diff --git a/server/models/chan.ts b/server/models/chan.ts
index 8fd68ed7..65a4067a 100644
--- a/server/models/chan.ts
+++ b/server/models/chan.ts
@@ -34,19 +34,18 @@ export type FilteredChannel = Chan & {
 };
 
 class Chan {
-	// TODO: don't force existence, figure out how to make TS infer it.
-	id!: number;
-	messages!: Msg[];
-	name!: string;
-	key!: string;
-	topic!: string;
-	firstUnread!: number;
-	unread!: number;
-	highlight!: number;
-	users!: Map<string, User>;
-	muted!: boolean;
-	type!: ChanType;
-	state!: ChanState;
+	id: number;
+	messages: Msg[];
+	name: string;
+	key: string;
+	topic: string;
+	firstUnread: number;
+	unread: number;
+	highlight: number;
+	users: Map<string, User>;
+	muted: boolean;
+	type: ChanType;
+	state: ChanState;
 
 	userAway?: boolean;
 	special?: SpecialChanType;
@@ -56,20 +55,22 @@ class Chan {
 	static optionalProperties = ["userAway", "special", "data", "closed", "num_users"];
 
 	constructor(attr?: Partial<Chan>) {
-		_.defaults(this, attr, {
-			id: 0,
-			messages: [],
-			name: "",
-			key: "",
-			topic: "",
-			type: ChanType.CHANNEL,
-			state: ChanState.PARTED,
-			firstUnread: 0,
-			unread: 0,
-			highlight: 0,
-			users: new Map(),
-			muted: false,
-		});
+		this.id = 0;
+		this.messages = [];
+		this.name = "";
+		this.key = "";
+		this.topic = "";
+		this.type = ChanType.CHANNEL;
+		this.state = ChanState.PARTED;
+		this.firstUnread = 0;
+		this.unread = 0;
+		this.highlight = 0;
+		this.users = new Map();
+		this.muted = false;
+
+		if (attr) {
+			Object.assign(this, attr);
+		}
 	}
 
 	destroy() {