diff --git a/internal/database/handlers.go b/internal/database/handlers.go
index 37bbd22..ea8ab27 100644
--- a/internal/database/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/database/handlers.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"errors"
 	"io/fs"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"time"
@@ -349,9 +350,46 @@ func GetAdmin(db *sql.DB, username string) (Admin, error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func BanIp(db *sql.DB, ip string, reason string, expiration time.Time) error {
+func BanIp(db *sql.DB, ipHash string, reason string, expiration time.Time) error {
+	log.Printf("IP: %s, reason: %s, expiration: %v", ipHash, reason, expiration)
+	// if the ban already exists for ip, only update if its greater than existing
 	_, err := db.Exec(`
 		INSERT INTO bans (ip_hash, reason, expiration)
-		VALUES (?, ?, ?)`, ip, reason, expiration)
+		VALUES (?, ?, ?)
+		ON CONFLICT(ip_hash) DO UPDATE SET
+			reason = excluded.reason,
+			expiration = excluded.expiration
+		WHERE excluded.expiration > bans.expiration
+	`, ipHash, reason, expiration)
 	return err
 }
+
+var ErrBanNotFound = errors.New("ban not found")
+
+func GetBan(db *sql.DB, ip string) (Ban, error) {
+	row := db.QueryRow(`
+		SELECT ip_hash, reason, expiration 
+		FROM bans
+		where ip_hash = ?`, ip)
+
+	var r Ban
+	err := row.Scan(&r.IpHash, &r.Reason, &r.Expiration)
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
+			return Ban{}, ErrBanNotFound
+		}
+		return Ban{}, err
+	}
+
+	if time.Now().After(r.Expiration) {
+		_, err := db.Exec(`
+			DELETE FROM bans
+			WHERE ip_hash = ?`, ip)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Ban{}, err
+		}
+		return Ban{}, ErrBanNotFound
+	}
+
+	return r, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/database/models.go b/internal/database/models.go
index c99d897..3f5c402 100644
--- a/internal/database/models.go
+++ b/internal/database/models.go
@@ -34,3 +34,9 @@ type Admin struct {
 	Username string
 	Password string
 }
+
+type Ban struct {
+	IpHash     string
+	Reason     string
+	Expiration time.Time
+}
diff --git a/internal/database/seed.sql b/internal/database/seed.sql
index 25b1174..578a1bc 100644
--- a/internal/database/seed.sql
+++ b/internal/database/seed.sql
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS admins (
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS bans (
     id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
-    ip_hash TEXT NOT NULL,
+    ip_hash TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     reason TEXT NOT NULL,
     expiration DATETIME NOT NULL 
 );
diff --git a/internal/util/cooldowns.go b/internal/util/cooldowns.go
index addf4ee..5cf965e 100644
--- a/internal/util/cooldowns.go
+++ b/internal/util/cooldowns.go
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ const POST_COOLDOWN = 15 * time.Second
 
 const THREAD_COOLDOWN = 2 * time.Minute
 
-func GetRemainingCooldown(ip string, m map[string]time.Time, duration time.Duration) time.Duration {
+func GetRemainingCooldown(ipHash string, m map[string]time.Time, duration time.Duration) time.Duration {
 	CooldownMutex.RLock()
-	last, exists := m[ip]
+	last, exists := m[ipHash]
 	CooldownMutex.RUnlock()
 	if !exists {
 		return 0
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ func GetRemainingCooldown(ip string, m map[string]time.Time, duration time.Durat
 	return duration - time.Since(last)
 }
 
-func BeginCooldown(ip string, m map[string]time.Time, duration time.Duration) {
+func BeginCooldown(ipHash string, m map[string]time.Time, duration time.Duration) {
 	CooldownMutex.Lock()
 	defer CooldownMutex.Unlock()
 
-	last, exists := m[ip]
+	last, exists := m[ipHash]
 	if !exists || time.Since(last) >= duration {
-		m[ip] = time.Now()
+		m[ipHash] = time.Now()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/web/main.go b/web/main.go
index 60ea8f7..5712cef 100644
--- a/web/main.go
+++ b/web/main.go
@@ -49,14 +49,6 @@ func disableCacheInDevMode(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func SumUniquePostIps(posts []database.Post) int {
-	uniqueIpHashes := map[string]bool{}
-	for _, post := range posts {
-		uniqueIpHashes[post.IpHash] = true
-	}
-	return len(uniqueIpHashes)
-}
-
 func isAdmin(r *http.Request) bool {
 	if util.DevMode {
 		return true
@@ -159,10 +151,25 @@ func main() {
 	// CREATE THREAD
 	r.Post("/{slug}/threads", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		slug := chi.URLParam(r, "slug")
-		ip := util.GetIP(r)
+		ipHash := util.HashIp(util.GetIP(r))
+
+		// guard banned ips
+		ban, err := database.GetBan(db, ipHash)
+		if err != nil {
+			if !errors.Is(err, database.ErrBanNotFound) {
+				http.Error(w, "Failed to get ban", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				return
+			}
+		} else {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("You are banned until: %s. Reason: %s",
+				ban.Expiration.Format("2006-01-02 15:04"),
+				ban.Reason)
+			http.Error(w, msg, http.StatusForbidden)
+			return
+		}
 
 		// check cooldown
-		timeRemaining := util.GetRemainingCooldown(ip, util.ThreadCooldowns, util.THREAD_COOLDOWN)
+		timeRemaining := util.GetRemainingCooldown(ipHash, util.ThreadCooldowns, util.THREAD_COOLDOWN)
 		if timeRemaining > 0 && !isAdmin(r) {
 			response := fmt.Sprintf("Please wait %.0f seconds", timeRemaining.Seconds())
 			io.Copy(io.Discard, r.Body)
@@ -240,14 +247,14 @@ func main() {
 			return
 		}
 
-		threadId, err := database.PutThread(db, slug, subject, body, savedMediaPath, savedThumbPath, util.HashIp(ip))
+		threadId, err := database.PutThread(db, slug, subject, body, savedMediaPath, savedThumbPath, ipHash)
 		if err != nil {
 			http.Error(w, "Failed to create thread", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 			log.Printf("PutThread: %v", err)
 			return
 		}
 
-		util.BeginCooldown(ip, util.ThreadCooldowns, util.THREAD_COOLDOWN)
+		util.BeginCooldown(ipHash, util.ThreadCooldowns, util.THREAD_COOLDOWN)
 
 		// Check if it's an HTMX request
 		redirectUrl := fmt.Sprintf("/%s/threads/%d", slug, threadId)
@@ -262,10 +269,25 @@ func main() {
 	// CREATE POST
 	r.Post("/{slug}/threads/{threadId}", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		slug := chi.URLParam(r, "slug")
-		ip := util.GetIP(r)
+		ipHash := util.HashIp(util.GetIP(r))
+
+		// guard banned ips
+		ban, err := database.GetBan(db, ipHash)
+		if err != nil {
+			if !errors.Is(err, database.ErrBanNotFound) {
+				http.Error(w, "Failed to get ban", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				return
+			}
+		} else {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("You are banned until: %s. Reason: %s",
+				ban.Expiration.Format("2006-01-02 15:04"),
+				ban.Reason)
+			http.Error(w, msg, http.StatusForbidden)
+			return
+		}
 
 		// check cooldown
-		timeRemaining := util.GetRemainingCooldown(ip, util.PostCooldowns, util.POST_COOLDOWN)
+		timeRemaining := util.GetRemainingCooldown(ipHash, util.PostCooldowns, util.POST_COOLDOWN)
 		if timeRemaining > 0 && !isAdmin(r) {
 			response := fmt.Sprintf("Please wait %.0f seconds", timeRemaining.Seconds())
 			io.Copy(io.Discard, r.Body)
@@ -352,13 +374,13 @@ func main() {
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := database.PutPost(db, slug, threadId, body, mediaPath, thumbPath, util.HashIp(ip)); err != nil {
+		if err := database.PutPost(db, slug, threadId, body, mediaPath, thumbPath, ipHash); err != nil {
 			http.Error(w, "Failed to create post", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 			log.Printf("PutPost: %v", err)
 			return
 		}
 
-		util.BeginCooldown(ip, util.PostCooldowns, util.POST_COOLDOWN)
+		util.BeginCooldown(ipHash, util.PostCooldowns, util.POST_COOLDOWN)
 	})
 
 	// -----------------
@@ -393,6 +415,11 @@ func main() {
 				return
 			}
 
+			uniqueIpHashes := map[string]bool{}
+			for _, post := range posts {
+				uniqueIpHashes[post.IpHash] = true
+			}
+
 			previews = append(previews, views.CatalogThreadPreview{
 				Subject:    thread.Subject,
 				Body:       op.Body,
@@ -400,7 +427,7 @@ func main() {
 				ThreadURL:  fmt.Sprintf("/%s/threads/%d", slug, thread.Id),
 				ThumbPath:  op.ThumbPath,
 				ReplyCount: len(posts),
-				IpCount:    SumUniquePostIps(posts),
+				IpCount:    len(uniqueIpHashes),
 			})
 		}
 
diff --git a/web/static/index.js b/web/static/index.js
index 01628af..d9f2584 100644
--- a/web/static/index.js
+++ b/web/static/index.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function smoothScrollTo(loc) {
 }
 
 function isHttpWarningStatus(code) {
-    const warningStatuses = [429, 400, 413];
+    const warningStatuses = [429, 400, 413, 403];
     return warningStatuses.includes(code);
 }