diff --git a/protocol/messenger.go b/protocol/messenger.go
index ac0a5245c..a2ae5b8aa 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger.go
@@ -3097,6 +3097,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) RemovePushNotificationServer(ctx context.Context, publicKey
 
 // UnregisterFromPushNotifications unregister from any server
 func (m *Messenger) UnregisterFromPushNotifications(ctx context.Context) error {
+
 	return m.pushNotificationClient.Unregister()
 }
 
diff --git a/protocol/pushnotificationclient/client.go b/protocol/pushnotificationclient/client.go
index d83e91f2d..b737d3355 100644
--- a/protocol/pushnotificationclient/client.go
+++ b/protocol/pushnotificationclient/client.go
@@ -180,7 +180,11 @@ func (c *Client) Start() error {
 
 	c.subscribeForSentMessages()
 	c.subscribeForScheduledMessages()
+
+	// We start even if push notifications are disabled, as we might
+	// actually be sending an unregister message
 	c.startRegistrationLoop()
+
 	c.startResendingLoop()
 
 	return nil
@@ -198,6 +202,8 @@ func (c *Client) Unregister() error {
 	// stop registration loop
 	c.stopRegistrationLoop()
 
+	c.config.RemoteNotificationsEnabled = false
+
 	registration := c.buildPushNotificationUnregisterMessage()
 	err := c.saveLastPushNotificationRegistration(registration, nil)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -246,6 +252,11 @@ func (c *Client) Reregister(contactIDs []*ecdsa.PublicKey, mutedChatIDs []string
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if !c.config.RemoteNotificationsEnabled {
+		c.config.Logger.Info("remote notifications not enabled, not registering")
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	return c.Register(c.deviceToken, c.apnTopic, c.tokenType, contactIDs, mutedChatIDs)
 }
 
@@ -254,6 +265,8 @@ func (c *Client) Register(deviceToken, apnTopic string, tokenType protobuf.PushN
 	// stop registration loop
 	c.stopRegistrationLoop()
 
+	c.config.RemoteNotificationsEnabled = true
+
 	// reset servers
 	err := c.resetServers()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -441,7 +454,7 @@ func (c *Client) DisableSending() {
 func (c *Client) EnablePushNotificationsFromContactsOnly(contactIDs []*ecdsa.PublicKey, mutedChatIDs []string) error {
 	c.config.Logger.Debug("enabling push notification from contacts only")
 	c.config.AllowFromContactsOnly = true
-	if c.lastPushNotificationRegistration != nil {
+	if c.lastPushNotificationRegistration != nil && c.config.RemoteNotificationsEnabled {
 		c.config.Logger.Debug("re-registering after enabling push notifications from contacts only")
 		return c.Register(c.deviceToken, c.apnTopic, c.tokenType, contactIDs, mutedChatIDs)
 	}
@@ -451,7 +464,7 @@ func (c *Client) EnablePushNotificationsFromContactsOnly(contactIDs []*ecdsa.Pub
 func (c *Client) DisablePushNotificationsFromContactsOnly(contactIDs []*ecdsa.PublicKey, mutedChatIDs []string) error {
 	c.config.Logger.Debug("disabling push notification from contacts only")
 	c.config.AllowFromContactsOnly = false
-	if c.lastPushNotificationRegistration != nil {
+	if c.lastPushNotificationRegistration != nil && c.config.RemoteNotificationsEnabled {
 		c.config.Logger.Debug("re-registering after disabling push notifications from contacts only")
 		return c.Register(c.deviceToken, c.apnTopic, c.tokenType, contactIDs, mutedChatIDs)
 	}
@@ -1211,7 +1224,6 @@ func (c *Client) saveLastPushNotificationRegistration(registration *protobuf.Pus
 	c.lastPushNotificationRegistration = registration
 	c.lastContactIDs = contactIDs
 
-	c.startRegistrationLoop()
 	return nil
 }