diff --git a/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events.cljs b/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events.cljs
index b830abee67..87a0d5358c 100644
--- a/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events.cljs
@@ -75,20 +75,26 @@
   [{:keys [db]} contacts]
   {:db (assoc db :contacts/contacts (into {} (map #(vector (:public-key %) %) contacts)))})
 
-(rf/defn send-contact-request
-  {:events [:contact.ui/send-contact-request]}
-  [{:keys [db]} id]
+(defn send-contact-request
+  [{:keys [db]} [id message]]
   (when (not= id (get-in db [:profile/profile :public-key]))
-    {:json-rpc/call
-     [{:method      "wakuext_sendContactRequest"
-       :js-response true
-       :params      [{:id id :message (i18n/label :t/add-me-to-your-contacts)}]
-       :on-error    (fn [error]
-                      (log/error "Failed to send contact request"
-                                 {:error error
-                                  :event :contact.ui/send-contact-request
-                                  :id    id}))
-       :on-success  #(rf/dispatch [:transport/message-sent %])}]}))
+    {:fx [[:json-rpc/call
+           [{:method      "wakuext_sendContactRequest"
+             :js-response true
+             :params      [{:id id :message (or message (i18n/label :t/add-me-to-your-contacts))}]
+             :on-error    [:contact.ui/send-contact-request-failure id]
+             :on-success  [:transport/message-sent]}]]]}))
+
+(rf/reg-event-fx :contact.ui/send-contact-request send-contact-request)
+
+(defn send-contact-request-failure
+  [_ [id error]]
+  (log/error "Failed to send contact request"
+             {:error error
+              :event :contact.ui/send-contact-request
+              :id    id}))
+
+(rf/reg-event-fx :contact.ui/send-contact-request-failure send-contact-request-failure)
 
 (rf/defn remove-contact
   "Remove a contact from current account's contact list"
diff --git a/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events_test.cljs b/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events_test.cljs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9cedc3a628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/status_im/contexts/chat/contacts/events_test.cljs
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+(ns status-im.contexts.chat.contacts.events-test
+  (:require
+    [cljs.test :refer [deftest is testing]]
+    matcher-combinators.test
+    [status-im.contexts.chat.contacts.events :as chat.contacts]
+    [utils.i18n :as i18n]))
+
+(deftest send-contact-request-test
+  (testing "creates nothing when attempting send contact request to self"
+    (let [profile-public-key "0x1"
+          cofx               {:db {:profile/profile {:public-key profile-public-key}}}]
+      (is (match? nil (chat.contacts/send-contact-request cofx [profile-public-key])))))
+
+  (testing "creates contact request rpc with default message"
+    (let [profile-public-key "0x1"
+          contact-public-key "0x2"
+          cofx               {:db {:profile/profile {:public-key profile-public-key}}}]
+      (is (match?
+           {:fx [[:json-rpc/call
+                  [{:method      "wakuext_sendContactRequest"
+                    :js-response true
+                    :params      [{:id      contact-public-key
+                                   :message (i18n/label :t/add-me-to-your-contacts)}]
+                    :on-error    [:contact.ui/send-contact-request-failure contact-public-key]
+                    :on-success  [:transport/message-sent]}]]]}
+           (chat.contacts/send-contact-request cofx [contact-public-key])))))
+
+  (testing "creates contact request rpc with custom message"
+    (let [profile-public-key "0x1"
+          contact-public-key "0x2"
+          custom-message     "Hey there!"
+          cofx               {:db {:profile/profile {:public-key profile-public-key}}}]
+      (is (match?
+           {:fx [[:json-rpc/call
+                  [{:method      "wakuext_sendContactRequest"
+                    :js-response true
+                    :params      [{:id      contact-public-key
+                                   :message custom-message}]
+                    :on-error    [:contact.ui/send-contact-request-failure contact-public-key]
+                    :on-success  [:transport/message-sent]}]]]}
+           (chat.contacts/send-contact-request cofx [contact-public-key custom-message]))))))