diff --git a/packages/client/src/client.ts b/packages/client/src/client.ts
index ef212368..779f56c5 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/client.ts
@@ -1545,6 +1545,9 @@ export interface TelegramClient extends BaseTelegramClient {
      * Also note that entity maps may contain entities that are not
      * used in this particular update, so do not rely on its contents.
      *
+     * `update` might contain a Message object - in this case,
+     * it should be interpreted as some kind of `updateNewMessage`.
+     *
      * @param update  Update that has just happened
      * @param users  Map of users in this update
      * @param chats  Map of chats in this update
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/add-chat-members.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/add-chat-members.ts
index 1042267b..3c64d5c2 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/add-chat-members.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/add-chat-members.ts
@@ -34,15 +34,16 @@ export async function addChatMembers(
             const p = normalizeToInputUser(await this.resolvePeer(user))
             if (!p) continue
 
-            await this.call({
+            const updates = await this.call({
                 _: 'messages.addChatUser',
                 chatId: input.chatId,
                 userId: p,
                 fwdLimit: forwardCount,
             })
+            this._handleUpdate(updates)
         }
     } else if (input._ === 'inputPeerChannel') {
-        await this.call({
+        const updates = await this.call({
             _: 'channels.inviteToChannel',
             channel: normalizeToInputChannel(chat)!,
             users: await Promise.all(
@@ -52,5 +53,6 @@ export async function addChatMembers(
             ).then((res) => res.filter(Boolean)) as tl.TypeInputUser[],
             fwdLimit: forwardCount,
         })
+        this._handleUpdate(updates)
     } else throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'chat or channel')
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/archive-chats.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/archive-chats.ts
index b6f30fa8..0bca6f6c 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/archive-chats.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/archive-chats.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ export async function archiveChats(
         })
     }
 
-    await this.call({
+    const updates = await this.call({
         _: 'folders.editPeerFolders',
         folderPeers
     })
+    this._handleUpdate(updates)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-channel.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-channel.ts
index 43e7dc91..ce96a303 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-channel.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-channel.ts
@@ -29,5 +29,7 @@ export async function createChannel(
         )
     }
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
+
     return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-group.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-group.ts
index b6796a97..91ed3547 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-group.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-group.ts
@@ -42,5 +42,7 @@ export async function createGroup(
         )
     }
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
+
     return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-supergroup.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-supergroup.ts
index a5300d93..dbcc1b3a 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-supergroup.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/create-supergroup.ts
@@ -28,5 +28,7 @@ export async function createSupergroup(
         )
     }
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
+
     return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-channel.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-channel.ts
index bc96e773..519ec5cd 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-channel.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-channel.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ export async function deleteChannel(this: TelegramClient, chatId: InputPeerLike)
     const peer = normalizeToInputChannel(await this.resolvePeer(chatId))
     if (!peer) throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'channel')
 
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'channels.deleteChannel',
         channel: peer
     })
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-chat-photo.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-chat-photo.ts
index 1fff8afa..94b1a22e 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-chat-photo.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-chat-photo.ts
@@ -21,17 +21,20 @@ export async function deleteChatPhoto(
     if (!(chat._ === 'inputPeerChat' || chat._ === 'inputPeerChannel'))
         throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'chat or channel')
 
+    let res
     if (chat._ === 'inputPeerChat') {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'messages.editChatPhoto',
             chatId: chat.chatId,
             photo: { _: 'inputChatPhotoEmpty' }
         })
     } else {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'channels.editPhoto',
             channel: normalizeToInputChannel(chat)!,
             photo: { _: 'inputChatPhotoEmpty' }
         })
     }
+
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-group.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-group.ts
index 8fdb8a3e..0e7970cf 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-group.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/delete-group.ts
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@ export async function deleteGroup(
     if (chat._ !== 'inputPeerChat')
         throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'chat')
 
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'messages.deleteChatUser',
         revokeHistory: true,
         chatId: chat.chatId,
         userId: { _: 'inputUserSelf' },
     })
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 
     await this.call({
         _: 'messages.deleteChat',
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/join-chat.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/join-chat.ts
index e3611ce3..20b36667 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/join-chat.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/join-chat.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ import {
     MtCuteNotFoundError,
     MtCuteTypeAssertionError,
 } from '../../types'
-import { INVITE_LINK_REGEX, normalizeToInputChannel } from '../../utils/peer-utils'
+import {
+    INVITE_LINK_REGEX,
+    normalizeToInputChannel,
+} from '../../utils/peer-utils'
 
 /**
  * Join a channel or supergroup
@@ -34,6 +37,8 @@ export async function joinChat(
                 )
             }
 
+            this._handleUpdate(res)
+
             return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
         }
     }
@@ -53,5 +58,7 @@ export async function joinChat(
         )
     }
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
+
     return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/leave-chat.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/leave-chat.ts
index 32b4cf78..c2e1a817 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/leave-chat.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/leave-chat.ts
@@ -21,16 +21,18 @@ export async function leaveChat(
     const input = normalizeToInputPeer(chat)
 
     if (input._ === 'inputPeerChannel') {
-        await this.call({
+        const res = await this.call({
             _: 'channels.leaveChannel',
             channel: normalizeToInputChannel(chat)!,
         })
+        this._handleUpdate(res)
     } else if (input._ === 'inputPeerChat') {
-        await this.call({
+        const res = await this.call({
             _: 'messages.deleteChatUser',
             chatId: input.chatId,
             userId: { _: 'inputUserSelf' },
         })
+        this._handleUpdate(res)
 
         if (clear) {
             await this.deleteHistory(input)
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-default-permissions.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-default-permissions.ts
index bcc5bdd7..e1db115e 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-default-permissions.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-default-permissions.ts
@@ -59,5 +59,7 @@ export async function setChatDefaultPermissions(
         )
     }
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
+
     return new Chat(this, res.chats[0])
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-photo.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-photo.ts
index f56aba9a..f2d317ba 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-photo.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-photo.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ export async function setChatPhoto(
 
     if (typeof media === 'string' && media.match(/^https?:\/\//)) {
         throw new MtCuteArgumentError("Chat photo can't be external")
+    } else if (typeof media === 'object' && tl.isAnyInputMedia(media)) {
+        throw new MtCuteArgumentError("Chat photo can't be InputMedia")
     } else if (isUploadedFile(media)) {
         input = media.inputFile
     } else if (typeof media === 'object' && tl.isAnyInputFile(media)) {
@@ -54,17 +56,19 @@ export async function setChatPhoto(
         videoStartTs: previewSec
     }
 
+    let res
     if (chat._ === 'inputPeerChat') {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'messages.editChatPhoto',
             chatId: chat.chatId,
             photo
         })
     } else {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'channels.editPhoto',
             channel: normalizeToInputChannel(chat)!,
             photo
         })
     }
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-title.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-title.ts
index 7b768911..a330a7fb 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-title.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-chat-title.ts
@@ -23,17 +23,19 @@ export async function setChatTitle(
     if (!(chat._ === 'inputPeerChat' || chat._ === 'inputPeerChannel'))
         throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'chat or channel')
 
+    let res
     if (chat._ === 'inputPeerChat') {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'messages.editChatTitle',
             chatId: chat.chatId,
             title
         })
     } else {
-        await this.call({
+        res = await this.call({
             _: 'channels.editTitle',
             channel: normalizeToInputChannel(chat)!,
             title
         })
     }
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-slow-mode.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-slow-mode.ts
index 3ab10386..135d628c 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-slow-mode.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/set-slow-mode.ts
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ export async function setSlowMode(
     const chat = normalizeToInputChannel(await this.resolvePeer(chatId))
     if (!chat) throw new MtCuteInvalidPeerTypeError(chatId, 'channel')
 
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'channels.toggleSlowMode',
         channel: chat,
         seconds
     })
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/unarchive-chats.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/unarchive-chats.ts
index 177f3e23..42ce33d6 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/chats/unarchive-chats.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/chats/unarchive-chats.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ export async function unarchiveChats(
         })
     }
 
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'folders.editPeerFolders',
         folderPeers
     })
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/delete-messages.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/delete-messages.ts
index 66bdcc1b..81a783e1 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/delete-messages.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/delete-messages.ts
@@ -37,5 +37,7 @@ export async function deleteMessages(
         })
     }
 
+    this._pts = res.pts
+
     return !!res.ptsCount
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/find-in-update.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/find-in-update.ts
index 426c4daf..6225a9b7 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/find-in-update.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/find-in-update.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ export function _findMessageInUpdate(
             res._
         )
 
+    this._handleUpdate(res, true)
+
     for (const u of res.updates) {
         if (
             isEdit && (
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/pin-message.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/pin-message.ts
index 5141fdea..aeffbdb2 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/pin-message.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/pin-message.ts
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ export async function pinMessage(
     notify = false,
     bothSides = false
 ): Promise<void> {
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'messages.updatePinnedMessage',
         peer: normalizeToInputPeer(await this.resolvePeer(chatId)),
         id: messageId,
         silent: !notify,
         pmOneside: !bothSides
     })
+
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/send-text.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/send-text.ts
index d2ea840e..cd52e621 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/send-text.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/send-text.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ export async function sendText(
             entities: res.entities,
         }
 
+        this._pts = res.pts
+        this._date = res.date
+
         return new Message(this, msg, {}, {})
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/unpin-message.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/unpin-message.ts
index 867cf2c0..fa1eb59b 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/messages/unpin-message.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/messages/unpin-message.ts
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ export async function unpinMessage(
     chatId: InputPeerLike,
     messageId: number,
 ): Promise<void> {
-    await this.call({
+    const res = await this.call({
         _: 'messages.updatePinnedMessage',
         peer: normalizeToInputPeer(await this.resolvePeer(chatId)),
         id: messageId,
         unpin: true
     })
+
+    this._handleUpdate(res)
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/src/methods/updates.ts b/packages/client/src/methods/updates.ts
index f3f487cb..04cf0972 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/methods/updates.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/methods/updates.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ const debug = require('debug')('mtcute:upds')
 // tldr server sends multiple `updates` with the same seq, and that seq
 // is also larger than the seq in the initial updates.getState response
 
+// also code in this file is very bad, thanks to Telegram's awesome updates mechanism
+
 // @extension
 interface UpdatesState {
     _updLock: Lock
@@ -134,7 +136,64 @@ export function dispatchUpdate(
     // no-op //
 }
 
-async function _loadDifference(this: TelegramClient): Promise<void> {
+interface NoDispatchIndex {
+    // channel id or 0 => msg id
+    msg: Record<number, Record<number, true>>
+    // channel id or 0 => pts
+    pts: Record<number, Record<number, true>>
+}
+
+// creating and using a no-dispatch index is pretty expensive,
+// but its not a big deal since it's actually rarely needed
+function _createNoDispatchIndex(
+    updates?: tl.TypeUpdates
+): NoDispatchIndex | undefined {
+    if (!updates) return undefined
+    const ret: NoDispatchIndex = {
+        msg: {},
+        pts: {},
+    }
+
+    if (updates._ === 'updates' || updates._ === 'updatesCombined') {
+        updates.updates.forEach((upd) => {
+            const cid = extractChannelIdFromUpdate(upd) ?? 0
+            if (
+                upd._ === 'updateNewMessage' ||
+                upd._ === 'updateNewChannelMessage'
+            ) {
+                if (!ret.msg[cid]) ret.msg[cid] = {}
+                ret.msg[cid][upd.message.id] = true
+            }
+
+            const pts = 'pts' in upd ? upd.pts : undefined
+
+            if (pts) {
+                if (!ret.msg[cid]) ret.msg[cid] = {}
+                ret.msg[cid][pts] = true
+            }
+        })
+    }
+
+    if (
+        updates._ === 'updateShortMessage' ||
+        updates._ === 'updateShortChatMessage' ||
+        updates._ === 'updateShortSentMessage'
+    ) {
+        // these updates are only used for non-channel messages, so we use 0
+        if (!ret.msg[0]) ret.msg[0] = {}
+        if (!ret.pts[0]) ret.pts[0] = {}
+
+        ret.msg[0][updates.id] = true
+        ret.pts[0][updates.pts] = true
+    }
+
+    return ret
+}
+
+async function _loadDifference(
+    this: TelegramClient,
+    noDispatch?: NoDispatchIndex
+): Promise<void> {
     for (;;) {
         const diff = await this.call({
             _: 'updates.getDifference',
@@ -158,12 +217,59 @@ async function _loadDifference(this: TelegramClient): Promise<void> {
 
         const { users, chats } = createUsersChatsIndex(diff)
 
-        diff.newMessages.forEach((message) =>
+        diff.newMessages.forEach((message) => {
+            if (noDispatch) {
+                // in fact this field seems to only be used for PMs and legacy chats,
+                // so `cid` will be 0 always, but that might change :shrug:
+                const cid =
+                    message.peerId?._ === 'peerChannel'
+                        ? message.peerId.channelId
+                        : 0
+                if (noDispatch.msg[cid][message.id]) return
+            }
+
             this.dispatchUpdate(message, users, chats)
-        )
-        diff.otherUpdates.forEach((upd) =>
+        })
+
+        for (const upd of diff.otherUpdates) {
+            const cid = extractChannelIdFromUpdate(upd)
+            const pts = 'pts' in upd ? upd.pts : undefined
+            const ptsCount = 'ptsCount' in upd ? upd.ptsCount : undefined
+
+            if (cid && pts !== undefined && ptsCount !== undefined) {
+                // check that this pts is in fact the next one
+                // we only need to check this for channels since for
+                // common pts it is guaranteed by the server
+                // (however i would not really trust telegram server lol)
+                let nextLocalPts
+                if (cid in this._cpts) nextLocalPts = this._cpts[cid] + ptsCount
+                else {
+                    const saved = await this.storage.getChannelPts(cid)
+                    if (saved) {
+                        this._cpts[cid] = saved
+                        nextLocalPts = saved + ptsCount
+                    } else {
+                        nextLocalPts = null
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (nextLocalPts) {
+                    if (nextLocalPts > pts) continue
+                    if (nextLocalPts < pts) {
+                        await _loadChannelDifference.call(this, cid, noDispatch)
+                        continue
+                    }
+                }
+
+                this._cpts[cid] = pts
+            }
+
+            if (noDispatch && pts) {
+                if (noDispatch.pts[cid ?? 0][pts]) continue
+            }
+
             this.dispatchUpdate(upd, users, chats)
-        )
+        }
 
         this._pts = state.pts
         this._date = state.date
@@ -174,7 +280,8 @@ async function _loadDifference(this: TelegramClient): Promise<void> {
 
 async function _loadChannelDifference(
     this: TelegramClient,
-    channelId: number
+    channelId: number,
+    noDispatch?: NoDispatchIndex
 ): Promise<void> {
     let channel
     try {
@@ -209,17 +316,32 @@ async function _loadChannelDifference(
 
         const { users, chats } = createUsersChatsIndex(diff)
 
-        diff.newMessages.forEach((message) =>
+        diff.newMessages.forEach((message) => {
+            if (noDispatch && noDispatch.msg[channelId][message.id]) return
+
             this.dispatchUpdate(message, users, chats)
-        )
-        diff.otherUpdates.forEach((upd) =>
+        })
+
+        diff.otherUpdates.forEach((upd) => {
+            if (noDispatch) {
+                const pts = 'pts' in upd ? upd.pts : undefined
+
+                // we don't check for pts sequence here since the server
+                // is expected to return them in a correct order
+                // again, i would not trust Telegram server that much,
+                // but checking pts here seems like an overkill
+                if (pts && noDispatch.pts[channelId][pts]) return
+            }
+
             this.dispatchUpdate(upd, users, chats)
-        )
+        })
 
         pts = diff.pts
 
         if (diff.final) break
     }
+
+    this._cpts[channelId] = pts
 }
 
 /**
@@ -227,7 +349,8 @@ async function _loadChannelDifference(
  */
 export function _handleUpdate(
     this: TelegramClient,
-    update: tl.TypeUpdates
+    update: tl.TypeUpdates,
+    noDispatch = false
 ): void {
     // just in case, check that updates state is available
     if (this._pts === undefined) {
@@ -243,6 +366,8 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
     // additionally, locking here blocks updates handling while we are
     // loading difference inside update handler.
 
+    const noDispatchIndex = noDispatch ? _createNoDispatchIndex(update) : undefined
+
     this._updLock
         .acquire()
         .then(async () => {
@@ -253,7 +378,7 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
             // reference: https://core.telegram.org/api/updates
             if (update._ === 'updatesTooLong') {
                 // "there are too many events pending to be pushed to the client", we need to fetch them manually
-                await _loadDifference.call(this)
+                await _loadDifference.call(this, noDispatchIndex)
             } else if (
                 update._ === 'updates' ||
                 update._ === 'updatesCombined'
@@ -285,7 +410,8 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                         }
                         return await _loadChannelDifference.call(
                             this,
-                            upd.channelId
+                            upd.channelId,
+                            noDispatchIndex
                         )
                     }
 
@@ -324,21 +450,24 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                                     // to bother handling them further.
                                     return await _loadChannelDifference.call(
                                         this,
-                                        channelId
+                                        channelId,
+                                        noDispatchIndex
                                     )
                                 } else {
                                     return await _loadDifference.call(this)
                                 }
                         }
 
-                        this.dispatchUpdate(upd, users, chats)
+                        if (!noDispatch) {
+                            this.dispatchUpdate(upd, users, chats)
+                        }
 
                         if (channelId) {
                             this._cpts[channelId] = pts
                         } else {
                             this._pts = pts
                         }
-                    } else {
+                    } else if (!noDispatch) {
                         this.dispatchUpdate(upd, users, chats)
                     }
                 }
@@ -352,12 +481,14 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                         upd.dcOptions
                 } else if (upd._ === 'updateConfig') {
                     this._config = await this.call({ _: 'help.getConfig' })
-                } else {
+                } else if (!noDispatch) {
                     this.dispatchUpdate(upd, {}, {})
                 }
 
                 this._date = update.date
             } else if (update._ === 'updateShortMessage') {
+                if (noDispatch) return
+
                 const message: tl.RawMessage = {
                     _: 'message',
                     out: update.out,
@@ -412,7 +543,7 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                         id,
                     })
 
-                    if (rawUsers.length < 2) {
+                    if (rawUsers.length !== id.length) {
                         // other user failed to load.
                         // first try checking for input peer in storage
                         const saved = await this.storage.getPeerById(
@@ -427,7 +558,7 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                             })
                         }
                     }
-                    if (rawUsers.length < 2) {
+                    if (rawUsers.length !== id.length) {
                         // not saved (or invalid hash), not found by id
                         // find that user in dialogs (since the update
                         // is about an incoming message, dialog with that
@@ -473,6 +604,8 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                 })
                 this.dispatchUpdate(message, users, chats)
             } else if (update._ === 'updateShortChatMessage') {
+                if (noDispatch) return
+
                 const message: tl.RawMessage = {
                     _: 'message',
                     out: update.out,
@@ -506,7 +639,6 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                 let rawUsers: tl.TypeUser[]
                 {
                     const id: tl.TypeInputUser[] = [
-                        { _: 'inputUserSelf' },
                         {
                             _: 'inputUser',
                             userId: update.fromId,
@@ -523,6 +655,41 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                         _: 'users.getUsers',
                         id,
                     })
+
+                    if (rawUsers.length !== id.length) {
+                        // user failed to load.
+                        // first try checking for input peer in storage
+                        const saved = await this.storage.getPeerById(
+                            update.fromId
+                        )
+                        if (saved) {
+                            id[0] = normalizeToInputUser(saved)!
+
+                            rawUsers = await this.call({
+                                _: 'users.getUsers',
+                                id,
+                            })
+                        }
+                    }
+                    if (rawUsers.length !== id.length) {
+                        // not saved (or invalid hash), not found by id
+                        // find that user in chat participants list
+                        const res = await this.call({
+                            _: 'messages.getFullChat',
+                            chatId: update.chatId,
+                        })
+
+                        const user = res.users.find(
+                            (it) => it.id === update.fromId
+                        )
+                        if (!user) {
+                            debug(
+                                "received updateShortChatMessage, but wasn't able to find User"
+                            )
+                            return
+                        }
+                        rawUsers.push(user)
+                    }
                 }
                 const rawChats = await this.call({
                     _: 'messages.getChats',
@@ -548,6 +715,11 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
                     chats: rawChats,
                 })
                 this.dispatchUpdate(message, users, chats)
+            } else if (update._ === 'updateShortSentMessage') {
+                // only store the new pts and date values
+                // we never need to dispatch this
+                this._date = update.date
+                this._pts = update.pts
             }
         })
         .catch((err) => this._emitError(err))
@@ -560,5 +732,12 @@ export function _handleUpdate(
  * @internal
  */
 export function catchUp(this: TelegramClient): Promise<void> {
-    return _loadDifference.call(this)
+    // we also use a lock here so new updates are not processed
+    // while we are catching up with older ones
+
+    return this._updLock
+        .acquire()
+        .then(() => _loadDifference.call(this))
+        .catch((err) => this._emitError(err))
+        .then(() => this._updLock.release())
 }