diff --git a/protocol/contact.go b/protocol/contact.go
index 4ff957738..c1ea43896 100644
--- a/protocol/contact.go
+++ b/protocol/contact.go
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ func (c Contact) PublicKey() (*ecdsa.PublicKey, error) {
 
 func (c *Contact) Block() {
 	c.Blocked = true
+	c.Added = false
 }
 
 func (c *Contact) Unblock() {
diff --git a/protocol/messenger.go b/protocol/messenger.go
index 9efcb65de..15ce09cb4 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger.go
@@ -3270,6 +3270,9 @@ func (m *Messenger) handleRetrievedMessages(chatWithMessages map[transport.Filte
 	// Hydrate chat alias and identicon
 	for id := range messageState.Response.chats {
 		chat, _ := messageState.AllChats.Load(id)
+		if chat == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		if chat.OneToOne() {
 			contact, ok := m.allContacts.Load(chat.ID)
 			if ok {
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_backup.go b/protocol/messenger_backup.go
index 1553c5b52..b09bc0982 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_backup.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_backup.go
@@ -108,10 +108,11 @@ func (m *Messenger) BackupData(ctx context.Context) (uint64, error) {
 		}
 
 		_, err = m.dispatchMessage(ctx, common.RawMessage{
-			LocalChatID:    chat.ID,
-			Payload:        encodedMessage,
-			SkipEncryption: true,
-			MessageType:    protobuf.ApplicationMetadataMessage_BACKUP,
+			LocalChatID:         chat.ID,
+			Payload:             encodedMessage,
+			SkipEncryption:      true,
+			SendOnPersonalTopic: true,
+			MessageType:         protobuf.ApplicationMetadataMessage_BACKUP,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return 0, err
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_backup_test.go b/protocol/messenger_backup_test.go
index 78bdc5b8a..9e87ce086 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_backup_test.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_backup_test.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func (s *MessengerBackupSuite) TestBackupContactsGreaterThanBatch() {
 	_, err = bob2.Start()
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	// Create 2 contacts
+	// Create contacts
 
 	for i := 0; i < BackupContactsPerBatch*2; i++ {
 
@@ -270,3 +270,117 @@ func (s *MessengerBackupSuite) TestBackupRemovedContact() {
 	s.Require().NotEmpty(lastBackup)
 	s.Require().Equal(clock, lastBackup)
 }
+
+func (s *MessengerBackupSuite) TestBackupLocalNickname() {
+	bob1 := s.m
+	// Create bob2
+	bob2, err := newMessengerWithKey(s.shh, bob1.identity, s.logger, nil)
+	nickname := "don van vliet"
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	_, err = bob2.Start()
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Set contact nickname
+
+	contact1Key, err := crypto.GenerateKey()
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	contactID1 := types.EncodeHex(crypto.FromECDSAPub(&contact1Key.PublicKey))
+
+	_, err = bob1.SetContactLocalNickname(&requests.SetContactLocalNickname{ID: types.Hex2Bytes(contactID1), Nickname: nickname})
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Backup
+
+	clock, err := bob1.BackupData(context.Background())
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Safety check
+	s.Require().Len(bob2.Contacts(), 0)
+
+	var actualContact *Contact
+	// Wait for the message to reach its destination
+	_, err = WaitOnMessengerResponse(
+		bob2,
+		func(r *MessengerResponse) bool {
+			_, err := s.m.RetrieveAll()
+			if err != nil {
+				s.logger.Info("Failed")
+				return false
+			}
+
+			for _, c := range bob2.Contacts() {
+				if c.ID == contactID1 {
+					actualContact = c
+					return true
+				}
+			}
+			return false
+
+		},
+		"contacts not backed up",
+	)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	s.Require().Equal(actualContact.LocalNickname, nickname)
+	lastBackup, err := bob1.lastBackup()
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	s.Require().NotEmpty(lastBackup)
+	s.Require().Equal(clock, lastBackup)
+}
+
+func (s *MessengerBackupSuite) TestBackupBlockedContacts() {
+	bob1 := s.m
+	// Create bob2
+	bob2, err := newMessengerWithKey(s.shh, bob1.identity, s.logger, nil)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	_, err = bob2.Start()
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Create contact
+	contact1Key, err := crypto.GenerateKey()
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	contactID1 := types.EncodeHex(crypto.FromECDSAPub(&contact1Key.PublicKey))
+
+	_, err = bob1.AddContact(context.Background(), &requests.AddContact{ID: types.Hex2Bytes(contactID1)})
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Backup
+	_, err = bob1.BackupData(context.Background())
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Safety check
+	s.Require().Len(bob2.Contacts(), 0)
+
+	// Wait for the message to reach its destination
+	_, err = WaitOnMessengerResponse(
+		bob2,
+		func(r *MessengerResponse) bool {
+			return len(bob2.Contacts()) >= 1
+		},
+		"contacts not backed up",
+	)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	s.Require().Len(bob2.AddedContacts(), 1)
+
+	actualContacts := bob2.AddedContacts()
+	s.Require().Equal(actualContacts[0].ID, contactID1)
+
+	_, err = bob1.BlockContact(contactID1)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Backup
+	_, err = bob1.BackupData(context.Background())
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+
+	// Wait for the message to reach its destination
+	_, err = WaitOnMessengerResponse(
+		bob2,
+		func(r *MessengerResponse) bool {
+			return len(bob2.BlockedContacts()) == 1
+
+		},
+		"blocked contact not received",
+	)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	s.Require().Len(bob2.BlockedContacts(), 1)
+}
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_chats.go b/protocol/messenger_chats.go
index d2e03ab32..ee5db1d98 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_chats.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_chats.go
@@ -257,6 +257,32 @@ func (m *Messenger) CreateOneToOneChat(request *requests.CreateOneToOneChat) (*M
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	response := &MessengerResponse{}
+
+	ensName := request.ENSName
+	if ensName != "" {
+		clock := m.getTimesource().GetCurrentTime()
+		err := m.ensVerifier.ENSVerified(chatID, ensName, clock)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		contact, ok := m.allContacts.Load(chatID)
+		if !ok {
+			var err error
+			contact, err = buildContactFromPkString(chatID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		contact.Name = ensName
+		contact.ENSVerified = true
+		err = m.persistence.SaveContact(contact, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		response.Contacts = []*Contact{contact}
+	}
+
 	chat, ok := m.allChats.Load(chatID)
 	if !ok {
 		chat = CreateOneToOneChat(chatID, pk, m.getTimesource())
@@ -271,7 +297,6 @@ func (m *Messenger) CreateOneToOneChat(request *requests.CreateOneToOneChat) (*M
 	// TODO(Samyoul) remove storing of an updated reference pointer?
 	m.allChats.Store(chatID, chat)
 
-	response := &MessengerResponse{}
 	response.AddChat(chat)
 
 	willSync, err := m.scheduleSyncFilters(filters)
@@ -291,7 +316,6 @@ func (m *Messenger) CreateOneToOneChat(request *requests.CreateOneToOneChat) (*M
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return response, nil
-
 }
 
 func (m *Messenger) DeleteChat(chatID string) error {
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_contacts.go b/protocol/messenger_contacts.go
index 0ca8fdf90..ccabfb295 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_contacts.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_contacts.go
@@ -226,6 +226,17 @@ func (m *Messenger) AddedContacts() []*Contact {
 	return contacts
 }
 
+func (m *Messenger) BlockedContacts() []*Contact {
+	var contacts []*Contact
+	m.allContacts.Range(func(contactID string, contact *Contact) (shouldContinue bool) {
+		if contact.Blocked {
+			contacts = append(contacts, contact)
+		}
+		return true
+	})
+	return contacts
+}
+
 // GetContactByID assumes pubKey includes 0x prefix
 func (m *Messenger) GetContactByID(pubKey string) *Contact {
 	contact, _ := m.allContacts.Load(pubKey)
@@ -263,6 +274,8 @@ func (m *Messenger) SetContactLocalNickname(request *requests.SetContactLocalNic
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	m.allContacts.Store(contact.ID, contact)
+
 	response := &MessengerResponse{}
 	response.Contacts = []*Contact{contact}
 
@@ -274,7 +287,16 @@ func (m *Messenger) SetContactLocalNickname(request *requests.SetContactLocalNic
 	return response, nil
 }
 
-func (m *Messenger) BlockContact(contact *Contact) ([]*Chat, error) {
+func (m *Messenger) BlockContact(contactID string) ([]*Chat, error) {
+	contact, ok := m.allContacts.Load(contactID)
+	if !ok {
+		var err error
+		contact, err = buildContactFromPkString(contactID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+	}
 	contact.Block()
 	contact.LastUpdatedLocally = m.getTimesource().GetCurrentTime()
 
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_handler.go b/protocol/messenger_handler.go
index 855cbf0d6..7c07cd967 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_handler.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_handler.go
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) HandleSyncInstallationContact(state *ReceivedMessageState, m
 	if !ok && (message.Added || message.Muted) && !removedOrBlcoked {
 		pubKey, err := common.HexToPubkey(message.Id)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil
+			return err
 		}
 
 		chat = OneToOneFromPublicKey(pubKey, state.Timesource)
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) HandleSyncInstallationContact(state *ReceivedMessageState, m
 			contact.Name = message.EnsName
 			publicKey, err := contact.PublicKey()
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil
+				return err
 			}
 
 			err = m.ENSVerified(common.PubkeyToHex(publicKey), message.EnsName)
@@ -343,7 +343,8 @@ func (m *Messenger) HandleSyncInstallationContact(state *ReceivedMessageState, m
 
 		if message.Blocked != contact.Blocked {
 			if message.Blocked {
-				chats, err := m.BlockContact(contact)
+				state.AllContacts.Store(contact.ID, contact)
+				chats, err := m.BlockContact(contact.ID)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -380,7 +381,6 @@ func (m *Messenger) HandleSyncInstallationContact(state *ReceivedMessageState, m
 	}
 
 	if chat != nil {
-		// TODO(samyoul) remove storing of an updated reference pointer?
 		state.AllChats.Store(chat.ID, chat)
 	}
 
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go b/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
index e65e24271..1737f66f0 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 // tolerance is how many seconds of potentially out-of-order messages we want to fetch
 var tolerance uint32 = 60
 var mailserverRequestTimeout = 45 * time.Second
-var oneMonthInSeconds uint32 = 31 * 24 * 60 * 6
+var oneMonthInSeconds uint32 = 31 * 24 * 60 * 60
 
 func (m *Messenger) shouldSync() (bool, error) {
 	if m.mailserver == nil || !m.online() {
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_test.go b/protocol/messenger_test.go
index cffb991a6..c381d37b1 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_test.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_test.go
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ func (s *MessengerSuite) TestRetrieveBlockedContact() {
 		Blocked:     true,
 	}
 
-	_, err = s.m.BlockContact(&blockedContact)
+	_, err = s.m.BlockContact(blockedContact.ID)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	inputMessage := buildTestMessage(*chat)
@@ -1347,8 +1347,6 @@ func (s *MessengerSuite) TestBlockContact() {
 	_, err := s.m.AddContact(context.Background(), &requests.AddContact{ID: types.Hex2Bytes(contact.ID)})
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	contact.Name = "blocked"
-
 	messages := []*common.Message{
 		{
 			ID:          "test-1",
@@ -1430,7 +1428,7 @@ func (s *MessengerSuite) TestBlockContact() {
 	err = s.m.SaveMessages(messages)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	response, err := s.m.BlockContact(&contact)
+	response, err := s.m.BlockContact(contact.ID)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	var actualChat2, actualChat3 *Chat
@@ -1456,7 +1454,6 @@ func (s *MessengerSuite) TestBlockContact() {
 	// The contact is updated
 	savedContacts := s.m.Contacts()
 	s.Require().Equal(1, len(savedContacts))
-	s.Require().Equal("blocked", savedContacts[0].Name)
 
 	// The chat is deleted
 	actualChats := s.m.Chats()
diff --git a/protocol/requests/create_one_to_one_chat.go b/protocol/requests/create_one_to_one_chat.go
index 7ae43bbb8..2f84ab424 100644
--- a/protocol/requests/create_one_to_one_chat.go
+++ b/protocol/requests/create_one_to_one_chat.go
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import (
 var ErrCreateOneToOneChatInvalidID = errors.New("create-one-to-one-chat: invalid id")
 
 type CreateOneToOneChat struct {
-	ID types.HexBytes `json:"id"`
+	ID      types.HexBytes `json:"id"`
+	ENSName string         `json:"ensName"`
 }
 
 func (c *CreateOneToOneChat) Validate() error {
diff --git a/services/ext/api.go b/services/ext/api.go
index 8dd769e53..17985f042 100644
--- a/services/ext/api.go
+++ b/services/ext/api.go
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ func (api *PublicAPI) UnmuteChat(parent context.Context, chatID string) error {
 	return api.service.messenger.UnmuteChat(chatID)
 }
 
-func (api *PublicAPI) BlockContact(parent context.Context, contact *protocol.Contact) ([]*protocol.Chat, error) {
-	api.log.Info("blocking contact", "contact", contact.ID)
-	return api.service.messenger.BlockContact(contact)
+func (api *PublicAPI) BlockContact(parent context.Context, contactID string) ([]*protocol.Chat, error) {
+	api.log.Info("blocking contact", "contact", contactID)
+	return api.service.messenger.BlockContact(contactID)
 }
 
 func (api *PublicAPI) UnblockContact(parent context.Context, contactID string) error {
diff --git a/waku/api.go b/waku/api.go
index c6be44c70..9c6c2206d 100644
--- a/waku/api.go
+++ b/waku/api.go
@@ -484,7 +484,6 @@ func toMessage(messages []*common.ReceivedMessage) []*Message {
 // are received between the last poll and now.
 func (api *PublicWakuAPI) GetFilterMessages(id string) ([]*Message, error) {
 	logger := api.w.logger.With(zap.String("site", "getFilterMessages"), zap.String("filterId", id))
-	logger.Debug("retrieving filter messages")
 	api.mu.Lock()
 	f := api.w.GetFilter(id)
 	if f == nil {