diff --git a/services/gunDB/contact-api/events.js b/services/gunDB/contact-api/events.js
index 37fc10bb..4429e34b 100644
--- a/services/gunDB/contact-api/events.js
+++ b/services/gunDB/contact-api/events.js
@@ -491,10 +491,14 @@ const processChats = () => {
 
     chats.push(chat)
 
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty-function
-    Streams.onAvatar(() => {}, out.with)
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty-function
-    Streams.onDisplayName(() => {}, out.with)
+    if (typeof pubToAvatar[out.with] === 'undefined') {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty-function
+      Streams.onAvatar(() => {}, out.with)
+    }
+    if (typeof pubToDn[out.with] === 'undefined') {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty-function
+      Streams.onDisplayName(() => {}, out.with)
+    }
   }
 
   currentChats = chats.filter(c => c.messages.length > 0)
diff --git a/services/gunDB/contact-api/streams.js b/services/gunDB/contact-api/streams.js
index 00e7e206..de370a26 100644
--- a/services/gunDB/contact-api/streams.js
+++ b/services/gunDB/contact-api/streams.js
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ const onAvatar = (cb, pub) => {
       .on(av => {
         if (typeof av === 'string' || av === null) {
           pubToAvatar[pub] = av || null
-          notifyAvatarListeners()
+        } else {
+          pubToAvatar[pub] = null
         }
+        notifyAvatarListeners()
       })
   }
   return () => {
@@ -80,8 +82,10 @@ const onDisplayName = (cb, pub) => {
       .on(dn => {
         if (typeof dn === 'string' || dn === null) {
           pubToDisplayName[pub] = dn || null
-          notifyDisplayNameListeners()
+        } else {
+          pubToDisplayName
         }
+        notifyDisplayNameListeners()
       })
   }
   return () => {