diff --git a/gui/common.ml b/gui/common.ml
index 8fc249703..964c5be0c 100644
--- a/gui/common.ml
+++ b/gui/common.ml
@@ -167,3 +167,34 @@ let hide_codemirror () : unit =
 
 let show_codemirror () : unit =
   Js.Unsafe.fun_call (Js.Unsafe.js_expr "showCodeMirror") [||]
+
+module Hooked = struct
+  type 'a t = {
+    value: 'a ref;
+    hooks: ('a -> unit) list ref;
+    eq: 'a -> 'a -> bool;
+    signal: 'a React.signal;
+    set_signal: ?step:React.step -> 'a -> unit;
+  }
+
+  let make ?(eq : 'a -> 'a -> bool = ( = )) (a : 'a) : 'a t =
+    let signal, set_signal = React.S.create a in
+    { value = ref a; hooks = ref []; eq; signal; set_signal }
+
+  let register hooked f = hooked.hooks := f :: !(hooked.hooks)
+  let v hooked = !(hooked.value)
+
+  let set hooked value =
+    if not (hooked.eq value !(hooked.value)) then (
+      List.iter (fun f -> f value) !(hooked.hooks);
+      hooked.value := value;
+      hooked.set_signal value
+    )
+
+  let create hooked f =
+    let new_hooked = make (f (v hooked)) in
+    register hooked (fun value -> set new_hooked (f value));
+    new_hooked
+
+  let to_signal hooked = hooked.signal
+end
diff --git a/gui/common.mli b/gui/common.mli
index af81a3868..ff2f162ed 100644
--- a/gui/common.mli
+++ b/gui/common.mli
@@ -43,3 +43,20 @@ val children_value :
 
 val hide_codemirror : unit -> unit
 val show_codemirror : unit -> unit
+
+(** Attach hooks to a value, called when value changes
+ *
+ * Can be used to imitate the React signals logic, but avoiding to be "GC'ed" *)
+module Hooked : sig
+  type 'a t
+
+  val make : ?eq:('a -> 'a -> bool) -> 'a -> 'a t
+  val register : 'a t -> ('a -> unit) -> unit
+  val v : 'a t -> 'a
+  val set : 'a t -> 'a -> unit
+
+  val create : 'a t -> ('a -> 'b) -> 'b t
+  (** Create new hooked built on changes of this one, mimicking the propagation of the signal *)
+
+  val to_signal : 'a t -> 'a React.signal
+end
diff --git a/gui/dune b/gui/dune
index c5844b67b..4081f4ca1 100644
--- a/gui/dune
+++ b/gui/dune
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 (library
  (name kappa_js_lib)
  (modules Common)
- (libraries js_of_ocaml-lwt)
+ (libraries js_of_ocaml-lwt lwt_react)
  (preprocess
   (pps js_of_ocaml-ppx tyxml-ppx))
  (flags :standard -w +a -open Js_of_ocaml))
diff --git a/gui/panel_settings.ml b/gui/panel_settings.ml
index adad0c905..d98612cc6 100644
--- a/gui/panel_settings.ml
+++ b/gui/panel_settings.ml
@@ -178,21 +178,18 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
   let message_nav_inc_id = "panel_settings_message_nav_inc_id"
   let message_nav_dec_id = "panel_settings_message_nav_dec_id"
   let message_file_label_id = "panel_settings_message_file_label"
-  let error_index, set_error_index = React.S.create None
-
-  let dont_gc_me =
-    React.S.l1
-      (function
-        | [] -> ()
-        | _ :: _ ->
-          (match React.S.value error_index with
-          | None -> set_error_index (Some 0)
-          | Some _ -> ()))
-      State_error.errors
+  let error_index = Common.Hooked.make None
+
+  let () =
+    Common.Hooked.register State_error.errors (function
+      | [] -> ()
+      | _ :: _ ->
+        (match Common.Hooked.v error_index with
+        | None -> Common.Hooked.set error_index (Some 0)
+        | Some _ -> ()))
 
   (* if there are less or no errors the index needs to be updated *)
   let sanitize_index (index : int option) errors : int option =
-    let () = ignore dont_gc_me in
     match index, errors with
     | None, [] -> None
     | None, _ :: _ -> Some 0
@@ -200,11 +197,11 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
     | Some index, error ->
       let length = List.length error in
       if index > length then (
-        let () = set_error_index (Some 0) in
+        let () = Common.Hooked.set error_index (Some 0) in
         Some 0
       ) else if 0 > index then (
         let index = Some (List.length error - 1) in
-        let () = set_error_index index in
+        let () = Common.Hooked.set error_index index in
         index
       ) else
         Some index
@@ -214,7 +211,7 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
       (fun n -> Some (List.nth errors n))
       (sanitize_index index errors)
 
-  let mesage_nav_text =
+  let message_nav_text =
     React.S.l2
       (fun index error ->
         match index, error with
@@ -223,11 +220,12 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
         | None, _ :: _ -> ""
         | Some index, (_ :: _ as errors) ->
           Format.sprintf "%d/%d" (index + 1) (List.length errors))
-      error_index State_error.errors
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal error_index)
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal State_error.errors)
 
   let a_class =
     Tyxml_js.R.Html.a_class
-      (React.S.bind State_error.errors (fun error ->
+      (React.S.bind (Common.Hooked.to_signal State_error.errors) (fun error ->
            React.S.const
              (match error with
              | [] | [ _ ] -> [ "hide" ]
@@ -240,7 +238,7 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
     Html.span ~a:[ Html.a_id message_nav_inc_id; a_class ] [ Html.txt " » " ]
 
   let message_nav =
-    [ message_nav_dec; Tyxml_js.R.Html.txt mesage_nav_text; message_nav_inc ]
+    [ message_nav_dec; Tyxml_js.R.Html.txt message_nav_text; message_nav_inc ]
 
   let file_label_text =
     React.S.l2
@@ -253,7 +251,8 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
         match range with
         | None -> ""
         | Some range -> Format.sprintf "[%s]" range.Loc.file)
-      error_index State_error.errors
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal error_index)
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal State_error.errors)
 
   let file_label =
     Html.span
@@ -270,7 +269,8 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
         match get_message index error with
         | None -> ""
         | Some message -> Format.sprintf " %s " message.Result_util.text)
-      error_index State_error.errors
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal error_index)
+      (Common.Hooked.to_signal State_error.errors)
 
   let error_message =
     Html.span
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
         [
           Html.a_id id;
           Tyxml_js.R.Html.a_class
-            (React.S.bind State_error.errors (fun error ->
+            (React.S.bind (Common.Hooked.to_signal State_error.errors)
+               (fun error ->
                  React.S.const
                    (match error with
                    | [] -> [ "alert-sm"; "alert" ]
@@ -302,8 +303,8 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
             let () = Common.debug (Js.string "file_click_handler") in
             let message : Api_types_t.message option =
               get_message
-                (React.S.value error_index)
-                (React.S.value State_error.errors)
+                (Common.Hooked.v error_index)
+                (Common.Hooked.v State_error.errors)
             in
             let range =
               Option_util.bind
@@ -326,14 +327,14 @@ module DivErrorMessage : Ui_common.Div = struct
             let () = Common.debug (Js.string "index_click_handler") in
             let index : int option =
               sanitize_index
-                (React.S.value error_index)
-                (React.S.value State_error.errors)
+                (Common.Hooked.v error_index)
+                (Common.Hooked.v State_error.errors)
             in
             let index = Option_util.map delta index in
             let index : int option =
-              sanitize_index index (React.S.value State_error.errors)
+              sanitize_index index (Common.Hooked.v State_error.errors)
             in
-            let () = set_error_index index in
+            let () = Common.Hooked.set error_index index in
             Js._true)
     in
     ()
diff --git a/gui/state_error.ml b/gui/state_error.ml
index 4d31bf40e..a74b39dec 100644
--- a/gui/state_error.ml
+++ b/gui/state_error.ml
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ type t = {
   _state_error_location: string;
 }
 
-let state_error, set_state_error = React.S.create ([] : t list)
+let state_error = Common.Hooked.make []
+
+(* TODO clean this *)
+(* TODO: move hook logic into a dedicated module *)
+let set_state_error state_error_new =
+  Common.Hooked.set state_error state_error_new
 
 let clear_errors location =
   let () =
@@ -22,7 +27,7 @@ let clear_errors location =
   set_state_error []
 
 let has_errors () =
-  match React.S.value state_error with
+  match Common.Hooked.v state_error with
   | [] -> false
   | _ :: _ -> true
 
@@ -36,20 +41,18 @@ let add_error (location : string) (errors : Result_util.message list) =
             (Pp.list Pp.space Result_util.print_message)
             errors))
   in
-  let current_state_error : t list = React.S.value state_error in
+  let current_state_error : t list = Common.Hooked.v state_error in
   let new_state_error : t list =
     { state_error_errors = errors; _state_error_location = location }
     :: current_state_error
   in
   set_state_error new_state_error
 
-let errors : Result_util.message list React.signal =
-  React.S.map
-    (fun (state_error : t list) ->
+let errors : Result_util.message list Common.Hooked.t =
+  Common.Hooked.create state_error (fun state_error ->
       List.fold_left
         (fun acc value -> value.state_error_errors @ acc)
         [] state_error)
-    state_error
 
 let wrap :
       'a. ?append:bool -> string -> 'a Api.result Lwt.t -> 'a Api.result Lwt.t =
diff --git a/gui/state_error.mli b/gui/state_error.mli
index 897648011..33311bb1c 100644
--- a/gui/state_error.mli
+++ b/gui/state_error.mli
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ val set_errors : append:bool -> string -> Api_types_j.errors -> unit
 val has_errors : unit -> bool
 (** Return true if errors are present. *)
 
-val errors : Result_util.message list React.signal
+val errors : Result_util.message list Common.Hooked.t
 (** Signal containing the error. *)
 
 val add_error : string -> Result_util.message list -> unit
diff --git a/gui/subpanel_editor.ml b/gui/subpanel_editor.ml
index f47af30d3..9363db4bc 100644
--- a/gui/subpanel_editor.ml
+++ b/gui/subpanel_editor.ml
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ let content () =
         [ textarea ];
     ]
 
-let error_lint errors : Codemirror.lint Js.t Js.js_array Js.t =
+let error_lint (errors : Result_util.message list) :
+    Codemirror.lint Js.t Js.js_array Js.t =
   let position p = new%js Codemirror.position (p.Loc.line - 1) p.Loc.chr in
   let hydrate (error : Api_types_j.message) : lint Js.t option =
     match error.Result_util.range with
@@ -117,8 +118,6 @@ let error_lint errors : Codemirror.lint Js.t Js.js_array Js.t =
             | Some value -> value :: acc)
           [] errors))
 
-let setup_lint _ _ _ = error_lint (React.S.value State_error.errors)
-
 (* http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10575343/codemirror-is-it-possible-to-scroll-to-a-line-so-that-it-is-in-the-middle-of-w *)
 let jump_to_line (codemirror : codemirror Js.t) (line : int) : unit =
   let position : position Js.t = new%js Codemirror.position line 0 in
@@ -133,12 +132,14 @@ let jump_to_line (codemirror : codemirror Js.t) (line : int) : unit =
   let () = codemirror##scrollTo Js.null (Js.some scrollLine) in
   ()
 
-let dont_gc_me_signals = ref []
-
 let onload () : unit =
   let () = Menu_editor_file.onload () in
   let lint_config = Codemirror.create_lint_configuration () in
-  let () = lint_config##.getAnnotations := setup_lint in
+  let () =
+    Common.Hooked.register State_error.errors (fun errors ->
+        let setup_lint _ _ _ = error_lint errors in
+        lint_config##.getAnnotations := setup_lint)
+  in
   let () = lint_config##.lintOnChange := Js._false in
   let configuration = Codemirror.default_configuration in
   let gutter_options =
@@ -231,8 +232,8 @@ let onload () : unit =
            Js._true)
   in
   let () =
-    dont_gc_me_signals :=
-      [ React.S.map (fun _ -> codemirror##performLint) State_error.errors ]
+    Common.Hooked.register State_error.errors (fun _errors ->
+        codemirror##performLint)
   in
   let () =
     State_file.register_refresh_file_hook (fun refresh ->