diff --git a/src/coreencryption.cpp b/src/coreencryption.cpp
index 1ccca7f49..7e7ff5f1e 100644
--- a/src/coreencryption.cpp
+++ b/src/coreencryption.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ QByteArray Core::getSaltFromFile(QString filename)
     QFile file(filename);
     if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly))
     {
-        qWarning() << "Core: encrypted history file doesn't exist";
+        qWarning() << "Core: file" << filename << "doesn't exist";
         return QByteArray();
     }
     QByteArray data = file.read(tox_pass_encryption_extra_length());
@@ -172,9 +172,11 @@ bool Core::loadEncryptedSave(QByteArray& data)
 
 void Core::checkEncryptedHistory()
 {
-    QByteArray salt = getSaltFromFile(HistoryKeeper::getHistoryPath());
+    QString path = HistoryKeeper::getHistoryPath();
+    bool exists = QFile::exists(path);
 
-    if (salt.size() == 0)
+    QByteArray salt = getSaltFromFile(path);
+    if (exists && salt.size() == 0)
     {   // maybe we should handle this better
         Widget::getInstance()->showWarningMsgBox(tr("Encrypted History"), tr("No encrypted history file found, or it was corrupted.\nHistory will be disabled!"));
         Settings::getInstance().setEncryptLogs(false);
@@ -188,7 +190,7 @@ void Core::checkEncryptedHistory()
 
     if (pwsaltedkeys[ptHistory])
     {
-        if (HistoryKeeper::checkPassword())
+        if (!exists || HistoryKeeper::checkPassword())
             return;
         dialogtxt = tr("The stored chat log password failed. Please try another:", "used only when pw set before load() doesn't work");
     }
@@ -198,8 +200,11 @@ void Core::checkEncryptedHistory()
     if (pwsaltedkeys[ptMain])
     {
         useOtherPassword(ptHistory);
-        if (HistoryKeeper::checkPassword())
+        if (!exists || HistoryKeeper::checkPassword())
+        {
+            qDebug() << "Core: using main password for history";
             return;
+        }
         clearPassword(ptHistory);
     }
 
@@ -218,7 +223,7 @@ void Core::checkEncryptedHistory()
         else
             setPassword(pw, ptHistory, reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(salt.data()));
 
-        error = !HistoryKeeper::checkPassword();
+        error = exists && !HistoryKeeper::checkPassword();
         dialogtxt = a + " " + b;
     } while (error);
 }
diff --git a/src/misc/db/encrypteddb.cpp b/src/misc/db/encrypteddb.cpp
index 5b3e46749..709608667 100644
--- a/src/misc/db/encrypteddb.cpp
+++ b/src/misc/db/encrypteddb.cpp
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ QSqlQuery EncryptedDb::exec(const QString &query)
 
 bool EncryptedDb::pullFileContent(const QString &fname, QByteArray &buf)
 {
-    qDebug() << "EncryptedDb::pullFileContent()";
-
     QFile dbFile(fname);
     if (!dbFile.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly))
     {
@@ -87,13 +85,13 @@ bool EncryptedDb::pullFileContent(const QString &fname, QByteArray &buf)
     while (!dbFile.atEnd())
     {
         QByteArray encrChunk = dbFile.read(encryptedChunkSize);
-        qDebug() << "got chunk:" << encrChunk.size();
+        qDebug() << "EncryptedDb::pullFileContent: got chunk:" << encrChunk.size();
         buf = Core::getInstance()->decryptData(encrChunk, Core::ptHistory);
         if (buf.size() > 0)
         {
             fileContent += buf;
         } else {
-            qWarning() << "Encrypted history log is corrupted: can't decrypt, will be deleted";
+            qWarning() << "EncryptedDb::pullFileContent: Encrypted history log is corrupted: can't decrypt, will be deleted";
             buf = QByteArray();
             return false;
         }