diff --git a/src/Tests/Tests.Groups.ts b/src/Tests/Tests.Groups.ts
index b53a086..582e7ce 100644
--- a/src/Tests/Tests.Groups.ts
+++ b/src/Tests/Tests.Groups.ts
@@ -101,8 +101,11 @@ WAConnectionTest('Groups', (conn) => {
                 }
             })
         })
-        await conn.groupRemove(gid, [testJid])
-        await waitForEvent
+        const metadata = await conn.groupMetadata (gid)
+        if (metadata.participants.find(({id}) => id === testJid)) {
+            await conn.groupRemove(gid, [testJid])
+            await waitForEvent   
+        }
         conn.removeAllListeners ('group-participants-remove')
     })
     it('should leave the group', async () => {
diff --git a/src/WAConnection/4.Events.ts b/src/WAConnection/4.Events.ts
index 9c7b914..e441f61 100644
--- a/src/WAConnection/4.Events.ts
+++ b/src/WAConnection/4.Events.ts
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ export class WAConnection extends Base {
     }
     /** inserts an empty chat into the DB */
     protected async chatAdd (jid: string, name?: string) {
+        if (this.chats.get (jid)) return
+        
         const chat: WAChat = {
             jid: jid,
             t: unixTimestampSeconds(),