diff --git a/src/model/group.cpp b/src/model/group.cpp
index 3803fa0f7..7e2e811ce 100644
--- a/src/model/group.cpp
+++ b/src/model/group.cpp
@@ -104,21 +104,29 @@ void Group::regeneratePeerList()
     for (int i = 0; i < nPeers; ++i) {
         const auto pk = core->getGroupPeerPk(groupId, i);
 
-        toxpks[pk] = peers[i];
-        if (toxpks[pk].isEmpty()) {
-            toxpks[pk] =
-                tr("<Empty>", "Placeholder when someone's name in a group chat is empty");
-        }
-
         Friend* f = FriendList::findFriend(pk);
         if (f != nullptr && f->hasAlias()) {
             toxpks[pk] = f->getDisplayedName();
+            empty_nick[pk] = false;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        empty_nick[pk] = peers[i].isEmpty();
+        if (empty_nick[pk]) {
+            toxpks[pk] = tr("<Empty>", "Placeholder when someone's name in a group chat is empty");
+        } else {
+            toxpks[pk] = peers[i];
         }
     }
 
     emit userListChanged(groupId, toxpks);
 }
 
+bool Group::peerHasNickname(ToxPk pk)
+{
+    return !empty_nick[pk];
+}
+
 void Group::updateUsername(ToxPk pk, const QString newName)
 {
     toxpks[pk] = newName;
diff --git a/src/model/group.h b/src/model/group.h
index 22469ca95..b8cc23bc7 100644
--- a/src/model/group.h
+++ b/src/model/group.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public:
     int getPeersCount() const;
     void regeneratePeerList();
     const QMap<ToxPk, QString>& getPeerList() const;
+    bool peerHasNickname(ToxPk pk);
 
     void setEventFlag(bool f) override;
     bool getEventFlag() const override;
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ private:
     QString selfName;
     QString title;
     QMap<ToxPk, QString> toxpks;
+    QMap<ToxPk, bool> empty_nick;
     bool hasNewMessages;
     bool userWasMentioned;
     int groupId;
diff --git a/src/widget/form/genericchatform.cpp b/src/widget/form/genericchatform.cpp
index edf80e2d5..bc2616d61 100644
--- a/src/widget/form/genericchatform.cpp
+++ b/src/widget/form/genericchatform.cpp
@@ -377,7 +377,8 @@ ChatMessage::Ptr GenericChatForm::createMessage(const ToxPk& author, const QStri
 {
     const Core* core = Core::getInstance();
     bool isSelf = author == core->getSelfId().getPublicKey();
-    QString authorStr = isSelf ? core->getUsername() : resolveToxPk(author);
+    QString myNickName = core->getUsername().isEmpty() ? author.toString() : core->getUsername();
+    QString authorStr = isSelf ? myNickName : resolveToxPk(author);
     if (getLatestDate() != QDate::currentDate()) {
         addSystemDateMessage();
     }
diff --git a/src/widget/form/groupchatform.cpp b/src/widget/form/groupchatform.cpp
index 6b2e0ce88..b366ec28e 100644
--- a/src/widget/form/groupchatform.cpp
+++ b/src/widget/form/groupchatform.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ void GroupChatForm::updateUserNames()
         const QString editedName = editName(fullName).append(QLatin1String(", "));
         QLabel* const label = new QLabel(editedName);
         if (editedName != fullName) {
-            label->setToolTip(fullName);
+            label->setToolTip(fullName + " (" + peerPk.toString() + ")");
         }
         label->setTextFormat(Qt::PlainText);
         label->setContextMenuPolicy(Qt::CustomContextMenu);
@@ -325,14 +325,20 @@ void GroupChatForm::sendJoinLeaveMessages()
 
     // user joins
     for (const auto& peerPk : peers.keys()) {
+        const QString name = FriendList::decideNickname(peerPk, peers.value(peerPk));
         if (!firstTime.value(peerPk, false)) {
             if (!groupLast.contains(peerPk)) {
+                if (group->peerHasNickname(peerPk)) {
+                    firstTime[peerPk] = true;
+                    groupLast.insert(peerPk, name);
+                    addSystemInfoMessage(tr("%1 is online").arg(name), ChatMessage::INFO, QDateTime::currentDateTime());
+                    continue;
+                }
                 addSystemInfoMessage(tr("A new user has connected to the group"), ChatMessage::INFO, QDateTime::currentDateTime());
             }
             firstTime[peerPk] = true;
             continue;
         }
-        const QString name = FriendList::decideNickname(peerPk, peers.value(peerPk));
         if (!groupLast.contains(peerPk)) {
             groupLast.insert(peerPk, name);
             addSystemInfoMessage(tr("%1 has joined the group").arg(name), ChatMessage::INFO, QDateTime::currentDateTime());