diff --git a/telegram-base.c b/telegram-base.c
index fb86bfc..c00e095 100644
--- a/telegram-base.c
+++ b/telegram-base.c
@@ -106,6 +106,23 @@ void write_state_file (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
   close (state_file_fd); 
 }
 
+static gboolean write_state_file_gw (gpointer data) {
+  struct tgl_state *TLS = data;
+  
+  ((connection_data *)TLS->ev_base)->write_timer = 0;
+  write_state_file ((struct tgl_state *)TLS);
+  
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+void write_state_file_schedule (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
+  connection_data *conn = TLS->ev_base;
+  
+  if (! conn->write_timer) {
+    conn->write_timer = purple_timeout_add (0, write_state_file_gw, TLS);
+  }
+}
+
 void write_dc (struct tgl_dc *DC, void *extra) {
   int auth_file_fd = *(int *)extra;
   if (!DC) { 
diff --git a/telegram-base.h b/telegram-base.h
index 80c87a1..c93d80a 100644
--- a/telegram-base.h
+++ b/telegram-base.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ void read_state_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 void read_auth_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 void write_auth_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 void write_state_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
+void write_state_file_schedule (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 void read_secret_chat_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 void write_secret_chat_file (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 
diff --git a/telegram-purple.c b/telegram-purple.c
index b45cbb9..cf9786f 100755
--- a/telegram-purple.c
+++ b/telegram-purple.c
@@ -291,17 +291,6 @@ static tgl_peer_t *find_peer_by_name (struct tgl_state *TLS, const char *who) {
   return NULL;
 }
 
-static gboolean queries_timerfunc (gpointer data) {
-  debug ("queries_timerfunc()\n");
-  connection_data *conn = data;
-  
-  if (conn->updated) {
-    conn->updated = 0;
-    write_state_file (conn->TLS);
-  }
-  return 1;
-}
-
 static void start_secret_chat (PurpleBlistNode *node, gpointer data) {
   PurpleBuddy *buddy = data;
   connection_data *conn = purple_connection_get_protocol_data (
@@ -347,43 +336,43 @@ struct tgl_update_callback tgp_callback = {
 };
 
 void on_message_load_photo (struct tgl_state *TLS, void *extra, int success, char *filename) {
+  
   connection_data *conn = TLS->ev_base;
-  
-  gchar *data = NULL;
-  size_t len;
-  GError *err = NULL;
-  g_file_get_contents (filename, &data, &len, &err);
-  int imgStoreId = purple_imgstore_add_with_id (g_memdup(data, (guint)len), len, NULL);
-  used_images_add (conn, imgStoreId);
-  
-  char *image = format_img_full (imgStoreId);
-  struct tgl_message *M = extra;
-  switch (tgl_get_peer_type (M->to_id)) {
-    case TGL_PEER_CHAT:
-      if (!our_msg(TLS, M)) {
-        chat_add_message (TLS, M, image);
-      }
-      break;
-      
-    case TGL_PEER_USER:
-      if (out_msg(TLS, M)) {
-        p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->to_id, image, PURPLE_MESSAGE_SEND | PURPLE_MESSAGE_IMAGES, M->date);
-      } else {
-        p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->from_id, image, PURPLE_MESSAGE_RECV | PURPLE_MESSAGE_IMAGES, M->date);
-      }
-      break;
+
+  int imgStoreId = p2tgl_imgstore_add_with_id (filename);
+  if (imgStoreId > 0) {
+    used_images_add (conn, imgStoreId);
+    char *image = format_img_full (imgStoreId);
+    
+    struct tgl_message *M = extra;
+    switch (tgl_get_peer_type (M->to_id)) {
+      case TGL_PEER_CHAT:
+        if (!our_msg (TLS, M)) {
+          chat_add_message (TLS, M, image);
+        }
+        break;
+        
+      case TGL_PEER_USER:
+        if (out_msg (TLS, M)) {
+          p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->to_id, image, PURPLE_MESSAGE_SEND | PURPLE_MESSAGE_IMAGES, M->date);
+        } else {
+          p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->from_id, image, PURPLE_MESSAGE_RECV | PURPLE_MESSAGE_IMAGES, M->date);
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+    g_free (image);
   }
- 
-  g_free (image);
-  conn = TLS->ev_base;
-  conn->updated = 1;
+
 }
 
 static void update_message_received (struct tgl_state *TLS, struct tgl_message *M) {
-  debug ("received message\n");
   connection_data *conn = TLS->ev_base;
-  conn->updated = 1;
-
+  
+  /* don't write to this file on every single message, which
+     can be pretty overkill on calls to tgl_do_get_difference that result in many
+     updates */
+  write_state_file_schedule (conn->TLS);
+  
   if (M->service) {
     char *text = format_service_msg (TLS, M);
     if (text) {
@@ -398,11 +387,15 @@ static void update_message_received (struct tgl_state *TLS, struct tgl_message *
       }
       g_free (text);
     }
-    conn->updated = 1;
     return;
   }
   
-  if ((M->flags & (FLAG_MESSAGE_EMPTY | FLAG_DELETED)) || !(M->flags & FLAG_CREATED)) {
+  if (
+      (M->flags & (FLAG_MESSAGE_EMPTY | FLAG_DELETED)) ||
+     !(M->flags & FLAG_CREATED) ||
+      !M->message ||
+      our_msg (TLS, M) // Message sent in this application, already added to history
+  ) {
     return;
   }
   if (!tgl_get_peer_type (M->to_id)) {
@@ -415,10 +408,6 @@ static void update_message_received (struct tgl_state *TLS, struct tgl_message *
     return;
   }
 
-  if (!M->message || our_msg(TLS, M)) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   char *text = format_message(M);
   switch (tgl_get_peer_type (M->to_id)) {
     case TGL_PEER_CHAT:
@@ -436,8 +425,9 @@ static void update_message_received (struct tgl_state *TLS, struct tgl_message *
       
     case TGL_PEER_USER:
       
-      // :TODO: figure out how to add messages from different devices to history
       if (out_msg(TLS, M)) {
+        // Outgoing message sent from a different device
+        // :TODO: figure out how to add messages from different devices to history
         p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->to_id, text, PURPLE_MESSAGE_SEND, M->date);
       } else {
         p2tgl_got_im (TLS, M->from_id, text, PURPLE_MESSAGE_RECV, M->date);
@@ -701,8 +691,6 @@ void on_ready (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
   tgl_do_get_difference (TLS, 0, 0, 0);
   tgl_do_get_dialog_list (TLS, 0, 0);
   tgl_do_update_contact_list (TLS, 0, 0);
-  
-  conn->timer = purple_timeout_add (5000, queries_timerfunc, conn);
 }
 
 static const char *tgprpl_list_icon (PurpleAccount * acct, PurpleBuddy * buddy) {
@@ -826,7 +814,7 @@ static void tgprpl_login (PurpleAccount * acct) {
 static void tgprpl_close (PurpleConnection * gc) {
   debug ("tgprpl_close()\n");
   connection_data *conn = purple_connection_get_protocol_data (gc);
-  purple_timeout_remove (conn->timer);
+  
   
   connection_data_free (conn);
 }
diff --git a/tgp-structs.c b/tgp-structs.c
index 6d348eb..ade3f1d 100644
--- a/tgp-structs.c
+++ b/tgp-structs.c
@@ -111,14 +111,16 @@ connection_data *connection_data_init (struct tgl_state *TLS, PurpleConnection *
 
 void *connection_data_free (connection_data *conn)
 {
-  purple_timeout_remove (conn->timer);
-  if (conn->login_timer) { purple_timeout_remove(conn->login_timer); }
+  if (conn->write_timer) { purple_timeout_remove (conn->write_timer); }
+  if (conn->login_timer) { purple_timeout_remove (conn->login_timer); }
+  
   tgp_g_queue_free_full (conn->pending_reads, pending_reads_free_cb);
   tgp_g_queue_free_full (conn->new_messages, message_text_free);
   g_hash_table_destroy (conn->joining_chats);
   g_list_free_full (conn->used_images, used_image_free);
   tgl_free_all (conn->TLS);
   free (conn->TLS);
+  
   free (conn);
   return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/tgp-structs.h b/tgp-structs.h
index f0f2aed..7b67864 100755
--- a/tgp-structs.h
+++ b/tgp-structs.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ typedef struct {
   GQueue *pending_reads;
   GList *used_images;
   GHashTable *joining_chats;
-  guint timer;
+  guint write_timer;
   guint login_timer;
   int in_fallback_chat;
 } connection_data;