diff --git a/model/message_test.go b/model/message_test.go
index b440b8e..958b050 100644
--- a/model/message_test.go
+++ b/model/message_test.go
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ func TestTranscriptConsistency(t *testing.T) {
 	sarah.AddContact(alice.Onion, &alice.PublicProfile)
 	alice.AddContact(sarah.Onion, &sarah.PublicProfile)
 
+	// The lightest weight server entry possible (usually we would import a key bundle...)
+	sarah.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
+
 	gid, invite, _ := alice.StartGroup("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd")
 
 	sarah.ProcessInvite(invite)
diff --git a/model/profile.go b/model/profile.go
index f434ae5..be05f55 100644
--- a/model/profile.go
+++ b/model/profile.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"git.openprivacy.ca/openprivacy/connectivity/tor"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ed25519"
 	"io"
@@ -390,6 +391,9 @@ func (p *Profile) GetGroup(groupID string) (g *Group) {
 func (p *Profile) ProcessInvite(invite string) (string, error) {
 	gci, err := ValidateInvite(invite)
 	if err == nil {
+		if server, exists := p.GetContact(gci.ServerHost); !exists || !server.IsServer() {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("unknown server. a server key bundle needs to be imported before this group can be verified")
+		}
 		group := new(Group)
 		group.Version = CurrentGroupVersion
 		group.GroupID = gci.GroupID
diff --git a/model/profile_test.go b/model/profile_test.go
index 0dba56e..2cd8ae5 100644
--- a/model/profile_test.go
+++ b/model/profile_test.go
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ func TestRejectGroupInvite(t *testing.T) {
 	alice := GenerateNewProfile("Alice")
 	sarah.AddContact(alice.Onion, &alice.PublicProfile)
 	alice.AddContact(sarah.Onion, &sarah.PublicProfile)
+	// The lightest weight server entry possible (usually we would import a key bundle...)
+	sarah.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
 
 	gid, invite, _ := alice.StartGroup("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd")
 	sarah.ProcessInvite(invite)
@@ -86,6 +88,9 @@ func TestProfileGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	alice.AddContact(sarah.Onion, &sarah.PublicProfile)
 
 	gid, invite, _ := alice.StartGroup("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd")
+
+	// The lightest weight server entry possible (usually we would import a key bundle...)
+	sarah.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
 	sarah.ProcessInvite(invite)
 	if len(sarah.GetGroups()) != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("sarah should only be in 1 group instead: %v", sarah.GetGroups())
@@ -109,6 +114,9 @@ func TestProfileGroup(t *testing.T) {
 
 	bob := GenerateNewProfile("bob")
 	bob.AddContact(alice.Onion, &alice.PublicProfile)
+	// The lightest weight server entry possible (usually we would import a key bundle...)
+	bob.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
+
 	bob.ProcessInvite(invite2)
 	c3, s3, err := bob.EncryptMessageToGroup("Bobs Message", group2.GroupID)
 	if err == nil {
diff --git a/peer/cwtch_peer.go b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
index 2dab063..8e924ac 100644
--- a/peer/cwtch_peer.go
+++ b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
@@ -811,6 +811,10 @@ func (cp *cwtchPeer) eventHandler() {
 			cp.mutex.Unlock()
 		case event.ServerStateChange:
 			cp.mutex.Lock()
+			// We update both the server contact status, as well as the groups the server belongs to
+			cp.Profile.Contacts[ev.Data[event.GroupServer]].State = ev.Data[event.ConnectionState]
+
+			// TODO deprecate this, the UI should consult the server contact entry instead (it's far more efficient)
 			for _, group := range cp.Profile.Groups {
 				if group.GroupServer == ev.Data[event.GroupServer] {
 					group.State = ev.Data[event.ConnectionState]
diff --git a/storage/profile_store_test.go b/storage/profile_store_test.go
index e9f8a44..fcec0a3 100644
--- a/storage/profile_store_test.go
+++ b/storage/profile_store_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package storage
 
 import (
 	"cwtch.im/cwtch/event"
+	"cwtch.im/cwtch/model"
 	"cwtch.im/cwtch/storage/v0"
 	"fmt"
 	"git.openprivacy.ca/openprivacy/log"
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ func TestProfileStoreUpgradeV0toV1(t *testing.T) {
 
 	fmt.Println("Creating and initializing v0 profile and store...")
 	profile := NewProfile(testProfileName)
+	profile.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &model.PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(model.KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
+
 	ps1 := v0.NewProfileWriterStore(eventBus, testingDir, password, profile)
 
 	groupid, invite, err := profile.StartGroup("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd")
diff --git a/storage/v1/profile_store_test.go b/storage/v1/profile_store_test.go
index ae23fd3..1fb8133 100644
--- a/storage/v1/profile_store_test.go
+++ b/storage/v1/profile_store_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package v1
 
 import (
 	"cwtch.im/cwtch/event"
+	"cwtch.im/cwtch/model"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ func TestProfileStoreWriteRead(t *testing.T) {
 	os.RemoveAll(testingDir)
 	eventBus := event.NewEventManager()
 	profile := NewProfile(testProfileName)
+	// The lightest weight server entry possible (usually we would import a key bundle...)
+	profile.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &model.PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(model.KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
+
 	ps1 := CreateProfileWriterStore(eventBus, testingDir, password, profile)
 
 	eventBus.Publish(event.NewEvent(event.SetAttribute, map[event.Field]string{event.Key: testKey, event.Data: testVal}))
@@ -79,6 +83,8 @@ func TestProfileStoreChangePassword(t *testing.T) {
 	eventBus.Subscribe(event.ChangePasswordSuccess, queue)
 
 	profile := NewProfile(testProfileName)
+	profile.AddContact("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd", &model.PublicProfile{Attributes: map[string]string{string(model.KeyTypeServerOnion): "2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd"}})
+
 	ps1 := CreateProfileWriterStore(eventBus, testingDir, password, profile)
 
 	groupid, invite, err := profile.StartGroup("2c3kmoobnyghj2zw6pwv7d57yzld753auo3ugauezzpvfak3ahc4bdyd")