diff --git a/protocol/communities/community.go b/protocol/communities/community.go
index 8cb084474..3f09556cf 100644
--- a/protocol/communities/community.go
+++ b/protocol/communities/community.go
@@ -297,11 +297,13 @@ func (o *Community) RemoveUserFromOrg(pk *ecdsa.PublicKey) (*protobuf.CommunityD
 	return o.config.CommunityDescription, nil
 }
 
+// TODO: this should accept a request from a user to join and perform any validation
 func (o *Community) AcceptRequestToJoin(pk *ecdsa.PublicKey) (*protobuf.CommunityRequestJoinResponse, error) {
 
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
+// TODO: this should decline a request from a user to join
 func (o *Community) DeclineRequestToJoin(pk *ecdsa.PublicKey) (*protobuf.CommunityRequestJoinResponse, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }
@@ -437,10 +439,10 @@ func (o *Community) HandleRequestJoin(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, request *protobuf
 	}
 
 	if len(request.ChatId) != 0 {
-		return o.handleRequestJoinWithChatID(signer, request)
+		return o.handleRequestJoinWithChatID(request)
 	}
 
-	err := o.handleRequestJoinWithoutChatID(signer, request)
+	err := o.handleRequestJoinWithoutChatID(request)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -453,9 +455,8 @@ func (o *Community) IsAdmin() bool {
 	return o.config.PrivateKey != nil
 }
 
-func (o *Community) handleRequestJoinWithChatID(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, request *protobuf.CommunityRequestJoin) error {
+func (o *Community) handleRequestJoinWithChatID(request *protobuf.CommunityRequestJoin) error {
 
-	var chat *protobuf.CommunityChat
 	chat, ok := o.config.CommunityDescription.Chats[request.ChatId]
 
 	if !ok {
@@ -474,7 +475,7 @@ func (o *Community) handleRequestJoinWithChatID(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, request
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (o *Community) handleRequestJoinWithoutChatID(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, request *protobuf.CommunityRequestJoin) error {
+func (o *Community) handleRequestJoinWithoutChatID(request *protobuf.CommunityRequestJoin) error {
 
 	// If they want access to the org only, check that the org is ON_REQUEST
 	if o.config.CommunityDescription.Permissions.Access != protobuf.CommunityPermissions_ON_REQUEST {
diff --git a/protocol/communities/manager.go b/protocol/communities/manager.go
index 788de4c36..8dc195b3e 100644
--- a/protocol/communities/manager.go
+++ b/protocol/communities/manager.go
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ func (m *Manager) HandleCommunityDescriptionMessage(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, des
 	return community, nil
 }
 
+// TODO: Finish implementing this
 func (m *Manager) HandleCommunityInvitation(signer *ecdsa.PublicKey, invitation *protobuf.CommunityInvitation, payload []byte) (*Community, error) {
 	m.logger.Debug("Handling wrapped community description message")
 
diff --git a/protocol/communities/persistence.go b/protocol/communities/persistence.go
index 8d8e83a69..91d6ee18e 100644
--- a/protocol/communities/persistence.go
+++ b/protocol/communities/persistence.go
@@ -28,14 +28,23 @@ func (p *Persistence) SaveCommunity(community *Community) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (p *Persistence) queryCommunities(query string) ([]*Community, error) {
-	var response []*Community
+func (p *Persistence) queryCommunities(query string) (response []*Community, err error) {
 
 	rows, err := p.db.Query(query)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	defer rows.Close()
+
+	defer func() {
+		if err != nil {
+			// Don't shadow original error
+			_ = rows.Close()
+			return
+
+		}
+		err = rows.Close()
+		return
+	}()
 
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var publicKeyBytes, privateKeyBytes, descriptionBytes []byte
diff --git a/protocol/communities_messenger_test.go b/protocol/communities_messenger_test.go
index 17679a174..f6543b537 100644
--- a/protocol/communities_messenger_test.go
+++ b/protocol/communities_messenger_test.go
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) SetupTest() {
 	s.shh = gethbridge.NewGethWakuWrapper(shh)
 	s.Require().NoError(shh.Start(nil))
 
-	s.bob = s.newMessenger(s.shh)
-	s.alice = s.newMessenger(s.shh)
+	s.bob = s.newMessenger()
+	s.alice = s.newMessenger()
 	s.Require().NoError(s.bob.Start())
 	s.Require().NoError(s.alice.Start())
 }
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) newMessengerWithKey(shh types.Waku, privateK
 	return s.newMessengerWithOptions(shh, privateKey, options)
 }
 
-func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) newMessenger(shh types.Waku) *Messenger {
+func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) newMessenger() *Messenger {
 	privateKey, err := crypto.GenerateKey()
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) newMessenger(shh types.Waku) *Messenger {
 }
 
 func (s *MessengerCommunitiesSuite) TestRetrieveCommunity() {
-	alice := s.newMessenger(s.shh)
+	alice := s.newMessenger()
 
 	description := &protobuf.CommunityDescription{
 		Permissions: &protobuf.CommunityPermissions{
diff --git a/protocol/message_handler.go b/protocol/message_handler.go
index d14d29670..405ea494c 100644
--- a/protocol/message_handler.go
+++ b/protocol/message_handler.go
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func (m *MessageHandler) HandleCommunityInvitation(state *ReceivedMessageState,
 }
 
 // HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage handles a wrapped community description
-func (m *MessageHandler) HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage(state *ReceivedMessageState, payload []byte) (*communities.Community, error) {
+func (m *MessageHandler) HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage(payload []byte) (*communities.Community, error) {
 	return m.communitiesManager.HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage(payload)
 }
 
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ func (m *MessageHandler) HandleChatMessage(state *ReceivedMessageState) error {
 	if receivedMessage.ContentType == protobuf.ChatMessage_COMMUNITY {
 		m.logger.Debug("Handling community content type")
 
-		community, err := m.HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage(state, receivedMessage.GetCommunity())
+		community, err := m.HandleWrappedCommunityDescriptionMessage(receivedMessage.GetCommunity())
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}