className="text-xs text-white/60">Streaming now</p>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </Link>
-    </div>
-  )
-}
-
 function LandingPage() {
-  const [isLive, setIsLive] = useState(false)
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const checkLiveStatus = async () => {
-      try {
-        const response = await fetch("/api/stream-status")
-        if (response.ok) {
-          const data = await response.json()
-          setIsLive(Boolean(data.isLive))
-        }
-      } catch {
-        // Ignore errors, just don't show live indicator
-      }
-    }
-
-    checkLiveStatus()
-    const interval = setInterval(checkLiveStatus, 30000) // Check every 30s
-    return () => clearInterval(interval)
-  }, [])
-
   return (
     <div className="relative min-h-screen overflow-hidden bg-black text-white">
       <ShaderBackground />
-      <LiveNowSidebar isLive={isLive} />
+      <LiveNowSidebar />
 
       {/* Hero Section */}
       <div className="relative z-10 flex min-h-screen flex-col items-center justify-center">