diff --git a/peer/cwtch_peer.go b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
index b7bd742..614f6e5 100644
--- a/peer/cwtch_peer.go
+++ b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
@@ -573,6 +573,9 @@ func (cp *cwtchPeer) Shutdown() {
 }
 
 func (cp *cwtchPeer) StoreMessage(onion string, messageTxt string, sent time.Time) {
+	if cp.GetContact(onion) == nil {
+		cp.AddContact(onion, onion, model.AuthUnknown)
+	}
 	cp.mutex.Lock()
 	cp.Profile.AddMessageToContactTimeline(onion, messageTxt, sent)
 	cp.mutex.Unlock()
@@ -620,18 +623,21 @@ func (cp *cwtchPeer) eventHandler() {
 
 			log.Debugf("NewGetValMessageFromPeer for %v%v from %v\n", scope, path, onion)
 
-			if scope == attr.PublicScope {
-				val, exists := cp.GetAttribute(attr.GetPublicScope(path))
-				resp := event.NewEvent(event.SendRetValMessageToPeer, map[event.Field]string{event.RemotePeer: onion, event.Exists: strconv.FormatBool(exists)})
-				resp.EventID = ev.EventID
-				if exists {
-					resp.Data[event.Data] = val
-				} else {
-					resp.Data[event.Data] = ""
-				}
-				log.Debugf("Responding with SendRetValMessageToPeer exists:%v data: %v\n", exists, val)
+			remotePeer := cp.GetContact(onion)
+			if remotePeer != nil && remotePeer.Authorization == model.AuthApproved {
+				if scope == attr.PublicScope {
+					val, exists := cp.GetAttribute(attr.GetPublicScope(path))
+					resp := event.NewEvent(event.SendRetValMessageToPeer, map[event.Field]string{event.RemotePeer: onion, event.Exists: strconv.FormatBool(exists)})
+					resp.EventID = ev.EventID
+					if exists {
+						resp.Data[event.Data] = val
+					} else {
+						resp.Data[event.Data] = ""
+					}
+					log.Debugf("Responding with SendRetValMessageToPeer exists:%v data: %v\n", exists, val)
 
-				cp.eventBus.Publish(resp)
+					cp.eventBus.Publish(resp)
+				}
 			}
 
 		/***** Non default but requestable handlable events *****/
diff --git a/protocol/connections/engine.go b/protocol/connections/engine.go
index 11d84b6..29be800 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/engine.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/engine.go
@@ -195,18 +195,22 @@ func (e *engine) isBlocked(onion string) bool {
 	return authorization.(model.Authorization) == model.AuthBlocked
 }
 
-func (e *engine) isApproved(onion string) bool {
+func (e *engine) isAllowed(onion string) bool {
 	authorization, known := e.authorizations.Load(onion)
 	if !known {
+		log.Errorf("attempted to lookup authorization of onion not in map...that should never happen")
 		return false
 	}
-	return authorization.(model.Authorization) == model.AuthApproved
+	if e.blockUnknownContacts {
+		return authorization.(model.Authorization) == model.AuthApproved
+	}
+	return authorization.(model.Authorization) != model.AuthBlocked
 }
 
 func (e *engine) createPeerTemplate() *PeerApp {
 	peerAppTemplate := new(PeerApp)
 	peerAppTemplate.IsBlocked = e.isBlocked
-	peerAppTemplate.IsApproved = e.isApproved
+	peerAppTemplate.IsAllowed = e.isAllowed
 	peerAppTemplate.MessageHandler = e.handlePeerMessage
 	peerAppTemplate.OnAcknowledgement = e.ignoreOnShutdown2(e.peerAck)
 	peerAppTemplate.OnAuth = e.ignoreOnShutdown(e.peerAuthed)
diff --git a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
index 45b601c..24650b1 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ type PeerApp struct {
 	MessageHandler    func(string, string, string, []byte)
 	RetValHandler     func(string, []byte, []byte)
 	IsBlocked         func(string) bool
-	IsApproved        func(string) bool
+	IsAllowed         func(string) bool
 	OnAcknowledgement func(string, string)
 	OnAuth            func(string)
 	OnClose           func(string)
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func (pa *PeerApp) NewInstance() tapir.Application {
 	newApp := new(PeerApp)
 	newApp.MessageHandler = pa.MessageHandler
 	newApp.IsBlocked = pa.IsBlocked
-	newApp.IsApproved = pa.IsApproved
+	newApp.IsAllowed = pa.IsAllowed
 	newApp.OnAcknowledgement = pa.OnAcknowledgement
 	newApp.OnAuth = pa.OnAuth
 	newApp.OnClose = pa.OnClose
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (pa *PeerApp) listen() {
 					pa.getValRequests.Delete(peerMessage.ID)
 				}
 			default:
-				if pa.IsApproved(pa.connection.Hostname()) {
+				if pa.IsAllowed(pa.connection.Hostname()) {
 					pa.MessageHandler(pa.connection.Hostname(), peerMessage.ID, peerMessage.Context, peerMessage.Data)
 
 					// Acknowledge the message