diff --git a/src/hooks.server.ts b/src/hooks.server.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d810d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks.server.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// src/hooks.server.ts
+import type { Handle } from '@sveltejs/kit';
+import { generateUserId } from '$lib/generateUserId.js';
+
+export const handle: Handle = async ({ event, resolve }) => {
+	const cactoideUserId = event.cookies.get('cactoideUserId');
+	const userId = generateUserId();
+
+	const DAYS = 400; // practical upper bound in many browsers for cookies
+	const MAX_AGE = 60 * 60 * 24 * DAYS;
+	const PATH = '/';
+
+	if (!cactoideUserId) {
+		console.debug(`There is no cactoideUserId cookie, generating new one...`);
+		event.cookies.set('cactoideUserId', userId, { path: PATH, maxAge: MAX_AGE });
+	} else {
+		console.debug(`cactoideUserId: ${cactoideUserId}`);
+		console.debug(`cactoideUserId cookie found, using existing one...`);
+	}
+
+	return resolve(event);
+};
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.server.ts b/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
index 6c78122..04fe472 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,5 @@
-import { generateUserId } from '$lib/generateUserId.js';
-
 export function load({ cookies }) {
 	const cactoideUserId = cookies.get('cactoideUserId');
-	const userId = generateUserId();
-
-	const DAYS = 400; // practical upper bound in many browsers for cookies
-	const MAX_AGE = 60 * 60 * 24 * DAYS;
-	const PATH = '/';
-
-	if (!cactoideUserId) {
-		console.debug(`There is no cactoideUserId cookie, generating new one...`);
-		cookies.set('cactoideUserId', userId, { path: PATH, maxAge: MAX_AGE });
-	} else {
-		console.debug(`cactoideUserId: ${cactoideUserId}`);
-		console.debug(`cactoideUserId cookie found, using existing one...`);
-	}
 
 	return {
 		cactoideUserId