diff --git a/components/banners.js b/components/banners.js
index 5b45526b..3527d474 100644
--- a/components/banners.js
+++ b/components/banners.js
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ export default function WelcomeBanner () {
     }
   })
   useEffect(() => {
-    setHidden(me?.hideWelcomeBanner || (!me && window.localStorage.getItem('hideWelcomeBanner')))
-  }, [me?.hideWelcomeBanner])
+    setHidden(me?.privates?.hideWelcomeBanner || (!me && window.localStorage.getItem('hideWelcomeBanner')))
+  }, [me?.privates?.hideWelcomeBanner])
 
   if (hidden) return
 
diff --git a/components/comment.js b/components/comment.js
index 04e7d536..9955efe6 100644
--- a/components/comment.js
+++ b/components/comment.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export default function Comment ({
 }) {
   const [edit, setEdit] = useState()
   const me = useMe()
-  const isHiddenFreebie = !me?.wildWestMode && !me?.greeterMode && !item.mine && item.freebie && item.wvotes <= 0
+  const isHiddenFreebie = !me?.privates?.wildWestMode && !me?.privates?.greeterMode && !item.mine && item.freebie && item.wvotes <= 0
   const [collapse, setCollapse] = useState(
     isHiddenFreebie || item?.user?.meMute
       ? 'yep'
diff --git a/components/discussion-form.js b/components/discussion-form.js
index 5ef05bf7..d2c29997 100644
--- a/components/discussion-form.js
+++ b/components/discussion-form.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export function DiscussionForm ({
       initial={{
         title: item?.title || shareTitle || '',
         text: item?.text || '',
-        crosspost: me?.nostrCrossposting,
+        crosspost: me?.privates?.nostrCrossposting,
         ...AdvPostInitial({ forward: normalizeForwards(item?.forwards), boost: item?.boost }),
         ...SubSelectInitial({ sub: item?.subName || sub?.name })
       }}
diff --git a/components/fee-button.js b/components/fee-button.js
index 35c8ed61..1096fbfc 100644
--- a/components/fee-button.js
+++ b/components/fee-button.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ export default function FeeButton ({ ChildButton = SubmitButton, variant, text,
   // freebies: there's only a base cost, it's less than 10, and we have less than 10 sats
   const free = total === lines.baseCost?.modifier(0) &&
     total <= FREEBIE_BASE_COST_THRESHOLD &&
-    me?.sats < FREEBIE_BASE_COST_THRESHOLD
+    me?.privates?.sats < FREEBIE_BASE_COST_THRESHOLD
   const feeText = free
     ? 'free'
     : total > 1
diff --git a/components/header.js b/components/header.js
index 255a04ef..1c0cf5b0 100644
--- a/components/header.js
+++ b/components/header.js
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ import { clearNotifications } from '../lib/badge'
 
 function WalletSummary ({ me }) {
   if (!me) return null
-  if (me.hideWalletBalance) {
+  if (me.privates?.hideWalletBalance) {
     return <HiddenWalletSummary abbreviate fixedWidth />
   }
-  return `${abbrNum(me.sats)}`
+  return `${abbrNum(me.privates?.sats)}`
 }
 
 function Back () {
diff --git a/components/hidden-wallet-summary.js b/components/hidden-wallet-summary.js
index c28cba2b..161f03b3 100644
--- a/components/hidden-wallet-summary.js
+++ b/components/hidden-wallet-summary.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export default function HiddenWalletSummary ({ abbreviate, fixedWidth }) {
       ref={ref} style={{ width: fixedWidth ? width : undefined }}
       className='d-inline-block text-monospace' align='right' onPointerEnter={() => setHover(true)} onPointerLeave={() => setHover(false)}
     >
-      {hover ? (abbreviate ? abbrNum(me.sats) : numWithUnits(me.sats, { abbreviate: false, format: true })) : '******'}
+      {hover ? (abbreviate ? abbrNum(me.privates?.sats) : numWithUnits(me.privates?.sats, { abbreviate: false, format: true })) : '******'}
     </span>
   )
 }
diff --git a/components/image.js b/components/image.js
index c896fd58..695f4a33 100644
--- a/components/image.js
+++ b/components/image.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function ImageOriginal ({ src, topLevel, nofollow, tab, children, onClick, ...pr
   const [showImage, setShowImage] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (me?.imgproxyOnly && tab !== 'preview') return
+    if (me?.privates?.imgproxyOnly && tab !== 'preview') return
     // make sure it's not a false negative by trying to load URL as <img>
     const img = new window.Image()
     img.onload = () => setShowImage(true)
diff --git a/components/item-act.js b/components/item-act.js
index d249074d..62881551 100644
--- a/components/item-act.js
+++ b/components/item-act.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default function ItemAct ({ onClose, itemId, act, down, strike }) {
   return (
     <Form
       initial={{
-        amount: me?.tipDefault || defaultTips[0],
+        amount: me?.privates?.tipDefault || defaultTips[0],
         default: false
       }}
       schema={amountSchema}
diff --git a/components/logger.js b/components/logger.js
index 22a09f69..26a28fd8 100644
--- a/components/logger.js
+++ b/components/logger.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export function LoggerProvider ({ children }) {
 
   const log = useCallback(level => {
     return async (message, context) => {
-      if (!me || !me.diagnostics) return
+      if (!me || !me.privates?.diagnostics) return
       const env = {
         userAgent: window.navigator.userAgent,
         // os may not be initialized yet
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export function LoggerProvider ({ children }) {
         body: JSON.stringify(body)
       }).catch(console.error)
     }
-  }, [me?.diagnostics, name, os])
+  }, [me?.privates?.diagnostics, name, os])
 
   const logger = useMemo(() => ({
     info: log('info'),
diff --git a/components/me.js b/components/me.js
index 0db92c86..d3d61fae 100644
--- a/components/me.js
+++ b/components/me.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useContext, useMemo } from 'react'
+import React, { useContext } from 'react'
 import { useQuery } from '@apollo/client'
 import { ME } from '../fragments/users'
 import { SSR } from '../lib/constants'
@@ -9,22 +9,14 @@ export const MeContext = React.createContext({
 
 export function MeProvider ({ me, children }) {
   const { data } = useQuery(ME, SSR ? {} : { pollInterval: 1000, nextFetchPolicy: 'cache-and-network' })
-  const futureMe = data?.me || me
-
-  const contextValue = useMemo(() => ({
-    me: futureMe
-      ? { ...futureMe, ...futureMe.privates, ...futureMe.optional }
-      : null
-  }), [me, data])
 
   return (
-    <MeContext.Provider value={contextValue}>
+    <MeContext.Provider value={data?.me || me}>
       {children}
     </MeContext.Provider>
   )
 }
 
 export function useMe () {
-  const { me } = useContext(MeContext)
-  return me
+  return useContext(MeContext)
 }
diff --git a/components/price.js b/components/price.js
index 98eb8da8..1cce362b 100644
--- a/components/price.js
+++ b/components/price.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function usePrice () {
 
 export function PriceProvider ({ price, children }) {
   const me = useMe()
-  const fiatCurrency = me?.fiatCurrency
+  const fiatCurrency = me?.privates?.fiatCurrency
   const { data } = useQuery(PRICE, {
     variables: { fiatCurrency },
     ...(SSR
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export function PriceProvider ({ price, children }) {
   const contextValue = useMemo(() => ({
     price: data?.price || price,
     fiatSymbol: CURRENCY_SYMBOLS[fiatCurrency] || '$'
-  }), [data?.price, price, me?.fiatCurrency])
+  }), [data?.price, price, me?.privates?.fiatCurrency])
 
   return (
     <PriceContext.Provider value={contextValue}>
diff --git a/components/upvote.js b/components/upvote.js
index 960b55fa..61987ebd 100644
--- a/components/upvote.js
+++ b/components/upvote.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const UpvotePopover = ({ target, show, handleClose }) => {
           <button type='button' className='btn-close' onClick={handleClose}><span className='visually-hidden-focusable'>Close alert</span></button>
         </Popover.Header>
         <Popover.Body>
-          <div className='mb-2'>Press the bolt again to zap {me?.tipDefault || 1} more sat{me?.tipDefault > 1 ? 's' : ''}.</div>
+          <div className='mb-2'>Press the bolt again to zap {me?.privates?.tipDefault || 1} more sat{me?.privates?.tipDefault > 1 ? 's' : ''}.</div>
           <div>Repeatedly press the bolt to zap more sats.</div>
         </Popover.Body>
       </Popover>
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export default function UpVote ({ item, className, pendingSats, setPendingSats }
     if (!me) return
 
     // if they haven't seen the walkthrough and they have sats
-    if (yes && !me.upvotePopover && me.sats) {
+    if (yes && !me.privates?.upvotePopover && me.privates?.sats) {
       _setVoteShow(true)
     }
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export default function UpVote ({ item, className, pendingSats, setPendingSats }
     if (!me) return
 
     // if we want to show it, yet we still haven't shown
-    if (yes && !me.tipPopover && me.sats) {
+    if (yes && !me.privates?.tipPopover && me.privates?.sats) {
       _setTipShow(true)
     }
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ export default function UpVote ({ item, className, pendingSats, setPendingSats }
             },
             meSats: me
               ? (existingSats = 0) => {
-                  if (sats <= me.sats) {
+                  if (sats <= me.privates?.sats) {
                     if (existingSats === 0) {
                       setVoteShow(true)
                     } else {
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ export default function UpVote ({ item, className, pendingSats, setPendingSats }
     const meSats = (item?.meSats || item?.meAnonSats || 0) + pendingSats
 
     // what should our next tip be?
-    let sats = me?.tipDefault || 1
-    if (me?.turboTipping) {
+    let sats = me?.privates?.tipDefault || 1
+    if (me?.privates?.turboTipping) {
       let raiseTip = sats
       while (meSats >= raiseTip) {
         raiseTip *= 10
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export default function UpVote ({ item, className, pendingSats, setPendingSats }
     }
 
     return [meSats, sats, me ? numWithUnits(sats, { abbreviate: false }) : 'zap it', getColor(meSats)]
-  }, [item?.meSats, item?.meAnonSats, pendingSats, me?.tipDefault, me?.turboDefault])
+  }, [item?.meSats, item?.meAnonSats, pendingSats, me?.privates?.tipDefault, me?.privates?.turboDefault])
 
   return (
     <LightningConsumer>
diff --git a/lib/apollo.js b/lib/apollo.js
index ce82d9e8..dbd39ae8 100644
--- a/lib/apollo.js
+++ b/lib/apollo.js
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ function getClient (uri) {
     cache: new InMemoryCache({
       freezeResults: true,
       typePolicies: {
+        User: {
+          // https://www.apollographql.com/docs/react/caching/cache-field-behavior/#merging-non-normalized-objects
+          fields: {
+            privates: {
+              merge: true
+            },
+            optional: {
+              merge: true
+            }
+          }
+        },
         Query: {
           fields: {
             sub: {
diff --git a/pages/settings.js b/pages/settings.js
index 8bee79a2..7aeb54e7 100644
--- a/pages/settings.js
+++ b/pages/settings.js
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ export default function Settings ({ ssrData }) {
             name='hideBookmarks'
             groupClassName='mb-0'
           />
-          {me.isContributor &&
+          {me.optional?.isContributor &&
             <Checkbox
               label={<>hide that I'm a stacker.news contributor</>}
               name='hideIsContributor'
diff --git a/pages/wallet.js b/pages/wallet.js
index 57216017..11e68374 100644
--- a/pages/wallet.js
+++ b/pages/wallet.js
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ function YouHaveSats () {
     <h2 className={`${me ? 'visible' : 'invisible'} text-success`}>
       you have{' '}
       <span className='text-monospace'>{me && (
-        me.hideWalletBalance
+        me.privates?.hideWalletBalance
           ? <HiddenWalletSummary />
-          : numWithUnits(me.sats, { abbreviate: false, format: true })
+          : numWithUnits(me.privates?.sats, { abbreviate: false, format: true })
       )}
       </span>
     </h2>
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ export function InvWithdrawal () {
 
   const [createWithdrawl, { called, error }] = useMutation(CREATE_WITHDRAWL)
 
-  const maxFeeDefault = me?.withdrawMaxFeeDefault
+  const maxFeeDefault = me?.privates?.withdrawMaxFeeDefault
 
   useEffect(() => {
     async function effect () {
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ export function InvWithdrawal () {
         const provider = await requestProvider()
         const { paymentRequest: invoice } = await provider.makeInvoice({
           defaultMemo: `Withdrawal for @${me.name} on SN`,
-          maximumAmount: Math.max(me.sats - maxFeeDefault, 0)
+          maximumAmount: Math.max(me.privates?.sats - maxFeeDefault, 0)
         })
         const { data } = await createWithdrawl({ variables: { invoice, maxFee: maxFeeDefault } })
         router.push(`/withdrawals/${data.createWithdrawl.id}`)
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ export function LnAddrWithdrawal () {
   const defaultOptions = { min: 1 }
   const [addrOptions, setAddrOptions] = useState(defaultOptions)
   const [formSchema, setFormSchema] = useState(lnAddrSchema())
-  const maxFeeDefault = me?.withdrawMaxFeeDefault
+  const maxFeeDefault = me?.privates?.withdrawMaxFeeDefault
 
   const onAddrChange = useDebounceCallback(async (formik, e) => {
     if (!e?.target?.value) {
diff --git a/pages/withdrawals/[id].js b/pages/withdrawals/[id].js
index 9c4d0bde..37e2fea2 100644
--- a/pages/withdrawals/[id].js
+++ b/pages/withdrawals/[id].js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function PrivacyOption ({ wd }) {
   if (!oldEnough) {
     return (
       <span className='text-muted fst-italic'>
-        {`this invoice ${me.autoDropBolt11s ? 'will be auto-deleted' : 'can be deleted'} in ${timeLeft(keepUntil)}`}
+        {`this invoice ${me.privates?.autoDropBolt11s ? 'will be auto-deleted' : 'can be deleted'} in ${timeLeft(keepUntil)}`}
       </span>
     )
   }