diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Models/Messages.swift b/nirvana-ios/Models/Messages.swift
index 8dc5d24..07c37ed 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Models/Messages.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Models/Messages.swift
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import Foundation
 import FirebaseFirestoreSwift
 
 struct Messages: Identifiable, Codable {
-    @DocumentID var id: String?
+    @DocumentID var id: String? = UUID().uuidString
     var senderId: String
     var receiverId: String
     
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Models/User.swift b/nirvana-ios/Models/User.swift
index c9582c9..2d0e5b6 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Models/User.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Models/User.swift
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import Foundation
 import FirebaseFirestoreSwift
 
 struct User: Identifiable, Codable {
-    @DocumentID var id: String?
+    @DocumentID var id: String? = UUID().uuidString
     var firstName: String?
     var lastName: String?
     var phoneNumber: String?
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Views/PhoneVerification/PhoneVerificationViewModel.swift b/nirvana-ios/Views/PhoneVerification/PhoneVerificationViewModel.swift
index 30aa775..e7ed51b 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Views/PhoneVerification/PhoneVerificationViewModel.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Views/PhoneVerification/PhoneVerificationViewModel.swift
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ final class PhoneVerificationViewModel : ObservableObject  {
         print("user that was received from get: \(user?.id)")
         
         if user == nil {// if empty, create user - 1 result set cost..prolly higher cost
-            let newOrExistingUser = User(id: userId, phoneNumber: phoneNumber)
-            firestoreService.createUser(user: newOrExistingUser)
+            print("creating new user with id: \(userId)")
+            let newUser = User(id: userId, phoneNumber: phoneNumber)
+            firestoreService.createUser(user: newUser)
         } else { // if not, change last logged in value
             // assign to nil so that server can fill it in
             user!.lastLoggedInTimestamp = nil