diff --git a/telegram-purple.c b/telegram-purple.c
index db5ee12..5e762a4 100644
--- a/telegram-purple.c
+++ b/telegram-purple.c
@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@ static void on_userpic_loaded (struct tgl_state *TLS, void *extra, int success,
 static void on_get_dialog_list_done (struct tgl_state *TLS, void *callback_extra, int success, int size,
     tgl_peer_id_t peers[], tgl_message_id_t *last_msg_id[], int unread_count[]) {
   info ("Fetched dialogue list of size: %d", size);
+  if (tgp_error_if_false (TLS, success, "Fetching dialogue list failed", TLS->error)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  
+  // add all peers in the dialogue list to the buddy list
   int i;
   for (i = size - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
     tgl_peer_t *UC = tgl_peer_get (TLS, peers[i]);
@@ -288,6 +293,10 @@ static void on_get_dialog_list_done (struct tgl_state *TLS, void *callback_extra
       }
     }
   }
+  
+  // now that the dialogue list is loaded, handle all pending chat joins
+  tls_get_data (TLS)->dialogues_ready = TRUE;
+  tgp_chat_join_all_pending (TLS);
 }
 
 void on_user_get_info (struct tgl_state *TLS, void *info_data, int success, struct tgl_user *U) {
@@ -318,7 +327,6 @@ static const char *tgprpl_list_icon (PurpleAccount *acct, PurpleBuddy *buddy) {
 }
 
 static void tgprpl_tooltip_text (PurpleBuddy *buddy, PurpleNotifyUserInfo *info, gboolean full) {
-  
   // buddy in old format that didn't migrate
   if (! tgp_blist_buddy_has_id (buddy)) {
     return;
@@ -497,7 +505,13 @@ static void update_on_logged_in (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
 
 static void update_on_ready (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
   info ("update_on_ready(): The account is done fetching new history");
-  purple_connection_set_display_name (tls_get_conn (TLS), purple_account_get_username (tls_get_pa (TLS)));
+  
+  tgl_peer_t *P = tgl_peer_get (TLS, TLS->our_id);
+  g_warn_if_fail(P);
+  if (P) {
+    purple_connection_set_display_name (tls_get_conn (TLS), P->print_name);
+  }
+  
   tgl_do_get_dialog_list (TLS, 200, 0, on_get_dialog_list_done, NULL);
   tgl_do_update_contact_list (TLS, 0, 0);
 }
diff --git a/tgp-chat.c b/tgp-chat.c
index 49361c0..fa14103 100644
--- a/tgp-chat.c
+++ b/tgp-chat.c
@@ -156,6 +156,19 @@ GHashTable *tgprpl_chat_info_defaults (PurpleConnection *gc, const char *chat_na
 
 void tgprpl_chat_join (PurpleConnection *gc, GHashTable *data) {
   debug ("tgprpl_chat_join()");
+  g_return_if_fail(data);
+  
+  // auto joins will cause chat joins at a time when the dialogue list is not ready, remember
+  // those chats and join them once the dialogue list is fetched
+  if (! gc_get_data (gc)->dialogues_ready) {
+    g_return_if_fail (data);
+    const char *id = g_hash_table_lookup (data, "id");
+    if (id) {
+      debug ("attempting to join chat %s while not ready, queue up for later", id);
+      gc_get_data (gc)->pending_joins = g_list_append (gc_get_data (gc)->pending_joins, g_strdup (id));
+    }
+    return;
+  }
 
   // join existing chat by id when the user clicks on a chat in the buddy list
   void *value = g_hash_table_lookup (data, "id");
@@ -253,3 +266,17 @@ void tgprpl_roomlist_cancel (PurpleRoomlist *list) {
     purple_roomlist_unref (list);
   }
 }
+
+void tgp_chat_join_all_pending (struct tgl_state *TLS) {
+  GList *pending;
+  for (pending = tls_get_data (TLS)->pending_joins; pending != NULL; pending = g_list_next(pending)) {
+    GHashTable *data = g_hash_table_new (g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
+    g_hash_table_insert (data, "id", pending->data);
+    tgprpl_chat_join (tls_get_conn (TLS), data);
+    g_hash_table_destroy (data);
+  }
+  if (tls_get_data (TLS)->pending_joins) {
+    g_list_free (tls_get_data (TLS)->pending_joins);
+    tls_get_data (TLS)->pending_joins = NULL;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tgp-chat.h b/tgp-chat.h
index 75593a9..4171189 100644
--- a/tgp-chat.h
+++ b/tgp-chat.h
@@ -38,4 +38,5 @@ GList *tgprpl_chat_join_info (PurpleConnection *gc);
 PurpleRoomlist *tgprpl_roomlist_get_list (PurpleConnection *gc);
 void tgprpl_roomlist_cancel (PurpleRoomlist *list);
 GHashTable *tgprpl_chat_info_defaults (PurpleConnection *gc, const char *chat_name);
+void tgp_chat_join_all_pending (struct tgl_state *TLS);
 #endif
diff --git a/tgp-structs.c b/tgp-structs.c
index 15c8eeb..9a69b87 100644
--- a/tgp-structs.c
+++ b/tgp-structs.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ void *connection_data_free (connection_data *conn) {
   tgp_g_queue_free_full (conn->new_messages, tgp_msg_loading_free);
   tgp_g_queue_free_full (conn->out_messages, tgp_msg_sending_free);
   tgp_g_list_free_full (conn->used_images, used_image_free);
+  tgp_g_list_free_full (conn->pending_joins, g_free);
   g_hash_table_destroy (conn->pending_reads);
   g_hash_table_destroy (conn->pending_chat_info);
   g_hash_table_destroy (conn->id_to_purple_name);
diff --git a/tgp-structs.h b/tgp-structs.h
index 7ce0a7c..c90d991 100644
--- a/tgp-structs.h
+++ b/tgp-structs.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ typedef struct {
   PurpleRoomlist *roomlist;
   GHashTable *pending_chat_info;
   GHashTable *id_to_purple_name;
+  GList *pending_joins;
+  int dialogues_ready;
 } connection_data;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/tgp-utils.c b/tgp-utils.c
index 8d332a1..6f4dcfe 100644
--- a/tgp-utils.c
+++ b/tgp-utils.c
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@ void tgp_g_queue_free_full (GQueue *queue, GDestroyNotify free_func) {
 }
 
 void tgp_g_list_free_full (GList *list, GDestroyNotify free_func) {
-  g_list_foreach (list, (GFunc)free_func, NULL);
-  g_list_free (list);
+  if (list) {
+    g_list_foreach (list, (GFunc)free_func, NULL);
+    g_list_free (list);
+  }
 }
 
 const char *tgp_mime_to_filetype (const char *mime) {