diff --git a/tgp-2prpl.c b/tgp-2prpl.c
index 53597a4..2d06c86 100644
--- a/tgp-2prpl.c
+++ b/tgp-2prpl.c
@@ -306,12 +306,31 @@ PurpleChat *p2tgl_chat_find (struct tgl_state *TLS, tgl_peer_id_t id) {
   return c;
 }
 
-void p2tgl_conv_add_user (PurpleConversation *conv, struct tgl_chat_user user, char *message, int flags, int new_arrival) {
+void p2tgl_conv_add_user (struct tgl_state *TLS, PurpleConversation *conv,
+                          struct tgl_chat_user user, char *message, int flags, int new_arrival) {
   PurpleConvChat *cdata = purple_conversation_get_chat_data(conv);
   char *name = g_strdup_printf("%d", user.user_id);
-  
   purple_conv_chat_add_user (cdata, name, message, flags, new_arrival);
   
+  // inject print_name into chat buddies to display a human-readable name
+  // for buddies not in the buddy list instead of the user id
+  tgl_peer_t *U = tgl_peer_get (TLS, TGL_MK_USER(user.user_id));
+  if (U) {
+    PurpleConvChatBuddy *cbuddy = purple_conv_chat_cb_find (PURPLE_CONV_CHAT(conv), name);
+    PurpleConversationUiOps *uiops = purple_conversation_get_ui_ops (conv);;
+    if (cbuddy && cbuddy->alias) {
+      g_free (cbuddy->alias);
+      cbuddy->alias = g_strdup (U->print_name);
+    }
+    if (uiops && uiops->chat_rename_user) {
+      debug ("try rename user %s to %s\n", name, U->print_name);
+      uiops->chat_rename_user (conv, name, name, U->print_name);
+    } else if (uiops && uiops->chat_update_user) {
+      debug ("try update user %s\n", name);
+      uiops->chat_update_user (conv, name);
+    }
+  }
+  
   g_free(name);
 }
 
diff --git a/tgp-2prpl.h b/tgp-2prpl.h
index fd8afe1..ba62142 100644
--- a/tgp-2prpl.h
+++ b/tgp-2prpl.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ void p2tgl_prpl_got_set_status_offline (struct tgl_state *TLS, tgl_peer_id_t use
 void p2tgl_connection_set_display_name(struct tgl_state *TLS, tgl_peer_t *user);
 void p2tgl_conv_del_user (PurpleConversation *conv, tgl_peer_id_t user);
 void p2tgl_conv_add_users (PurpleConversation *conv, struct tgl_chat_user *list);
-void p2tgl_conv_add_user (PurpleConversation *conv, struct tgl_chat_user user, char *message, int flags, int new_arrival);
+void p2tgl_conv_add_user (struct tgl_state *TLS, PurpleConversation *conv, struct tgl_chat_user user, char *message, int flags, int new_arrival);
 PurpleConversation *p2tgl_find_conversation_with_account (struct tgl_state *TLS, tgl_peer_id_t peer);
 void p2tgl_conversation_write (PurpleConversation *conv, tgl_peer_id_t who, const char *message, int flags, int date);
 PurpleConversation *p2tgl_conversation_new (struct tgl_state *TLS, tgl_peer_id_t who);
diff --git a/tgp-chat.c b/tgp-chat.c
index ef917a5..ea330de 100644
--- a/tgp-chat.c
+++ b/tgp-chat.c
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 #include "tgp-chat.h"
 #include "msglog.h"
 
-void chat_add_all_users (PurpleConversation *pc, struct tgl_chat *chat) {
+void chat_add_all_users (struct tgl_state *TLS, PurpleConversation *pc, struct tgl_chat *chat) {
   int i;
   for (i = 0; i < chat->user_list_size; i++) {
     struct tgl_chat_user *uid = (chat->user_list + i);
     int flags = (chat->admin_id == uid->user_id ? PURPLE_CBFLAGS_FOUNDER : PURPLE_CBFLAGS_NONE);
-    p2tgl_conv_add_user (pc, *uid, NULL, flags, 0);
+    p2tgl_conv_add_user (TLS, pc, *uid, NULL, flags, FALSE);
   }
 }
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ void chat_users_update (struct tgl_state *TLS, struct tgl_chat *chat) {
   PurpleConversation *pc = purple_find_chat(tg_get_conn(TLS), tgl_get_peer_id(chat->id));
   if (pc) {
     purple_conv_chat_clear_users (purple_conversation_get_chat_data(pc));
-    chat_add_all_users (pc, chat);
+    chat_add_all_users (TLS, pc, chat);
   }
 }
 
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ PurpleConversation *chat_show (PurpleConnection *gc, int id) {
   }
   if (! convo || (chat && purple_conv_chat_has_left (chat))) {
     convo = p2tgl_got_joined_chat (conn->TLS, &P->chat);
+    chat_users_update (conn->TLS, &P->chat);
   }
-  chat_users_update (conn->TLS, &P->chat);
-
   return convo;
 }